downshifting

[myold96]

when i downshift from 2nd to 1st in a manual i have to be going real slow almost to a stop before i can downshift, is this normal.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, pretty much. I have never had a manual trans that would easily go back into 1st gear much above 5 mph.

 

[6.2]

Pretty normal in my experience. 1st is just to get going from a stop.

Why are you downshifting into first, in the first place. (No pun intended)

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[RonD]

Yes, on most manuals it is normal.
You should have the M50D-R1 in a '96 with 2.3l(or 3.0l)
It has these gear ratios: 3.72 / 2.20 / 1.50 / 1.00 / 0.79
You can see that 1st gear is a wide gap in turn ratios from 2nd gear

Try revving the engine with clutch pedal in when going into first, pilot bearing could be getting worn a bit.

 

[ab_slack]

Same experience here pretty much for ever manual trans I ever drove.

I remember my mom commenting on it when she was teaching me to drive in our old 68 beetle saying something like "you almost need to be completely stopped to get it into first so it pretty much insures you have met the criteria to be stopped for a stop sign if you get it into first"

 

[ricardo93]

Hahahaha ive messed up downshifting a few times from 4-1 or 5-2 and it slipped in normal and just redlined instantly lol

 

[SenorNoob]

I have to be at a dead stop to get first right now and usually have to be stopped to get second when it's cold unless I pull real quick like on the shifter. Then it goes in very hard with a clunk that'd make you think it was a bad automatic.

 

[gw33gp]

I downshift into first many times when I am slowing down if I want to take advantage of engine braking or need to take off and am going too slow to do so in second. As said before you just have to rev the engine a little with good timing with the clutch to make work well. Otherwise you cause excessive wear to the first gear syncro.

I have around 30 years experience downshifting a race car (heel and toe) coming hard into corners. Downshifting my Ranger into first while moving comes natural to me. It is not difficult to learn how to do it though.

 

[myold96]

thanks that clears things up,the truck is a 96 and the engine came out of a 88 otherwise it runs fine.

 

[Haywire6000]

Some one should start making videos, or a video part of the forum for how to's like this.

 

[6.2]

I still don't see the need to downshift to first. I just coast to stops in neutral, and I have never ever been going so slow to need to be in first to accelerate.

Just seems like unnecessary added wear on parts to me.

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[95MEXIFORD]

I've heard a lot of people say down-shifting these Mazda transmission s is really bad for them. Anyone else here ever heard that also?

 

[Schnot]

I don't think down shifting is bad at all. It's all gears in there that are suspended in oil. No pumps or oil flow to worry about so what would make it wear more if you downshift?

Maybe it's my truck driving background but in my opinion you should always be in a gear unless stopped. What happens if your brakes fail and you're stopping in neutral?


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[Mark_88]

One of my first real world experiences with downshifting came from a friend in an old pontiac StratoChief with an automatic...the sound of those gears rattling around when he threw it in park due to brake failure was very enlightening...

Since then I've preferred manuals and have been downshifting my M5OD over most of the 450,000 km on it without so much as a whine...going into first is usually only needed when you are coasting to a stop and then need to accelerate before stopping completely...or actually are stopped.

I can't see it having any adverse effects on the transmission as long as you are within the normal speed for the gear...but try to avoid the high end of any gear below 4th unless I am actually trying to slow down using motor brake...or want the slow poke in front of me to hear the impressive growl of an impatient 4 banger just waiting for them to get the heck out of the way or speed up.

Most of the times they just ignore me anyway so why beat up my truck unnecessarily?

 

[95MEXIFORD]

Maybe it's my truck driving background but in my opinion you should always be in a gear unless stopped. What happens if your brakes fail and you're stopping in neutral?


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I guess bad news for the few that drive an automatic huh? Lol