I almost NEVER shift from 2nd gear to FIRST, it is NOT a good practice for your car. even at 4mph, 2nd gear is able to cruise, I try NOT to use the 1st gear as much as possible.
How are you able to cruise at 2nd gear at 4mph??? I havent done this cuz it sounds like the car is about to stall at 7mph. Due to gear ratio calculations, 4mph in 2nd gear should put you below 700, which is idle.
I usually clutch in around 4-6mph, keep it in second, and slip it back in(like a 2nd gear start) until 7 mph before I left off the clutch fully.
to the op.. if u absolutly feel the need to down shift to first (which i do occasionally coming to a red light at like a 7 mph roll) it will go in easy if u rev match...
Used to do it in my Spec-V never had any problems sold it after I hit 120k miles. I'm also not saying downshift to 1st and toss your RPM up to 4-5K so don't be silly.
rev match, so lets say your are going in 7mph which puts you in between 2nd and 1st or as I like to call it 1 and a half which is the gear used in ridiculous Toronto traffic. So if you really insist on putting it into first rev the engine with clutch pressed to about 2.2k and it should go easier into first. You are basically doing the job for the synchros which won't have to work as hard...
When it's cold I cant shift into 1st, even at 4 mph. Revving with the clutch pressed doesnt do anything for the syncros. It's not helping at all. So I dont understand how that helps getting into 1st gear. If it does help, it's not you helping the syncros. It's something else.
hsnap: I didn't want to say it so bluntly but that's the simple truth, i'm on my 3rd stick car so with experience you learn a lot. if you rev match you don't even need the clutch, although I would not advise this. The point of the clutch is to make gear changing smoother.
woahhhh... easy there big mouth.
I know how to drive and "simple rev matching" does NOT work at all times.
I don't know aobut the civic because mine is auto, but my 300zx will NOT go to 1st even with rev matching unless you are going very slow. hsnap:
Wow, i've never had a problem shifting into 1st @ 10mph+. I can stick it into 1st @ 25mph and do it completely smooth to the point where you will just hear the engine revving. I rev match with the clutch in (the syncro do spin doing this) and off I go.
Do this: Start rolling slowly in 1st gear and learn what RPMs its at @ 3, 4... 7,9 even 10mph. Then shift into 2nd gear, slow back down to 6 or 7mph, rev the engine to the aproximate RPMs and stick it into 1st. It will go in smooth as butter if the RPMs are dead on.
I stick it into 1st 12mph and under. 2nd for 13mph + :vtec:
I do it all the time with no problems at all... you need to be exacly 1000 rpm higher when switching into first from second otherwise it will be tough to imposable. and if your not used to rev matching then dont do it.
I do rev match in my normal driving, and I even double clutch from 3rd to 2nd if Im afraid its going to grind. My issue is that with a synchronized transmission, it should be grinding at all for a normal downshift from 3rd to 2nd gear. Or even going into 1st at 5 mph. But mine does when its cold. It doesn't even let me in at times.
thats why because its cold, you have to let it warm up! there is nothing else to it let it warm up. you should not be downshifting into first anyway, only when going slowly at least 3 MPH and thats it anything else you can ust stay in 2nd...
I agree you dont need to downshift into 1st gear really unless under 4mph. However there are ppl that can at 10mph, with simply rev matching. But that's not my issue.
My issue is I have problem downshifting from 3rd to 2nd, even after warming up for 5 minutes, and driving for 5 minutes. Im not doing it quick or at high rpms. It shouldn't grind or pop out. The temps have been in the 20s lately. Its cold, but its not like below 0.
btw...not everyone experiences the problem I have and some ppl live in colder areas which make me question my transmission.
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