Should You Press the Clutch When Shifting Gears While Driving?
2 Answers
When shifting gears while driving, it is necessary to press the clutch, especially for car transmissions equipped with synchronizers. Without pressing the clutch, gear shifting becomes very difficult. Fully depressing the clutch during gear shifting completely disengages the engine from the transmission gears, allowing the gear lever to change the gear set before re-engaging. If the clutch is not fully depressed during the shifting process, there will be a significant speed difference between the shifting gear set and the transmission system gear set, preventing smooth meshing and potentially causing damage to the transmission. The clutch is located within the flywheel housing between the engine and the transmission. The clutch assembly is secured to the rear plane of the flywheel with screws, and the output shaft of the clutch serves as the input shaft of the transmission. Typically, the clutch is installed together with the engine crankshaft's flywheel assembly, acting as the component that cuts off and transmits power between the engine and the vehicle's transmission system.
I'm a seasoned driver with twenty years of experience driving manual transmissions, and every gear shift relies on the clutch. This thing is the guardian of the gearbox—you have to press it down to cut off the engine power before shifting gears. The key lies in how you press it: when downshifting at a red light, lightly tap the throttle; when overtaking uphill, press it decisively all the way down; and when crawling in traffic, don't keep it half-engaged for more than ten seconds. A common mistake beginners make is forcing the gear lever without fully depressing the clutch, causing the gears to grind—it's painful to hear. I learned my lesson the hard way when I burned out the clutch plate once: I forgot to upshift to third gear on the highway, revved the engine to 4,000 RPM, and smelled burning as soon as I got out. It cost me over 2,000 yuan to replace the three-piece set. Now, I’ve developed the habit of checking the tachometer before shifting—it saves fuel and protects the car.
