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Getting accustomed to the clutch on the Spark manual


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  • 1 month later...
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If you want to take of quickly (which you do if you're leaving the line at > 1000rpm), try a little more throttle. You're talking about 84hp, that right pedal is going to need some tough love, and

Update I have been using the previously mentioned technique, but the process was still bothering me, it just seemed unnatural for a life long manual driver, and that I was putting undue strain on the

I have had no issues with my clutch and 5 speed. Put it in gear, give the little motor some revs, let off the clutch in one smooth motion, and off ya go. I have been driving manuals most of my life, i

I've had my 2014 LS for around a week and haven't had any issues with the clutch. My previous vehicle was a Honda cbr250r motorcycle. It had such a small engine that I was already used to reving to the redline in each gear so the switch to the spark was an easy one.

As others have said just give it some gas and let it slip a bit when starting off. It's a tiny engine with very low torque, your not going to damage your clutch any time soon.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok, I used to sell these and I have had my LS manual for a year now, so I have had some hands on experience with many Sparks.

I also complained to my service dept about having to slip the clutch when launching from a stop, I was told as well that I was driving too aggressively. So I grabbed the keys to a brand new LS manual. It performed in the same manner.

So, I asked a co-worker who is an expert manual driver to try a Spark. He also noted that dragging the clutch when launching for a stop is necessary or the clutch will shudder. His comment? "What do you want, it only has 84 horsepower?". My lil Spark favors around 2000 RPM to get going from start into 1st gear. After that it is pure joy to drive!

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  • 2 months later...

I've also experienced the shudders. I used to have some of the same thing in my old accent just a little less. My old car had a 1.6 with 101 hp (new). I just assumed it was something in common with small cars to need an extra bit of gas to prevent it. I'm usually between 1000 and 1300 as I ease off the clutch.

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  • 2 months later...

I have a 2014 Spark (9000 miles, manual transmission) and am experiencing severe hesitation and shimmering after stopping. It only happens after driving it for say more than 30 minutes. I take the highway to work in the morning and have no problems. I take the back roads home and I pray I don't get another red light because of this issue. I'm still in my first year of 5 years of payments!!!! I dropped it off with the dealer and they said they could not duplicate the issue. That doesn't surprise me because, after sitting on the lot overnight, it normally doesn't have the problem until it's driven for a while. They said bring it in when you're having the problem. I did and, of course, they said they were very busy and could not help me!!!!! My prior car was a 5-speed Chevy Aveo that I drove for 8 years and I never had transmission problems. So here it is I have a car, still in year one of payments, that I'm very frustrated with and cant wait to get rid of!!!!!

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Hey mcdog,

I apologize for this, and please feel free to send a private message to us including your VIN, current mileage, contact information and a preferred dealership. I would be happy to look into this further, and reach out to the dealership on your behalf. Looking forward to your response.

Patsy G

Chevrolet Customer Care

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  • 1 year later...

I just bought a new 2015 this weekend. What an incredible car. I really can't get over how awesome it is, for what it's supposed to be. I was going to look at the Spark, then the Mirage, and pick one. I didn't even make it to the mitsu dealer. Man, this car, just wow.

The only thing bugging me is this manual trans. I'm glad this thread is here. I have also been experimenting with shifting styles. 1 and 2 are so awkward while 3 and 4 are so smooth. The bite point is high in mine, with little pedal feedback. I have to be so slow in every movement, depressing and releasing, with a subtle throttle. Depressing the clutch quickly in lower gears is impossible, car looses speed and if you don't come off the throttle quick enough, its revving no matter what you do. It really makes you have to think and pay attention, something I'm not used to doing to much in a manual. Perhaps she will warm up after time, its only been 200 miles. I was debating taking this back and getting the CVT, but too late now.

I used to be a Tracker/Sidekick guy and the Spark feels like its spiritual successor, minus the boxed frame, 4wd and soft top (I liked the tintops better anyway). I wish I could remember how those shifted, so many cars ago...

Edited by neutrino
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The CVT's in these cars are having some issues with 2 recalls so far on the new design of this Jatco CVT with supplemented gearbox so I think you are better off with the manual tranny. I believe the continued rpm's after clutch depress is a design and normal supposed to help sync engine rpms with clutch..Impossible to depress clutch in lower gears is not normal.

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I just bought a new 2015 this weekend. What an incredible car. I really can't get over how awesome it is, for what it's supposed to be. I was going to look at the Spark, then the Mirage, and pick one. I didn't even make it to the mitsu dealer. Man, this car, just wow.

The only thing bugging me is this manual trans. I'm glad this thread is here. I have also been experimenting with shifting styles. 1 and 2 are so awkward while 3 and 4 are so smooth.

Welcome, from Ohio. :thumbsup:

I've been driving this car daily for 3 years, almost 30k miles now, and I still haven't mastered first gear. It will jump, or almost bog down sometimes, but it's all in my timing; it's not the car. It's usually when I'm still half-asleep at 3:45 am, going to work.

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Thanks, jibb3r. Glad to see this will be a good year-round car!

I think I'm finally starting to nail it down. I was looking through a Sonic and some other low hp econo forums, and a common practice was to shift early in 1 and 2.

With that, and the tips here, It's finally starting to feel right and I hope to commit it to muscle memory soon.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Surprisingly i have a better chance of getting the car to roll is to useess rpm and very little gas. Meaning I lift of the clutch and as soon as I feel the engagement I give some gas but not too much. Occasionally I have shudder and vibration but nothing serious. If you shift at or a bit above 2000rpm the gear change and transition from pedal to gas is smooth. I currently have a thrush turbo muffler and the car actually runs way smoother, accelerates faster and sounds great too. Gas mileage still at 43mpg

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I've noticed it bites hard late. When it does just give it some more gas. It's not too hard to adjust to. It also likes higher rpm. Trying to shift below 2k or when the shift lit comes on is a sure way to lug it. lugging is bad. The dang thing wants to be in 5th at 26-27mph. Way too low. It's hard on the engine and will surely build up carbon on the valves and piston very quickly, which will add it's own problems.

Keep the cruise rpm at 2k and it runs smooth.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Im glad I read this thread I was really getting frustrated with the clutch shuddering. It really only happens to me when its cold, once I've been driving for a bit take off is smoother. I'm just used to a high torque TDI.

What I also still thing is crazy is how low I can be in RPMs and be in 5th @ 30-35mph.

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So I actually paid attention to how I drive my wifes roller skate.

Needs to be revved a bit before taking off

I usually won't shift 1-2 until 3K

2 - 3 is also around 3K

Yah and I've found so far that shifting 3-4 and 4-5 around 2k works good. Seems like if I try to accelerate fast and do get the shift points right it struggles.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Im glad I read this thread I was really getting frustrated with the clutch shuddering. It really only happens to me when its cold, once I've been driving for a bit take off is smoother. I'm just used to a high torque TDI.

What I also still thing is crazy is how low I can be in RPMs and be in 5th @ 30-35mph.

Don't do it. You're lugging the crap out of it shifting and cruising around in 5th at that speed. It may be very well balanced but these engines are made to rev. Just look at what they do at 70 mph.

The engine will carbon up heavily if you cruise under 2k RPM.

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How is the shifting on the 2016? I'm a newbie to manuals and my first car was the honda fit which shifted like a dream so I'm scared!!

Got my spark just over a month ago, had no previous experience with a manual and has been real easy to pick up. Clutch is light and forgiving, and car likes to rev high, hill hold is nice as well on steeper grades

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  • 3 weeks later...

I purchased a used 2014 manual Spark with about 15k miles a couple of weeks ago. This is my first manual, so I had no idea what I was doing initially. I'm about 250 miles in, and I am finally to the point where I don't stall and I feel comfortable enough to drive to and from work.

My initial problem was that I could not find the biting point. There was no feedback from the clutch and the rear of the car did not dip. My technique at the time was as follows (per the advice from UK based driving instructors with diesel Ford Fiestas):

1. Press the gas pedal until the tachometer was around 1500

2. Bring the clutch to the biting point

3. Slowly travel through the biting point and apply more gas

I either stalled every time or the car stuttered upon take off.

I have finally been able to drive this thing without too many issues all because of some angel (seriously haha) who saw me stall 1 million times at a stop sign. His only advice was to forget the gas, use the clutch to crawl, and then apply the gas (so clutch then gas instead of gas then clutch). Now, the biting point is pretty obvious, I don't stall, and the car stutters less (it still stutters because I am still new at this and rush the clutch). So now I do the following:

1. Release the clutch until I am at the bottom third of the bite (I can't tell you how much joy I get when I can tell where in the bite I am haha)

2. Press the gas pedal until the tachometer is above 1000

3. Adjust the height of the clutch until the car begins to move

4. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds and apply more gas for a faster crawl

5. Travel through the biting point slowly while applying gas

I move the clutch slowly until it can no longer move. I have little experience but in comparison to videos I've watched and people I've driven with in other manuals, the biting point seems high, there is little to no space for the clutch to travel after I have moved through the biting point, and I have to travel through the biting point at what seems like a century. Upshifting is not smooth unless the clutch travels extremely slow and/or I don't apply gas during travel.

If what I am doing is incorrect, please let me know!!

Edited by shilvest
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I forgot to mention that I can smell what I can only guess is my clutch *burning* on occasion. When I first began practicing hill starts, I could smell something funky coming from the car. The same smell was present if I rev'ed too long regardless of the state of the clutch.

Now I only smell it when I hold the biting point too long during a hill start while reving high or when I use clutch control in 1st or 2nd gear to creep into a parking spot. I usually enter panic mode when ever I smell it and automatically wonder if I should take it to a shop to make sure the clutch is not slipping or doesn't have extreme wear from the previous owner (or me!!).

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Well, this is not a diesel nor a for fiesta, so it will not drive the same.

Diesel engines have a lot of torque which require no gas to get the car crawling forward. The Ford fiesta has quite a bit more power than the spark, so less gas input to get it moving.

I have not driven the spark manual, but I've driven some low powered cars.

Driving a manual car is not all about the clutch you need to be able to control all your inputs, gas, shifter and clutch just right to make the car movery right.

You are overheating your clutch by holding it too long, or the clutch is shot from previous owner and it is sliping, that's where the smell comes from. You need to find where the clutch start to bite and give it about 1500rpms and when the car moves you simply give more gas and at the same time lift your clutch gradually. The less time you spend fumbling with the clutch the less wear you will put in it.

Never crawl in 2nd gear, and never rest your foot on the clutch pedal.

Edited by Mr.tozzi
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Yah this transmission is a totally different animal than my 2001 TDI i had. In my TDI I could shift 1->2->3 without touching the go pedal. When I first drove it, it was stuttering a lot but I've eliminated that. Now just working on smoother shifts, I was making my wife "sea sick" as she put it haha. For me shifting at 2k does it. Im still in aw that I can be going 25-30mph in 5th.

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I read the first few sentences and said " oh no". That's not how to drive a manual car... I think it is best shown but I'd like to try to explain.

First, put the car in 1st. Start the car with the clutch engaged. And let the clutch out slowly and kill the car. Just to feel it.

Pay particular attention to that moment when it almost feels like it's going to take off right before it dies.

Do it once or twice to feel it. ( make sure you are not parked with a tree in front of your car. It will jerk forward a bit).

Now, again start the car in 1st, clutch in, and slowly let the clutch out, this time when you hit that spot give it a little gas and accelerate like you would in an automatic. You can let off the clutch smothly and fast- not super fast- just fast enough that the car doesn't lurch letting out the clutch the rest of the way

If you feel it starting to lurch push in the clutch and let out again a little slower and maybe back off the gas a bit but not fully.

Once it 'bites' you can let off the clutch smothly. You are riding your clutch holding in that position for 2 seconds 😕 Good luck

Edited by Jessi
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