I drove my 1989 Toyota V6 5-speed for 14 years. I always downshifted to first when approaching a light or stop sign (less than 10 mph). I rarely ever waited for a full stop. If it was a long light I’d put it in neutral and let the clutch out but most of the time I just held down the clutch pedal.
That truck was a two wheel drive with no low transfer. When I pulled my 17’ Ranger boat up the boat ramp I had to ride the clutch, smoking it, to get the RPMs up to develop the torque necessary.
At 14 years and 186,000 miles that clutch was slipping just a tad on the ramps, so I had it replaced, then sold it to my nephew at 193,000 after pulling the Ranger on a 2,000 mile round trip to Minnesota. He kept the truck for another 6 years, taking it over 240,000 miles with that second clutch before trading it in.
In the 14 years I had it and the 6 years he had it, other than that clutch plate, no work was needed or done on the transmission. I have always driven manual transmissions in that manner and never had any repairs.
I’d say your hubby was just fine in how he’s driving.
After several days and such a variety of opinions, I think the best indicator of manual trans use is this: If a shift requires a lot of force and a lot of time for the synchronizers to work, then you are doing something wrong. My double clutching, while perhaps difficult to master, allows me to do things that normally would not be recommended, like that 12 MPH shift into first on the up-hill turn…see my post above. If you use good timing and technique, you can do any shift required in street driving with VERY little force on the shift lever. When you have to use force to complete a shift, you are doing something that will cause premature wear or damage if done regularly.
Excuse me but I don’t recall saying you should go down steep mountain passes with the transmission in neutral.
I’m talking about normal everyday roads. If you need engine braking to save your brakes as you roll up to a red light, maybe you should get in the habit of looking farther ahead than the rear bumper of the car right in front of you. With practice, you too can learn to see red lights up ahead from as far as a mile away. If you needed your brakes, you didn’t start coasting soon enough.
Corvairs never had a gasoline heater unless someone installed a VW unit or some other suicide contraption…The Corvairs heater was capable of killing it’s occupants without any help from an add-on device…
The 1960 Corvair, its first model year, did in fact have a gasoline heater. I have ridden in and driven these Corvairs. The 1961 and later Corvairs had a hot air heater that ducted hot air off the exhaust manifold.
On the 1960 Corvair, the gasoline heater was in the luggage compartment which of course was in the front of the vehicle. The gasoline tank was also there. This gasoline heater did have problems, although it never seemed to have a safety problem.
For a manual trans that did not protest at all when a move into first gear was made at a just rolling speed (1 mph), the 6 speed used by GM in the F-body SS Camaros was one of the nicest shifting 6 speeds ever installed in a domestic vehicle(behind a V-8). It will probably be revealed the trans was made in Europe.
In ending I say never used a downshift to first as an aid in slowing the vehicle, this is the type of downshift to first that will accelerate wear. If the shift to first was made at a very low speed and the reason was that you needed to be in first to get going again, this is OK.
I agree with you, DC. Normal everyday roads in Pittsburgh are all mountain goat trails that have been paved over. I believe the nearest flat road is somewhere in Ohio.
We ALL agree that shifting into first requires the useage and or over use of the trans synchros…so why would we do it? I mean do you really need to shift into first gear while still moving albeit coming to a stop at a red light or such… I mean I know I have done it while coming to a stop sign…bec I knew I was going to take right back off again…but for any delayed stop…dont do it…Why would you do it? WHAT do you think you are going to forget to go into first or something? Its not needed and only stresses things in the trans…can you do it? Sure…the synchros let you…but WHY? Now if you were helping the trans by trying to rev match the engine to the gear you were going into…then it would help…but people barely seem able to drive a stick at all…so I cant expect this from people.
So if you are coming to a stop and know you will be there for a little bit…DONT drop into first while moving and DONT sit there in first with the clutch held in…when you know it will be a minute or so bef you start moving…ITS POOR FORM ALLTOGETHER…Simple as that. Worse it fatigues your clutch springs and throwout bearing… Can you? Yeah? But again…poor form
Do we really need to get into a discussion on how long the synchros can handle this or your clutch springs or throwout bearing or should we just give the car a friggin break and use proper technique…
You’re right…But automatics with small engines frustrate me. My 6-speed Versa can accelerate uphill with much more ease than most autos in the <2.0 liter crowd do, and I don’t have enough money to buy that Mercedes S-600 yet:-)
You’re right. I only shift into first if I’m going to immediately go again. If you’re stopped in neutral with your foot off the clutch, you still have to use some syncros to get it into first. If you shift into first at 2 or 3 MPH, you can let the engine idle float the gears so you have no strain on anything.
I put the transmssion in 2nd gear when almost coming to a stop. If I have to accelerate at a low speed, 2nd does fine. I only engage 1st gear at a dead stop.
Whinny 1st gear is a result of downshifting into first before stopping.
Where I used to live, there was this cliff that was level on top of the hill and you’re would be driving around 25 mph. All of a sudden, it would drop downhill at about 18% for a mile. You have 4 options.
Leave it in 2nd and ride the brakes all the way down. My parents smoked their brakes in a 92 Corolla there once. Since then, they took the long way home.
Strong-arm the shifter into 1st. Engine braking is barely enough to hold a constant speed when I am alone in my car.
Stop the car, put it in 1st, and start again.
Shift 1st on the fly by double clutching at 25 mph (my personal favorite).
Then when you ventured into San Francisco Chinatown and Nob Hill, you may be driving along in 3rd, take a right turn, and you’d be looking at the sky. Shifting to 1st even when you’re doing about 15 mph is necessary, or the engine lugs to a stall.
I don’t agree with jamming the shifter into first for every stop. However, I believe that shifting to first on the fly is one of those skills that all manual drivers should master. You’ll never know when you’re going to need it.
If you were cruising in third and took a turn and faced the sky…just blip the throttle push in the clutch and begin to push the shifter into your lower gear…while the engine is on its slowdown…the gear will find its most opportune time to mesh with thei others…the throttle blip/rev match is a useful skill to develop. Doesnt hurt anything it makes life in the tranny more pleasant
…a mountain pass popping up during your daily commute…LOL…Happens to me ALL THE TIME MAN…
