Can't get the hang of the clutch :(

noeld932

Hey guys,
I'm on my 6th lesson now, and I've had my learner's permit for 3 months.
I changed instructors after the 4th lesson as I felt he wasn't that good.
Anyways, my new instructor says that I'm great at steering, speed control, road position but I STILL cut out when I come to a stop and have to start again.

It's irritating, upsetting and makes me worried. Tonight, I had 2 lessons and I was on the Ballymun rd and I came to a stop at the traffic lights, then when the lights turned green, I put my gear into first, put down my handbrake and let go up the clutch slowly whilst pressing on the accelerator, but the car STILL cut out on me, twice.

I'm getting really pissed off with myself and worried that I'll never get it any advice??

Renegade Mechanic

To be fair, youve certainly got the theory of it correct, op. Press the accelerator to hit an engine speed of about 1500 rpm. Then when you feel the releasing clutch "biting", press the accelerator more. The aim is to keep generating more and more engine power to cope with the progressively increasing demand placed on it by trying to move the car. Once youve moved off past walking speed, you can release the clutch more quickly, no need to worry about the engine stalling at this stage. Its actually nearly impossible to "teach". Much like walking, or cycling a bike, you can be shown but you can only succeed at it under your own steam. Dont worry too much about it, you will get it.:)

confusticated

If you can, go to a quiet industrial estate or something in the evening or on a Sunday when there's nobody around, and just practice starting, driving around a little bit slowly, and stopping. I found it hard to get the hang of on the open road cos I tended to panic and then definitely cut out!

Amprodude

noeld932 wrote: »

Hey guys,
I'm on my 6th lesson now, and I've had my learner's permit for 3 months.
I changed instructors after the 4th lesson as I felt he wasn't that good.
Anyways, my new instructor says that I'm great at steering, speed control, road position but I STILL cut out when I come to a stop and have to start again.

It's irritating, upsetting and makes me worried. Tonight, I had 2 lessons and I was on the Ballymun rd and I came to a stop at the traffic lights, then when the lights turned green, I put my gear into first, put down my handbrake and let go up the clutch slowly whilst pressing on the accelerator, but the car STILL cut out on me, twice.

I'm getting really pissed off with myself and worried that I'll never get it any advice??

Practice is all you need op. Dont worry you will get it and will get the feel of it. Like anything you need to give it time.

Noccy_Mondy

Finding the biting point is key to success. Make sure you're taking your foot off the clutch good and steady and keep it constant. I'm assuming its petrol that your driving, which i find you need more gas when working it off the clutch(before you start off)

wandatowell

Stick at it, you'll be grand.

Mech1

All good advise, but don't get to the stage where someone says "open the feckin door and let the clutch get out"

rpm should never increase above about 2000rpm even on the steepest hill start.

Journeyman_1

it may help to engage first and find the biting point before the light turns green, as that way you're not rushing to do everything at once. What I do is stop, first, bite-point, light changes, rev, handbrake, clutch out as move. Dont forget the mirrors too! gl

I can't tell you why

In your first lesson or two did you spend time focusing on the clutch? Finding and understanding the biting point, on a hill. If not ask your new ADI to review that type of a lesson.

StompToWork

It might help to think of it in terms of both feet. It's not just the clutch that is frustrating you. It's the combination of clutch and throttle. If you are having lessons on the open road, you also need to TOTALLY NOT WORRY ABOUT HOLDING UP TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. From the point of view of embarressing yourself or infuriating other drivers, you need to get that out of your mind. If you think you are holding up traffic, you are going to try and take off too quickly, before you get the feel of it.

You have L plates up, you are with an instructor, you are covered. Feck 'em if they can't take a joke.

As for the "Feel", I promise you, unless you are a total thicko, with no sense of feel what so ever, you will get the hang of it.

SHANAbert

Go to an empty industrial estate as a previous poster said. Get a friend or relative with the full licence to go with you and just practice starting and stopping. You'll get the hang of it with practice and a bit of confidence when it starts going right.

/V\etalfish

StompToWork wrote: »

As for the "Feel", I promise you, unless you are a total thicko, with no sense of feel what so ever, you will get the hang of it.

This is a bit harsh in fairness.
With some cars, the bite/feel is literally as soon as you start moving the clutch.

It is hard to get especially when you make a big deal out of it in your own head.
Important thing is not to worry and take your time.
You'll get there.

I probably shouldn't recommend this either, but when I was learning to drive, I found going barefoot, with no shoes on an awful lot easier to 'feel' the clutch.
Once you get the hang of it then, it's second nature.

Magnetics

As other people have said, go to a quiet car park or industrial estate in the evening and practice.

The best method I found was to completely neglect the accelerator, and just come off the clutch slowly until the car starts to move. Once the car moves put your foot fully down on the clutch again and repeat. This will get you very familiar with the 'biting point' and allow you to judge take off with acceleration

I found it the best way to learn clutch control

H3llR4iser

What you are experiencing, OP, is the most classic of the rookie issues.

You prepare to start, lift the clutch off slowly, get to biting point with a bit of accelerator, all seems fair and fine and then, all of a sudden, the engine stalls and you're left wondering what went wrong.

What's happening is that you keep lifting the clutch at the same rate you used to find the biting point, and that's a bit too fast - fast enough to overpower the engine torque and stall it.

Next time, try to do as follows:

- With the car stationary and 1st gear engaged, slowly lift the clutch until biting point as you normally do;

- As soon as you feel the biting point, slow down the movement of your foot and keep VERY slowly lifting until the car starts inching forward;

- As the car starts moving very slowly, keep your left foot exactly where it is: don't either lift or press the clutch any more than it is;

- Wait for the car to build some speed; Once it's going roughly at the same speed of a person's walking, you can finish lifting off the clutch and you're done;

Your getaways will be very slow at the beginning, but quite steady; With time and practice, you will build what is called "muscle memory", you'll be able to go from fully depressed clutch to starting in a fraction of a second with no stalling whatsoever.

If you want to build sensitivity, the idea of trying to start without even touching the accelerator Magnetics suggested is a VERY good one.