i down shift all the time when coming to a stop. its called useing your transmission. it slows you down and saves on gas, and excess brake ware. the only people i have seen that don't down shift are those that have not driven a stick very long, or don't know how to drive one.
2nd gear issues
- Thread starter Sloop
- Start date
Dexter said:
I completely agree, and thats what the sales rep told me. I'd rather replace brake pads than clutch plates. I usually down shift to 4th if I'm in 5th as I slow down, and then I just brake until I have to put the clutch in to stop. Sometimes I pop it into neutral once the engine hits 1000rpms.
Using the engine and tranny to brake should only be done on steep downgrades to avoid overheating your brakes.
Redline MT-90
Redline MT-90 is very good stuff in the transmission. I had a notchy shifter problem in my 300zxtt in 1995. The previous owner took it to the dealer and they put differential hypoid gear oil in the tranny!! That stuff is way too slick to let the synchros work. I drained it all out and put in Redline MT-90 full synthetic GL-4 transmission oil.
No problems for the next 80k miles. Much smoother shifting and less wear to the gears and synchros. After I put a few thousand miles on my MSP, it's going to get Redline in the tranny, too. Expensive at $8 / quart, but worth it.
Redline MT-90 is very good stuff in the transmission. I had a notchy shifter problem in my 300zxtt in 1995. The previous owner took it to the dealer and they put differential hypoid gear oil in the tranny!! That stuff is way too slick to let the synchros work. I drained it all out and put in Redline MT-90 full synthetic GL-4 transmission oil.
No problems for the next 80k miles. Much smoother shifting and less wear to the gears and synchros. After I put a few thousand miles on my MSP, it's going to get Redline in the tranny, too. Expensive at $8 / quart, but worth it.
scapamouche said:
Yup...it's a slow tranny, no use trying to hurry up the shifts. If you take your time shifting to second you should not have any problems. Unless it is cold, then my P5 will sometimes grind slightly/be notchy no matter what you do.
I also tried the redline tranny oil, but to be honest, I really didn't notice any difference. To me it seemed to get a little better when I racked up more miles, but it has not disappeared completely.
The downshift to 1st seems next to impossible if my car is moving. This to me took some getting used to, since my last car (1990 Dodge Colt) could down shift into 1st from about 35 mph without a complaint, if I asked it to. I didn't even have to rev match to help it in!
so does it mess up the clutch plate even if u were pressing on the clutch pedal but yet u were shifting into 1st gear while the car is moving? (like when u r at the stop sign and u did a complete stop) Rite now i usually complete stop.. clutch in... 1st gear.. then go. But it takes like 6 sec and its way too long. Can i instead go clutch in.. 1st gear while holding on clutch... complete stop... then go? My friend said its still not good for the car... wut do u guys think?
- :
- 2015 BMW 335i Sedan / 2015 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
i don't know much about transmissions, so what could i tell my dealer to have them look at the problem, or at least acknowledge that there is one just in case bigger problems come down the road? should i have them put in that redline oil?
So I am still new to the manual tranny thing and I mentioned before that I have the same problem with my P5...
My friend let me drive his '96 A4 with 115K miles on it last night. I had no problems shifting in that...nice and smooth...but it didn't feel as sporty as my P5. We got talking about how my car needs to be broken in maybe.
For s**** and giggles we went for a spin in my car and I let him drive...not once did he get a hard shift from 1st to 2nd...I don't know how he did it, but it just meshed right in. So I think its just a driving thing...I gotta learn how to do it. He's got 2 years experience on me so I expected him to shift smoother, but it amazed me how smooth it was.
My friend let me drive his '96 A4 with 115K miles on it last night. I had no problems shifting in that...nice and smooth...but it didn't feel as sporty as my P5. We got talking about how my car needs to be broken in maybe.
For s**** and giggles we went for a spin in my car and I let him drive...not once did he get a hard shift from 1st to 2nd...I don't know how he did it, but it just meshed right in. So I think its just a driving thing...I gotta learn how to do it. He's got 2 years experience on me so I expected him to shift smoother, but it amazed me how smooth it was.
Shifting from 2nd into 1st is a waste of time. Downshifting is fine when done right. Why have a standard if you not goin to take advantage of it?
But into 1st is a little silly. First there's that little safety lockout thing that kicks in if your going to fast to prevent your from doing it to begin with, and if you force it here, your hurting the tranny big time. Then, by the time that that safety thing turns off and allows you to shift into 1st, you going so slow you might as well shift into Neutral.
Just my 2 cents
But into 1st is a little silly. First there's that little safety lockout thing that kicks in if your going to fast to prevent your from doing it to begin with, and if you force it here, your hurting the tranny big time. Then, by the time that that safety thing turns off and allows you to shift into 1st, you going so slow you might as well shift into Neutral.
Just my 2 cents
My girlfriend was laughing at me the other day in the city. I was merging into traffic but someone in a camry wasn't going to let me in so I slowed down...then they waved me on...but I was going to slow for 2nd gear by then and I was trying to get it in first but it just wouldn't go...
OrangeAppeal
Member
- :
- '03 MSP - #729 - '90 CRX Si
chuyler1 said:
Lets see the key points of this post:
1) Girlfriend laughing
2) I was going to slow
3) I was trying to get it in
4) It just wouldn't go
Are you sure we're talking about downshifting here?
I'm sorry I just couldn't resist.
i down shift all the time like i said. most times i hardly have to use my brake. have far as the tranny not allowing you to do this i've never encountered it, i never had a problem down shifting until i started having problems with my transmission. like its been said in other posts sometimes you have to in autoxing to take the corners. every time i have autox i never got past second and had to down shift into first to take some corners.
chuyler1: Get comfortable with manual shifting through the gears first. A few months should do it. Then come back and we'll talk about "heel and toe" downshifting, which is what you need for a smooth 2 to 1.
Basically, you're trying to match the input shaft revs from the engine with the output shaft revs from the wheels. Obviously, first gear needs more engine revs than second gear for the same wheel speed. The Sparco pedals are well placed to make heel and toe downshifts easier. But don't worry about it for now. Get comfortable with the manual first.
Basically, you're trying to match the input shaft revs from the engine with the output shaft revs from the wheels. Obviously, first gear needs more engine revs than second gear for the same wheel speed. The Sparco pedals are well placed to make heel and toe downshifts easier. But don't worry about it for now. Get comfortable with the manual first.
scapamouche
Member
carlos said:
Ahhhh....yes..... the Colt.... I STILL have nightmares about the time I borrowed it for a weekend
Has anyone tried lubricating the shift linkage at the tranny with good white lithium grease? That did wonders for my Celica's shift.... It was a cable shifter, though....
Mazda stickshifts seems to be notchier overall than other sticks I've driven. I learned on mid-90's Honda Accord that was smooth and really easy to move the stick from gear to gear. My next stick was a 99 Miata, which felt almost identical to the shifter in MSP. In between I had a 2001 VW that was easy to move from gear to gear, but much less precise than either of the Mazda's. The nicest I've ever driven is my sister's RSX Type-S, it's so easy and smooth, it's almost like not driving a stick at all... Don't tell her I said that.
Anyway, as with my old Miata, I've found that just shifting smoothly is the easiest way to go, neither car liked being rushed or forced.
I have a different question for you guys. If you are accelerating quickly and then shift, do you hear a noise from the engine/transmission that only happens for a brief second after you push in the clutch? My car does this in all gears, and I'm not sure if it's just synchro noise that I didn't hear in my previous sticks, or if something isn't quite right.
Anyway, as with my old Miata, I've found that just shifting smoothly is the easiest way to go, neither car liked being rushed or forced.
I have a different question for you guys. If you are accelerating quickly and then shift, do you hear a noise from the engine/transmission that only happens for a brief second after you push in the clutch? My car does this in all gears, and I'm not sure if it's just synchro noise that I didn't hear in my previous sticks, or if something isn't quite right.
try this rule of thumb...
if the car's rolling, don't shift into first.
I just tought my little bro since i sold him my Integra , as well as my girlfriend, who just got a Civic Si coupe.
The tranny will resist i anyways, use the gears to slow down, just gradually and with the revs under control, youy won't hurt the tranny that way. if you're lurching as you're doing it...chances are the revs are too high.
Just sticking the clutch in or shifting from 4th or sth to neutral defeats the purpose of having a manual.
My 2 cents
MS MSP - Spicy Orange
if the car's rolling, don't shift into first.
I just tought my little bro since i sold him my Integra , as well as my girlfriend, who just got a Civic Si coupe.
The tranny will resist i anyways, use the gears to slow down, just gradually and with the revs under control, youy won't hurt the tranny that way. if you're lurching as you're doing it...chances are the revs are too high.
Just sticking the clutch in or shifting from 4th or sth to neutral defeats the purpose of having a manual.
My 2 cents
MS MSP - Spicy Orange
"I have a different question for you guys. If you are accelerating quickly and then shift, do you hear a noise from the engine/transmission that only happens for a brief second after you push in the clutch? My car does this in all gears, and I'm not sure if it's just synchro noise that I didn't hear in my previous sticks, or if something isn't quite right."
Mikey -
I have the same sound. It sounds like gear rattle but it happens for me when you described and when in I hop off the accelerator quickly at moderate to high RPMs. Any thoughts....Anyone? It's got me a little worried.
Mikey -
I have the same sound. It sounds like gear rattle but it happens for me when you described and when in I hop off the accelerator quickly at moderate to high RPMs. Any thoughts....Anyone? It's got me a little worried.
