Q&A for How to Drive Smoothly with a Manual Transmission

The car stalls if the RPM level is too far below idle. An easier way for beginners to get the car moving in first gear is to slowly release the clutch pedal and, at the same time, apply a small amount of pressure to your gas pedal.

It depends on how steep the hill is and on your car. Very steep hills can require first gear with almost redline RPM (very rare). Otherwise, second gear can handle the situation.

It depends on your speed. If you're in 5th and have slowed down enough to go into 2nd, then you can shift straight into 2nd.

You cant do this because when the clutch is in, the car is effectively in neutral and keeping the gas in will increase your RPM. This will either increase the RPM of the engine and cause a jerky shift and wear the clutch or, in worse scenarios, it will damage either your engine or transmission.

It's called engine braking. Downshifting isn't necessary in everyday driving unless the speed is suitable and you can also use that gear to get going again.

Yes! You can let off the clutch slowly to make the car move forward in first gear.

Practice and challenge the hill. Put your gear into first when you get there after you have stopped. While your right foot is on the brake and left foot is on the clutch, put your right foot on the gas and press and release your left foot off the clutch. Keep doing this until you feel confident. Then you can drive in the hills of San Francisco.

Yes, avoiding excessively high RPM reduces fuel consumption.

You "can" if you really want to, but keep in mind that by doing so, you're reducing your clutch's life span, along with the lifespans of your flywheel and bearings.

Do as the article says, brake in gear. The reason for that is fuel efficiency. The engine runs on the kinetic energy of the car and doesn't need extra fuel to keep running. Brake until you feel the engine is about to stall, and then depress the clutch. Only shift into 1st if you're stopped or moving at walking speed or less. Shifting into a low gear at high speeds can damage the transmission.

If you have to stop suddenly and you are in fifth gear, simply step on both the brake and clutch pedal until you're stopped. You can then change into first gear to start driving again.

Yes. There is a method of controlling speed using the clutch known as clutch control. This involves feathering the clutch on the bite zone while moving slowly. This can help control your speed when you're in traffic or crowded spaces such as parking lots.

You can, but it won't help you accelerate. Higher gears give you more speed. Lower gears give you more torque. Stay in fourth until you get to 3000 RPM. and then shift up.

Yes, because holding down the clutch is called coasting. This is bad because you will not have control of the car.

The design of the car will not allow you to do this.

If the traffic has completely stopped in front of you, is not creeping forward, and you know you'll be stopped for about 2 or more minutes, then go for it, but ensure you apply the handbrake.

Practice. Keep the gear in first if you're not in front of the lane in case the guy behind you does not stop. If you are behind a lot of care, leave the gear in neutral and rest your left foot.

Depending on the age of the truck, it's entirely possible that the syncromesh in some/all of your gears have gone. To replace these requires taking the entire transmission apart, so it's therefore a very expensive job. It's entirely up to you, but you can learn to rev match and double de-clutch to attempt to minimize the noise, or you can just live with it until the gearbox wears out completely.

(WARNING: The following method is done at your own risk). Depress the clutch completely and depress the brake pedal just enough to hold you in place. Make sure you keep the car in first gear. When the lights turn green, lift the clutch up to the bite and hold it there, release the brake, apply sufficient throttle, and then lift the clutch until it is fully out.

That's actually the jolt of the clutch being eased off and released up until it stalls because your not touching the gas.

Depress the clutch quickly and start the engine. You have to maintain the clutch balance.

Change down to 2nd before turning the corner. Clutch down while turning.

If you are going 1-3 miles per hour, it's not the end of the world. But the faster you're going in neutral, the harder it will be on your brakes, especially going downhill. The smart way to brake is by using the brakes while in gear (engine braking along with brakes). Once you reach a near halt (2mph), quickly depress the clutch in and shift to Neutral. Avoid depressing the clutch slowly as you brake (this will fry up your flywheel).

Keep your right foot on gas and left foot on clutch about partway up until you feel the car is inching.

As long as you don't bring the engine below idle speed or give too much gas at low revs. Doing either of these causes a phenomenon known as "bogging" the engine, where you can feel the car shake and stutter because the engine load is too high for the gear/rpm combination. If this happens, downshift.

Use the gas pedal. If you want to rev without moving, hold in the clutch or put the gear into neutral to rev using the accelerator.

Yes, you can step on both the clutch and the brake in order to have full control of the car in case there is an urgent need to change the gear.

Yes, you can step on both at the same time.

If you apply the brake in high gear, the engine will slow down until it stalls completely. Just brake and as the car slips below idle, downshift.

Decelerate with the brake pedal (without pressing the clutch) until you're about 3/4 the way to the point at which you need to stop. Then, lighten up on the brakes, press in the clutch, shift into neutral, release the clutch, and brake to a stop.