jsh1120

OK, here's the deal. Been driving MT autos for about 40 years, longer than (apparently) most of the contributors to this forum have been breathing. I say this not to establish my expertise, but rather to elicit some props for being willing to ask this question publicly and bear the inevitable comments that I don't know how to drive a MT automobile.

Despite several million shifts in my life, I've never had a 6 spd MT, except on various motorcycles where shifting is simpler. And that appears to be the source of my problem. (I've recently moved from a '94 Prelude 5 spd MT where downshifting was more a matter of thinking than doing. Hondas are that way.)

When I downshift from 5th to 4th, a frequent event as I exit from a freeway, I find that locating 4th is difficult. The transmission either wants to go to 6th (straight "down") or, if I apply even slight pressure toward me as I downshift, to shift to second. Finding 4th is a real chore. (And makes me look like the klutz I am to my wife.)

Does anyone else have this problem? Am I doing something wrong? Should I expect the transmission to "loosen up" with more miles? (I have 1000 miles on the car.) Should I stop exiting from freeways and, like Tom Dooley, simply ride forever without ever getting off? (Reference meaningful only to aged hippies.)

mysql101

That really sounds strange, if I push down I go into 4th no problem. If you were in the area I'd look at it for you.

Go48

Strange. I have just the opposite problem. Going from 5th to 6th, I have to consciously put a little pressure away from me on the stick for it NOT to go into 4th. If I just pull it straight down it almost automatically pops into 4th. Go figure?

You might want to consider replacing the oil in your tranny with a synthetic like Red Line or Royal Purple. Many of the posters here, including myself, have done that and it seems to make shifting much smoother. That may help your problem. There's an excellent DIY in the Tech section of the forum that details how to change the oils in the tranny and differential.

Shamblerock

It used to happen to me. What I do now is a 2 stage process. Pull it out of 5th into neutral and then straight down from there. I do the 2 steps fairly quickly while propping up the revs a litlle throught the process so it going in at matched revs.

However, with 9,000 KMS on the car, I am starting to find it easier at time to go one shot. I guess its familiarity over time.

grapes

Go48-- How true it's not a car that finds the gears for you. Most standards when going from 4th to 5th move to the right when pushed forward, and i can see where downshifting into forth might be nebulous at times. I've done one mod to my car. Changed to redline fluids, makes a world of difference especially when cold.

icopus

I've found it takes a lighter touch...
While in neutral, the shifter will position itself directly between third and fourth. Therefore, with a light touch, pull the shifter downward letting it 'fall out' of fifth, then simply bring it straight down for fourth. Once you realize you don't have to place the shifter over fourth (or under third), the rest becomes fluid.
Hope this helps.
BTW - we also had a Prelude, a '96. Absolutely flawlessly smooth shifting car. We still kick ourselves in the *** for letting that car go. And the resell on them is still awesome.

Cam

iTrader: (1)

Hmm, weird. I have no problem going from 5th to 4th. My most troublesome shift is 4th to 5th.

jsh1120

I think you have the secret. I'd reached almost the same conclusion after posting earlier this morning. I think that I'd been trying too hard to "guide" it into fourth.

As for going from fourth to fifth, as others note, the secret, at least for my car, is to "aim" northeast when I'm upshifting. It slides easily into fifth.

BTW, I had an offer almost $2000 over blue book for my Prelude; it convinced me to sell it and get the RX-8. But I do miss the Prelude. PS. Like your taste in bikes. We have four bikes sharing garage space with two cars.

salituro64

Out of 5th let it pop back to the middle and then pull it back. 3rd & 4th are straight up and down. The only time I push left or right is for 1/2 or 5/6. The shifter always pulls itself in line with 3/4 without any help.

Go48

Yeah. I sold my '96 Prelude to my daughter because she REALLY wanted it. Garage kept, clean as new, 40K miles. Driven very carefully by a little old man.

Well, I just had to buy an RX-8 to replace it. Poor me.