Mustang Bullitt Forum banner

Best way to save the clutch from a dead stop?

3K views 52 replies 17 participants last post by  Terry 
#1 ·
It has been awhile since I owned a manual transmission in a vehicle, and on top of that I am driving 3 different cars on a regular basis. Here is my question: I'll start by saying it is not hard for me to make a smooth start from ZERO, but, I feel like I am using more rpms and clutch than I should for that feathered in smoothness. What is the best way to save the clutch over time and still start off smoothly. I will admit in trying to get the clutch fully engaged quickly; with the least amount of "circular sanding" sometimes makes me look a little foolish. I have no problems flying through the gears, I just need some input for civilized city driving. I will go 3-4 days without driving the Bullitt. No chastisement required:confused: Advice is highly appreciated though!:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Well a good teacher instructs his pupils on methodology as well as practice, what concrete advice can you give me. I think I am overly cautious with it.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Doc Coffin said:
Press the gas, quickly lift the clutch.
Thats about as good as it gets.
Just practice.
Yes I am with you. I am not sure it matters if I burn a little clutch, and usually it is not an issue, but in a loud environment and I can't hear the engine is when I will jerk the car at a start. Sometimes I get in my little 3 series BMW and find myself pressing a clutch that doesn't exist. I moved my socks to a different drawer in my bedroom 10 years ago; and still go for the wrong drawer. Maybe I should just drive the Bullitt everyday but I am trying to keep it pristine.

When I was in college in the early 70's I had a VW Beetle, put 115,000 miles on it and never replaced the clutch, of course it had about 80HP I would guess.:lol:
 
Discussion starter · #19 · (Edited)
SteveNYC said:
Hi Terry,

As a NYC Bullitt owner and first time stick shift driver at age 53, I have the same desire to preserve the clutch that you do. :smile:

I took lessons from a driving school in Manhattan before taking delivery of my Bullitt, and my teacher (in a line that cracked me up) said "No premature clutch"... meaning "Don't release the clutch too quickly." In my experience, he was correct... because every time I release the clutch quickly I stall out. What I do is release the clutch to the clutch point just before the light turns green and (depending on whether I'm on level ground or not) let my Bullitt begin to move forward either at idle or with a little gas applied. After I've gone about 10 feet forward (a distance I also got from my instructor), I let the clutch out all the way and apply gas to the point where I can shift into 2nd (which takes about 3 seconds in city driving).

This, of course, is not driving under "Drag Strip" circumstances. I don't have a clue how to Burn Rubber Off The Line (with traction control off).... but, in all honesty, I don't want to wear out my tires by taking my Bullitt to the track and doing that. (Sorry, Mark/08Shifter :wink: )

I'm going to be meeting Hesh on June 15th, and I think he's going to check out my shifting skills. If it turns out Hesh shows me another way to handle getting going from zero in city traffic, I'll be happy to share that with you! :wink:

I hope some of this is helpful!

:cool:

Steve
You can burn rubber even with the traction control on, I have done it, probably bad for the tires and transmission and the clutch, but you sure can do it, just disengage the control and you are really in business. However your slow start to 10' is very logical and makes a lot of sense. I don't want everyone to think I cannot drive this monster, because I really can, I am just trying to refine my skills to the utmost and have even been practicing double clutching for fun. Yep I know it is not really necessary, but fun all the same. It's alright to be humble with this group of Bullitt owners, I at least feel that way. I am not embarrassed to say what I need in the way of help, that to me is what keeps me spending time on the site.
 
Discussion starter · #20 · (Edited)
Lightning said:
That's the easiest lesson of all; Clutch in, select 1st gear, bring the revs up to ~3500-4000, foot off the brake, and then with the clutch still depressed slide your left foot straight left off the clutch...

Do it right and you will be rewarded with a nice cloud of smoke ;)




Oh, and be prepared to counter-steer, you may find your rear end sliding sideways...
I have zero problems with hole shots,I like the 5,000RPM approach better; you made me smile! because that is what I love the most!:lol:
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
That is the best and simplest explanation I have ever seen!

tigerhonaker said:
Terry,



So, I gave this some Real Thought and this is what I have come up with for "You-Terry".

It is really difficult to put into Exact Words as to what to and Not to do as far as using the Clutch "Correct". So I searched and came up with this video that I really like. It is Simple but I could not have done it any better myself. This is "Exactly" the Correct way to take off from a Stop with No Unnecessary Ware on Your Clutch. Watch and Listen to what this guy says. It is really good and he keeps it Simple as he should.

You (Ease) the (Clutch-Out) until you Feel the Car Starting to (Move-Forward) and at the same time give the car some gas. The Smoother the better. The Clutch will last for ever in this manner of driving.

I have owned so many Very Fast Cars with Manual Transmissions that it would be next to impossible for me to List them here. Yes, I am being Serious.

And my reason for saying that is this. I have NEVER EVER Replaced a Clutch, Period. NEVER !!!!!

So, I think if you take My Advise as well as watch this Video and look at this guys feet and Listen to what he says you will be in (Excellent driving Style) and Your Clutch Worries will be of No Concern at All.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6YRI0EUkKQ&NR=1


Happy Motoring,

Terry
Well you get 5 stars for that one, because it is so obvious I and I should have realized that when all went right I was doing just what is shown! That video does the job in 30 seconds, I am cured! Terry#1 thanks much, you helped me at the beginning of my enrollment on the IMBOC site; and you then, like now did it again...Terry#2
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
DavidMidgley said:
A 70's Beetle? Try 50 horsepower, and that is when it was new out of the factory! :lol:
Probably was 50HP and the funny thing is, it only got about 20m/gal, no BS, I owned 3 of them as a kid. I guess I forgot cars were getting 12 mpg then when gas was 27.9/gal. I could fill the car for less than what a gallon of petrol costs today.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
BB2008 said:
This "Save the Clutch" is starting to sound a little bit like "Save the Whales" :lol: I am a new stick driver too, and based on what I have heard I have decided not to worry too much about wearing out the clutch. I'll put a little money aside (about $1200 I am told by the dealer) for a "Clutch Fund" just in case. Lugging the motor in trying to save the clutch is probably a worse idea, so I am just going to wear out one thing instead of several others.
Well I in my heart, I feel the same, as you, But I still like to know what I can from this site. Believe me, when I drive my car it is not babied, I actually abuse it and I am trying to find a middle road. I have found lately it costs you $1200 for spark plugs at a dealer if you get my cynical attitude about car repairs.
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
DavidMidgley said:
I worked for a VW/Porche/Audi dealer in Ohio, back in the day. I was the make ready guy for new cars. Cleaned off the cosmoline, installed radios, high dollar leather seat covers, changed oil, etc.:wink: I got my eyes opened at the not so tender age of 19 in that dealership. Some things/cars that people buy from a dealer are really amazing! And they are happy with them... :lol:
Well, I grew up in western Pa, not more than 15 miles from Youngstown, so you must have been in a bigger city, I think there was a Porsche dealer in Youngstown. I grew up in steel country Sharon, Pa..has nothing to do with what we are talking about, but we must be close to the same age as well. and similar backgrounds, I worked in steel mills to get my butt through college.
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
I checked, I am a month older, call me Sir!

DavidMidgley said:
I worked for a VW/Porche/Audi dealer in Ohio, back in the day. I was the make ready guy for new cars. Cleaned off the cosmoline, installed radios, high dollar leather seat covers, changed oil, etc.:wink: I got my eyes opened at the not so tender age of 19 in that dealership. Some things/cars that people buy from a dealer are really amazing! And they are happy with them... :lol:
Born in March of 51, show respect for your elders David!:wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
DavidMidgley said:
Yes Sir!:tongue:



Now that's funny! :rolleyes:

Think Warren, Ohio. Sheehe VW-Porsche-Audi...1970-1972.

You old fa*t! :lol:
I know it, Warren and the dealer. We played Warren in football at times. I graduated from Hickory High school. If I remember correctly the main drag through town was rte 422. We used to go to the Brown Derby restaurant after proms and such when I was in school. This world is too small. Am I right about 422? I have many fond memories of Warren, it is a pretty town, great old houses and lots of oaks and maple trees in full green in summer, but winter sucked big time.

I left the area and went to Australia at 24 and then to Denver and in Orlando for 25 years now. We can talk sometime I hope!
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
DavidMidgley said:
Yup! State route 422. Also, Rt. 82 converged on Warren. I used to cruise that road east to west and back again. Hung out at the McD on the west side.

I first saw Bullitt, the movie, in the theater there. And my first 240Z sighting was in Warren at the dealership. At the time the Datsun dealer had three cars, and the 240Z, orange of course, was one of them. I never went to that Brown Derby. I lived in Orwell, about one half hour north on Rt. 45. Actually, Ashtabula County. Not Trumbull county, where Warren was the hub and county seat. I graduated from Grand Valley H.S. We were in the same league as Vienna schools and played them. Just to the east of Warren...

OOPS! That was Sheehee VW, they paid me $3.25/hr starting. I made it up to $3.35/hr. :lol: I was glad to get it too!
The Youngstown airport is in Vienna, or am I mixed up, I went to college at Edinboro Pa, near Erie, and if my geography is right your county bordered to the north near or on the Pa/OH line, bed time now, we'll talk again, this is pretty neat!
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
rblack4405 said:
$1200.00 for spark plugs?
Don't take me seriously, but I kid you not on my wife's Lincoln LS the dealer had the gall to tell her it was almost $600 to get in there and replace 6 plugs, not the coils mind you, just the plugs. Since nobody is really selling cars right now they need to carry the overhead someway I guess.
 
Discussion starter · #37 ·
DavidMidgley said:
Your right! Youngstown Airport is in Vienna, on Rt. 11 as I recall. My best high school buddy lived under the landing pattern for the eastern approach.

I literally lived on Rt. 322 in Orwell. I went to church in Jefferson, at least when I went to church! I also worked at Roaming Rock Shores. Just to the west of Jefferson. In Rome, Oh. right after graduating in 1970.

You were a bit north, and fairly east of me. I went to a class reunion in 1994. Things are all the same, but different. Like the old saying, "the more things change, the more they stay the same." The mind plays tricks on a person. Those towns and cities are everything that we remember, and nothing like what we remember.:rolleyes: :smile:
My wife's sort of half cousin or something like that, I never got it straight is Dave Blaney, he drove Sprint Cars, and ran in Hartford Ohio, right near Sharon across the border. He was known as the Buckeye Bullet, I think, I don't follow that type of racing but he has now for many years run in the Nascar circuit, Daytona and all, you may know of him. I think he is about 40.

Vienna was the closest airport to me, about 15 miles from Hermitage, Pa...it used to be called Hickory back then. I have not been back for about 7 years now.
 
Discussion starter · #38 ·
Lightning said:
Glad you liked that.

:lol:



Just don't ever do that if decide to buy an old classic SHO. That's the recipe for shredding your transmission case, but that's a story for another day... :eek:
Have you seen the video Bullitt bunrout? They don't seem to care much about caution.:lol:
 
Discussion starter · #42 ·
Mega, I am not sure how I got the tag?

Lightning said:
btw Terry, congrats on your shiny new 'Mega Bullithead' tag :D
How does that work, the different prefixes? I guess I should know, but I am not afraid to ask anything in spite of appearing ignorant. Somebody help me out here, I think I am honored?
 
Discussion starter · #52 ·
also excellent, especially in San Fran where my son lives

rblack4405 said:
When stopping on a hill, I use the emergency brake to hold the car and for ease of taking off from a dead stop. Less slipping of the clutch.
Yep, I must admit in San Fran, some of those hills with a car on your butt can be nerve rattling, I have done it but not in the Bullitt, my son's Ford Focus, manual.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top