First gear.......

Since the Porsche has a no slip clutch, what is the best way to get the car started in first gear? We all know to TRY not to be on the gas and the clutch at the same time.... So what IS the best way? 1) Bring the clutch out slowly, never on the gas. 2) Be on the gas under 1,000rpm's and let the clutch out. 3) Rev the engine, wait until the rpm's come back under 1,000rpm's and let the clutch out?

I have never stalled a car as much as I stall my '02 c2. If I don't rev the throttle in first the engine shuts off like a light. I've been told this is because of the e-gas but it was hard to get used to. I have driven many Japanese manuals and they are much easier to launch. I hate the thought that I am riding my clutch but I think I have the feathering down. I don't think that reving the engine and dropping the clutch works real well. Does anyone else have trouble with stalling?

A little gas as you gently release the clutch is how I was taught, no need to keep under 1000 rpm. Clutch is designed to slip. Starting as you decribe sounds like a sure fire way to stall alot. Drive a 1999 C2 doesn't stall easily for me. Only needed one new clutch on all my cars (some high performance stuff) using this technique, and that was under warranty, can't remember what the problem was.

Clutch was designed to slip. No such thing as a no-slip clutch. And I've driven everything including a WW II weapons carrier and a semi. You HAVE to slip the clutch on 1st otherwise you WILL stall the car. Clutch will burn off easier on the 996 if you do a lot of racing launches due to the rear weight bias and huge tires, but should last as long as any other clutch if driven the old fashioned way. If you simply pop the clutch on all gears other than 1st to "avoid" clutch slippage, you will be loading and unloading your drivetrain and engine components so roughly that it might become more expensive to repair them that it would have been to simply replace a worn clutch. Yes, I rev match, yes I step on the gas ever so slightly as I release the clutch, yes I will occasionally double clutch just for the fun of it, and , yes, my shifting is smooth not clunky. If that wears out the clutch, that's how it's meant to be, IMHO.

Just add a little throttle and engage 1st gear. Works for me. Regards. Mike

Yes, there is no such thing as a no slip clutch, some are just harder that others do to a 'more rapid engagement'. I have driven alot of cars and trucks, and my new 03 C2 is among the worst. It is very hard to drive smoothly in a first gear start. I'd blame this in part on the clutch and in part on the e-gas. I have found the easist way to start it is like a race car with a big cam, little taps on the gas to keep the revs blipping between 1-2k. Don't bring it straight up to 2k or you will put too much power into it, you basicallyw ant it to be falling from 2k to 1k as you engage. My other complaint is that the clutch is to low. I am going to have the dealer beeld it to see if it goes higher, it is very hard to shift when you have to take the peadl almost all the way to the floor.

I'm w/ FLT996, just add a little gas, no problem w/the clutch. '02 C2 O. Red, Sport xhaust, B&M SS, Factory Aero Kit Buck

Now that we are on this topic, aren't you supposed to release the clutch and simultaneously add throttle and do it as quickly as possible without "riding the clutch"? "Riding the clutch" means you do not release the clutch swiftly, right? And, if you are on a hill, you have to finesse it a little more by releasing the clutch slower than usual while adding throttle? I learnt how to drive standard about 22 years ago from a girlfriend and did not take formal lessons so I am curious. I also attended a 2-day PDE and the instructors never complained about my shifting when they rode with me.

Definitely no riding the clutch in the C2. The clutch in this car is DRASTICALLY different that my Boxster. It feels like the clutch when I had my race truck. That was the clutch from the Nastruck trucks. It was some dual disc funky looking thing that looked nothing like what I've seen in a street car. But it held like all Hell!

So....... Would letting the clutch out very slowly like 3-4 seconds be ok "IF" you were never on the gas? Or will this action prematurely wear the clutch.

The clutch is a designed to wear, just like brake pads. It is a bit harder to replace though. On a low torque engine like the 996, you will definately need to rev the engine a bit to launch the car. The faster you release the clutch the less wear you will induce but the more drivetrain shock you will transmit. A slower release causes more wear but is easier on the drivetrain. Just rev it enough to get a smooth launch at the speed you need. Don't worry. It is cheaper to replace a clutch than a differential or two.

Bruce, Porscherenter & gang, I will own up to taking a little while to start smoothly in 1st with my C4S. I have driven manuals for almost 30 years and since this is my first Porsche I guess it is different from other manuals I have driven. I must admit that although at the beginning I was a little worried, after reading this thread I am sure that I am doing the right thing and my shifting into first is much improved since the first month. My recommendation would be to take your time, enjoy and learn. Awesome!

This is my understanding of the strange take-off behaivor: I am almost certain that the 993's have a fuel shut-off switch that operates the moment it senses the throttle has stopped increasing, which causes a stumble on easy take-offs when you back off the gas. If you keep the throttle progressively increasing on take off, while feathering in the clutch, the car will accelerate smoothly, although in some instances it may be more than you desire. I was told by a well known tuner that this switch was implemented for gas mileage rating/emmissions reasons. I was also told that the switch can be disconnected, but with harmful effects to the turbos, so I never disconnected it on my 993tt. The same tuner informed me that the switch can be disconnected on the NA 993's, with the only penalty being gas mileage and the benefit being more natural behaivor/feel on take off. I think the 996's must have a similar operating system, as my 996tt seems to behave in the same manner, but not as dramatically as my former 993tt.

If my experience in my ttx50 is relevant, I think the trickiest thing is the high take-up point of the clutch, relative to other cars and your left ankle. Smooth launch in my car requires that you lift your left heel off the carpet. Otherwise, your ankle runs out of travel before the clutch is fully engaged, resulting in the sudden lurch. It's absolutely no problem to get a porsche launced (going back to my original 911SC) without using any gas, just slow clutch release- implying there is enough torque down low. This is something you absolutely can't do on a race-tuned car. AS

What I was taught (30 yrs ago by a rally driver) was to let the clutch out about 2 inches, then hesitate for 1/4 second before let out the rest of the clutch. The hesitation smoothes out the shock induced by the engine's connection to the drive train. It seemed to get me a smooth launch off 1st gear, although with my '02 Targa it's still jerky at times. With all the other & previous cars, including my '02 Cooper S, this way of launching made the 1st-2nd gear transition as smooth as an automatic. But it also makes you lose every drag race off the red light!

I'm not exactly sure I understand all this technique stuff but I have noticed a slight rev drop when the aircon compressor cuts in and I think this has caused me to stall a couple of times at takeoff. It's not happened to me with the aircon off. Does this help the discussion? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

I tend to 'feel the clutch slip' as i release the pedal, especially going downshift to overtake or pickup accelaration (this is where you have to rev up to keep the lower gear up to the speed of the car). My take off can be as smooth as my wife wants it to be (slip it for at least 3sec at ~2k) or abrubt enough to spin a 360 donut or a side slide (clutch slip for 1sec at up to 4~5k).. But then again, my clutch has started slipping on its own even with full release of the pedal at higher gears (especially at the high torque range of the rpms; 2~3k),,, meaning am ordering a new one now! Therefore I've worn my clutch on the expense of my drivetrain & gearbox, both safe and sound so far! Wael '99 996 C2 Arctic Silver