I love owning a stick shift <3.

[Joggernot]

After having the starter replaced by the dealer about 75 miles away, I had trouble starting the car. was afraid to take it back and have them make good, so to my local mechanic for a checkup. After a bit of looking, he found that the dealer had not reconnected the starter ground. Result was intermittent contact and intermittent starting. Tightened the nut and it never faltered again.

[MetroMPG]

I took apart & re-greased the linkage points in my Firefly/Metro shifter a week or so ago, and now I love my old stick shift even more. Like butter!

[RedDevil]

I tried to push start my late '86 manual Rabbit Diesel (with help from some local police officers, thanks guys!) but it simply dragged the wheels on releasing the clutch.
One of the panting officers told me to put it in third gear (!) That worked.

So... bump start diesels in third gear

[jcp123]

Manuals ftw!

[RedDevil]

Ah. Ride That Fantastic Manual! That's what the acronym means
(driving my first, and probably last, auto after owning more than 10 different manuals...)

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

So... bump start diesels in third gear

I think 3rd or higher is always a good idea if you can get enough speed, because when you're driving the engine with the wheels not only the mechanical advantage is reversed, but some types of gear meshes have lower efficiency being driven in reverse.

[Bow]

Manuals rock for 2 reasons...

1. You don't have to wait for it to decide you need power RIGHT NOW!
2. My wife can't drive them, so by default, can drive my car and truck...

[whatmaycome14]

I feel horrible for even saying it, but I purchased my car as a manual ESPECIALLY because my wife wouldn't be able to drive it. I love her to death, but I'm very very particular about my vehicles.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

I think 3rd or higher is always a good idea if you can get enough speed, because when you're driving the engine with the wheels not only the mechanical advantage is reversed, but some types of gear meshes have lower efficiency being driven in reverse.

True, if speed allows you should always use fifth gear unless you have more gears in the box
But this even goes for push starts at near walking pace.
Once the engine turns over even slowly it probably gets enough juice to make the ignition work (make sure the lights, radio, window heater etc are all off).

Old diesels don't need much electrical power at all to tick over, like none. Just a sledge hammer to get moving.
3rd gear at walking pace may be too high to get enough revs to make a dead gasser fire, but diesels will go after the first passing of TDC.

My sea scouting club had a couple of boats with heavy hand cranked two cylinder diesel engines. In ten years the occasional kickback from starting those caused many injuries, amongst which at least one broken wrist.

Btw my wife can, and does, drive a manual. Like a cannibal on steroids. It never sees fifth gear. One reason for It's appaling FE.

[Baltothewolf]

<3 All you ecomodders!