ok, two part question, mostly sub related

[Alex C]

As I am sure some of you heard something major broke in my sub, and water is once again invading oils territories. I am debating just pulling the motor, and redoing everything, including a tranny swap and maybe do 4wd.

 

How much is it to rebuild a motor, just for parts?

 

 

In the interim I found myself a 97 saturn 5spd sedan, very nice, good condition, just needs a O2 sensor and motor mount. So I have something reliable to drive till I can get my sub roaring to life again. I know this probably isnt the place, but your the only varied car experts I know that might know the answers to my questions.

 

I havent driven manuals to often, but can do it just as well as the next person. But, I dont know all of the little tricks etc.

 

Like, how do you find the sweet spots where you can shift sans clutch without ruining the synchro's?

 

Does the clutch have to be fully pressed in for each shift? or can you shorten it a bit and only press it in enough to shift but take it nowhere close to being fully disengaged? I know of course its not good to make grinding noises, and Im not making those.

 

Should you downshift as your slowing? is there a benefit other than saving brakes?

 

Does it hurt to pull it out of gear without the clutch?

 

I am sure I will have more questions later on, but that is all I can think of for now.

 

Thanks,

 

Alex

[BobBrumby]

Yes you should push the clutch fully to the ground as your shifting. Down shifting on decell saves your brakes and arround corners it will put you in a better rmp range when you exit the corner. With our little engines you need to keep em revin as they make better power there.

[Alex C]

Any answers to my other questions?

 

Bump please,

 

 

 

Alex

[85Sub4WD]

not good for your tranny to pull out of gear when driving w/o clutch

 

downshifting can prematurely eat clutches - which is easier, a brake job or a clutch job?

 

however, going down long grades it is best to leave the car in gear and use the engine as a brake (not pushing the accelerator) - doesn't harm the clutch

 

finding sweet spots can be specific to cars - I don't know about Saturns as I haven't driven any

 

use the clutch for ALL shifts - don't bother finding "sweet spots" - you will probably ruin the tranny before you do - sometimes they are hard enough to shift WITH the clutch - you won't save anything by not using it

 

ABSOLUTELY put the clutch ALL THE WAY in for each shift - you will wear it out faster and grind gears if you don't

 

you can save your clutch by putting the car in neutral at stoplights and letting out the clutch - and shifting back into gear when the light turns green - I usually watch the traffic that goes before me and shift into gear when their light turns yellow

 

yes, driving with gears is more work, but it sure is a heck of a lot more fun!! (you also save about 15% of your engine's power)

 

I am not sure how "reliable" a Saturn will be - I see a lot smoking VERY badly - but it is temporary, and it should last long enough for your soob to be working - check the timing belts on the Saturn - Saturns have interference heads, and if it snaps, you have valve pancakes - and despite their agressive advertising, they are not very safe cars

 

I have not actually priced it as a whole, but I would expect the parts for an engine rebuild alone to be around $1000-$1500, though you may find less if you shop around

[[HTi]Johnson]

Saturns have timing chains and are far inferior to our Subarus!!!

[Alex C]

I admit, I never had any trouble with the timing on my subaru, the gears are still in great shape.

[MilesFox]

which is worse?

 

Q

1. water in the oil as an excuse to make a 4wd conversion and engine build

 

2. 4wd conversion and engine build results in water in the oil?

 

A

1. can be done in a few days if you get to crackin

 

2. this is what happens when you use diffrent heads

[Alex C]

Not sure which is worse, but I know the first option sounds best .

[NorthWet]

... how do you find the sweet spots where you can shift sans clutch without ruining the synchro's?...

The same way that you get to Carnegie Hall...

 

Practice, practice, practice.

 

Seriously, to paraphrase 85Sub4WD's advice: Just learn to drive a manual transmission as it was meant to be used, and as perfectly as possible. Trying to do the fancy stuff can destroy your clutch, your tranny, and possibly put you in peril when some trick shifting goes awry. Perfecting regular shifting will make it easier for you to learn (and perfect) the fancy stuff in the future if you still wish to do so.

 

There is no advantage to upshifting without the clutch; it is slower and risks damage to the synchros. Good downshifting requires either a double-clutch technique or, if you want to go clutchless, really good experience with the vehicle and a good ear for engine speed.

 

The clutch would be happiest and live the longest if it were an on/off device. Partially depressing the clutch is like the worst of all worlds for the clutch and transmission. Pulling the tranny out of gear without depressing the clutch is not necessarily damaging, but requires the same skill as clutchless shifting and just as pointless on the street. (Also, many/most US States require the car to remain in gear until you come to a full stop.) You should always put the car in neutral and foot totally off of the clutch while waiting at a stop; otherwise, you may end up having to pull the engine or tranny to replace a $10 throwout bearing caused by sloppy habits.

 

Fancy shifting during street driving is about as appropriate as false-apexing corners on the street: It doesn't save you any time and makes your driving more erratic and less predictable to the other drivers.

 

I think that you will impress more people with the smoothness of your perfected shifting than you would with clutchless shifting.