Okay, so I understand manual transmissions and this Evo is not my first one. I had a 400WHP 92 TSi a few years back... I'm not sure whether this occured or not. I guess I am relearning manual because it's been since then since I've driven one.

What I've found:

When I dump the clutch in any gear(not including 1 and 2), at any RPM, the car lets out a pretty big jerk... I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or maybe I'm just mistaken...
I don't beat on my cars and I rarely drive them hard, but I was trying to see if I could get through the gears quickly. If I shift from 2-3 or 3-4 at around 4500-5500 rpm and drop the clutch after shifting... the car jerks. I didn't think the car should do that in such high gears at such high rpm... I thought only low speed clutch drops into 1st or 2nd would cause that...

I did do the clutch adjustment to my car due to a rather high engagement point(used, 18k miles on stock clutch), so I'm hoping that didn't cause anything.

The car seems to shift with no trouble although may be a little "notchy"... I'm not sure if what I'm feeling is notchy, but that I believe is unrelated....

Any suggestions?

 

Why would you 'dump' the clutch under normal driving conditions or at any rpm?

Redline is far from 4500-5500 rpms. Try 'shifting quickly' at redline and see if it still jerks.

Oh btw the car is much more fun when you use the rest of the powerband

 

i guess b/c its awd. it only happens with my car in 1-2 gears though.

 

I would only ever attempt to dump at higher RPMs.. 4000+ at the minimum. Normal driving I'm very docile. I don't like beating on my cars.. but I will try that.

 

possibly you are not revmatching perfectly when releasing the clutch. you need to work your clutch/gas pedal timing better.

 

If you dump the clutch, I would assume it would jerk a little due to the shock you are placing on the driveline. Mechanically that is not a good thing. I would recommend a smoother clutch engagement if you want your tranny/clutch to last.

The engagement point for the clutch is supposed to be very high on the EVO, moving it lower might not let the clutch fully disengage from the flywheel. Then your synchros would get stressed during the shifts and would prematurely fail.

 

I don't understand what you mean by dumping the clutch. The only time you can d ump the clutch is from a standstill when launching. Anything else cannot be dumping the clutch, because you're moving. Do you mean that you are shifting it fast without releasing the clutch slowly?

If so, that means you are trying to bang the gears but doing so when shifting at WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too low of an rpm. More than once, you referenced "high" rpm, but 5000 is _LOW_ rpm. We don't start making power until after 3500rpm anyway, and we keep climbing until 6500 or so. 4500-5000rpm shifts are fine for daily driving when not shifting fast, but if you are going to rip through the gears, you need to actually use the powerband so that when you shift from the 6500-7000rpm range, it puts you in the powerband of the next gear (5000+ rpm). The way you're doing it, it's putting you down below the powerband out of boost, which is making it bog. That is most likely the "jerk" you are feeling.

If you had a 400whp TSi, I'm pretty sure you'd know not to shift fast at 4500rpm...

 

It's not supposed to be a high engagement. Maybe you got that idea due to all the people who got 7k lockout issues with clutches like the ACT HDSS where the only solution was to adjust the clutch pedal all the way out? I can set my Exedy high, medium, or low, and it an be powershifted at any of those settings.

 

I remember the ACT clutchs needing abnormally high engagement points. Every stock EVO I've had the pleasure of driving has had a pretty high engagement point. Jon@TRE also makes mention of properly setting up a clutch on the EVO and adjusting the engagement point accordingly. Now that might change with different aftermarket clutches with slightly different specs and tolerances. Good to know none the less.

 

It's definitely best to adjust accordingly each time a new clutch is put in, but that doesn't mean the adjustment has to be set high. My stocker may have been higher than middle, but it was nowhere near as high as where I had to put it with my ACT. I eventually had it all the way to the end of the rod by the time my ACT went out.

 

I only noticed a slight movement of the engagement point so I don't think I over adjusted. Do you suggest I put it back?


I guess I never realized I should be shifting higher. And I did own a 400WHP Talon, however I never raced it. Waste? Maybe. I just enjoyed the car for what it was.

Thank you all for the advice, and to clarify- yes I guess I am not dumping the clutch due to the fact I'm moving, but I am letting the clutch out very quickly.

 

Go to 7000rpm in each gear and ****** the next gear with lightning speed - then you will know the truth about your Evo.

Sounds like the Talon was a waste, and I know you said you enjoyed it for what it was, but if it was a 400whp Talon, then it was only being used when it was being revved to the max (probably 6000-6500rpm). If you drove it like you're driving your Evo, then you probably never even hit 400whp anywhere other than the dyno. If you go rap through the gears with 7k rpm shifts, I think you'll stain your undies...

 

I feel dumb asking this because of the fact I've been drag racing cars since I was 16 and I hang around with TONS of groups of fast DSM/Evo/other car owners. Including the guys at Shearer.. I know them all pretty much personally. We all cruise the same spot and chit chat. I've seen JP's Colt in action priot to the accident, and seen plenty fast DSMs come and go...

I'm 20 now and have owned, cared for and worked on 6 cars, I guess I just completely forget what a manual feels like. This is my 2nd manual.

I guess I've always been a wuss when it comes to beating on my cars. Broken parts stain my undies!

 

Well, the Talon was probably the only car I did beat the **** out of... I probably did shift at around 6500, it's just been awhile since I owned that rattle trap.

 

Well, if you're only 20, then you haven't been driving long enough to forget how to drive a manual. This is simply a case of shifting too early. Are you sure you have been drag racing since you were 16? Or did you mean you've been going to the drag strip with other people who drag race? You said you didn't race the Talon despite having 400whp, and you couldn't figure out that you were shifting the Evo too early. Is it because every car you've drag raced was automatic?

I had 3 DSMs all around the 285-325whp mark, and I drag raced all of them - all 5spd. I ran 12.1-12.5 in all three 1Gs, and then after getting rid of my last one, I drove an automatic IS300 for 3 years. I then got my Evo and popped off a 13.1 on my first try when it was stock. You don't forget things like that...