Noise when steering, and clutch techniques

[Lomancobra]

Today I did a lot of stop and go traffic in the cobra, and I noticed a few things. Does anyone else have a noise eminating from the steering aparatus somewhere that sounds like a creaking door when turning your wheels at a stop? It makes this gut-wrenching noise like the weight of the front end is too much for the power steering to turn the wheels at a stop.
I also wanted to bring up something that I have hesitated to ask because of its simplicity. I was wondering what the best way to let out the clutch was. Is it easier on the tranny to let it out faster and get a slight bog and a jerk, or is it better to let it out slow while feathering the gas.

I'm sorry if questions like this seem like a waste of your time or elementary to you. The truth is im only 22 and this is only my 3rd car, 2nd with manual transmission. I love cars and love learning about them, and I know a fair amount, but nothing like some of the people on this site. I have learned a ton from just browsing this site day to day. Sometimes I see guys flex their car knowledge muscle and it makes me cower. Sometimes It makes me feel like a moron when I ask questions like how to slip the clutch out. But, I decided to because I don't wanna hurt my baby. My previous car was an Audi w/ a 1.8T. It was a good car but nothing like the cobra. The thing is I taught myself how to drive stick on the audi, and I really didn't and still don't understand how the clutch mechanism works. When I first got the audi I was able to chirp second, and then after a while I couldnt, the hook wasnt as tight. Then one day I was driving with a friend and I was on a slight incline. Instead of using the brake to hold me steady I would just slightly engage the clutch, no gas. It was a method that became a habit to me, and my friend told me it was bad for the tranny or the clutch? I don't remember which, it was long time ago. After he told me this I thought that this method might have been why my transmission was not jumping through gears like it used to. So I was thinking, by using this rationale wouldn't it be bad to let the clutch slip out too slow when starting from a stop? If this makes no sense at all feel free to ban me from this site, sorry.

 

[Andorion]

Hi Lomancobra =) First of all, I'm 22 and have never owned a manual, only driven one for a few days. Having said that... here's some REALLY good easy-to-understand information from howstuffworks.com:

Manual Transmission

Clutch

Torque Converter (just FYI)

Hope this info helps =) Far as I know, using the clutch instead of your brakes on an incline DOES wear it out (your constantly wearing the plate.) Eventually, it'll start slipping during normal use.

~Berj

*edit* Might as well tack on a couple more howstuffworks link, just for fun =)

How Car Engines Work

How Turbochargers Work

What is the difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger on a car's engine?

 

[94SVT Coupe]

[rantmodeon] Man! I can't believe some of you guys are learning a stick on a new Cobra. [rantmodeoff]

To answer the question. The clutch wears whenever it's not fully engaged or disengaged. Holding your car on a hill with it is not good. Learn to use your feet quicker and you can take off from any hill without rolling back at all.

 

[ZXnVS]

Hey, 94SVT Coupe, I'm one of those guys that learned to drive a stick in my '03. But I had the advantage of having ridden motorcycles for years, so I just had to get used to using my left leg instead of my left hand.

LomanCobra: I can't tell you if my car makes a noise when I turn the wheels with the car not moving, because I never do it. When I was 16, that was the best way to get a long lecture from my dad! I know a lot of people do it, but I never have to this day. I need a longer space to parallel park, but other than that I don't know why you would ever need to turn your wheels while at a stop. There's a lot of weight on the front end of your Cobra, and two very big, sticky tire contact patches, so I'm sure it puts a lot of stress on the power steering pump and the steering mechanism to twist those big 9" wheels on dry asphalt...I'd avoid it whenever possible.

As for the clutch, ideally you would be fast and smooth. Of course, that takes practice. I'd recommend being slow and smooth for now, which will eventually lead to being fast and smooth. Of course, when you're trying to accelerate hard it's very difficult to be smooth, but for normal driving it's a goal to shoot for.

Just my two cents.

 

[SoCalBlk03]

Originally posted by ZXnVS
, so I'm sure it puts a lot of stress on the power steering pump and the steering mechanism to twist those big 9" wheels on dry asphalt...I'd avoid it whenever possible.

One small correction we don't have a steering pump. The '03 is equiped with a hydroboost (sp) system. And your right though "dry steering" as it's commonly called is a bad thing, not just for your tires but for the steering rack.

 

[Lomancobra]

Andorion - that is a great site, thanks for the links.

94svtcoupe - I know now that using it on a hill is a bad thing, I never did that in my cobra only in my audi, thank god.

zxnvs- thanks for the info.

I didn't know it was so bad to "dry steer". It's good to know. I end up donig this when I am in a parking lot, tyring to get into a spot or something along those lines. sometimes you just have to when you live in a city, but I will be more aware now that it is bad. thanks

 

[black03]

I have the same problem with the creeking in the steering wheel. It is due to the steering rack moving. I changed the steering rack bushings to the steeda poly bushings and that cured the problem for a while but recently the creeking has come back. Im going to try and tighten the bolts up to see if that will fix the prob. By the way I think it is due to the steering rod rubbing against the longtubes. Do you have longtubes? Black03

 

[Leadhead]

Lomancobra,

I think as far as shifting it should be somewhere in between dumping and feathering. You can get rid of the clunk noise without rideing the clutch by remembering to work the clutch without your heel touching the floorboard. As soon as I started working the clutch this way, the clunk is gone and I am not riding the clutch.

 

[harry gilbert]

Originally posted by 94SVT Coupe
Holding your car on a hill with it is not good. Learn to use your feet quicker and you can take off from any hill without rolling back at all.

When I turned 16 (39 some years ago) my father taught me to drive a manual shift car by letting me drive to my aunt's house. On the way there was a 30 degree hill with a stop light halfway up. Of course the light turned red as I approached, and someone came right up on my bumper. My Dad believed in "sink or swim" instructions, and I learned how to engage the clutch smartly without slippage or stalling.

The trick is knowing how much gas to feed based on the flywheel momentum, road surface, and incline angle, and how to let the clutch out smoothly. Practice, practice, practice. I find the Cobra's aluminum flywheel a litle more tricky than cars equipped with heavier iron flywheels.

 

[Lomancobra]

Originally posted by black03
I have the same problem with the creeking in the steering wheel. It is due to the steering rack moving. I changed the steering rack bushings to the steeda poly bushings and that cured the problem for a while but recently the creeking has come back. Im going to try and tighten the bolts up to see if that will fix the prob. By the way I think it is due to the steering rod rubbing against the longtubes. Do you have longtubes? Black03

no longtubes, just stock right now, but I should be getting the bassani midlengths soon.

 

[matrix]

Lomancobra,

Can you or somebody explain to me how do you chirp gears. I always wanted to know how to chirp gears.

 

[black03]

As to the problem with the steering, I had the same thing. FORD replaced my steering rack sleeves, And the two long bolts that hold the steering rack to the frame.no creeking at all now....Black03

 

[Lethalchem]

I have the creeking noise as well, no longtubes. It happens when rolling slowly, not sure about a complete stop. I never bothered to worry about it since it doesn't seem to be hurting anything. There's so many noises on the 03, I just chalk it up to one more