1. coupler
   flywheel
2. clutch
   transition plate

When driving a manual transmission, you have to be keenly aware of the clutch since you control how it operates when changing gears.

1. to perform sweet burnouts
   It regulates engine power.
2. It disconnects the engine and transmission.
   It transfers engine torque.

When the clutch is engaged, the engine and transmission are connected to each other, but once you disengage the clutch you've disconnected the two.

1. transmission gears
   engine cogs
2. gear selector fork and dog teeth
   the clutch

Despite the common misconception that this is transmission gears grinding, the fact is all the gear teeth in a transmission are always completely meshed.

1. You press the clutch in twice while shifting.
   There are two clutches.
2. You have to press the pedal twice as hard.
   It's just an old name.

In modern cars you only need to press the clutch in once when switching gears, but race cars and older vehicles require you to double-clutch when shifting gears.

1. gears
   selector forks
2. servos
   a magic 8 ball

When you move the stick, you're also moving the selector forks, which are what actually engage the different gears in a transmission.

1. nothing
   files down the flywheel
2. wears out the throw-out bearing faster
   grinds transmission gears

Once the throw-out bearing is gone, you'll have to replace the clutch, even if the clutch disc is only partly worn out. In other words, don't leave the clutch pedal engaged when stopped.

1. put it into first gear
   put it into reverse gear
2. press the clutch pedal
   turn the key and nothing more

If you don't press in the clutch pedal to disengage the transmission and engine, your car won't start.

1. where the gear shifter snaps into your hand
   when the car receives power to move
2. the perfect pedal position for burnouts
   neutral

Learning the catch point on a manual transmission is key to driving it optimally, and it can change by a fair amount between one model and another.

1. friction
   exposure to oxygen
2. temperature changes
   elevation differences

The clutch disc gets rubbed down over time, until eventually it starts to slip and needs to be replaced.

1. ladder
   step
2. sequential
   non-sequential

A sequential manual transmission is common for motorcycles and race cars, but rare in other types of vehicles.

1. makes them all spin the same speed
   turns the output faster than the input
2. doubles the layshaft rotation
   triples all shafts' rotational speed

A separate selector is located on the layshaft, making this adjustment possible.

1. 1
   2
2. 3
   6

One of the gears used in reverse is the idle gear, while the other two are input and output gears.

1. a special cog
   pushing the idle gear into place
2. the reverse shaft
   magic

The idle gear can slide along the layshaft. Once it connects to the other two gears, the setup causes the output shaft to turn in the opposite direction.

1. main clutch
   servos
2. dog clutch
   secondary shaft

The dog clutch is a gear that floats on the transmission's input shaft, and it presses against the gear you select by moving the stick.

1. using it too much
   shifting with only one foot
2. pressing the accelerator too much while releasing the clutch pedal too slowly
   pressing the clutch two times in between gear changes

Riding the clutch is a good way to really accelerate your needing a new one installed in your car, which is just a waste of money.

1. the shaft that lays over the others
   the stick you shift with
2. the shaft connected to the shifter
   a bridge between the input and output shafts

The layshaft typically sits underneath the input and output shafts, connecting to both with enmeshing gears.

1. teeth
   cogs
2. dogteeth
   a synchro

Because of the lack of a synchro, the gearbox has to stop moving completely before reverse gear can be engaged

1. hardened steel
   aluminum
2. copper
   titanium

Even though the shift fork is made to endure regular use, putting unnecessary wear and tear on it can lead to transmission failure and a big repair.

1. to make the car go faster
   to vary how much power is going to the car's wheels
2. to allow for sideways movements
   to make things more complicated

The torque band on an internal combustion engine is quite limited, but the transmission helps smooth out the differences some, resulting in better performance.

1. nothing
   forces the selector fork against the rotating collar
2. forces the selector fork against the servos
   makes it loose

It's a bad habit to rest your hand on the stick since it will wear out the selector fork and collar prematurely.

1. It lubricates the gears.
   It interrupts the flow of power to the transmission.
2. It uses a collar.
   It's magic.

When you press in the clutch, it literally disconnects the engine from the transmission, allowing you to switch gears without any of the blood-curdling grinding.

1. clutch disc
   the stick shift
2. the front axle
   the driveshaft

Because the clutch disc spins along with the flywheel, thanks to friction, the input shaft is attached to the clutch as a way of receiving the engine power.

1. engage it halfway
   keep it fully engaged
2. leave it disengaged
   grind it up

Too many people sit with the clutch engaged, which puts unnecessary stress on the diaphragm spring and pressure plate springs, leading to their failure sooner.

1. sleeves
   floating nuts
2. cogs
   nothing

Those sleeves are what select what gear is engaged in modern manual transmissions, and they ensure smooth gear changes as well.

1. gravity
   space
2. time
   pressure plate

The pressure plate has a system of springs that are designed to press against the clutch plate, literally transferring power to the transmission itself.

1. bridge
   input
2. output
   hollow

As you move the stick around, the end result is the different gears, which are various sizes, slide to mesh with the gears on the counter shaft.

1. hydraulic
   mnemonic
2. mechanical
   magical

Just like the brakes, pressing on the clutch pedal transfers force through a liquid-filled line, which then actuates a mechanical arm that presses on the center of the diaphragm spring.

1. transitive
   helical
2. diaphragm
   magic

The diaphragm spring is circular and sits between the pressure plate and a cover. Its design allows for pressing on the assembly to disengaged the clutch.

1. horse collars
   synchros
2. CTVs
   clutch nets

Synchronizers or synchros allow the collar and gear to contact through friction before the dog teeth mesh, allowing them to synchronize speeds in advance.

1. It doubles.
   It cuts out.
2. It stays the same.
   everything

If you press on the clutch in your car and keep it engaged, you'll notice the wheels stop receiving power because you've disconnected the torque from the engine to the gear.

1. a cog
   a bridger
2. a sleeve
   a floating nut

The sleeve must slide to connect with the synchro and the gear, making it so they're connected and spin at the same speed.

1. The gears are always enmeshed.
   It has more gears.
2. The gears are larger.
   The gears have more teeth.

Since the gears are always in the same positions, a connector must change the output from the transmission.

1. counter shaft
   balance shaft
2. bridge
   draw bridge

The counter shaft acts like a bridge between the other two shafts, transferring the power from the one to the other smoothly.

1. Newton's Fourth Law
   gear ratio
2. thermodynamics
   the air speed velocity of a swallow

Gear ratios greatly affect performance, but it's a principle most car shoppers don't know much about, so they ignore it and concentrate on power solely.

1. Any gear will do.
   always first gear
2. always reverse
   always in neutral

If you don't leave the car in gear, you greatly increase the chances of it rolling away. It is wise to use a forward gear when parked facing uphill and reverse when parked facing downhill.