anyone else usually skip 2nd gear?

Do you do this as 2nd is hard to engage?

Or are you just being lazy?

 

Second gear synchros are not well lubricated, so not a great idea to use them at least until the oil temperature comes up.

 

Agreed, I don't use second until oil is well warmed up.

 

I always skipped 2nd until the gearbox warmed up. If I didn't, it would always crunch, even with double clutching.

Then I had an oil leak and had to pull the engine/gearbox. I replaced the synchro in 2nd gear. Man, did that change the gearbox in a positive direction. With a new synchro you can do whatever you want. The question is ... how long will it last.

I did a lot of double clutching when owning my Dino, especially when cold.

The two best things I ever did to improve the feel and use of the gearbox was to replace 2nd gear synchro and the clutch cable. Night and day afterwards.

 

My 2nd gear glides in hot or cold. Therefore I believe the gearbox has been rebuilt.

 

Knowing the problems that typically come, I always have skipped second gear until the gearbox is warmed up. I have also always been careful with second gear up or down shifting when warm too. Why push the issue at a known weak point?

 

I must have the share the same mechanic in Melbourne- he has what he describes as 'magic oil" and 2nd gear slots in smooth cold or hot. That said I rarely use it as it provides so little return for the effort invested

 

I never skip second gear. I dont drive the car enough to worry about the synchro I replced last year !

If I drove it enough I would probably so as you all do.

 

I think that I discovered your problem Richard. You need to drive the car more. Who better to wear out 2nd? My plans are to wear out my 2nd gear synchro more than once before going toes up.

 

I just read your blog and would like to amend my previous post. It is apparent that you drive your car often and well. Happy motoring.

Toni246 Blog

 

Nice!

There was another thread about this and my input at the time was" flip it out of first and feel it in to second" or something like that....anyway, there is a slight pause in neutral on any up change, until hot and, always from first to second.
Learned that from a guy who knew more that me (not saying much I know!) We were discussing Alfa 2nd gear changes on my GTV many moons ago. Used on my Dinos, never had a problem.
Sure, if one rams it from 1st to 2nd in one swift, ninja like movement, it is going to complain.
but we are all about mechanical sympathy.

 

I was told the same thing early on in Dino ownership, and it's always worked well. When I first drove my '06 F430 Spider, I didn't use this method, and thought that I might be doing something wrong. Then I realized that, if my car had F1 paddles, I wouldn't be able to duplicate the procedure, and I stopped worrying about it. Fred

 

The F430 computer might interpret such action as driver malfunction and pop its
manettino

 

I drive my Dino everyday...fast approaching 40K miles. I use 2nd all the time. I find that generally, I have no issues when cold with 2nd gear. Half of the time, it goes in with no obstructions at all. Just air. Once warm/hot, it starts to clunk. This is the case on up and down shifts.

Before my engine rebuild, I used to be able to downshift into 2nd very aggressively. But after my rebuild, the linkage is somehow different. And I'd say 70% of the time on downshifts, I will have issues. The shop mentioned something about my linkages/rods not being straight before the rebuild. If that was the case, I'd rather it was back the way it was as it was more enjoyable to drive.

As to the comment about "magic oil", I remember reading an article by Jay Leno in either Octane or maybe it was Popular Mechanic. He mentioned a product that made some of his cars without synchros feel like they had synchros. I think it was a product from Redline but I can't remember. I want to try this product. Anyone know of it? And has anyone used it?

Manny