slipstream444

I looked in the Helms Manual and through the TSBs (the ones I could find at least), and found no such info. If you have something from Honda (or Aisin) that states this - that would be productive and helpful.

Otherwise - I'm more than content to stick with my conservative position. You shouldn't advise someone to do something that can have serious consequences, unless you have factual information (not anecdotal) to support your position - or you're willing to put your money where your mouth is.
When I say factual - I mean to say that Honda (or Aisin) states it's what you should do. Again, if you have documentation of this - please provide it, it would be helpful.
I'm really happy for those that found forcing your shifter into 5th helped "solve" your problem. I recommend tempering your enthusiasm for your proposed solution with a well-designed caveat.

As for "cleaning burrs of the collar" - I think the OP's problem goes well beyond a few burrs on his 5th gear synchro.

nightcrawler7188

yeah i used to skip shift every once in a while. alot on downshifting, not so much with shifting up. the clutch and pressure plate were changed and although the pedal feels a lot better now, the original problem still persists. it seems like the more i try to ease it into 5th gear while driving, the harder it gets to go into any other gears. it doesn't go into any gear smoothly now, and when i tried to shift from 1st to 2nd it kicked me out and gave a grinding noise. i had to slowly ease it in. i'm going to try to change the fluid and see if that helps. not sure, since i changed the fluid about a year (maybe 2,000 miles) ago. if that doesn't help i guess i might need a tranny rebuild. thanks for all of your help

jyeung528

skip shifting FTL.

slipstream444

You likely do.
Before you invest the cash on a rebuild - shop around for a good used transmission from a trusted vendor - like the Hard Top Guy. This may be a better option in the long run - and save you money.

nightcrawler7188

i have another question for the very knowledgeable people who gave me all this information.

do i ALWAYS have to sequentially shift?

in my 06 Si i STOPPED skipping gears due to what you guys told me here. but i'm wondering if skipping gears while downshifting is also bad. also, if i'm coasting in neutral, do i have to enter back in the gear that i went to neutral from? is it bad for me to jump into any gear from a neutral coast? and what about if i need a quick boost--i usually shift from 6th to 2nd or so at around 40mph--is this bad?

i feel pretty much like a tool since i'm considered to be an awesome shifter when it comes to smooth/fast shifts and rev matching, but i didn't know that skipping gears was bad. any more advice would be greatly appreciated. =[

cuonice

Info on skip shifting and grinding and its consequences:
here

nightcrawler7188

This thread helps by explaining how skip shifting affects your transmission, but does not answer my questions on certain types of shifting and whether they are ok

RED MX5

"Always" is too absolute. Normally I work up and down through all the gears, but sometimes I don't fully engage them all. For example, if I zip up an on ramp and ring out first and second, I'm already close to or slightly over the speed limit and done accelerating, so I'd just as soon be in sixth. Instead of shifting into each intermideate gear and letting the clutch out I'll just hold the clutch in, nudge the third gear synchros, nudge the fourth and fifth gear synchros, and then rev match and engage sixth. I let each gears synchros do the work it would do if I fully engaged the gear, so I'm not skipping the important part of the shifting, but I'm not really engaging each gear fully either.

In a situation where I'm stopping too quickly to work down through the gears I may double clutch to get the engine and transmission speed matched rather than rowing through the synchros.

All of that is well and good AS LONG AS you're not grinding/crunching and/or forcing the shifts in any way. If in doubt at all, the safe and sure way is to AT LEAST put the shifter fully in each gear, even if you don't let out the clutch in each gear. This insures that each set of synchros will get to do the job it was intended to do.

Skip shifting is OK, IF AND ONLY IF it is done without putting undue loads on the transmission, and only you know whether you can skip shift without damaging your gearbox. If there is any doubt at all it is best to play it save and avoid skip shifting.

mxt_77

Could it be related to this TSB?
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=275215

(Sorry if this has already been said. This thread got kinda wordy.)

RED MX5

I've discussed this with XViper (the originator of the other thread), and I'm pretty sure he and I are on the same page (though it would be better if he was still around so he could speak for himself).

If you read the other thread attentively you'll see that the cause of the mushrooming is over working the sixth gear synchros during skip shifting. If you let the other synchros do their job you don't have to engage each gear, and if you use the engine and clutch to do the job of the synchros (and get it right) then you're not going to be over working them. Just remember that every time you get it wrong (if and when ) you're causing undue wear that will shorten the life of your gearbox.

The safe advice is to always shift through every gear, but even that won't keep a truely ham fisted shifter from mushrooming the synchros.