Cameron

Having done extensive transmission work on my car after regretting for more than a year not waiting for a 1.8T with a manual, I have a few opinions on this front.<p>With the 30v V6 on level ground, you have to think about the horsepower and torque available at idle. Imagine you are on a perfectly flat surface. You should be able to pull your 2.8 off the line easily by just letting out the clutch and adding gas at any (reasonable) stage. However, starting uphill you should probably use the handbrake. Whether driving an automatic or a manual, I shift into neutral at stoplights and use the handbrake when on an incline. Unlike the others here, I do shift into first, and I always work my way through the gearing on the way down into a stoplight because I always want to be in a plausible gear for maneuvering within the stoplight situation or going once the light turns green (I *always* work down through the gate when first in the stoplight order). Is this really neccesary? Nope, probably not. Maybe one time in every hundred it helps me out. However, it's good practice. In the 30v/V6 Passat, I find myself often getting initial wheelspin from the stock wheels and tires, while not having this problem with larger wheels and better tires on the modified 5spd Passats I've driven... this seems reasonable, but is less true in 2.8QMS A4's I've driven... maybe in part due to Quattro. Light clutch movements are always preferable, just like you were told with your frightened father in the passenger seat driving around the church parking lot.<p>Sharing what I know,<br>Cameron

Rich D.

Actually, I find the torque in my 98.0 A4 2.8QM to be sorely lacking at idle. I've had several manual transmission cars before ('79 Mustang Turbo, '66 Porsche 912, '91 Eagle Talon TSI AWD), and driven many miles in all of them, and I've never had to slip the clutch as much to launch a car from a stop as in my 30v A4. Nor have I ever stalled a car out as much starting from a stop as in the A4, especially in reverse. <p>Incidentally, I never have a problem if I'm trying to launch the car fast -- e.g. pulling out onto a racetrack or accelerating hard from a stop light. But at slow to moderate speeds I really have to time the pedal action PERFECTLY to get a smooth start without riding the clutch. Any suggestions?<br>

Cameron

First off, I've had the same problem with the A42.8QMS, and yes, the clutch points seem to be anything but corresponding between second gear and reverse. Also, the clutch feel is not intuitive from Audi to BMW or BMW to Audi and you feel the catch often before it's really there in the 2.8QMS (or at least it seems that way). Launching the car is easy, it likes to eat up the RPM's you give it, but I agree that pulling away gently is a science. Being a former 912 owner, the clutch slip probably seems excessive, but the entire clutch ranging is very different from the 912 to the long A42.8 clutch... disturbingly long during the first few times I drove the manual 30vA4 and suffered through a couple of embarassing stalls. However, overall the design seems sound for pulling away smoothly, whether quickly or slowly, though pulling away in a gentle movement up a slight incline (when you don't want to come flying over the railroad track bed you're about to climb, for instance) does seem more challenging in the A4 than in other cars.<p>Cameron<br>

Cameron avoiding confusion

<br>nt

Kathleen W.

Slap!

Mike

One thing to practice is, when shifting from 2nd on up, try to match the speed of the engine to the speed of the wheels. That way there is no slippage while engaging and disengaging the clutch. Start your practice driving gently. Once you start consistently shift without the slippage, then you can gradually increase the speed of the shifts, while still trying to have no-slippage in the clutch. I found that in my old '86 Integra that, with practice, that I could even do some relatively spirited driving and my passengers heads would not be snapping forward and backwards when I shifted. I've only been driving my '99 A4 for 1 1/2 weeks, and I've already come a long way in getting to know this transmission.

ChuckH

ny

ChuckH

I think it's really hard to describe, but here are my basic tips:<p>1. Get used to where the grab point is.<p>2. Don't slip the clutch at the grab point. gear engagement should be precise, but not jerky.<p>3. Shift down through all gears except first, unless you are going less than a few MPH.<p>4. When downshifting, give a little gas to bring the revs up to match the gear.<p>5. Here's the tricky part: It is best to be braking while downshifting. I am able to blip the throttle with the right side of my foot, while the left side works the brake pedal. Some do the heel toe method, using their heel to brake, and their toe to work the throttle. I think it hurts! <p>6. If I'm coming up to a light, I start slowing down early and go through the gears so that I'm ready for acceleration again. If you time it just right, you may not even need the brakes.<p>7. I am not responsible if you rearend anyone!<p>8. I do not, and can not use the handbrake method on hills. I'm way too uncoordinated for that, and it usually causes me to roll back atleast a foot, and usually more! I just get off the brake and onto the gas as quickly as possible, while letting out the clutch quickly to the friction point. Usually don't roll more than maybe 6 inches. If it's really steep and I have a full car, I turn the A/C off just to get going.<p>9. I doubt this explained clearly the way I drive.<p>10. My clutches and brakes last a long, long time!<p>11. It's 6AM and I have not gone to bed yet! :-(<p>ChuckH<br>

Jimmy

With the traffic and roads I take, I often find myself in about 3rd gear (or 4th). Anyway, when approaching a stop light I have been just popping the clutch into neutral and braking the rest of the way...ok ok..i have decided to use double clutching from now on because I guess my original method isn't too healthy for the car...anyways, I double clutch say from 3rd to 2nd (and so now my RPMs are really high) but I cant' really tell if this is slowing down the car??? I always end up using the brake a lot to slow down somemore...am i doing something wrong?? a lot of posts in the archives talk about people saving their brakes by downshifting all through the gears and just letting the enigne brake for you...I want to learn this too but am a little confused...<p>Please advise =)<br>Jimmy

ErikR

Downshifting allows you to get on the powerband faster if you need to accelerate quickly in an emergency, of if you want more engine braking.<p>I don't do it much myself except for tight corners.