downshifting for speed

[grahak2]

Originally Posted by havelegs

Well, I have an auto but from my previous experiences with later model manual cars, you are usually blocked from down shifting too far. I would assume the Camaro has this as well, or at least grind horribly.

Thanks for the opinion, but I know the only way to know for real is if it accidentally happens and someone for sure says yeah it grinded and I put it in the right gear, or no it let me and I screwed up my engine. I think I remember someone posting that it let them put it in a gear and over reved without any hesitation and they had to fix/replace some engine parts. If so that kinda scares me.

Kevin

[ghosted]

Originally Posted by Blazer098

I understand your concern, but you shouldn't have to worry about going to first or second. I downshift to third and fourth on the highway all the time and I've never had a problem with getting the wrong gear.

Me either, but I've also been driving manual transmissions since about 1998. To miss a major shift like that, you'd actually have to be pretty damn messed up in your shifting habits, or like another person said, be having a seizure. Sure, you can do it, but the way the shifter works should prevent that, simply out of habit.

For example; The shifter's natural resting point is Neutral, right smack-dab in the middle of all these gears. If you want to go from 5th to 4th, you bring it out of 5th, center it, and straight down into 4th. to go from Neutral (center) to any gear other than 3rd or 4th takes an entirely different set of muscle movements (left+down as opposed to just down). Sure, you can mess it up, but you'd almost have to try to.

[ghosted]

Originally Posted by grahak2

Thanks for the opinion, but I know the only way to know for real is if it accidentally happens and someone for sure says yeah it grinded and I put it in the right gear, or no it let me and I screwed up my engine. I think I remember someone posting that it let them put it in a gear and over reved without any hesitation and they had to fix/replace some engine parts. If so that kinda scares me.

Kevin

When I get off work in just a little bit, I'll tell you if my car lets me or not.

[grahak2]

Originally Posted by Clammy Clemens

Oh, is it not the same for all transmissions?

Thanks for your comments anyway. Know you were trying to help.

Kevin

[SS376]

Originally Posted by havelegs

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I do not think it will allow you to shift into a gear in which your engine speed will be damaging.

Please hold off on the very dangerous advice. You most certainly can blow your motor if you hit the wrong gear.

[SS376]

OP, learn where the redline is in each gear, learn how to rev match, and be careful. To be honest though, if you've been driving manuals for 25 years this should have been learned long ago.

[grahak2]

Originally Posted by ghosted

Me either, but I've also been driving manual transmissions since about 1998. To miss a major shift like that, you'd actually have to be pretty damn messed up in your shifting habits, or like another person said, be having a seizure. Sure, you can do it, but the way the shifter works should prevent that, simply out of habit.

For example; The shifter's natural resting point is Neutral, right smack-dab in the middle of all these gears. If you want to go from 5th to 4th, you bring it out of 5th, center it, and straight down into 4th. to go from Neutral (center) to any gear other than 3rd or 4th takes an entirely different set of muscle movements (left+down as opposed to just down). Sure, you can mess it up, but you'd almost have to try to.

Hi,

I hear what your saying and agree with you and once I start down shifting at highway speeds into 4th and 3rd I will probably agree, but right now I only down shift into those gears when I am in slowing down. I was never the best when the pressure was on. At least that's what the women who dated me found out.

Kevin

[grahak2]

Originally Posted by ghosted

When I get off work in just a little bit, I'll tell you if my car lets me or not.

After your last reply I know your joking. I bet you and the homeless guy couldn't misshift if you tried.

Kevin

[grahak2]

Originally Posted by SS376

OP, learn where the redline is in each gear, learn how to rev match, and be careful. To be honest though, if you've been driving manuals for 25 years this should have been learned long ago.

I hear you but my manuals were small 4 cyl economy cars. They would grind if you tried to get into a gear that was not appropriate for the gear. Also I do know the redline for the gears, thanks for that advice. Rev match I do also, at least the best I can understand. I just put it in the appropriate gear for the appropriate speed, I dont blip the throttle to get it to a certain point, I put a little throttle if I need to smooth out the ride though when downshifting.

Thanks for the advice and I could be doing lots of things for a long time and never be as advanced as some. I am a pretty basic person.

Thanks for asking me to be careful, I will.

Kevin

[The_Driver]

Didn't the LS1 guys back in the 4th gen days have a problem of mis-shifting into 2nd gear at high speeds causing bent pushrods?

[Soybeanrice]

Originally Posted by SS376

Please hold off on the very dangerous advice. You most certainly can blow your motor if you hit the wrong gear.

+1. Mechanical overrev it still possible. There are a couple guys on here that have done 5 to 2 trying to go to 4 and end up needing repairs. The wheels usually lock too when that happens

Your max speed in second is probably 60ish. There is a thread on here somewhere that has the max speeds for what gear depending on your ratio.

[erickangulo]

I've accidentally done the exact scenario you asked. But unlike you, I just learned manual 2 years ago. But yeah, one day while driving I wanted to (not needed) to shift from 6th to 4th, and I went into 2nd! Fortunately I've been in this forum long enough to have read that all you need to do is just not fully release the clutch (IF you're in time to catch your error) which I did. It scared me cuz the engine revved ****in crazily. But yeah, it WILL let you. I think that the people who said that it won't are driving automatics with paddles, which aren't real manuals.

[Ashn_G_1LE]

You should be fine, even if you go into third on accident as long as ur under like 70mph ur good, what I quickly do is when I'm downshifting and rev matching I'll do it quick and see what my revs are at and if I need em higher I'll down shift again. You got decent amount of torque in fourth so if your tryna pass fourth is fine. But if your really tryna pick up speed 3rd will do it for u and u won't reach max speed

[ghosted]

Originally Posted by grahak2

After your last reply I know your joking. I bet you and the homeless guy couldn't misshift if you tried.

Kevin

Haha well no, I tried it. At 80mph, my gearbox allowed me to move my shifter into 2nd gear, so yeah it's doable. However, referring to my other post, you'd really almost have to TRY to do it, or REALLY screw it up to have it happen lol.