Frustrated to no end going from 1st to 2nd...

Acid-Blade · 09-26-2016, 03:29 PM

So I recently bought my Z I would say a good month ago, perhaps less than a month ago.

Going from 1st to 2nd is incredibly frustrating. Granted, when I first noticed that I was jerking the car around, I blamed it on myself due to the fact that I haven't driven a manual for a few years. I brushed it off as "I will get back to form soon". THIS has NOT been the case for me.

Surely it's a Z. I bought it for some occasional "spirited driving". I can launch it fine, but going into 2nd i have failed most of the time. Literally 3 of 10 tries i would fail.

So I read through the forums, many people have trouble but they get better at it. So I also take the approach, slow and steady but more importantly work on smooth transition from 1st to 2nd. Still I am not quite there, I would like to get better due to the fact, even when "normal" driving and "practicing" I am only getting about 5/10 smooth transition.

These are the things i have tried thus far....

1. Reving a little before the shift, then shift.
2. When easing off the clutch I do it slowly.
-This sometimes causes me to slip.............

3. I frequently seem to press the gas too late, causing the slow down jerk then acceleration jerk....

4. Sometimes I press the gas to early, cause it to slip more .........

5. Shifting fast/slow
6. Holding the clutch a split second longer before releasing the clutch... This one doesn't make sense to me if it works because when "spirited driving" I would not want to do this........

Main thing that annoys me, I can't get a grip on this clutch at all.... everytime I do it right, I can't replicated it right after but the feeling of the car pull when you do it right, even just smooth/slow shifting makes me want to get it right more than ever....... Someone help me .

A question though, Is there supposed to be that deep from the press clutch to the friction point on this car??????????????????????????

Chuck33079 · 09-26-2016, 03:34 PM

Take out the helper spring.

Hotrodz · 09-26-2016, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Take out the helper spring.

This ^^^I took mine out years ago and never looked back!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

beemerkid · 09-26-2016, 05:39 PM

It took me 10K miles to get well and truly used to it and Ive been driving manuals only for years...Replacing the soft factory differential bushings helps IMHO. Keeps the car from bouncing as much when you frack it up. if you don't want to get used to it I hear the RJM clutch peddle is the way to go. The engagement point and friction zone are adjustable to your liking. Clutch on these cars engages/disengages very high ie. you don't need to push it very far to shift, and theres a lot of dead space past that. If it disengages near the floor, your csc may be about to fail.

ayrton88 · 09-26-2016, 06:01 PM

Don't get frustrated....it will come. I'm 65 years old and have been driving manuals since I was 16, including some god awful ones, and the Z took me awhile to get used to it. It is not very forgiving.

Hotrodz · 09-26-2016, 07:48 PM

Many have also switch out the shift knob for a heavier knob with success as well. I did that too and it helped as well but I went to a tall 7" TWM shift knob and I love that thing. It makes shifting so much easier. I got props from my track day driving instructor for it too lol.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Rusty · 09-26-2016, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Take out the helper spring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

This ^^^I took mine out years ago and never looked back!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Mine has been gone since I bought the Z.

BehindSpace · 09-26-2016, 08:09 PM

turn off the syncro rev match it trys to revmatchon the upshifts also and if you still dont like it shift with the ac on, the rpm drop faster there is no rev hang with the ac on, easy fix

littlejuanito · 09-26-2016, 08:23 PM

Skip all above mentioned and just get the RJM pedal. It's the best upgrade you can make, if you wish to have a good clutch feel as well as ease of operation.

jchammond · 09-26-2016, 08:44 PM

I just tug my paddle or bump my stick....or i can just leave in "D" & Drift through 1st & 2nd into 3rd.

RumbleFish · 09-26-2016, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlejuanito

Skip all above mentioned and just get the RJM pedal. It's the best upgrade you can make, if you wish to have a good clutch feel as well as ease of operation.

RumbleFish · 09-26-2016, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jchammond

I just tug my paddle or bump my stick....

P's_Z · 09-26-2016, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Take out the helper spring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

This ^^^I took mine out years ago and never looked back!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

Mine has been gone since I bought the Z.

+1, and...

For DD, what has also helped me is shifting slowly and at very low rpms.

No issues shifting when taking her to redline and driving the hell out of her

P's_Z · 09-26-2016, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hotrodz

Many have also switch out the shift knob for a heavier knob with success as well. I did that too and it helped as well but I went to a tall 7" TWM shift knob and I love that thing. It makes shifting so much easier. I got props from my track day driving instructor for it too lol.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Got any pics of the shift knob...? No homo

scope22 · 09-26-2016, 09:53 PM

1. Get RJM Clutch Pedal
if still not happy
2. Turn off rev matching
if still not happy
3. Get light weight flywheel
if still not happy
4. Get urathane tranny mount
if still not happy
5. Get mustang

Every problem you're describing i was struggling with when i bought my Z and hated the car because of it, then i bought RJM clutch pedal and it made a 1000% difference, but i wasn't truly happy untill i turned off rev matching, because it holds RPMs up for a second or 2 because it doesn't know if you're going to downshift in which case it needs to rev up, which is stupid if you're in first f-u-c-k-i-n-g gear! anyway i drive a 2010 non-sport and love it, i think Z is the best sport car you can buy but you have to mod it to your liking once you do:

09-26-2016, 03:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Acid-Blade Base Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Auburn Alabama Posts: 5 Drives: 2017 370Z 6MT Black Rep Power: 9	Frustrated to no end going from 1st to 2nd... So I recently bought my Z I would say a good month ago, perhaps less than a month ago. Going from 1st to 2nd is incredibly frustrating. Granted, when I first noticed that I was jerking the car around, I blamed it on myself due to the fact that I haven't driven a manual for a few years. I brushed it off as "I will get back to form soon". THIS has NOT been the case for me. Surely it's a Z. I bought it for some occasional "spirited driving". I can launch it fine, but going into 2nd i have failed most of the time. Literally 3 of 10 tries i would fail. So I read through the forums, many people have trouble but they get better at it. So I also take the approach, slow and steady but more importantly work on smooth transition from 1st to 2nd. Still I am not quite there, I would like to get better due to the fact, even when "normal" driving and "practicing" I am only getting about 5/10 smooth transition. These are the things i have tried thus far.... 1. Reving a little before the shift, then shift. 2. When easing off the clutch I do it slowly. -This sometimes causes me to slip............. 3. I frequently seem to press the gas too late, causing the slow down jerk then acceleration jerk.... 4. Sometimes I press the gas to early, cause it to slip more ......... 5. Shifting fast/slow 6. Holding the clutch a split second longer before releasing the clutch... This one doesn't make sense to me if it works because when "spirited driving" I would not want to do this........ Main thing that annoys me, I can't get a grip on this clutch at all.... everytime I do it right, I can't replicated it right after but the feeling of the car pull when you do it right, even just smooth/slow shifting makes me want to get it right more than ever....... Someone help me . A question though, Is there supposed to be that deep from the press clutch to the friction point on this car?????????????????????????? KMO-II likes this.

09-26-2016, 03:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	Take out the helper spring. gomer_110, Rusty, Hotrodz and 1 others like this. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

09-26-2016, 06:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Don't get frustrated....it will come. I'm 65 years old and have been driving manuals since I was 16, including some god awful ones, and the Z took me awhile to get used to it. It is not very forgiving. mults, KngScottieV, P's_Z and 2 others like this.

09-26-2016, 07:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
Hotrodz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NW, AZ Posts: 9,330 Drives: 10 Nissan 370z Nismo Rep Power: 2684385	Many have also switch out the shift knob for a heavier knob with success as well. I did that too and it helped as well but I went to a tall 7" TWM shift knob and I love that thing. It makes shifting so much easier. I got props from my track day driving instructor for it too lol. Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk GaleForce and P's_Z like this. __________________ *Fast Intentions TT Installed and Tuned by Seb at SpecialtyZ 610whp 560tq:\|Fast Intentions 3" TT-TDX*\|SpecialtyZ/Fast Intentions 72 Row Oil Cooler\|SZ 6 Puck Clutch & Flywheel\|3GsCustoms\|Z1\|Wavetrac\|Hotchkis\|Whiteline \|Blitz\|Fortune Auto 500\|Fujimura\|SPL\|H&R\|TK\|TWM\|RPM Rollbar\|Sparco\|Next Level Performance\|TrackSpec\|AeroFlow Dynamics\|Pioneer\|

09-26-2016, 08:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
littlejuanito Track Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 812 Drives: 2014 Touring Sport Rep Power: 419	Skip all above mentioned and just get the RJM pedal. It's the best upgrade you can make, if you wish to have a good clutch feel as well as ease of operation. RumbleFish likes this. __________________ Fast Intentions Non-Resonated Carbon Fiber CBE \| Berk Non-Resonated HFC \| Powertrix Coilovers \| RJM Clutch Pedal \| LatheWerks Shift Knob \| Stillen Sway Bars, \|SPL Parts \| Enkei RS05RR \| Fujimura Diffuser \| Ecutek Tuned by Seb \| 308whp

09-26-2016, 05:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
beemerkid Base Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Santa Rosa California Posts: 67 Drives: '16 sport 6MT Rep Power: 10	It took me 10K miles to get well and truly used to it and Ive been driving manuals only for years...Replacing the soft factory differential bushings helps IMHO. Keeps the car from bouncing as much when you frack it up. if you don't want to get used to it I hear the RJM clutch peddle is the way to go. The engagement point and friction zone are adjustable to your liking. Clutch on these cars engages/disengages very high ie. you don't need to push it very far to shift, and theres a lot of dead space past that. If it disengages near the floor, your csc may be about to fail.

09-26-2016, 08:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
BehindSpace Base Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 83 Drives: 2014 Evo X MR Rep Power: 85	turn off the syncro rev match it trys to revmatchon the upshifts also and if you still dont like it shift with the ac on, the rpm drop faster there is no rev hang with the ac on, easy fix

09-26-2016, 08:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
jchammond A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Carolina Age: 58 Posts: 15,204 Drives: 13’ 370Z TS 7A/T Rep Power: 2684395	I just tug my paddle or bump my stick....or i can just leave in "D" & Drift through 1st & 2nd into 3rd. __________________ MazWorx built long block \| FI-TT-100 Stage 2.75 \| IPT built 7A/T http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...s-musings.html

09-26-2016, 09:53 PM	#15 (permalink)
scope22 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Roswell, GA Posts: 1,179 Drives: wife crazy Rep Power: 55	1. Get RJM Clutch Pedal if still not happy 2. Turn off rev matching if still not happy 3. Get light weight flywheel if still not happy 4. Get urathane tranny mount if still not happy 5. Get mustang Every problem you're describing i was struggling with when i bought my Z and hated the car because of it, then i bought RJM clutch pedal and it made a 1000% difference, but i wasn't truly happy untill i turned off rev matching, because it holds RPMs up for a second or 2 because it doesn't know if you're going to downshift in which case it needs to rev up, which is stupid if you're in first f-u-c-k-i-n-g gear! anyway i drive a 2010 non-sport and love it, i think Z is the best sport car you can buy but you have to mod it to your liking once you do: iDaRkkO and elhombre like this. Last edited by scope22; 09-27-2016 at 01:55 PM. Reason: english second language

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