Can someone tell me how to shift from 1st to 2nd?

 

Anybody?? I've been driving around in 1st all day...

 

Now THAT does not surprise me having experienced the Bay Area traffic (in rental cars)... That 880 is a real joy around 5:00 in the afternoon in the San Jose-Fremont area. lol

 

There isn't any need to worry about "gear grinding" from time to time. It's not as harmfull as it sounds.

It's actually not the gears that are grinding, but the dog teeth that are trying to catch the gear.

Obviously if you do it allot, you'll eventually wear down the dog teeth in your transmission, but the design is such that you won't do damage (or at least it'll be very minimal damage) if you try to shift into a gear without the clutch depressed far enough.

Howstuffworks.com explains it well:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission4.htm

 

I had a lot of grinding (upwards of 20 times) when shifting from 1st to 2nd, especially when shifting over 5K RPM. The shifter just wouldn't move fully into 2nd gear, and let's face it: you only shift tall when you're being naughty, which usually also implies speed-shifting.

I took my baby to the dealership, and they put in a new tranny. I've not had the problem since. I've also since been told that there are transmission issues on the 05 Coopers.

Point being that you may be experiencing a factory issue, rather than just your own ill-timed shifts. If you grind often enough to be worried, make the dealer take a look.

 

If it grinds slowly, just force the shifter into the gear. If it grinds fast, back off and try again.

If it is grinding into reverse, if often helps to let the clutch out in neutral for a second, then slide the shifter into first (do not declutch) and then into reverse. I don't think this would work with the 6-speed, but many cars with 5-speed transmissions have the reverse and first gears on the same shaft.

I learned to drive stick when I was sixteen and was offered a job driving a delivery truck--if I knew how to drive stick. I lied. I had it down pat in a couple of weeks.

The Mini shifter gets a lot of grief for being "lunky" but it is not bad compared to many cars I've driven. Granted, I think the MCS could stand a shorter throw, but that is a personal preference.

 

Seat adjustment makes a big difference. I actually thought something was wrong with the transmission in my '68 Mazda pickup until I moved the seat up a little.

 

Chris,

I have experienced this too with my new MC. Going into reverse on the 5-speed Getrag MC is nothing like going into reverse on my 6-speed Getrag in my MCS - not just in terms of the shift pattern, but in terms of how sensitive the MC is to needing everything to be perfect to get a good clean shift into reverse to occur.

I really with the 5-speed MC Getrag had the 6-speed location for reverse and also shifted as smoothly into reverse as my '02 MCS does.

Dave

 

It happens, the tranny will survive. Don't worry and keep motoring.

 

I bitten the gears a few times, mostly it happens while driving on bumpy roads. I tend to shift very swiftly and tight, and my timing can get thrown off if I get thrown around in the seat. Minor clashes are nothing to worry about. It's trying to force the car into gear as it's grinding that causes damage. Go back into neutral then try again.

 

this reminds me of my old 02 WRX....try doing a quick 3point turn in that pos
tranny.... car sounded like a darn zipper.

 

I find that my clutching has a certain cadence to it that is not directly related to my shifting. ClutchIn-Shift-ChutchOut, but if I get a little hung up (from 2nd to 3rd, the little jag to the right) it's ClutchIn-TryToShiftButMiss-ChutchOut-GRIND. You'd think my left foot would know to wait until my right hand tells it that the shift is complete, but NOOOoooo!

 

That's not exactly true... Certain vintage Alfa Romeos, for example, are famous for this.

 

I've ground fifth like twice, but that was when I wasn't use to the gearbox.

I do notice sometimes it's hard to get into first from a stop at neutral, I'll have to go back into neutral and then put the clutch out again, then put it back in and I'm able to select first no problem. I find this works alot better than trying to force it into 1st .

 

I remember doing it once in the MCS. I grind gears everyday in my Ford Ranger.

My biggest problem is shifting from 4th to 5th. I have ended up in third instead. Never really let the clutch out all the way before I realize my scew-up.

 

everybody's done it. no need to worry. it might grind a little life out the synchros. it would take some seriously harsh mistreatment to actually get to the gear teeth... that's part of the synchomeshes are there.

and it is audible from outside the car, only it'll be more of a clunking sound than the scratching you hear.

 

I see there are lots of different information being thrown around here. I found a pretty good guide on the internet about how to drive stick properly

http://www.waycoolinc.com/z3/essenti...e/shifting.htm

BTW, the MINI is my first manual transmission car, and I've never grinded gears in it. The reason is I've been able to practice a LOT of speed shifting in a driving simulation called "Live for Speed" (Not need for speed arcade game!) with a H pattern shifter, and a 3 pedal system (gas, brake, clutch). So I've trained myself pretty good at timing shifts in the virtual world before I try my skill in the real world

Tips: Try the egg shell pressure described in the guide linked above, feel how the syncros properly engage, its harder to grind gears if you can feel it through your hand.

Tip on reverse: On my 05 MC you can feel the shifter encounter 2 points of resistance while shifting into R. Kind of like "clunk-clunk", then it'll be fully engaged in gear. If you feel only a very slick "clunk", you're not in gear yet, and you will "grind" when you release the clutch.