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Hi, I am fairly "new" to driving manual. As far as other manual drivers have observed I am doing quite well considering I taught myself.

I drive a 93 civic si coupe, I was wondering if anyone knew.. But when I am in the lovely rush hour traffic, I am trying to lightly touch my peddal moving forward instead of standing on my clutch I try to roll the car slightly with a tiny bit of gas. The car starts to buck forward and backward, and when I let off the gas it's as if I am slamming on my breaks jerks a bit then rolls as if in neutral almost. I touch the gas again, a tiny bit it jerks a bit then off it goes.

Not sure why, it dosn't do it as pronounced every time. But it's weird, and I don't really want to hurt my transmission or anything. But I find when I drive faster and then slow down, it's not as bad it kind of clears up. But going slow all the time, it dosn't like it and jerks around.

Any Ideas? Or is this Normal?

 
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hmm i dont think its normal. i cant drive stick, well i could but ive only done it enough to be able to in emergency. but my dad is pretty good and even with his old truck he can make the car crawl forward very slowly and smoothly without any jerking.

 
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Might need the POV of somone who drives standard everyday through rush hour traffic. Your dad simply might just be riding the clutch and letting it roll, or is actually going faster than I am. I am quite literally crawling to the point theres no register on how fast I am going. As if your in an Automatic and just not holding the break.

 
Rep Power: 314

I don't really understand what you mean by your description of the problem. But, if you want to roll the car forward your better off to just let off the clutch 1/4 of the way and not use the gas pedal at all. Just make sure you let off the clutch the 1/4 way very, very slowly. If your letting off the clutch completely at such a low speed and giving it just a slight amount of gas your RPM's will sink too low and the engine will try to stall. Which is probably causing your jerkiness.

You won't cause damage to the transmission or the clutch by using this method because the RPMS are so low you should not wear the disc. I have 130, 000 km on my clutch so I must not be too bad at driving it

 
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Thanks thats probably what it is, it does feel like it's about to stall. But i was worried about disc wear, i don't like to hold my clutch down unless I have to. I can't replace a clutch plate, I don't have the cash.

 
Rep Power: 314

Most clutch wear comes from overgassing during a shift, which means the clutch actually has to slow the engine down to match the transmission. This is generally done at higher RPMs than near idle. I'm not telling you to "Ride" your clutch. But in order to bump yourself forward a few feet your safe to take the clutch 1/4 of the way off the floor and step back on it shortly thereafter. It won't wear the clutch. Hopefully that helps you out

 
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If you let the clutch off VERY VERY VERY slowly the car will just start moving without even using the gas. But you've got to do it properly or else you'll stall.

My car jerks a lot when driving very slowly in 1st gear... I think it's just because my clutch is ancient (factory), but you get used to it and learn how to avoid it.

 
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Does that mean that engine braking wears your clutch ?

 
Rep Power: 314

No, engine braking does not wear your clutch down. It's so hard to explain. When the clutch is engaged or disengaged it does not wear down. It only wears down during a shift. So if the clutch has to slow the engine down during a shift to synchronize them it will wear the clutch down because the engine is spinning faster than the clutch disc. After you have engaged the downshift, your RPMS slow both of them down in sync. Sorry, I don't know a better way to explain it.

What Awjvail says is true too That's a good method if you have to go more than just a few feet