[lochreas]

Ok, so this is my first manual, and I'm still sort of getting used to it. I was just wondering if it was normal it to make a loud "thump" type noise when I switch from first to second. Also, sometimes going into 3rd is a little scratchy. Maybe I'm just not fast enough on the clutch or maybe I'm doing something wrong? Anybody have any pointers? The truck was almost brand new when I got it with 9,500 miles. It now has about 11,200, so I'm hoping there is no serious problem already, though I do have a factory warranty. Also, I was wondering does anyone know the redline of the 3.0, and is there an optimal shift point? What's our powerband? I'm not trying to hot rod it or anything, but with the 3.0 you need all the help you can get. Thanks for the help.

[FireRanger]

Well, a "thump" can be a lot of things. Since your a newbie to the stick shift, it is hard to say if it is a result of that or another problem. Don't feel too bad, I think I almost mowed down most of my neighborhood when I got my old '91 that was a 5-Speed.

[loneFX4]

if switching is sketchy then its prolly not because your not fast enough, most likely that you are too fast on the clutch. its not good to let the clutch out too fast or "pop" it. going from first to second and then second to third you need to let the clutch out a little slower and then you can let it out faster goin to fourth and even faster goin to fifth. this is wut i do and i shift around 2500 in my 4L and people have commented how smooth it is.

[Mnemonic]

About the only time you shift "too slow" is when you have cars trying to crawl up your tail pipe. Just make sure the clutch is fully disengaged before you take it out of gear, and that the clutch is still disengaged when you are fully into the next gear. There is no halfway, or meeting in the middle on this one. About the only variable in shifting is how much gas you give it.

If I remember correctly on my reg cab '03, the power band really starts to kick around 3000 to 5600 RPM. I forget the "Redline" but it is 5,600 to 5,800. It won't hurt it if you just hold down the gas to find out what the redline is (assuming the engine is fully warmed up and you don't hold it there for several minutes, or drop it into gear or something). While parked, just mash the gas, watch the tach, say oh, that's what it is, and then release.

When in "fuel economy" mode, I never had to rev it past 3,250 during the daily commute.

[FireRanger]

After I had my 5-Speed for a year or so, I was able to shift most gears with little or no use of the clutch. It alsmost became sub-concious and I didn't even realize I was doing it until someone said "Hey, you can shift like that?" When you do need to use the clutch, you get to the point where your foot and your arm just know what to do and when and you move it real quick and without thumping :)

[TippnOver]

u can shift w/o useing the clutch???

[loneFX4]

i can pull mine out of gear easily but can never get it back in without using the clutch. ive always wanted to know how to shift this way. but yea, ive only been driving a stick for a few months but its second nature and i know wut gear to get in just based on speed and RPMs.

[3LiterBeater]

Once I'm moving I don't use the clutch. Once you learn to match engine speed with gear speed its pretty easy. I upshift and downshift without the clutch and have done it for over 30K miles now and have yet to have a problem.

[Zero]

QWell if 3rd gear seems sketchy and you think your doing it right it could be a problem with the tranny. There have been several newer trannys that grind when going into third gear even with a smooth shift. This is due to bad sencros from the factory...

[jbadd99]

I've had a problem with mine sometimes going into third gear for awhile now. You can feel just a 'slight' grind just as you put it into third gear. I took it back to Ford and they supposedly dropped the tranny and said nothing was wrong with it or the synchros. That was probably nearly 80k miles ago, too. Getting ready to roll it over 100k in the next week or so and I've had very little problems out of it since I got it brand new.

As for the 'slipping' the clutch, this is something I've learned to do only in the last six months or so, and I've been driving a stick since I learned to drive. Who knew?

[NHBubba_Revisited]

I'm not a fan of shifting w/o the clutch. In my opinion that's what the clutch is there for. But then I'm on my second clutch in this truck at ~22k miles.. ..The craptastic slave cylinder had nothing to do w/ that of course.

The first manual transmission I ever tried to drive was on a mid 80's Honda Rebel 250 motorcycle. After about 500 tries to get underway in first. In the end it finally caught, the motorcycle and I went flying down our driveway, across the street, 6" past the mailbox and into the woods!

[Flyinfx4]

I got a new 5 speed ranger last christmas and it took about a month or two before i got used to it.

[FoMoCoFiddy]

And it took you about 2-5 seconds to bring back a 3 month old thread. .. good stuff.