Is it bad to skip a gear when shifting a manual tranny?

[Flip]

Ok so here's the debate...

Theres two ways this can go,

you could be shifting from 3rd (in high revs) to 5th
OR
you could be shifting from 5th to 3rd (in low revs) while on the highway or something to get into your power band...

Is this bad for your tranny? Explain why or why not...

[BigPoppaHurtm]

Ok from what Ive gathered over the years you can do either one without problems as long as you double clutch to get the input and output shafts to the same speed before attempting it, but Im no expert by anymeans.

Do we have any real mechanics that can give us a knowledgeful answer on this or are we all just amateur guys here?

[Flip]

Ok from what Ive gathered over the years you can do either one without problems as long as you double clutch to get the input and output shafts to the same speed before attempting it, but Im no expert by anymeans.

Do we have any real mechanics that can give us a knowledgeful answer on this or are we all just amateur guys here?

This is pretty much my understanding as well. Theres a couple ways to keep the syncros from having to do all the work. First is double clutching, and second is rev matching.

I believe that it does hurt your tranny if you shift like that without using either of the two methods described to match your wheel and tranny speeds...

[Hektik]

Im no expert but i beleive that if ur shifting down u can jump from 5th to 3rd as long as u rev match(<---my preference) as far as shifting up and skipping from like 3rd to 5th i really dont see the point.

[Flip]

Im no expert but i beleive that if ur shifting down u can jump from 5th to 3rd as long as u rev match(<---my preference) as far as shifting up and skipping from like 3rd to 5th i really dont see the point.

The point of that would be that if you took it to redline in third and then just wanted to cruise. If you shift into 4th you 'll still be at a higher rpm than you want. Your ideal gear for that speed is 5th...

[Hektik]

The point of that would be that if you took it to redline in third and then just wanted to cruise. If you shift into 4th you 'll still be at a higher rpm than you want. Your ideal gear for that speed is 5th...
yea i guessthat would help like if ur doing a mini launch just for shits and giggles and then wanted to cruise with out having to stay in high RPM's. ussually tho i'll just hold the clutch in.

[Flip]

Here's some info I found on S2000's it appears that they do have this problem. That doesn't mean that it's with all trannys tho... It has some pics as well...

[4dmin]

i wouldn't suggest doing it unless you have to such as if you have a gear out or if your clutch is messed up... if this was a common practice they would just sell you 4 spd ;)

[Flip]

In my car it would be from 6th to 4th if i'm on the highway doing 80. I can ride 4th gear up to about 100 so it's bennificial to have a little bit of mechanical advantage at that speed. I'm not possitive it's that bad for the tranny but I'm sure it gives the syncro's a little hell to have to work that hard unless you revmatch or double clutch...

[Big Baller]

Ok
1. There is no reason to double clutch a modern sycronized transmission.

2. Shifting the way you are talking about is going to have zero effect on the tranny.

3. There is no reason to "REV" match either thats what the syncros do.

4. Most people have no idea how a modern transmission works, for example when people say that second gear is grinding, well its actually not, all the gears in a tranny are constantly meshed together they never come apart, the only thing that moves is the sycros\dogs etc.

[CSquared]

Yeah i just slam the fuck out of every gear and enjoy driving my car...

When the tranny blows... I'll replace it.

Enough said.

[thepolecat]

because my car is 15 years old and I have been doing it from day one on the same tranny.
ova

[tony]

3. There is no reason to "REV" match either thats what the syncros do.



That one depends, even with synchros I find rev matching to be a lot easier.. but that pertained to my G35 where the transmission shifts kind of rough, rev matching was all I did when doing "spirited" driving in the curves.

[Big Baller]

Under race conditions if you are heel toeing mid turn then its one thing. As far as what he is talking about no there is no reason.

[an0therh22]

i heard u can blow a head gasket if u do it downshift to othen correct me if im wrong

[Stormhammer]

That one depends, even with synchros I find rev matching to be a lot easier.. but that pertained to my G35 where the transmission shifts kind of rough, rev matching was all I did when doing "spirited" driving in the curves.

hell if you dont rev match when going around a curve and downshift, be ready to countersteer :yes:

[2.0civic]

i heard u can blow a head gasket if u do it downshift to othen correct me if im wrong


you are wrong. If you blow a headgasket, you shouldnt be in that gear...

[§treet_§peed]

downshifting to hard and to much is bad..and as far as skipping gears..if your just riding not racing or showing off then it should be cool..i used to do it ever now and then...

[an0therh22]

you are wrong. If you blow a headgasket, you shouldnt be in that gear...
thanks for correcting me it was just a rumor i beeen hearing so i wasnt absolutly shure about that one

[brads94accord]

Ok
1. There is no reason to double clutch a modern sycronized transmission.

2. Shifting the way you are talking about is going to have zero effect on the tranny.

3. There is no reason to "REV" match either thats what the syncros do.

4. Most people have no idea how a modern transmission works, for example when people say that second gear is grinding, well its actually not, all the gears in a tranny are constantly meshed together they never come apart, the only thing that moves is the sycros\dogs etc.

I'm gonna go w/ matt here...modern synchro'd trannys have no need to rev match....but i have to say that i generally do rev match when i downshift because it makes the decceleration a lot smoother and less jerky.

but skipping gears has no effect...most of the camaro/TA manuals recommend shifting 1/3/5 to save on gas mileage. My buddy from high school has an 02 SS and his manualy recommends skipping gears

[GTScoob]

Get shorter gears so you wont need to downshift 2 gears.

I always do 4->2 when I"m around town in traffic.

[HalfBaked]

I skip 3rd in my friends WRX because it grinds...

[speedminded]

Skipping gears is not any differant than going to the next one down or next one up...as long as you're not jamming it into gear or bouncing it off the rev limiter when you downshift that is ;)

Revmatching just provides smoother downshifts :)

[s4driver1519]

i always go from 6th(80mph) to 1st..you gotta jam it in a lil..but it's awsome! :super:

[Vteckidd]

Rev Matching is just to lessen the SHOCK your tranny an drivetrain feels when downshifting.

Going form 3rd to 5th of vice versa doesnt really cause any damage. The synchros are there to line up and slide into place. Now if your at 9000rpms in 3rd an go to 5th, that synchro is moving REALLY FAST and its hard for something spinning taht fast to line up.

But if its just normal ecery day driving, then no, it wont hurt it IMO.

Rev matching can help you go from a really low RPM to a HIGH RPM lower gear. IE cruising in 5th at 4000rpms, then downshifting to 3rd gear where you will be instantly at 8000rpms. Rev matching just gets the RPM up to make it easier for the synchros to line up.

matts right, even though we all say "3rd gear grind" its not really the gear, its the synchornizers

[umairejaz]

Here's some info I found on S2000's it appears that they do have this problem. That doesn't mean that it's with all trannys tho... It has some pics as well...


Honda did address this problem publicly and they themselves do advice not to skip gears when shifting up i.e. 3rd to 5th on the s2000.

This is most relevant to the earlier year s2k trannys because they used brass synchros.

I also agree with mr.vtec because revving from the top of 3rd into 6th at 9k rpms puts ALOT of wear on the synchros but thats at its most extreme case.

[dp32185]

I read this some place a year or two ago...along with some pictures of fvcked up syncros. i can't prove to you why or why not because i don't remember..., but i can tell you the answer because that i do remember.

when you down shift and skip gear(s)...say 5th to 3rd, you can do it without harming the tranny if you can rev match. if you just drop the clutch going 5th to 3rd, more strain to your tranny.

when you up shift and skip gear(s)...say 3rd to 5th, you want the rpm to drop completely...to at least around 1000k before letting that clutch go. say you're going 60mph in 3rd and you upshift to 5th as you would to 4th...you're grinding your syncros. there was a picture posted on another forum of a grinded/worn off syncros due to skipping gears (up shift) and it didn't look pretty.

since then i don't skip gears when shifting up anymore. only rev match and down shift. my little advice from the readings is that just hit every gear because it doesn't take much effort or time to do it. go in order and you have no problems.

[KERR]

as some one else mentioned vettes and F bodys go 1st to 4th unless you revv them over 2800 bpms. I think the vipers do it too.. Also the big block chevy trucks with manuals have such low gears most people just use 3ed and 5th, unless its a newer one and has a 6 speed.

I do know that 6th to 2ed will brake your shit and make you call Gm's 1800 number for a nice tow... At least the guy in the mustang came back to make sure everthing was ok lol....