how do u know when to shift gears in a stick car?

Question

also how do u reverse n then go with a stick car

Answer 1

You can shift when you feel the engine maxing out in power in any gear, then shift to the next higher gear. Running it out to the redline is going to put more wear on your engine, as well as burn more gas.

Many people will shift to a higher gear as quickly as possible to get the maximum mileage. Basically, you stay in a gear enough to get the car moving well, and then upshift at a point just above the RPM where the car will not 'lug' the engine in the higher gear.
That point is perhaps halfway to the redline.

It all takes some feel for the engine and its power band.

To drive in reverse, you must be stopped and in neutral before you shift to reverse. There are a lot of unusual reverse gear lockout mechisms in various transmissions. Some require you to push the gearshift down into the transmission a fraction of an inch to engage the reverse gear. I remember driving a Renault and there was a unique ring that needed to be slid up on the gear shift handle to overcome the reverse lockout mechanism. Definitely unexpected.

Answer 2

It depends on the car how the car goes into reverse. For my car, you have a little lever you lift up on and then push the stick to the right and down. Others the reverse is to the left and up. It all depends on the car itself for how to get into reverse.

As for the "knowing when to shift", it is tricky. Newer cars have a shift light, which tells you the best time to shift into a higher gear. If you don't have one of those, do not worry, you can read the tachometer or listen to the engine.

I am teaching my daughter to drive my car, which is a 5-speed. She is not very good at reading the tach, so I am trying to teach her the speeds to listen to the engine and feel the difference of the car in the different gears. For first gear, I would not drive any faster then 10 mph; second gear, I wouldn't go any faster then about 20. For third gear, no faster then 35. Fourth gear, about 45-50 mph, to go to 5th gear. It is hard to remember, but if doesn't take much time once you start driving a 5 speed.

Good luck with your car, and be safe.

Answer 3

Listen to sound of the engine, when the rev's goes high, its time to shift to the next gear. In reversing, it depends on the model. Normally, shifting instructions are located on the shifting lever ball. In Toyota and Mitsubishi, the reverse are on the inner most right hand side. Other types, you have to press down the shifting lever and push it forward to the left inner side to get a reverse. Check out the owners manua if you still have.

Answer 4

For me... and those who are actually smart enough to actually learn it: you listen to the sound of the engine. Once it gets too many revs per gear, you go up one.

and to go in reverse, you just put the gear in reverse and act like you're going forward, when you're actually going backward. But you don't change into other gears while going backwards.

Answer 5

when your tachometer gets up toward the redline(where the engine shouldnt go thats when u push in the clutch and shift into the next gear) but dont allways push it to the red line because it could mess up the engine

Answer 6

Man, I drive one and just can't say. For me it just comes natural, It is something that you just do and don't put a lot of thought behind it.

Answer 7

all cars are different.... just reember u use two feet one for clutch and one for gas brake.... shifting will take practice