Can syncros wear out!?
12-07-2002, 04:27 PM
#22
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Originally posted by Da Hapa
.....................
When I accelerate (say merging on the freeway), I frequently run the car pretty hard through first and second. At that point I'm usually with traffic or just slower than traffic. I normall then shift to third and then slowly shift to 5th or 6th (depending on traffic conditions).
I've always assumed that this wasn't bad for the car but you guys have me re-thinking this.
As I hope to keep this S a very long time what is the best way for me to handle this?
.............
I think that if you drive normally and sanely, the situation will take care of itself. I will very often accelerate quite hard in 3rd, letting the VTEC cut in, but then for safety/traffic reasons, I will end the acceleration at about 65-75 mph. At that point, I step on the clutch, take a second or two to think about whether I want 5th or 6th [as well as to get my brain to agree that I have finished the aggessive acceleration], and then gently ease it into 5th or 6th. There is definitely no stress or strain on the synchros doing the gear change that way.
.....................
When I accelerate (say merging on the freeway), I frequently run the car pretty hard through first and second. At that point I'm usually with traffic or just slower than traffic. I normall then shift to third and then slowly shift to 5th or 6th (depending on traffic conditions).
I've always assumed that this wasn't bad for the car but you guys have me re-thinking this.
As I hope to keep this S a very long time what is the best way for me to handle this?
.............
I think that if you drive normally and sanely, the situation will take care of itself. I will very often accelerate quite hard in 3rd, letting the VTEC cut in, but then for safety/traffic reasons, I will end the acceleration at about 65-75 mph. At that point, I step on the clutch, take a second or two to think about whether I want 5th or 6th [as well as to get my brain to agree that I have finished the aggessive acceleration], and then gently ease it into 5th or 6th. There is definitely no stress or strain on the synchros doing the gear change that way.
12-07-2002, 06:50 PM
#23
The synchronizers are designed to negotiate small differences in shaft speeds. The larger the difference between shaft speeds, the quicker you will wear them. If you take 2nd gear to 9K RPMs, then shift straight to 5th, your synchros are going to have to mate 2 shafts that are at vastly different speeds.
I look at it like this. The internal friction of the engine causes the revs to drop from 9K RPMs to 6K RPMs in about the time it takes to shift from 1st to 2nd (or 2nd to 3rd, etc.), and the transmission's internals slow down about the same in that time. If a few gears are skipped, the engine will have more RPMs it will need to slow down, and so will the transmission. However, this doesn't mean that you can make the shift, then wait for the the slow down before releasing the clutch. The delay must be made before the gear is selected, whether the clutch is disengaged, or not. The transmission has its own "flywheel" that is keeping it turning (the clutch). You should let it sit in neutral for at least a few seconds if you are going from 2nd to 5th.
I look at it like this. The internal friction of the engine causes the revs to drop from 9K RPMs to 6K RPMs in about the time it takes to shift from 1st to 2nd (or 2nd to 3rd, etc.), and the transmission's internals slow down about the same in that time. If a few gears are skipped, the engine will have more RPMs it will need to slow down, and so will the transmission. However, this doesn't mean that you can make the shift, then wait for the the slow down before releasing the clutch. The delay must be made before the gear is selected, whether the clutch is disengaged, or not. The transmission has its own "flywheel" that is keeping it turning (the clutch). You should let it sit in neutral for at least a few seconds if you are going from 2nd to 5th.
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