High biting point?

[Jodenice]

Hi ??

I’m learning to drive and alongside my lessons i’ve bought a Nissan Micra from 2003 to practise alongside in. It may be old but it had about 45000 miles on it with one owner. I love it ?

One thing though. The distance you lift the clutch up to reach the biting point seems really high. I don’t know if that is because I’m learning in a new ford focus with a really sensitive clutch or if this is normal?

It’s easy to change gears, it doesn’t feel spongey, it’s just the high biting point.

I have no experience with cars at all, so thought I’d come and ask people who do!

Thank you
Jo

 

[MattInARedMicra]

Interestingly I had the exact same issue with my micra when I first bought it, originally I thought the clutch was worn or the clutch cable needed adjustment. Would get frustrated because I kept stalling it even though on my lessons I hadn't stalled for weeks.

Turns out that micras just have quite a high biting point, or learner cars converted with dual controls have a fairly low biting point (not sure which)

Once I passed, I kept driving the car the way it was, and I just got used to it. You'll be able to do the same too. Even now I'm an experienced driver if I drive somebody else's car I stall or change gears at the wrong time occasionally - you just get used to what you know.

 

[nissan boy]

Tbh k11 and k12 are kinda sensitive clutch wise, you know if the clutch is on the way if you do a 2 or 3rd gear pull and it slips ,
It's better then a Mk7 fiesta had to slam that clutch on the floor , it was brand new lol

Sent from my moto g(6) using Micra Sports Club mobile app

 

[Deleted member 31521]

I had some issues other day reversing was like 3 times a stall.
Maybe this is just me after driving a couple year old car with different clutch.
I'm relatively new to driving so I know its me and not the clutch or car at fault.

Sent from my ASUS_T00P using Micra Sports Club mobile app

 

[MattInARedMicra]

You can adjust when the clutch bites on most cars by adjusting the cable length if it really bothers you, it won't cost much for a garage to do it because there are no new parts involved

Now that I am used to it I actually prefer a high biting point and a pedal that doesn't give much resistance when you have it pressed down, seems to make my foot less tired in traffic because the precise motion of feathering out the clutch has less range. When I was learning my foot would be killing at the end of a 2 hour lesson, partly because they make you keep it in gear at traffic lights with the clutch down and then there's quite a big range to cover bringing it up while my leg is shaking.

Another thing that they won't let you do in lessons that is good once you've passed is coasting up to traffic lights, like taxis do. If you have to drive a lot of hours you can stop yourself getting tired by doing as little as possible.

 

[Jodenice]

I went out in it again yesterday and I think it will be fine when I get used to it.

It’s weird though. It drives fine but it’s really slow to pull away. You know if you’re waiting at a gap in traffic and you’re like ‘i’ll Go after this yellow car’? Well you’d hopefully nip out there - but there is no nipping. I crraawwl out. It’s like it takes a little while to get going. I’m pressing the accelerator, i’m at the biting point, because we’re moving but it feels really heavy.

Again, it could just be me. ?

 

[John_D]

I went out in it again yesterday and I think it will be fine when I get used to it.

It’s weird though. It drives fine but it’s really slow to pull away. You know if you’re waiting at a gap in traffic and you’re like ‘i’ll Go after this yellow car’? Well you’d hopefully nip out there - but there is no nipping. I crraawwl out. It’s like it takes a little while to get going. I’m pressing the accelerator, i’m at the biting point, because we’re moving but it feels really heavy.

Again, it could just be me. ?

6K revs and drop the clutch, off like a scalded pig!

 

[Jodenice]

6K revs and drop the clutch, off like a scalded pig!

Lol is that when you just pull the clutch up in one? I definitely need to be sure of biting point then. I’m terrible at stalling as it is ?

I was pushing on the accelerator but it sounded terrible ??

 

[MattInARedMicra]

Lol is that when you just pull the clutch up in one? I definitely need to be sure of biting point then. I’m terrible at stalling as it is ?

I was pushing on the accelerator but it sounded terrible ??

he's telling you how to get some wheel spin going ?

If you set off by popping the clutch from all the way down to all the way straight up at 6000 revs it won't matter where the biting point is it'll shoot off like a rocket

don't crash

 

[plmval]

he's telling you how to get some wheel spin going ?

If you set off by popping the clutch from all the way down to all the way straight up at 6000 revs it won't matter where the biting point is it'll shoot off like a rocket

don't crash

Quote: “6K revs and drops the clutch” likely to fubar what remains of the worn out clutch PDQ?

Go for it.

 

[John_D]

[QUOTE="plmval, post: 780019, member: 10559"
6K revs and drops the clutch” likely to fubar what remains of the worn out clutch PDQ?
Go for it.
[/QUOTE]


Sorry it went straight over your head, the comment was very much tongue in cheek

 

[plmval]

[QUOTE="plmval, post: 780019, member: 10559"
6K revs and drops the clutch” likely to fubar what remains of the worn out clutch PDQ?
Go for it.

Sorry it went straight over your head, the comment was very much tongue in cheek


Quote: “6K revs and drop the clutch, off like a scalded pig” !

Quote; “Sorry it went straight over your head, the comment was very much tongue in cheek”.

Your first comment could be misinterpreted by the many uninformed, that’s what went over your head as your second statement has now confirmed?

Glad that I enabled you to correct your misinformation in this instance, how to treat a worn out clutch that may possibly be adjusted by a “competent person“ to get a few more years normal use out of it would be more helpful useful constructive & positive advice?

 

[MattInARedMicra]

It's not always high because it's worn out, the high-set clutch that I had when I got the car 10 years ago is still in it and shows no signs of giving in just yet

Driving instructors should teach how to do handbrake turns and everything because god knows that's the first thing I attempted to do when I passed and was in the car on my own unsupervised... wasn't until the next winter I actually managed to set the back end free though

 

[Jodenice]

I’m 44 though. I’n Just hoping to drive round town without crashing ??

However, whilst I won’t be revving that high, I actually wasnt revving hard enough, hence the crawl. It SOUNDS like an aeroplane taking off but I really needed to give it a bit more ! ?