How far in do you guys push your clutch in?
 

When shifting our manual P5's...do you put your clutch in all the way to the floor or just a little bit so it engages? I find that if I push in the clutch only a few inches, the shifts are smoother and faster. Comments?

Yup, i agree, when i first started learning, i used to push the clutch all the way, now i find when i upshift and downshift while pushing the clutch JUST enuf so that it engages, it's so much more smoother.

Been driving nothing but sticks for 17 years, and I always go all the way to the floor. Manual trannies are almost always tougher and longer lasting than their automatic counterparts (well depending on who's doing the driving :) ), but I like to baby that clutch b/c it is one expensive repair when you trash the tranny. Probably won't do any harm as long as the clutch is engaging but I wouldn't take the chance.

Same here. I've been driving manual trans for over 12 years an I always go to the floor.

This is just my opinion...but I have noticed that if you press in all the way...(sounds dirty;) ) you move the clutch pad out and when you let go their should be more wear then pushing it slightly to shift. Just imagine a grinder...

My dad has a lead foot and I have already change the clutch twice on his MR2...

But I know for a fact that the slightly pushing is only for newer cars...the older ones, I think prior to 85, you need to push all the way down. But hey this is just a theory.

IMHO it makes a difference. Put it all the way to the floor. Just like depressing the brake pedal on your car, depressing the clutch pedal pushes a plunger into the bore of the master cylinder. A valve at the end of the master cylinder bore closes the port to the fluid reservoir, and the movement of the plunger forces fluid from the master cylinder through the tubing to the slave cylinder. Since the fluid is under pressure, it causes the piston of the slave cylinder to move its pushrod against the release fork and bearing, thus disengaging the clutch. When the clutch pedal is released, the springs of the pressure plate push the slave cylinder's pushrod back, which forces the hydraulic fluid back into the master cylinder. Pushing in a little..or half way jacks with the dynamics. Moderns cars are more forgiving than older models but why take the chance.

14 years driving a stick shift and on all of them I go to the floor with the clutch... no sense taking any chances. Plus this way when you go from car to car it keeps bad habits from added wear to someone else's clutch ;)

I press it to the floor...it's not that much farther than pushing it halfway.

I've been driving manual from day one...17 plus years now. Even though I know it enages less than half way in I always go to the floor. Just for piece of mind.
Plus I'm use to older cars with clutches that almost had to be at the floor before engaging.

:shift:

i push it ALL the way to the foor, when you shift when its half way in its not very good for it (or so ive heard)

I've been driving stick for 16 years and I don't push it all the way to the floor just enough to disengage it and I have never had a clutch problem. My 79 Rx-7 has a heavy racing clutch on it and I drive that the same way, trust me you don't want to have to push that thing to the floor everytime.

I also push it all the way down, and never rest my foot on the clutch.

I'll give it a try,

would pressing the clutch half way equal a faster shift?

now we're cookin'!!!!! half a press + half a press has to be shorter than 2 fulls rite??? all my $$$ is on table...

All the way to the floor for sure. My poor last rocket was an old 323. My wife chewed the clutch so bad I couldn't find the bottom 1.3 LOL

Not like this isn't the prevailing opinion here but...

All the way down. :D