Yup, that's why the call it a money shift, and one of the reasons it is cheaper to use the brakes than downshifting to slow a car.

 

A couple of years ago, I was on the track when someone did that in a new Lotus Exige S (about 2000 miles). The dealer told me later that he managed to hit 11,500 rpm before the rods and crank came loose and put a hole right through the crankcase. The engine basically disintegrated. Needless to say, it was not covered by Lotus.

That was 30 minutes to clean up all the oil on the track.

 

Downshifting is fine, as long as you know what you're doing. The shifter always finds center, so the worst that should happen should be a downshift into fourth.
Did anyone else notice that he downshifted from 6th to 2nd.
What happened to 5th? Even if he got it right, 6th to 4th isn't a great downshift.
THe shifter in the mini is a little sloppy, but not that bad. I wish I could put in an MGW Short Throw, like I have in my Vette.

 

I picked her up today. I requested the computer data. I got a EDIABAS print out. It says 7,8100. They said everything else was company secrets. It was driven for 3 weeks before he heard loud engine rattle. That day he went across street to mall which probably never got him out of third. Let it sit an hour, started it up and he calls me to say the engine sounds like WWII truck. He drove it a half mile to my mechanic on other side of mall. When dealer first looked at it as written in repair, the chain tensioner was collapsed and chain was loose. Metal in oil. They installed new chain, timed it. They locked intake and exhaust cams together and crank would not pin. There is more about cylinders being, 165, 145, 160, 165. They replaced all valves with impact marks. Replaced chain guides. Reassebled cylinder.

 

There is little doubt about the engine over rev with rpms readout at 7810. Under acceleration, the fuel cut-off will be around 6700 rpms. That is actually reasonable damage for over rev.

Glad you managed to get the car back andhope you have fun with it.

 

Even if the timing chain tensioner was part of the cause, the over-rev voided the warranty. Glad it is fixed, and you didn't have to replace the engine.