Hey Folks,

I've owned or driven a few manual cars in the past, but they've all been higher power/torque/displacement motors, so maybe this is all just normal for a small motor like the Fit....

Basically what I've noticed with my Fit that feels a bit "off" is...

1. 1st gear requires a fair amount of revving to get a smooth start. If I try to rev up to 1500-2000 rpm and ease off the clutch, I have to really ease it... i chalk this up to the low momentum the small motor has, but I can't help but feel I'm greatly reducing the life of my clutch by revving up to 3k rpm to start moving.

2. 1st gear feels REALLY short... so short that this is the only car I can't just dump the clutch to get into 2nd with normal acceleration. I either have to.... a) accelerate fairly aggressively and ride 1st up to 4-5k rpm, clutch in and hold for a couple seconds while the rpms drop, then I can jump right off the clutch into 2nd or b) accelerate at a normal/moderate rate and ride 1st up to 3k rpm, clutch in and ease off the clutch going into 2nd just about as much as I have to ease off in 1st.... is this again because it's such a small car/motor and this is just typical?

3. Reverse is very finicky, it requires even more revving and easing than 1st or the car shakes like crazy.


Just trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong, there's something off with my car, or this is just typical for this car. Thanks guys!

 

All your descriptions are pretty typical for the manual GK5. When I first started driving this car, I would rev kinda high from take-offs as well, but overtime you'll get used to the clutch and won't need to gas as much, unless the situation calls for it.

Your timing will get better as you get used to the car.

 

That's good to hear, thanks for the reply! I'm getting pretty good at timing, just feels like I'm wearing the clutch a lot more than I would in other cars.

 

It all sounds normal. Rev the nuts off smaller engines, then shift. The smaller engines don't have the power of the larger engines, so you need to rev. This is part of the fun. You can rev high and fast and still not break speed limits.

 

Let's put things in perspective. This is a 1500cc engine. That's 92 cubic inches. It's not going to torque off the line like a big block or even a small block Chevy.

What you're describing is pretty much what I experienced getting used to the Fit, and I've driven manuals for nearly 40 years. Now I don't even think about it.

 

1st gear is short, yes.

But you shouldn't be revving the engine to 3k RPM to get the car going. The GK will romp a GE and I still have never had to do anything like that to get away smoothly.

 

+1 yah agreed, u dont need 3k rpm try like 2000rpm but gentler and smoother engagement.

 

Regarding #2: try taking your foot off the gas a moment before declutching and shifting, so that the rev hangs while in gear rather than waiting and coasting. That part of the timing when upshifting took me a bit to get used to.

For #1 and #3, I suspect you might possibly be trying to release the clutch a little bit quickly when starting out. Easing through the pressure point while simultaneously adding a bit of gas will make a smooth start without needing to rev really high. Again, there is some getting used to a new vehicle.

 

Re#1: Try a totally different approach... don't rev the throttle at all before letting out the clutch... Rather, gently let out the clutch first until you feel it start to engage and then add throttle as you fully disengage the clutch.

I thought I was driving like you describe (revving first then clutch) until I tried to teach my daughters how to drive stick that way and they got really frustrated. So I paid attention to what I was actually doing and found that I was doing the clutch first approach. Taught my daughters the clutch first approach and bam! they got it right away. Might take a bit of getting used to if you need to change methods.

Much less wear and tear on the clutch too... I haven't had to replace a clutch in 25 years of 15k/yr miles. Had 160k on the original clutch of one car before it died for other reasons.

 

From what I have read the Honda manual is one of the best in its class. From previous Honda Civic FE, the clutch is soft and not very communicative like high power manual cars. Rev the engine and shift. I don't see why you have to baby the clutch before shifting.

 

I have driven nothing but manual shift cars since 1979 and have only had to replace one clutch in all that time. Even my Harley-Davidson is still running the original clutch at 208,000 miles.

 

Yep, this is how you should be doing it.

 

I agree with this method. However, to me at least, I feel the whole clutch delay valve leaves that extremely vague clutch engagement feel which is what causes this confusion on how to drive this manual "correctly".

 

Eh, I think that gets overblown.

Yesterday I went from my CDV-less, extremely quick revving S2000, to a bog stock MR2 Spyder (also no CDV) to my Fit and and didn't have any issues. The Fit is massively easy to drive IMO. Only issue I have with the clutch is just how it feels as a result of sitting on the booster seat that the Fit's seats double as.

 

Agree to disagree. Feels considerably less engaging than my 99 civic. I've learned to drive the Fit after a little bit but even the GF at times in the beginning was like "why does 1st/2nd gear feel so jolting compared to your old car?". Learning curve of new system and different feel thats for sure. Will I remove the CDV? Probably not, but I've always felt it was a way for Honda to go thru clutches and not transmissions...which I suppose is a good thing haha. Not to mention it is a bit more forgiving for new manual drivers

 

I bought clutches like popcorn for my '71 Vega, at least until I swapped in a Buick V6 and THM350.

But after that, I, too, can't remember replacing a clutch since. My '00 New Beetle TDI was at 219K when I sold it and nary a sign of slippage on the original clutch. I still see it tootling around town every so often over four years later.

The Chevy SS 6MT that succeeded my Fit/Jazz has fairly light takeup, and after not having a manual for the past 2-½ years, was easy to get the hang of right away. When I test-drove a manual Fit, it was easy to drive, too, except for the ratios not being the best (1st and 6th were almost useless).

es

 

I've had my manual Fit 2 weeks now and have some of the same experience. I rev and let out the clutch at the same time but I do rev high when taking off from a red light or something. In 1st gear I rev to about 2500rpm while letting out the clutch and just before the clutch pedal is all the way out I hold it there for an extra beat to ensure a smooth engagement. Same deal 1st to 2nd, but revving over 3000rpm. 2nd to 3rd same thing to a lesser degree on the last second hold. First gear is very short. That is why I'm only hitting 2500rpm there. It's already time to shift to 2nd by then. Other manuals I have driven I have noticed that first gear will "stretch out" a little over time. I hope my Fit will do the same.

 

Compared to our old 89 CRX (may it rest in peace) it's a much shorter 1st gear. I was revving like crazy out of first and snapping my passengers' heads back onto the headrests for a while, yikes. Finally got the hang of starting out at a granny pace from first with the clutch already engaged. Much smoother (and much improved gas mileage), but doubtless infuriating to the impatient drivers behind me.

 

I find that I can take off if I feather the clutch at 1k, which is slightly above idle. Shifting into second is seamless at 4k, but that does seem a bit excessive. However, if I don't and shift at 2k, then it's a bit jerky.

My first ever car was a 52 pontiac with three on the tree, and I had to rev that straight six pretty high, or second would lug. It's just that my fit's engine is so happy to rev high, and it sounds like I'm some crazy hot rodder, even though I'm just trying to get to work and back. My pontiac didn't sound like it was happy at that RPM, but I didn't sound like a ricer.

Long story short, I think it's not a perfect engine/transmission/clutch combination for a daily commuter for a distinguished gentleman. The only thing more conspicuous would be two older guys driving in a porsche convertible, and trying not to look gay.

 

It IS a very short 1st...sometimes if I'm not at a total dead stop, or am slightly downhill, I don't even bother with it....I can start it from 2nd in these instances without any lugging at all. And yes, it is precisely like Fit4NJ says...just let the clutch out gently til it starts to engage, and THEN gently hit the gas. There IS no easier 5 speed in existence than a Honda 5 speed! If you're having to rev, you got the above order reversed.