What RPM should you shift into first gear?
Generally, you should shift gears up when the tachometer is around “3” or 3,000 RPMs; shift down when the tachometer is around “1” or 1,000 RPMs. After some experience with driving a stick shift, you'll be able to figure out when to shift by the way your engine sounds and “feels.” More on that below.
To ease the transition into second gear, bring the engine speed to roughly 1500-2000 RPM. Without revving the engine up slightly, you'll have a jerky, jarring transition when you let the clutch pedal out.
1 – First gear. To be used when you require more power but less speed and to prevent the transmission from shifting to a higher gear. These gears may be used when going up or down hills and on road conditions like slush, loose gravel, snow, sand or ice, where you need more power but less speed.
The shift RPMs will be higher if you are further down on the throttle on faster acceleration. Shifting between 2000 and 3000 is normal.
As many others have already stated, 2nd gear is often a much better choice for starting in slippery conditions such as snow or ice. First gear, especially in a more powerful car, is likely to just spin your tires because it has too much torque.
Between 1,300 and 1,500 RPM is the most fuel-efficient engine speed, or what some would call the “sweet spot.”
To move from first to second gear keep your hand on the gear lever, palm away from you, apply slight pressure to the left to stop the gear lever springing back to the central neutral position, and move the gear lever straight back.
The normal RPM range for cars on highways is generally between 1500 rpm and 2000 rpm. The idle rotation ranges between 600 rpm and 1000 rpm. A diesel engine usually stays idle at around 750 rpm, while it runs at a speed of 110 km/h on 6th gear at 2000 rpm. However, petrol engines rotate at 6000 rpm at high speeds.
If you're in first gear and just keep going faster and faster, the engine will stop itself from being destroyed by cutting fuel and/or ignition, so it won't go past the “rev limit” (usually a bit past the red zone on the rev-counter). You break your engine.
Most likely it is because you are giving too much gas vs. clutch position. If you rev too high or come up too fast off the clutch pedal, you will jerk the car. Too much power to the wheels at once.
Is it OK to ride the clutch in first gear?
Yes it's wrong. It's really, really wrong. You will tear through your clutch and/or throwout bearing very quickly if you ride the clutch.
Yes, you can do so but you need to have sufficient speed of the output shaft (drive shaft) for the vehicle to not stall.
Though it is advisable to always start from first gear when moving from standstill, I've seen many people start from second gear (especially when waiting in traffice light). For modern engines with high torque it is often possible to start in 2nd gear.
Move the gear stick into first gear. Use your right foot to press down on the accelerator gently to increase the engine's revs very slightly. Slowly lift the clutch pedal until the engine starts to vibrate gently. Release the handbrake to start moving slowly.
For most modern vehicle, you should not cruise above 2500 to 3000 rpm. Most of the turbo-charged engines develop a lot of more torque around 1800 to 2600 rpm range. Older engines, torque didn't peak until 3500+ rpm.
All cars are designed to start at the lowest gear, as that's where you get the most power for acceleration, but driving at the highest gear will increase fuel economy. Fuel consumption will increase when you stay long at lower gears. Driving slow at the highest gear will also increase fuel consumption.
While there is no exact number that will tell you what is considered normal RPM for a car, if your car revs between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM, you're considered to be within the average range. If your RPM is drastically different from this range, you should bring your car to a mechanic and find out why.
Starting in second isn't nearly as bad for an automatic transmission, which uses a fluid drive to transmit power to the transmission rather than a clutch plate. In fact, many new automatic cars often start out in second gear as a default unless you put them in a sport mode or mash the throttle from a stop.
A common cause of transmission shifting issues like when your car jerks when shifting from 1st to 2nd is when there is an issue with your transmission fluid. For instance, when you have a low fluid level due to leakages or untimely fluid change.
The reason is simply as you put it, that being it isn't trying to spin the engine as fast in 2nd gear as it would be in 1st. If the engine is a little harder to start, you won't be wasting all of the momentum trying to get 1st gear to kick over.
Does high RPM hurt engine?
No. Engines are designed in such a way that they can perform at redline without breaking down or taking damage at those RPMs. This doesn't mean that you should redline your engine often. Working at peak performance be it an engine or anything else will take its toll and cause wear and tear.
If you drive at 5,000 RPM, that bearing is going to use up its lifetime twice as fast as if you were driving at 2,500 RPM. On the other hand, "lugging" an engine at too low an RPM can be harmful, as well. If your prime directive is mechanical lifetime, shoot for lower RPM within a reasonable range (i.e. not lugging).
7. The Energy Saving Trust says that the most efficient speed you can travel in a car in terms of achieving the best fuel economy is 55-65mph. Any faster, though, and the fuel efficiency decreases rapidly.
Typically, grinding gears a couple times isn't going to cause metal shards. It's just the obnoxious sound of the engagement teeth bouncing off the holes. The metals used are very hard, so not much is going to happen unless you do it over and over again.
Shifting your gears rapidly can cause considerable damage to the vehicle's transmission. It can also lead to shutting off your car's engine, if not executed properly. So, it's always advisable to shift your gears slowly and systematically.
The maximum recommended speed in 2nd gear is: 69 mph (110 km/h). This position is to be used when stronger engine braking is needed.
Yes it can. The odds are lower or higher on certain engines but most definitely it can cause damage.
Higher revolutions per minute equate to more fuel burnt in the same amount of time and more power produced. Because of this, most consider higher RPMs racing RPMs. Running at lower RPMs equates to higher torque and thus lower horsepower, while making higher RPM power outputs less torque and higher top horsepower.
In most of today's cars, an idle speed of 600 to 1000 RPMs is average. If your car is idling rough, though, it won't feel smooth. The RPMs will jump up and down, for example, or they'll fall below 600 RPM (or whatever is typical for your vehicle).
#1: Don't stay in gear at stop lights
Doing so is hard on the clutch's spring, bearing and diaphragm. Instead, put the stick shift in neutral and let the clutch out.
How long can you drive in 1st gear?
Nothing. The vehicle will keep traveling in that gear for as long as you wish. Each gear is appropriate to use within the parameters of that gear's design for that vehicle. If you are traveling at 15mph in 1st gear, you can continue to travel at 15mph in 1st gear for as long as you wish.
Hard, and sometimes impossible shifting into first and reverse is caused by the clutch disc not moving away from the spinning flywheel. This is commonly referred to as the "clutch is not releasing". The number one cause is the hydraulic system that operates the clutch is leaking and has low fluid.
The Connection
There is a middle point at which the clutch plates connect but slip. This slipping allows the car engine to transfer the necessary torque to the stationary wheel. Thus, if you rapidly release the clutch slowly with manual transmission, the chances are that the car might stop abruptly.
Don't ride the clutch
Partially pressing the clutch is OK if you're just learning how to drive stick. But if you're a seasoned driver, then you should always completely press the clutch pedal down when shifting gears or accelerating out of first gear or reverse.
Ride the Clutch
When you do this, you keep your foot on the pedal and never allow it to fully disengage. In other words, you don't allow it to go back up completely between gears. This wears the mechanism down, so make sure you engage and disengage fully each time.
How long does a slip clutch last? The clutch usually lasts for around 60,000 to 80,000 miles; that is, it has not been slipping during its lifespan. If your clutch has been slipping all its lifespan, the lasting may be halved and if you treat it well, it can last for longer miles.
But is this practice safe to do? Engineering Explained tackled the common practice in its latest episode and the short answer is yes, it's perfectly OK to skip gears when upshifting or downshifting.
Yes it is recommended that in a modern manual transmission you can skip gears when going up or down. For example; when accelerating you can if required change-up from 1st to 3rd, though 3rd gear may labour due to low engine revs.
When you shift the gear from 1st to 3rd, the slagging of belt occurs that imparts unbalanced power transfer. This happens due to sudden decrease of torque & increase in acceleration. Result, belt gets broken. Thats why its necessary shift gears one by one accordingly.
In my experience, most manual cars can move along in 1st gear at idle – on a flat(ish) surface.
Which gear is used to start a car?
A starter ring gear is a part attached to an internal combustion engine that is part of the assembly which transfers the torque from the starter motor to the engine's crankshaft, in order to start the engine. The starter ring gear is usually made from medium carbon steel.
You probably know that, for the most part, it's a bad idea to start your manual-transmission car while it's in gear. Doing so means you're basically using the starting motor to spin the engine along with the transmission—in turn, moving the car.
- Find a flat, dry and safe surface. We recommend a drag strip!
- Disable traction control.
- Clutch In and Select First Gear.
- Apply throttle to reach your desired launch RPM.
- Release and modulate the clutch while modulating the throttle to optimize grip and minimize clutch slippage.
- Change Gears.
The easiest (lowest) gear is when the chain is on the smallest ring in the front and the largest cog in the rear. The rest of the gears range between those two extremes.
| Gear | Speed |
|---|---|
| 1st Gear | From 0mph to 5mph |
| 2nd Gear | From 5mph to 15mph |
| 3rd Gear | From 15mph to 30mph |
| 4th Gear | From 30mph to 40mph |
Generally, you want to shift gears when your car reaches 2,500-3,000 RPM. Eventually, you will know when to shift by sound and feel.
The gears determine the amount of power available from the engine. First gear provides the most pulling power but the least potential for speed, whilst fifth gear which provides the least pulling power allows the greatest range of speed.
