i understand that each driver is different in his or her own way with factors like acceleration and where they're driving in the city or open road. I've had my crossfire for five days now and have been shifting it smoothly for the most part but it's not like any other stick shift I have ever drove.

first question is it's easier to take off in second gear with a little bit of pedal and letting the clutch slide out easy. Is this bad on this type of clutch to do this? I'm just scared I'm damaging the clutch very slowly over long period of time. I can't smell anything burning and it's a smooth transition when I take off but It feels as if I'm releasing too slow

Second question I've been driving the car easy and shifting it smoothly just under 2k rpm... is the crossfire made to shift at high rpm or is my range OK?

it's very different from any other stick I've drove but I love it thanks again for the answers in advance.

 

The clutch on our Crossies is hydraulic and limited to a slow engagement. You simply cannot "pop" it. So except for burning it with a partial engagement you won't hurt it or the engine.


But to your questions,,,;


First, you won't hurt the clutch doing normal takeoffs in second gear. A lot of us do it.
Secondly, shifting at 2K RPM is wimpy. That is a tight short stroke V6 under the hood. With a flat torque curve that goes from 1500 RPM up to the rev limiter at about 5800 RPM. Wind it out.


Try to stay under the 5500 mark or the Rev Limiter will shut the engine down briefly. A bit of a surprise if you aren't ready for it. It's there to protect the engine so let fly. And enjoy.


I wind mine out through every gear but first. Using it only to get rolling. Then wind up to at least 4000 RPM through 2nd, 3rd, and then 4th if you dare. You won't hurt a thing.


Have fun...!


roadster with a stick...like it should be!!!!!

 

man you just made my week... like I said I'm used to driving anything from Tractor and trailer to stick shift full-size trucks this has been a very good experience so far and I have fallen in love with it.

did not know that about the hydraulic clutch thanks for the info that's exactly what I was looking for!!

 

Some find the first gear to be to short and useless with the stick transmission. Just changing out the 327 gear rear end to a 307 gets the car moving smoothly. Squirrel Crusher

 

Yes but it cuts your mileage and your top end speed. Arguably, it might help the 1/4 mile times but who buys a Crossfire NA for the drag strip?


I like going really really fast. But then I'm a bit crazy.




The NA engine runs very well in between 3500 and 5500 RPM. I drive in that range when running the twisties, but 6th gear on the interstate gets almost 30MPG at 70 MPH. I would hate to compromise that for a slightly quicker "launch."
If he wants more get up and went, I would suggest a sprint booster, a CAI and Eurocharged Tune.

Jus' sayin'

 

get up and quick is fun.. but I drive 45 min down interstate to work everyday and 70 is right where it's at... 2500 rpm just creeped me out a bit cuz I'm used to driving a hemified ram lol.. until all of your explanations I felt as if running a constant 2500-3000 would be straining on the motor..

my my mind is officially at ease. I just didn't wanna take any chances starting out with this gem at 100k miles.. the engine compartment is emaculate. It's got a tad bit of a kick every few seconds when idling which I've contributed to possibly needing new plugs - which are being shipped from amazon prime as we type.

every once in a while when I take off I can smell a slight burn smell (why I asked about clutch ). But I'm thinking it's the valve caps - it's literally 1 or 2 stop lights that I catch a hint of it and you have to stick your nose down in the motor to smell like a burnt oil type of smell.

everythibg checks out tho so it might be oily valve covers I'm not sure

i want to do everything I can to get the most out of her - it's an amazing car

 

What you are smelling is most likely the leaky valve cover gaskets .


Many have had to replace them or the vent caps. I think I have had the issue with most every Benz vehicle I have owned. Best engineered cars in the world, made with the cheapest parts.


Check it out here
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...s-repairs.html

 

That's what I was thinking from all the reading ive been doing lately - this is why these forums are so great.


thanks again - ks

 

The car will run well and shift/feel better if you take it at LEAST to 3K before shifting.

I drove my Graphite like a SPORTS CAR from when I bought it at 44,000 miles to 116,000 when a girl pulled in front of me and destroyed both cars.

I'd bounced off the rev limiter a few times (hate it when I'm on the Dragon and do that) - the engine remained tight and well running right up to the car's death. I'd not drive my Ranger (with the pushrod engine from the 70's) like that, but the car did just fine.

Those who complain about the clutch/transmission in the Crossfire tend to be those who "drive it like a pickup", those of us who like the setup, are those who tend to drive the car more like Franc does.

FRANC - it took going to a Dragon to get thru to me - think this guy (Ksmi87) should book a room for fall?

 

GET THERE:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...5-6-7-8-a.html

 

He should go to the Dragon and do whatever it takes to keep up with the SRT crowd. It will force him to find that power the car hides under it's 320SL pedigree.


Roadster with a stick,,, as it should be

 

sounds like a pretty good time.. I've been seeing "dragon" references everywhere like its "he who's name we do not speak of". Lol.

I get get it now tho thanks to that link . I went to Bonarroo 4 years in a row from 07 -2010. It was the best experience ever but based on music.

Since the starting of this thread I've been winding it up a notch when working through the pattern and just knowing in the back of my head that I've gotten crossfire forums good graced blessing .. I just ramp on it a little more lmao

in a weird way.. I love this clutch - it's oddly related to a 16 speed road hauler with an air shifter. Couple different people I work with all drive manual challengers or Camaros and feel my clutch and they are freaked out.

yet another reason they fear the crossie

 

Got all my goodies in today from amazon - LED lights for all replacements - new plugs - tools to size - and service materials. Window tint tomorrow too!

 

Paper Oil Filter, that's a no-no. There have been many reports of those disintegrating.
Get a fleece Mann filter.

 

I did at my first dragon... Only things I was concerned with was the very heated brakes, and my passenger almost having another coronary! Mine is an auto, so all I had to do was hit the gas, and hit the brakes (and of course, steer like a *****)... Awesome memories at that dragon, but then again you ALWAYS remember your first, right?

.

 

which is why I posted that pic- Thanks for the info!
have a few days off next week to service everything. Installed the led which was kind of a chore- and I still am having a dif time getting the DRLs out to change them.

Anyone else here upgrade to LED and it fill their FM radio with static when turned on? Must be the amount of power running to them robbing or causing interference.

no canbus errors tho so that's a plus

 

Paper filters (cellulose) are possibly OK, we used them for years remember? They may not stand up to the extended oil change periods specified these days. The so called "fleece" (Polyester) filter does stand up to the new oil change periods.
Unnamed Chinese paper filters used by cheap oil change outfits may not last well at all, I had one when I purchased the car, it was almost flat.
The Crossfire oil filter by MANN is HU 718-5X.
Aren't those air filters for the SRT6? An initial check said they were.
Yes, wrong number.
The filter number Mann C 2861-2 is given and shown in this post from way back. CLICK

 

TO hell with paper filters - these are both re-boxed Mann Fleece filters you can buy locally.
Paper filters CAN be fine, but the one that was in my SE had 1000 miles on it when I got it home and it had already collapsed. I WISH I"d snapped a photo...................

 

LED or HIDs? LEDs should cause no problem, but HIDs are arc lamps, arcing causes spikes on the 12 volt lines feeding the lamps and can be filtered out (the really good kits DO filter well.)

But if the lamps themselves radiate in the EM spectrum well, radio is EM and there is little you can do but find bulbs that are less susceptible to radiating.

 

Are the reboxed ones made in China?