Automobiles are just as an essential part of our lives as housing and clothes are. Not everyone owns a car, but everyone uses transport for their commute. Even if they don’t use as much transport, they still require a vehicle for long road trips or long distances. If you are an avid car driver, you must be quite familiar with the inner on-goings of your car. You know when to fuel it, and you know when it requires a little service. Now some people prefer manual cars and some prefer automatic. If you are more of a manual car person, here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Don’t rest your hand on the gear
A lot of drivers are often seen doing this. Whenever the car is stationary, they keep the hand on the gear to shift quickly. Resting your hand on the gear will make the gears inside grind together. This may not seem like a lot on the outside, but it’s causing wear and tear in the long run. It is recommended to remove your hand from the gear altogether.
2. Move your gear into neutral at a red light
It has been noted that many drivers keep their cars in gear when they have stopped at the red light. This puts unnecessary strain and pressure on the clutch plate. It is recommended to shift the car into neutral and let the clutch breathe a little.
3. Don’t rest your foot on the clutch pedal
If you have changed your gear and are speeding up, don’t rest your foot on the clutch until the next gear. Even if you aren’t pressing the clutch down, ultimately, the resting foot is causing the plate to grind. You may notice that, at a higher speed, if you release that resting foot off the clutch, the car gains momentum.
4. Gradually Increase speed, don’t go into Overspeed
Gears are present for us to increase to a higher speed gradually. You cannot go into fifth gear if you are still at a rate of 30-40 km/h. If you shift earlier than is applicable, the engine gets a lot of pressure on it. You are pushing it into a zone where the RPMs are low, the fuel is not enough, and the gears are moving too fast.
5. Check the manual transmission oil occasionally
Since the manual transmission in the car is different from that of automatic, its upkeep is different. When there is a manual car, it has manual transmission oil. It is good for the car to keep this oil in check and not let the vehicle run dry. If there is no lubrication, there will be a lot of friction and a chance of heating.
6. When going downhill, use engine braking
This is a trick that takes a while to learn and master. When your vehicle is moving downhill, try to refrain from using the brake pedal to slow down the car. It is more efficient for your vehicle if you use engine braking. Engine braking is when you step down your gear and slowly release the clutch. This, in turn, causes the engine to grasp at a lower gear and reduce its speed. It takes practice!
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