Start off in 1st or 2nd?

[ISX]

Ever since I got my new clutch that hooks up a little too good for my liking, I have been forced to start off in 1st. I do try 2nd a lot but it likes to jerk really bad since it's so sticky. So what gear do all you guys with manuals start in? I'm talking without a trailer and level ground.

[dobienut]

To me it seems I have to ride the clutch just a bit to start n 2nd and i'm wondering if it'll cause my clutch to wear out sooner, so I tend to go with first.

[ISX]

Same thing I worry about. The southbend and stock one would slip a lot and I could start in 2nd easily. When the southbend went and I took it out, the clutch wasn't worn at all. So I think it may have been designed to hold up with a little slipping. This valair one grabs so hard it seems like it is going to shear something.

[guesswho512]

were talking about no load right? take off in first and have to shift 2 more time before i get thru the intersection? i think not. i only use 1st if i'm on a hill or pulling a trailer.

[ISX]

Thats why you get in front of a trucker so you can blame him for slowing everyone down through the intersection

[guesswho512]

heck, i take off in 2nd and don't even have to give it gas. the anti-stall launches the truck forward. i could not spin the 33s in 2nd(and barely in first), but a little pedal will spin the 245x75r16s

[ISX]

Well it's not the power its the clutch that screws me over. It will not slip it is either grabbing or not, so it just starts jerking the truck forward as it grips and ungrips. Believe it or not I screwed up one day and was really out of it and just whacked the shifter down (which happened to be 4th gear) and I did the usual let off the clutch and give it a little gas once it grabs and it lunged forward jerking a lot but never died. I only went maybe 20ft before I pushed the clutch in but I bet it woulda gone right up to cruising speed.

[bjytech]

I pretty much always take off in 2nd, 1st just seems like to low of a gear to start in when empty for me.

[flman]

My Cummins ISB owners manual said to take off in the highest gear possible, I can easily take off on a small grade in second with no throttle. I have let the clutch out in 5th while stuck in the mud, and it kept spinning the tires at idle.

[dorkweed]

Empty in my 04.5, I usually take off in 2nd gear, unless I'm faced uphill. ISX, with my SouthBend OFE, I find it easier to almost just dump the clutch with no go pedal and go from there. I cannot ride this bad boy unless it's the first start up in the AM. Try it like that for a while, and you'll get used to it, and it'll be much less wear on the clutch in the long run!!!

[ISX]

You just let it idle and drop the clutch in 2nd? I think I pretty well do that too, or else I am just sitting there jerking like crazy for a while. I might have to do it a little more vigorously and see if it snaps my neck like I am thinking.

[guesswho512]

You just let it idle and drop the clutch in 2nd?

yes. the anti-stall fuels it enough to keep ~800 rpms

[ISX]

I have no anti-stall I went out and tried it a little and remembered why I don't do that. People think you are racing them lol. I guess I will go back to it though. Thanks for everyones input!

[dripley]

I almost always use 2nd to start out. Just let out the cluthc and off she goes. 208k on the original clutch. Is there any good way to check the wear without taking somenthing apart?

[flman]

That is another thing the Cummins books said, or was it the Freightliner book? Any ways it said let out the clutch with no throttle, using the throttle could cause major drive train damage. Just wondering what does the old B series 12V idle at? With the ISB and the computer, it will always keep at it 800 RPMs no matter what.

[ISX]

Idles at whatever I want it to idle at. Just turn the idle screw. I have it idling really low so it will engage the clutch without jarring everything. So I think it is around 620.Stock they say to make it idle at 750-800 with A/C and all that on. The side of my engine actually says 925. I've notice that is only a 215HP cummins thing as all the other models say 800 as far as I know.

[flman]

Idles at whatever I want it to idle at. Just turn the idle screw. I have it idling really low so it will engage the clutch without jarring everything. So I think it is around 620. Stock they say to make it idle at 750-800 with A/C and all that on. The side of my engine actually says 925. I've notice that is only a 215HP cummins thing as all the other models say 800 as far as I know.

Well, maybe you should turn up the idle, it is not a Cat ;)

[ISX]

I didn't say it ever died at that low of idle. I just need to let off the clutch quicker.

[Mopar1973Man]

Well as for me the rule of thumb is start in 1st anytime the trailer is hitched up... Then start in 2nd anytime I'm without trailer. But This rule changes if there is a grade and I'm starting on the grade then I start in 1st regardless of trailer or not...

[AH64ID]

Generally speaking I start in 2nd, and no fuel until the clutch is fully engaged. 2nd on my trans is 3.38:1, on my old toyota with 35's and rated at 117/140 1st was 3.93, so no reason to go any lower in my truck almost 4x more torque at 1,000 rpms than the old one had at rated rpm.