frozen

I've had my 2001 tibby since July or August. My first standard car, and I was sitll learning when I bought it (although I'd driven stick before).

Anyways, I can upshift/downshift any gear at any time, except for first gear. I can only shift into first if I'm practically stopped (or rolling very slowly, like less than 3mph). If I try to shift into first at like 10mph, it just won't go. There isn't any grinding (although I'm not trying to JAM it in, either). At around 7 or 8mph I can just jam it in quick, however I've only done it once or twice, and it doesn't feel healthy.

I'm just metioning, because in my girlfriends elantra I can downshift into first at higher speeds.

So, is this a problem, or just the way our cars are built?

BTW, I haven't changed out the tranny fluid although I plan on doing it soon.

zoned019

just a safety feature--it's the way they're built. i'm guessing it is to prevent idiots from missing 3rd and hitting 1st when theyre going like 50mph or something?
either way, don't throw it into 1st unless your stopped or barely rolling. you're right, it's not healthy.

frozen

figured that might be the case. thanks

geesmith

If you rev the motor in neutral (clutch down) you should get 1st at a higher speed. If that works the synchro for first is worn. If 'blipping' the throttle works, that'll do as a work around.
You sometimes hear guys with older Ferraris do this for the same reason. smile.gif

DTN

^^ No, it's actually a safety feature. Downshifting into 1st is tricky in our cars. It is meant to be because 1st gear is not for driving. You could mess up your car with a high rpm shift to 1st instead of 3rd. It should kinda give you some resistance and then slowly let you engage it.

Kinda like... "are you sure you want to do this?"

BTW.. Manuals don't have tranny fluid. We have clutch hydraulic fluid. Its just for the disengaging of the clutch. So if it's not slow to disengage or the hydraulic fluid isn't brown, don't mess with it.

hamhead

Its a common thing on most newer manual tranny cars from like 1980 and on... especially in shorter geared cars like the Tib. Hitting first at high speeds would mean some pretty harsh damage probably.

Caj Darkmoon

Post 1980 is newer to you? Heh... how old are you there?wink1.gif

HyundaiKitCoupe

^ caj how old are you isn't the question, it's how poor are you? haha kiddin'.

i didn't know that and i drove a manual elantra for a year (miss it so much).

yeah no reason to go to first from high gear anyways. the first gear on our cars is practically useless when going 5 miles per hour and over. i remember when i used to drive that car i used low second and when the RPM's went too low i just raised them with the clutch. that's like neighborhoos driving. only reason you would need it would be to go uphill.

i loved the MT on our cars. much sportier than any honda, toyota, or ford. even those crap (i call economy class cars crap, even though they're not) accents the MT is lovely.

fonseca

Oh really? I wonder what mine's filled with then? Guess I better go drain my tranny asap. tongue.gif

tanc

He's our oldest member here. He turned 81 this year.