Hey Guys,
I just bought a 04 civic LX manual car and the clutch is beginning to be a pain in the *** to operate in stop and go traffic, can i modify the clutch so i can release the clutch faster with smoother action and or quicker take off with less stalling. Thanks

 

just need more practice with clutch/throttle control...

 

^^^^ yep, practice and practice!!!

 

PEBSAP (problem exists between seat and pedal)

 

When I'm in slow and go traffic, I try to keep enough distance away from the car in front of me to not have to stop, and just try to stay in 2nd gear as long as possible. Other cars may take advantage of the space in between my car and the next one, but it saves me from having to shift all the time.

 

well if your experianced enough you can operate clutch with out useding gas, i can drive my car 1 footed, with out a stall motion or anything, try putting foot on clutch and put it in first slowly let go of clutch till you feal it move, thats what i do in traffic **** this gas non-sense

 

yeah man practice... I've driven a manual a lot, but my daily driver is an auto, and Now I don't drive a manual alot... so I have the same problem, when I get into someones manual car, you get rusty, and every clutch reacts different... yeah though, you just have to get to know your car, and how it will react... once you are familiar with it, you wont have a problem... get into another manual car though, might be a different story...

Do like cyphen said and barely let off the clutch until you feel it move, if you feel the idle drop too much push back in on the clutch... That's the best way to start off anyway...

City driving in a manual is a 'b' when you're not used to it, especially when starting on an uphill.... just pracice it... I wish mine was a 5spd... much more fun... everybody's cut their car off a few times or done an accidental burn out trying to start off when learning a manual... You get better the more you drive it...

 

I am 64 years old and most of my cars have been manuals (remember three speeds on the column?). I feel I have more control when I can choose the gear myself. There is the starting on a hill problem though. When I sit at a long light, I put the car in neutral thus avoiding keeping my foot on the clutch for long periods. You also do not need to use the clutch to get out of gear. Just push the lever to neutral as you let up on the gas then coast to the light. You willdevelop your own tricks as you get more seat time. Keep at it and I am sure that a manual will be your tranny of choice shortly.

 

My trick on starting up hills. I engage the Ebrake. When the light turns green, I get the car revved, start releasing the clutch, then drop the Ebrake, and I get rolling forward with no backwards movement.

 

You actually have it easy. Your Civic has a hydraulic clutch, which is extremely effortless to push in the clutch. I drove a 1991 Ford Explorer for a while, and it has a cable drawn clutch. It takes brute force to push in the clutch and hold it in. In traffic, you better have a built leg or you will be hurting within two miles of stop and go!

I have aSPEC Stage2+ carbon/kevlarperformance clutch in my Cavalier, and it has very little movement between contact and engagement. It also does not like being ridden, so you have to be off the clutch quickly or it will protest by jolting the car as the carbon part tries to grab the flyweel. KLUNKA KLUNKA KLUNKA!It's 5 MPH or bust for me in stop and go.