How fast can you do a 1-2 shift before you are hurting the tranny?

[DistantTea]

I'm autocrossing at our divisional championship this weekend and I know one of my weak points that I do slower than other people is my 1-2 shift. Since the shifter feels so hard and notchy I never want to pound it in there, I take my time. My slow shift only equates to about .8 seconds or so, but in a 911 I could shift with quarter second speeds.

I've never wanted to break a linkage or something in my mazdaspeed but if that 1-2 shift is even half a second slower than the next guy in my class thats half a second of unpowered momentum that can get him some serious time (in autocross standards) ahead of me.

Should I just try it? I just know its going to feel like I'm forcing a 5 1/4 floppy into a 3.5" drive but is that just how it feels because of the gates or is that actual mechanical resistance in the tranny?

I want to do everything possible at this race to be competitive... I'm going to lose... I just don't want to lose by that much.

 

[Dimitrios]

Well, I feel for you; I learned to drive stick on a friend's Mini Cooper and I was able to slam damn near every gear (well, not slam, but shift ALOT quicker on the 1-2)....In the Protege5, I take forever getting 1-2 down - hell, even 4-5 is faster across the gate for me than 1-2 is...

 

[Pmpkinhead]

This is NOT a race tranny, be gentle or you will pay!!!(spank) I never oficially raced my 88 323 GT Turbo and the tranny went at 85K miles and my 99 Prot ES tranny went at 59K miles! I turned it in for my MSP just as it wuz starting to go.
1244 (msporange

 

[changedman]

nice. mine will probably eventually go at 50k

 

[jonnydoe48]

do you think shifter bushings will do anything about this? my 1-2 is really crappy too.

 

[Speedplease]

be careful my car doesnt even have 3000 miles on it yet and i have to get a new tranny! But i think mine was defective from the start.

 

[Mike R]

I'd just be careful how much force you use to shift. If the main problem with these tranny's are the forks, jamming the shift lever too far into a gear will be the end of the tranny. That's why stangs and camaro's aftermarket shifters have stops built in, so you can slam gears w/o going too far and breaking the forks.

Just my $.02

 

[p2-e2]

I have to same problem. My 1 - 2 gear is by far the shittiest. Guess, I'll have to work on that too.

 

[MSP Pro]

Distant Tea: Have you drained the transmission and put Redline MT90 in yet? It takes about 3 quarts plus a little bit at $8 to $9 a quart, but I think it's worth it in terms of protection. I admit that it did not smooth out my MSPs tranny as much as it did my 300zx twin turbo tranny, but it does help.

I didn't replace the copper washers, either. Just torqued them to the proper values and they haven't leaked. Do it today, before this weekend's autox.

 

[jersey_emt]

Same thing here. 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, all good. But I can't do a 1-2 both quickly AND smoothly.

Of course, this is the first car I've owned with a stick, so I probably just need more practice.

 

[acidbug]

Hey guys...Try redline mt-90..I hear great things about this..Also if you don't have it..Short Shifter will help...especially if you get the bushings like i do!!

Chas
P.S. it don't matter how fast your 1-2 shift is..If you car is fast..it wont matter...you really don't lose to much time in the 1-2shift..

 

[iON Performance]

DistantTea - Motul Gear 300 is great for the gear box. As well, (not to insult your abilities) learn how to double clutch and rev match when switching gears. If you can do this well, you can shave that time down for the 1-2 shift. Your foot can actually be faster then the syncro's, hence saving you time.

Subarus have glass trannies, and you can't even go into 1st unless you double clutch.

 

[anarchistchiken]

Somebody please explain to me, once and for alll, after all the different explanations I've heard, what the hell double clutching is.

 

[Midnight22]

Somebody please explain to me, once and for alll, after all the different explanations I've heard, what the hell double clutching is.

yeah what he said, cuz i've heard so many diff explanations, and how do u actually go about this as well?? (uhm) (dunno) (werd)

 

[acidbug]

Double clutching is when you push the clutch..to get out of a gear..than release the clutch than reaaply as you are going into the next gear..

 

[acidbug]

Don't try double shifting while racing..you will lose valuable time..

Chas

LOL

 

[Midnight22]

whats the point of double clutching? just hold the clutch in and put it into gear saves foot work, or does it do something im not aware about?

 

[igdrasil]

whats the point of double clutching? just hold the clutch in and put it into gear saves foot work, or does it do something im not aware about?

I was thinking the same... (dunno) whats the issue on double clutch....?? better wait for the syncro and shift to 2nd.

We all know the 1-2 transition is slow....

 

[iON Performance]

Double Clutching

Double clutching is a technique when learned and applied properly will allow much faster shifts then waiting for the syncro's.

You must rev-match the gears so that it provides a smooth transition otherwise it won't work right.

Waiting on the syncros for a car w/ a large discreptancy in rations between 1 & 2nd is like waiting for an eternity!

Plus if you can do this right, you can go and attack a corner in 3rd coming in and downshift into first and pull out of the apex.

 

[Caffein8d]

double clutchin.. blah.