The Shifter is Easier
Than It Looks
The shifter for a manual transmission
is quite different from that of an
automatic. (Some automatics don’t even
use conventional shifter levers anymore.)
You’ll find the gear positions – indicated
on top of the shifter knob -- arranged in
a kind of expanded “H” pattern.
Don’t be Afraid of
The Clutch
During all those years of
driving automatics, your left
foot was simply along for the
ride. Now it has to work, and in
a highly coordinated fashion.
And you are the coordinator. In
simple terms, vehicles need a
coupling between the engine
and the transmission that
allows smooth gear changes.
In a manual transmission, it’s a
clutch. This device uses a
friction disc that, when
disengaged (when you press
that third pedal), allows you to
shift gears.
The clutch pedal has two
primary positions, up and
down. Up is fully engaged,
and pressing down to the floor
is fully disengaged. As your left
foot lets the pedal up, you’ll
feel a friction zone in which
the clutch will begin to engage
or grab. What it’s doing is
connecting the running engine
to the transmission, so you’ll
feel the car start to move.
Ten minutes of practice in an
empty parking lot and you’ll
be on your way to mastering
smooth takeoffs.
Here’s a critical point: the gearshift
pattern is the same in almost every
manual transmission, the main
differences being that more gears
make the “H” wider, and Reverse is not
always in the same location. (In the
manual F-TYPE, it’s to the left of 1st.
You push down on the shifter to engage
it, a safety measure that prevents you
from mistakenly selecting 1st gear.) In
every manual transmission, Neutral is
anywhere in the middle of the “H”. You
can feel it; the shifter will move freely
from side to side.
Here’s another point that may bring you
some relief: when shifting, you don’t
need to look at the shifter to know
where the gears are. The first time
you get in the car, without starting the
engine, push in the clutch pedal, hold it
to the floor, and shift through the gears
to get a feel for the gear slots. There is
a spring type detent mechanism in the
apparatus to help ease the lever into the
next highest or lowest gear, like a little
personal assistant.
R
1
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5
2
4
6