Has anyone accidently shifted from sixth to third? I am accustomed to a 5-speed where this is obviously not possible but I can see it possibly happening to me some day...

 

As long as you are not going beyond any legal speed limit in this country, you won't hurt anything.

You can go about 70mph in second gear and I believe about 90mph in third gear (technical gurus, please correct or specify the top speeds at redline in each gear).

But I have never accidentally done this and you probably won't either. It's about as likely as shifting from 5th to 2nd in your current vehicle. . .

 

Never accidently, but on purpose a few times

Nik

 

 

Accidentally, that would suck Intentionally while heavy braking/heel-toe, that's a good thing:smile:

 

Yes, such creative shifting comes in handy for those "Oh no you don't Mr. Big SUV guy" situations!

 

I don't remember shifting from sixth to third but I do remember going from fifth to fourth when I wanted sixth. When my car was new the detent in the shift mechanism was very tight and centered on the third/fourth slot. I had to concentrate and push right when going to sixth to get there. Now, nearly two years later, the shifter is looser and I am "programmed" to get it right. Now I am thinking about a short shifter to get back some of that feel.

Enjoy!

Dave
Sunny San Diego
2003 DS/B MCS with stuff

 

I went from 4th to 3rd at redline in my old sunfire accidentally once...hehehe - raises the hair on your arms and makes you hit the clutch REAL FAST

 

That usually means big BANG if you were at redline...

 

no never by accident, in emergency cases, I do 6 to 4 and a quick 4 to 3. Works too...

 

I agree that if done correctly and intentionally, downshifting from 6th to 3rd is not a problem. The impact of accidentally downshifting to 3rd when you wanted 5th will of course depend on the roadspeed. It could definitely hurt the engine and/or transmission. It could also contribute to a loss of control.

That said, the transmission will likely balk at this downshift unless there is a serious attempt to match revs. I would not expect this to be especially likely. I've never felt any near-misses downshifting to 5th.

If you're interested in minimizing the likelihood, you can use a back-handed grip on the shifter. That will significantly reduce the chances.

 

Ok. . . what is a "backhanded grip" on the shift ****?

 

Must mean thumb down...

 

I guess the reason I could see it happening is if you crusing and you want to down shift for a little more power and out of habit you think you are in 4th because of the down position of the shifter.

The worst part is that in this situation you may be hitting the accelorator as well...

 

Under control, heel-toe, match revs - 5th & 4th are useless for compression braking as their ratios are too close to 6th. I HATE brake dust on my wheels!

 

I shift from sixth to third regularly. If you are slowing down it shouldn't be a problem.

 

6th! damn i only have used the first 4! you must be going FAST!

-Josh

 

I love your attitude.

 

Sorry, that's maybe not the best description. It's something I learned as an E36 M3 driver. Those cars have a real potential for the "money shift", so you want to shift with care.

Here's what I was taught by a wise and skilled M3 pilot:

1st to 2nd - pull back and slightly left using index, middle and ring fingers with your palm nearly vertical and facing the driver's door. The movement is in the wrist, not the arm.

2nd to 3rd - push forward gently using the palm of the hand; the self-centering nature of the shifter will do the rest.

3rd to 4th - pull straight back using index, middle and ring fingers with your palm horizontal and facing the floor. Again, use your wrist.

4th to 5th - push forward gently and slightly right using the palm of the hand with your palm angled toward the passenger side floorboard.

5th to 6th - pull back and slightly right using index, middle and ring fingers with your palm angled toward the passenger side floorboard. As before, it's in the wrist.


The downshifts are very similar:

6th to 5th - push forward gently and slightly right using the palm of the hand with your palm angled toward the passenger side floorboard.

5th to 4th - pull back gently using index, middle and ring fingers with your palm mostly vertical and facing the driver's door. The self-centering nature of the shifter will do the rest. As always, the movement is in the wrist, not the arm.

4th to 3rd - push forward gently using the palm of the hand with your palm horizontal and facing the floor.

3rd to 2nd - pull back and slightly left using index, middle and ring fingers with your palm nearly vertical and facing the driver's door.

2nd to 1st - push forward and slightly left using the palm of the hand with your palm angled toward your left leg.


Skipping gears is not something everyone agrees on. I do it all the time, on the street (eg. 1-2-4) and on the track (eg. 5-3). It generally involves beginning one technique and switching to another when the shifter is in the neutral position. It becomes very natural with time.


These techniques may not suit everyone. However, they do have advantages. The soft touch is helpful in really feeling the gears engage. When combined with the postioning, the likelihood of selecting the wrong gear is greatly reduced. Sometimes people want to move the shifter very quickly and forcefully, especially when they're engaged in spirited driving. However, this increases the chances of grinding gears and selecting the wrong gear. And , it's harder on the synchronizers and shifter linkages. I used to think I had to shift really hard and fast to drive fast. But I've learned that there's almost nothing to be gained be shifting so aggressively.

Give it a try. Use these techniques for a week. I think you'll really like it. If not, you can always do something else. This is just how I do it, you may have another way that you like better. I'm totally ready to admit that there's more than one way to skin this cat, so let us know what you like.

 

eMINI has hit the nail squarely on the head here. Rushing your shifts is hard on the transmission. Learn to feel what the shifter is trying to tell you. The use of heavy shift ***** mask the feel of self centering and makes it easier to miss a shift.

If you want an aftermarket ****, look for one that is as light as possible, this will improve the feel of the self centering springs and help your shifts.

Also, a 6 to 3 shift at anytime when you are under 90mph will not put you over the redline. If you are not trying to force a fast shift and give the synchros time to do their job still no problem. So on public roads it would NEVER be a problem. Right?

 

Same here...............
A few times..............

 

"The movement is in the wrist, not the arm."

Having played the drums for the last 30 years (!) I can relate to that action.

I guess I've been shifting the correct way all along then.

Speaking of shifting, in England, with the shifting done with the left hand, are the shifter positions the same? I'd assume so. I don't know how they do it! An English friend of mine took my MCS out for a ride the first week I had it and she took the shifting very naturally with the right hand. BTW, she LOVED the MINI! :smile:

 

Like he said ...gotta test the limits sometimes

 

Not by accident yet. Fortunately, I think a few people here have confirmed my curiousity on what is the proper gear choice when cruising on the highway (say 60), and lets just say there is a need to "take off as quickly as possible". It sounds like the proper choice is 6 to 3rd. 6th to 4th didn't seem adequate to me.

 

If I ever get out of 4th gear I am going WAY to fast for any highway/street in the state of TN.... intown driving i never make it to 3rd... and usually I run 3rd gear at on/off ramps so I don't have to punch it when I get to the highway...I am already somewhat close to speed. Even though I run a high RPM I still get around 20ish MPG but I think my Lucy is getting more adapted to my driving as I can tell she gets better and better gas mileage now. When I go on my first roadtrip... the end of September I might have to try 5th or 6th gears to try and save gas...

-Josh