ls1mc5hane

I’m fairly new to driving a manual and wanted to make sure these things are okay or fixable. Sometimes when I start I wont give enough gas and I’ll hear a grinding noise that I cringe at. Is this normal/ how should I fix this from being a habit? Also when I’m downshifting Ill rev match and bring the clutch to the bite point quickly then let off, Is this the correct way to be rev matching? Or should I be dumping the clutch when the revs are matched? Thanks haha

Dads2kconvertible

You may be hearing the throwout bearing. They are noisy on these cars. But without hearing what you are hearing no one can say if it's normal or not.

vette4fl

Driving a stick should consist of timing and fluid movements. Pay more attention to your throttle while engaging the clutch. I’ve been driving manual transmissions for over 50 years and I still have to pay attention to the transitions, lol.

Vetteman Jack

If the noise sounds like marbles in a can, it is not uncommon for the C5 six speed to sound like that. Many threads on that topic.

jdmvette

drive it daily and you'll become a pro in no time

c5arlen

Evidently it takes courage to LEARN stick trany nowadays! Good for you man! Stick with the stick. 👍

Midwest19942000

I’m in the same boat as I just got an M6 coupe last year. By the time I was at driving age all cars were auto and even a lot of sport/super cars had dropped the manual transmission for paddle shifters so manuals trans cars were not something I had a lot of experience with other than driving a few manual cars owned by friends.

Answering your questions yes the grinding or what sounds to me like rattling on a minimum gas launch is normal on these cars. I too find myself letting the clutch start to bite on the downshifts before I dump it. I don’t have enough practice judging speed and picking the right gear on downshift so for a split second I end up testing my rev match before I let go of the clutch. I know I’m adding some wear to the clutch but I’m more comfortable with that than shocking the drive train and upsetting the car. I see guys on YouTube that are good at it and just dump the clutch and rev match perfectly every time. Good weather has arrived in the Midwest so I’m looking forward getting back at it.

This will be my second summer with the car and I’ve become proficient with up shifting. I’ve found the C5 with an M6 is extremely rewarding to drive once you get good at it. It’s been even better since I put a Borla exhaust on it.

Happy Driving!

ls1mc5hane

For sure man! I’m nineteen and never touched a manual before buying the C5 a couple weeks ago so it was a bit of an adjustment. Just wanted to make sure I’m not overly damaging anything this early. Im with you on the midwest, Michigan roads aren’t the best but we make it work 😂

64drvr

You’re a good man for taking the leap to own a manual. Automatics and dct’s are soulless.

ztheusa

You need to not only "rev" match.......but double clutch, to be smooth.

Purple92

Ideally - once you get the car moving in first gear - every gear change - there is no need to slip the clutch, you should be using the throttle to get the revs right.

Elektro

You should be comfortable starting the car without touching the gas or making the motor shake. Any car that is not carbureted. Once the clutch is all the way out then give it some gas. I'm not saying drive like this all the time like if there are others behind you because it is slow but when there is no traffic it's a good exercise to practice.

That said, I traded in my "real men fondle *****" membership card years ago lol. I still drive stick shift rental or company cars etc sometimes and do not miss owning one.

3sACROWD

Developing the feel for starting forward motion (on level ground) without touching the gas pedal is important. That engagement / slippage point is what will prevent the car from rolling backwards when on a hill as you transfer your right foot from the brake to the throttle. You'll hold your left foot steady until you can apply throttle then release the clutch as you apply throttle. Takes practice but you'll get there.

Where in Michigan do you live? I'll be in Midland on Memorial Day Weekend. If you're close by, I could spend some time with you.

c5arlen

The most fun you'll ever have in your young life my friend, is learning to drive a Corvette standard transmission properly ... PROPERLY!!.... I recall years ago, (like seventy) reading "The"..instruction book on performance driving by Sterling Moss driving his little bitty Lotus.... He began his treatise from No driving knowledge at all of the clutch and clutch pedal to speed shifting on a mountain road....."at speed" he would say! 😊....Takes practice... Don't be afraid. Find yourself a deserted smallish old windy road and practice practice practice the coordination between feet hands clutch eyes and mind. And for heaven sakes.. Don't crash while practicing. 🙄

Slick61

... pretty entertaining reading... my first stick was a '91 Ford Ranger with a 2.3L 4-banger & a 5-speed... drove that thing from one end of the country to the other. My SECOND manual-transmission car was a Backdraft Racing Cobra replica with an all-aluminum 427 Windsor stroker putting out 612 hp & 615 lb-ft of torque (and weighed less than 2300 lbs). That car scared the crap out of me from the day I bought it til the day I sold it. When I sold it (after 8 years of ownership), I lasted a year before I got the itch for another toy & bought my '04 C5 Z06 with like 8200 miles on it. Two years later, I also bought a '17 Ford Focus ST (6-speed manual)... also a blast to drive. I'm still glad I did most of my learning on a cheap, easy to repair vehicle...

darrensls1

I got my first car when I was 17. My Uncle had a 1972 MGB convertible that he had not driven in a couple of years. I thought it was the coolest car at the time and I was thrilled when he agreed to sell it to me. I remember the day me and him got it started. He looked at me and said "Lets get this thing on the road and see if you can figure out how to drive this thing". The car had a four speed manual transmission and I literally had no idea how to drive it. I bucked it a few times, stalled it a few times and made my uncle roll his eyes a few times. But within an hour I was shifting smoothly. Within a month I was rowing gears better than Evan Smith at a drag strip. Ok, maybe not but I was pretty damn good for a 17 year old. I've owned several manuals over the years including my current ride a 2000 C5 triple black convertible. I don't have any special tips or tricks. I just remember my uncles words of just get out there and figure out how to drive that thing. Practice makes perfect.

Tyler_RN_EMT

98 C5 convertible was my first manual transmission car also! Luckily the c5 corvette, believe it or not, is one of the easiest cars to learn manual in…. So much torque you don’t even need to use the throttle pedal to start, even from 2nd gear! The hydraulic clutch also makes it a breeze and it’s not so powerful you are going to instantly burn the clutch or spin the tires. My Mach 1 Mustang was a significantly “harder to drive” manual than any of my Vettes have been. The hydraulic vs manual clutch cable is very forgiving.

my advice is exactly as mentioned a couple times above…. Learn to get moving forward with only the clutch….. get the car rolling and mentally train your left leg/foot the location and depth of the clutch pedal at which point it “grabs” knowing exactly where this spot is without having to think about it is key…. Now from a stop or on a hill if you know the feel and exact position the clutch needs to be in right as it grabs you can use the tiniest of inputs to engage or disengage the clutch. This was the biggest key for me when learning to drive a manual…. Once you have that exact spot trained into your muscle memory you apply that to all other aspects of driving a stick. Early on I was constantly trying to utilize the full travel of the clutch pedal every time I needed to clutch in or out…. This results in frequent stalling and lurching as well as burning the clutch.