So I'm a new z owner...used to drive an automatic...so please cut me some slack, because I know the following question is going to just make me sound idiotic...

OK...so I own a brand new Z, and I'm out on the freeway, and in trying to downshift to 4th, I accidently shifted down into 2nd...at 70mph no less. Well so the tires momentairly (we're probably talking 2 seconds tops) lock up and squeal, and the rpm hit's probably 7500 during that time and anyway...as this is my first new car...I'm freaking out!!! Nothing seems to be wrong, but I'm worried about the break in period...keeping it below 4000, etc, etc. Also, I've noticed since then that when accelerating...especially in 6th gear...I can feel the transmission through the shifter...as it pushes back a little into my hand when it's resting on the shifter. Now that may be normal, and I just wasn't worried before my little incident...but again, I'm a greenhorn, and because of that I'm freaking out about every little thing. Should I be? Thanks for all of your advice/opinions in advance.

 

i mis-shifted from 3rd to 2nd while racing and my needle went to 8k. it's ok. i heard people trying to go to 4th from 6th, but hitting 2nd gear instead.

just dont do it tooo much

 

AHHHHH ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I COULDNT IMAGINE DOING THAT!? Are you sure no damage would be done goin into 8K RPMS?

 

it was only for a split second or else i would have blown my engine.

 

What about the transmission/acceleration felt through the shifter...is that just pure paranoia on my part? I've never been so paranoid about anything in my lifetime...but I suppose that'll happen when you do this kind of crap on the first day :-p

 

its normal. the tranny is rite under the shiftknob, and it's not linked with a cable to not get the vibration.

if anything goes wrong, you got warranty

 

It's not so much vibration as it literally pushes back into the palm of my hand when I'm accelerating...I figure i notice it in 6th because of where the shifter is...as if when I accelerate it's locking into the gears a little more tightly. I knew I should have paid closer attention in auto class, instead of watching chips when the teacher was out in the shop...

 

i did the SAME exact thing. This car is my first manual car. I was gunning it on the onramp and i had hit 75 and was gona pop it into six and set cruise when i accidentally put it in 2. I had about 250 miles on it. IT just roared into redline. I quickly hit the clutch and ended the pain. I think i notice the same deal. When i have my hand on the **** as i accel i feel it push back. Sometimes it even pops out of gear. (apparently i hadnt put it it well, and not when accelerating just shifting), ofcourse after 3.6k miles i have considerable experience and can shift very quickly and efficiently. I have not experienced any problems. Like u this was also my first new car and i was freaking out that i had perminantly damaged the car. I have had no problems wat so ever. This is a 30k car and it is a well built one at that. I am sure that redlining it like that once is not gona produce any perminant damage as such mistakes would have been anticipated in its creation. Our engine is not a 1960's fragile engine. Its built tough and made to last. Rest easy.

 

Your car should have a rev limiter just for things like that. I wouldn't worry about it. I would be more worried about doing it again with someone tailgating you. If you just lightly move the shifter it pretty much guides itself into the next gear.

 

I've hit second a couple times thinking it was fourth. No damage done.

Your probably okay.

 

Have any of you guys seen this video with a guy and his friend in his RSX Type S? .. He does the same thing and I swear the needle goes straight down. HAHA.

 

Sure there is damage, but there is damage when you drive the car to local 7-11. It's really no worse than normal wear and tear. I find it funny to hear people baby the car till 1200 miles then drive like they stole it. It's how you drive on a daily basis that determines how long the drivetrain will last

 

your engine is going to explode.... j/k Everything is ok, no damage was done. Non at all.

 

<Hijack Greenhorn Thread>

Red: Red Barclay's my name. I'm a trucker, and I've eaten
steaks from coast to coast with taters and toast. Take my
advice -- this one's not for greenhorns.

Homer: Greenhorn? Who's a greenhorn? What's a greenhorn?

Bart: It's an insult! Sock him, Dad! Sock everybody!

<End Hijack>

Justin

 

Officer M,

I'm not sure if you're doing this on any type of a regular basis, but resting your hand on top of the gear shift while driving has been shown to cause premature transmission wear over time.

 

Really? Interesting, can anyone verify this? And how exactly does this happen?

 

do you have any proof of this? I do it all the time, and no one has ever told me this.

 

How is resting your hand on the gear **** do this? Your applying pressure downwards, not up, down, or sideways. The amount of pressure is also very very small (for me atleast)

 

and you dont need the clutch to shift out of gear! If you are good enough you dont need the clutch at all....on my old neon I could do it with no trouble!!!!


(dont do it on your Z heh)

 

ok, a couple of things here...

1.) A rev-limiter doesn't mean a damn thing during a mis-shift. Cutting fuel / spark to the engine doesn't change the fact that the transmission is driving the engine up over redline.

2. The best way to get rid of the mis-shift tendency ( I have done it twice myself, and I've never owned anything but a stick), is to get a Nismo shift ****. The stock shifter is a) too long, and b) weighs about 3 pounds. I find the shift feel to be much more "communicative" with a shorter, lighter shift ****. I have not mis-shifted since I changed shifters.

3. It's only bad to rest your hand on the shift-**** if you apply pressure towards neutral. It's much like trying to take your car out of gear without the clutch. If there's no load on the tranny, it'll slip right out, but if it's under load, you have to force it. Resting your hand so it pushes (or pulls) towards neutral is the same as trying to pull the tranny into neutral without the clutch. Try it sometime and see what I mean.