I missed five upshifts at the autocross yesterday! Not downshifts mind you, but first to second upshifts. It's possible that in the heat of the moment I just did a poor job of shifting, but I've been autocrossing for many years and have never had this happen before. After the red haze faded from my mind I started thinking about my linkage and recognized that all the upshifts to the bottom of the pattern are a little mushy (2nd,4th,6th). So my questions:
Is the linkage adjustable?
Will a short-shifter kit eliminate the problem?
Is it a symptom of something else?
Or, should I get a Caddy with an automatic transmission and quit driving these funny foreign cars?
Thanks, Mark

 

I do the same thing -- I think I'm just used to the effortless Japanese transmissions. I believe the problem is due to the high-effort synchronizers employed in the Getrag. I don't know if it was done deliberately for performance / reliabilty or if it was a compromise made for space / cost but it sure is one stiff tranny.

Gears 2/4/6 I think are especially troublesome because it's not as easy to pull the stick as it is to push it. Second gear is the most difficult of all because 1st to 2nd is the biggest ratio jump so the synchros need to work much harder.

I think the linkage itself is fine and a short shifter would actually aggravate it. What I find works well is to simply wrap my entire fist around the shifter. If I'm holding it firmly, it doesn't seem to take nearly as much effort to shift and it never slips out of my hands. Of course, I still forget every now and then and try to tap it with my fingertips.

 

I just did this yesterday! missed 2nd gear

I had to adjust my seat a bit closer. I put the clutch down then set my seat. When I'm just a little to far away, I find I miss gears more.

 

I agree the box does have some problems, but without hesitation i would say get a B&M shortshift kit and that will solve all your problems shifting, including the ridiculous 1st to reverse problem.

peter Horvath........M7

562-712-3270

 

I haven't missed a shift yet, but I have ripped the shifter ball off the stick twice on 1- 2 shifts. That's a bit annoying.
Wes

 

I've ground 2nd gear before on a few different occasions. I think it happens mostly when I get too excited. I end up lifting the clutch too soon. It might be due to the fact I'm used to clutched engaging at the top of the throw and not near the bottom of the throw like in the MINIs. My gear shift **** is fairly solid. I drove another MCS that had a chip and pulley. It scared the hell of me when I pulled the shift **** off making that quick transition from 1st to 2nd. So it appears some MCS's have a weakly attached shift **** and others like mine don't.

GCHCGHCGHCGHCGHCGHCGHCGHCGHGCH is not the sound you want to hear out of a MINI....I've heard it and it aint pretty...

 

I doubt there's anything wrong with your shifting but I actually haven't had any big problem with gears 2, 4 or 6. On two separate occasions though I missed 3rd gear and I was excited when that happened. Excitement changes things around and in the first 4 months of the car, I missed shifts like once or twice a month, it was my first stick shift car. But now, 6 months later, I don't remember the last time I messed up a shift, I guess it just takes getting used to.

A note about the seat position: It took me a while to get really used to the MINI sport seats, they are not the greatest seats. I don't move my seat around much at all anymore trying to find a comfortable position like before, I am used to it now, and I suppose that contributes to not messing up shifts anymore, since my body position isn't changing much anymore as well.