QBallz

I'm just curious if I'm the only one having a hard time shifting. I'm just now starting to get smooths shifts (had the car since Jan. 05), and everyone I've let drive the car has had one heck of a time with 2nd to 3rd and 4th to 5th.

I was just curious if I'm a shifting noobie, or if the 8 is hard to handle

TwitchFD

uhh this is odd... i thought the shifts on the 8 were incredibly smooth. somthing sounds wrong man

Glyphon

i've had my 8 since the end of march, and i'm just now getting to where i can reproduce smooth shifts (it had been almost 10 years since i drove a stick, and that was an 85 blazer, which was a completely different feeling to drive)

turns out i was shifting too slow. here is what i've noticed...
(this is for normal driving, not WOT)

1-2 shift: shift relatively slowly
2-3 shift: shift quick (but smooth)
3-4 shift: slightly slower than the 2-3 shift, but quicker than 1-2 shift
4-5 shift: slightly slower than the 3-4 shift, but quicker than 1-2 shift
5-6 shift: slightly slower than the 4-5 shift, but quicker than 1-2 shift

before a mccletus suggested that i might be shifting too slowly, i was getting jerky shifts on all the shifts except the 1-2 shift.

i got that advice on monday, and almost instantly started having smoother shifts.

just a note, the clutch in/out speed is fairly constant for all the shifts, its just the actual "changing gears" that you want to play around with the speed at which you are shifting.

also, if you are shifting all the gears too fast, you might get jerky shifts too.

hope this helps...or at least makes sense.

Rotario

Mine was as smooth as could be until I put in the RP shifter. Now it's even smoother. :p Sorry, I know that didn't help, but my '8 has been one of the smoothest shifting cars I've ever owned. Sounds like there may be something wrong with yours.

Bill

Glyphon

definately a PEBSAW error. Thats what was causing the jerky shifts in mine. once that problem was taken care of, it shifts like buttah.

Slvr8

I have just had mine for a couple weeks and I find 5th and 6th a little troublesome. I am sure it is me because I haven't had to shift regularly since my 84 944.

1.3L

Suggestion: sit in your 8 with the engine off. Push in the clutch and then move the shifter to neutral. From there, pull the shifter to the left and then release it. Next, push the shifter to the right and then release it. Notice that to enter the 1st and 2nd gear area you must pull against a spring or gate. Same for 5th and 6th, except the pressure must pushed to the right. 3rd and 4th are in the neutral pressure (no side force needed, the shifter tends to move to the center area on it's own).

I think once you spend some time feeling the pressures needed for 1st and 2nd and 5th and 6th, you'll get a better idea of what's needed to make the shifts.

Worked for me, anyway.

1.3L

QBallz

I'm not really having a problem finding gear's per say. I guess my problem is rev matching. This is the first "Sports Car" I've ever driven, and I guess the clutch just has more bite than I'm used to.

It seems like if the engine and tranny arn't within about 100 rpms the car jerk's pretty bad. I've never had this problem with other cars, or maybe I just suck at driving manual's still.

1.3L

Oh, I see. Well, don't feel bad. It took me a while to learn how to match the speeds and I've been driving a stick for, well, let's not go there

Anyway, the 8 has a close-ratio transmission which makes matching speeds a little more difficult at first. I found that holding a very small amount of throttle while making the next upshift helped (normal driving, not all out acceleration). After a while, you'll find that you can make good shifts by ear. Hang in there, you'll get it!

1.3L

NVMYGT

Eventually you (and I) will get it. I bet Glyphon is right on the money. Try shifting a little faster and you'll be surprised at the difference. I was just telling some guys at work about my good-shifting and bad-shifting days.

Aseras

i just posted on this, you gott ashift fast, if you do it slow it'll stick or feel sloppy. the qicker you move the smoother it is.

JM1FE

http://www.shortshifter.com/techniques2.htm

kuleto

i still believe in the palm down technique

projectcar

ive had my 8 since dec04 and at first, i had to get use to the tight thight clutch, being use to my elcipse. eventually, i got use to it, and the brand new car broke in a little. but sometimes, randomly it clicks into gear, i had it looked at and they said it was normal.

QBallz

A bad-shifting day is what inspired this thread, Glyphon is definitally right on the money for where the problem is. I've just never had problem's adjusting like I have in the 8, I guess its a combination of it being new/tight and more aggressive than I'm used to.

Rotario

QBallz,

How many miles do you have on your '8? I noticed that my shifter started smoothing out and becoming really nice and slick at about 2,000 miles. It wasn't at all bad before that, but it definitely improved at (approx.) the 2k mark. If you don't have that many miles currently, I think you'll see a difference when you get there.

Best,
Bill

RX8head

I'm gonna agree with Rotario, I now have 3k on the * and the shifting def improved around the 2k mark. Now was that me getting used to the car, or the clutch breaking in.....I'm not sure

Glyphon

both probably.