ME!!!

As some of you may know I've had this ongoing phenomenon where on take-off (1st gear) my MINI seems to hesitate for a brief millisecond. It's not a buck like someone who doesn't know how to drive a stick, but it might as well be.

My problem I seem to be noticing is I don't rev the car enough to engage 1st gear with enough torque. I have this misconception one is suppose to let off the clutch with "minimal" throttle for a "quiet" and smooth start. Truth be told, I'm always fearful of revving Zippy to much. Ironically, today I saw a Maserati passing me and that thing was roaring on take-off like I could hear it a block away.

And so, from an ignoramus like me may I ask two questions so I can try once and for all (it's been a year now), to teach myself the proper way to drive a stick?

1- what do you bring the rev to when engaging 1st gear? Please note, I'm talking normal driving not racing please.

2- will revving Zippy harm her in the long run?


The last time I drive a stick was in my college days and that was a Honda CvCC in 1979. Clearly I have no damn idea what I'm doing. :(

Any help would be much appreciated.

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I think the best thing to do is to try different RPMs until you find what you like.

It will only cause unwanted wear if you start dumping the clutch from high, high RPMs or conversely really let the clutch slip a lot.

 

This is good reading, some parts are a little too elementary but still good.
As Click and Clack say "The best car to learn to drive a stick is somebody else's" http://www.cartalk.com/content/learn-drive-stick-3

 

No real answer, every car,driver and situation is different. If on take off the wheels are chirping and the rear end is sliding you've gone too far, usually!

 

When in bumper to bumper traffic, I try to launch with just the clutch, same goes for reverse. Takes some practice..

Normal driving conditions, I usually launch around 1200-1500 rpms.

To give it some pep off the line, it's just like taking off normally but at a higher rpm and be a little more aggressive. Just takes some practice. Too many people focus on trying to not slip the clutch and it takes the fun out of driving a stick. I'm not saying to go ahead and dump it but it is meant to slip, starting in first, reverse, going slow will require some slippage.

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Slip?

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Releasing the clutch while your foot is on the gas.

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If you have a "SPORT" button, PUSH it! I find the car is almost undrivable when not in sport mode... The throttle mapping is horrible... In sport mode at least it's linear.

 

Richard. I've tried that and still the same. Today I disconnected the negative battery cable for an hour. I remember when I installed my K&N CAI I did that and when I reconnected it it appeared the problem was solved. I recently, took the car in relative to a tire and maintenance check (key fob said I didn't need anything), but started noticing this more after that visit.

Hmmmmmmmmmm ..... is all I can say.

I'll try the sport button which I do have - never really understood what that does (if anything). :(

 

Avoid reving too much then putting it in gear, or you will see a $2000 clutch change bill within 30,000 miles....

 

Thanks Zippy. I'll see how she behaves later this morning on my way to work. I remember when I disconnected and reconnected the battery after my CAI install (one hour with door left open), she was fine. Slowly, she's been going back to that PITA hesitation on take-off.

Not sure if I should try the sprint booster for fear I might get the wrong one again. Makes me feel like I should have gone the automatic route. :(

Thanks again my friend.

Regards,
David

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think you should try the sprintbooster again....
as waymotorworks said in another thread...ot is there on purpose...

 

OK guys so one of two things is happening here.

I disconnected the battery, same as when I installed my CAI several months ago. After reconnecting it (disconnected with door open for almost an hour), this car has reverted back to the smooth take off like before. So one of two things is happening here:

1- I'm losing my freegin mind, or
2- I have absolutely no idea what gives or what can be causing this.

Am I going to resort to a battery disconnecting every few months? If so, I don't mind resetting the clock in exchange for what I observed today. I had the AC on too as it was 87 degrees here today.

I'll continue to monitor this closely over the next few days. This is the oddest thing I've ever experienced with this MINI. :(

Also, I'm afraid to buy another sprintbooster for fear it won't work with my MINI like the last one. I'd gladly invest in another sprintbooster if I can assure myself this hesitation will go away once and for all. For now it seems fine, but I fear it will return.

Unless MINI Service saw I had a CAI did something to my MINI when I took it there for the tire issue.

Who knows, I'm just exhausted with this already.

Regards,
Dave