[cbs21]

Can someone explain in detail exactly what the proper technique is? I know some people will say it is the CDV and others will say I just need more practice but I think I don't know the correct way because I never learned from anyone good.

The times I do get smooth shifts this is what I do:
I bring the clutch out quickly to the friction point. And then I slowly release the clutch from there and simultaneously add a little gas.

Whenever I let out the clutch slow and steady all the way I always get a jerk. And I don't know when to add gas.

So please tell me the CORRECT way to do things because I really don't know.

[BTM]

Practice moving the car with just the clutch - no gas. If you let it out slowly enough, you will be able to roll with just the clutch. Get used to this and where the friction point is, should help you out with smoothness

[dakman]

I've been driving manual transmission cars since I was 15 and I'm almost 49 now. I had a difficult time getting consistent shifts with my 328 until I did the CDV delete. The clutch will not engage when you think it would and is amazingly frustrating. Once you get comfortable driving your manual, do the CDV delete and get a short shifter installed. You will be 110% happier. Congrats on the car and with driving manual!!!

[BOSTON3]

Bought my '10 328 in November and it took me a good 7+ months to get smooth shifting down. I've been driving a manual transmission since I started driving as well and never bothered with the CDV delete. Not sure what finally did it, but I have learned to go real heavy on the gas, both for smooth shifts and performance. The clutch seems to catch pretty high and it's notchy. It's very different from the 2.0T VW stick I was coming from, but I've grown to really love it. Just don't want to let anyone else drive the car, as it's definitely an art.

Not sure if this helps, but you'll definitely get it and learn to enjoy it.

[3Coupe4Me]

I've given up on trying to make smooth shifts especially from 1-2. Just when I think I have the right combo for smooth shifting the vehicle jerks again. I did the modified cluth stop mod and when I get enough courage I'll do the CDV delete. I will just have to recruit the wife to help with bleeding the clutch while she is giving me that WTF ARE YOU DOING TO THE CAR NOW look.

[mithiral67]

Are bmw's difficult manuals to learn? Only manuals I ever drove were 70s vw rabit (car my dad taught me on) and a 76 bug and I thought learning the bmw's clutch was very easy.

Then again, whenever I try to teach one of my friends how to drive a stick on my car they butcher it and never try again.

[linlaoboo]

don't b discouraged. As you can see most cars I've driven were japanese sticks and they shift smooth as silk compared to this 328xi. The best among them being the 03Maxima SE, a family sedan. I read the problem is in the clutch synchro, or lack there of. I wasn't convinced with the difference the cdv delete I did until thousands of miles later. I still avoid 1st to 2nd shifts and just start from 2nd half of the times. and even then the heavy and notchy stick has trouble going into certain gears at times like 5th during a fast shift. The dealer said everything's normal but I always suspect there's problems or the 1st owner F'd it up. I wonder if the 335 is better?!? I certainly didn't notice any problems years ago when i test drove one.

[TheRox]

I dunno...I don't do the CDV delete. Over time I improved my shifting, took many months and tens of thousands of km...but you eventually learn to incorporate the CDV into your shift

Key: with CDV, you need to roll off the clutch slowly...the CDV causes engagement to happen at the same speed every shift no matter how quickly you release the clutch becuase it limits the amount of hydraulic fluid going thru the line.

[Kolyan2k]

i heard cdv also causes more wear on clutch, right ?

[cimbali]

OP: at what rpms do you generally shift? I find shifts below 2,500 to be difficult to get smooth without add any throttle on the upshifts.

[dreamingat30fps]

I've had mine 2 years in December and I'm just now getting good at it. I have also found the kind of shoes I'm wearing make a big difference in how smoothly I can shift it. No CDV delete for me yet.

[Yay-Z]

Been driving for 3 months. Was frustrated for a while, then I changed to the modified CDV. What a difference, very smooth now, I can blip the throttle on downshifts smoothly as well now.

I'm sure part of the smoothness came from spending time behind the wheel, but the cdv delete definitely sped that process up.

[Kolyan2k]

i am fine with my shifts. i dont know if cdv is done on my car or not because i bought it used. but when i turn the ac on......no more smooth shifts

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

i am fine with my shifts. i dont know if cdv is done on my car or not because i bought it used. but when i turn the ac on......no more smooth shifts

it's like 98 degrees here everyday so I don't foresee any smooth shifts in my future then.

[slavke]

Originally Posted by Kolyan2k

i heard cdv also causes more wear on clutch, right ?

I think the cdv is there to actually help not wear out the clutch for those who don't know how to drive a manual. First time I drove my 330i it was a breeze but the more I drove it the more I noticed there is something interfering with my clutch release. Just keep at it and you will get used to it. It is a pain since I come from honda accord that had such a smoother clutch and trany. To me notchy shifter is a bigger problem than the clutch.

[Kolyan2k]

Originally Posted by slavke

I think the cdv is there to actually help not wear out the clutch for those who don't know how to drive a manual. First time I drove my 330i it was a breeze but the more I drove it the more I noticed there is something interfering with my clutch release. Just keep at it and you will get used to it. It is a pain since I come from honda accord that had such a smoother clutch and trany. To me notchy shifter is a bigger problem than the clutch.

well, yeah. it is there to prevent the clutch abuse for newbeis. but for people that actually know how to drive manual, its actually causing more wear. thats what i heard.

[slavke]

just wondering if cdv delete would void the CPO warranty?

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by slavke

just wondering if cdv delete would void the CPO warranty?

If you blow up your clutch and take it to the dealer and they find evidence of a mod like the CDV delete then probably.

[Michael Schott]

Originally Posted by TheRox

I dunno...I don't do the CDV delete. Over time I improved my shifting, took many months and tens of thousands of km...but you eventually learn to incorporate the CDV into your shift

Key: with CDV, you need to roll off the clutch slowly...the CDV causes engagement to happen at the same speed every shift no matter how quickly you release the clutch becuase it limits the amount of hydraulic fluid going thru the line.

Good post. I don't find it hard to shift smoothly on my MT 328i at all. The clutch is very predictable, just don't rush your shifts. Smoothness is the key.

[m@rco]

Originally Posted by cbs21

Can someone explain in detail exactly what the proper technique is? I know some people will say it is the CDV and others will say I just need more practice but I think I don't know the correct way because I never learned from anyone good.

The times I do get smooth shifts this is what I do:
I bring the clutch out quickly to the friction point. And then I slowly release the clutch from there and simultaneously add a little gas.

Whenever I let out the clutch slow and steady all the way I always get a jerk. And I don't know when to add gas.

So please tell me the CORRECT way to do things because I really don't know.

I don't understand why so many people have issues driving MT BMWs. It really isn't difficult. Ok, a first timer will maybe stall the car once, but that is not unusual for anybody driving a new/different MT car. In my opinion, CVD delete is absolutely not necessary. Swifting from 1 to 2 may at times be a bit rough (i.e. the gear lever shifts somewhat notchy) but in general this should be a smooth procedure as well. After 4-5 shifts, any MT driver should be able to shift gears in a BMW smoothly.

Referring to your first statement: You are correct to state that for a smooth engagement, you bring the clutch to the friction point and "leave it there" or "engage it very very slowly" and add a little gas until the car starts rolling. This is completely normal. Then slowly let the clutch out completely. For minimal wear on the clutch, use a little gas as possible (RPMs upto about 1250). Once the clutch is fully engaged (and the RPMs may have dropped to 1050 again), add more throttle. Obviously, for a quicker acceleration or on an upward incline, you have to add more gas and let the clutch slip. In that case the RPMs will stay up at, for example at 1400 RPM all the time.

When in no rush, I usually shift from 1 to 2 around 2250-2500 rpm. Depress clutch, and gently move lever from 1 to 2. I guess the cycle takes about a good second to second-and-a-half. "Give it time to shift", as if it want to do it by itself. The RPMs may have dropped more than what would have been required for a fully synchronized engagement, but a gentle re-engagement of the clutch will solve that problem (i.e. after the lever is put in the next gear, let the clutch out slightly slower at the engagement point). Obviously, do not "ride" the clutch, i.e. hit the gas hard when the clutch is still engaging.

For fast acceleration etc. your BMW will allow you to shift much faster. However, by "forcing" the lever into the next gear and shifting in say less than half a second, you will encounter excessive wear on the synchronization rings. Not recommended for day-to-day practise.

Some people may need to find the correct "disengagement of the clutch" point as well before putting the lever into neutral and into the next gear. Try to find the right moment of "foot of the gas" and "depressing the clutch". If you depress the clutch too early, the drive train is disconnected roughly. If you depress too late, you will first be "engine breaking" and then disengage. It is my experience to depress the clutch a fraction of a second after I let my foot of the gas.

Refering to your second statement: this is not unusual. Think about it from a technical point of view: If you let the clutch out at a constant rate, the resistance between the two clutch plates increases constantly (the engine is being held back) while the car hasn't had time to start rolling yet. In other words, the RPMs of the engine's clutch plate are reduced while the RPMs on the gearbox's clutch plate haven't had time to catch up. As a result, the engine's RPMs drop too low and the engine may stutter or stall.

Some of the respondents to your thread suggest to give more gas. Yes, this would solve that problem. If you rev the engine to about 1400 rpm, you are probably able to let the clutch out at a steady rate. Note that the RPMs will drop to say 1200 and then come up again once the clutch is fully engaged and you start accelerating. However, this wears out the clutch more than necessary and should only be done under heavy pull circumstances (steep hill, pulling trailer, driving around your fat buddies , etc..

Hope this helps.

[3Coupe4Me]

Originally Posted by m@rco

I don't understand why so many people have issues driving MT BMWs. It really isn't difficult. Ok, a first timer will maybe stall the car once, but that is not unusual for anybody driving a new/different MT car. In my opinion, CVD delete is absolutely not necessary. Swifting from 1 to 2 may at times be a bit rough (i.e. the gear lever shifts somewhat notchy) but in general this should be a smooth procedure as well. After 4-5 shifts, any MT driver should be able to shift gears in a BMW smoothly............

I understand your explanation however the problem is the inconsistent outcome when you shift the same way all the time. This never happened on other MT vehicles I've driven.

[2kaccordocoupe]

CDV delete will make a day and night difference.