Difficulty Downshifting into First

fairly typical

 

First, Welcome!
You really shouldn't have trouble getting down into 1st, however it depends on how fast you're going as 1st isn't geared high enough to go much faster then 35~40mph.

That aside, the synchro's could be worn down, or the selector pawls could be out of alignment. It's hard to say what the exact issue is over the net.

Spend some time searching the forum and you'll be able to find many many posts on how to check and address many of these little "things" that make owning a 308 fun.

 

I haven't noticed that my 328 is any more difficult to get into first than any number of other cars I have owned. None of them went into first easily at speed unless RPM was carefully matched.

 

Welcome!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but yes, it's the syncros. I went thru this for years before I found this Forum site and had great people help me on this issue. It was a long journey.

Here's the long long thread on the rebuild.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/175114-308-engine-rebuild-cis-twm-throttle-bodies-conversion-thread.html

 

Welcome, why are you downshifting into 1st "at speed?"

 

+1

 

There was a whole other thread on this not long ago...

 

Just a quick thought Chaps, my girlfriend has a 1976 X19 and for some odd reason it was a sod to get into reverse and almost took a minute to get it out again once in. Gearbox rebuild I thought, however Ive read some amazing and unbelievable things about Redline Gear Oil and frankly....
Well it's all true. The X19 with Redline oil in is totally transformed, I'd almost go as far as say that if your car isn't transformed by it I'll give you your money back, but that would just be silly wouldn't it. ;-)

 

Welcome!

I rarely shift down into first but if done properly it works just fine. The transmissions are not comparable to a modern day cars and require more skill to drive and drive well.

I am not sure where you are from but in the colder weather it can take longer for the trans to be happy.

You could have a synchro issue but my guess it would likely be noticeable in second as well.

 

Maxwell, when last was the Gear Oil replaced ? then most cars don't go easy into first gear while still at speed...

Now that I think of it...I don't even put my 328 into first unless I stopped dead to pull-away again.

 

Are you on the track or autocrossing? Not much point engine-braking into first on the street. Much cheaper to rebuild brakes than the engine so why put unnecessary wear on the engine? Just use the brakes to slow it down.


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A stop, after you stop, but a corner; how tight is this corner?

 

Can you get into first if you match the revs?

 

Don't do that.

These cars are not made to do that , a few more hard times and new synco's are in your future,

Why on gods green earth would you even need to get to first and put stress on the clutch, drivetrain and gearbox while driving?

Use first at full stop only, don't match revs, don't drive and down shift In to first, don't do anything like that at all. While driving, just drive, you only get back into 1st when at full stop.

 

They put first out of the tree for a reason. Once you're moving there's little or no need to use it.

 

To me there are two different issues here:

Is the car more difficult to put in first than it SHOULD be?

Are you trying to shift into first when you SHOULDN'T be?

The first may indicate a problem with the tranny
The second may indicate a problem with the driving technique.

I can think of regular occasions where I shift down into first while the car is moving with no difficulty at all - typically in parking lots or stop/go or bumper/bumper traffic. In fact it's very common for me. But I wouldn't call that "at speed." OTOH, if it won't easily go into first at slow moving speeds, I'd say there is something that needs looking at.

 

Typically take the corners in 3 rd, unless really tight, then in 2 nd. Unless the car is FULLY stopped at a light (or sometimes stop sign ) will I go into 1 st.

 

Yes, it would have to be < ~ 15mph for me. All the occasions listed above + turning into a steep incline, for example an uphill hairpin (switchback).

 

The last time I used engine braking was when I was learning to drive. In those days they taught this but I never did it afterwards and I would not think they do any more now that brakes on cars actually work properly.

 

This is the 308 section, right?

 

I think he means at any speed other than a crawl or standstill. it is very normal to come down through the gears when coming to a stop...

I think I would suspect the culprit is a worn or broken synchro ring. does it grind or fight you when moving at 15 or greater mph? Or, does it just not want to engage?

are you matching the RPM's?

pcb

 

please downshift into first gear just until 10-15 mph: on higher speed you should downshift into 2nd gear. When donwnshifting into first gear, help the gears by doing the manouvre in two times:

1) press clutch and go to neutral, then release the clutch and push quite hard on the gas pedal.

2) press quickly the clutch and downshift in 1st gear

If even with this manouvre it doesn't work, you have a problem into your gearbox.

ciao

 

Yeah, I'd say 10-15mph is the speed range when I'd downshift to first in normal situations but, as I said, I do it on a routine basis and there is no reluctance from my 328 tranny to do that.