Did I hurt my engine???
 

Hello Everyone,

I was driving normally today and wanted to downshift from 5th to 4th going about 70. Unfortunately I missed and hit 2nd. I noticed it right off and didn't give it gas, but the speed took the engine rpm past redline to almost 10K. I feel like crap since the car only has 1800 miles on it, but the car drives fine. I know these engines can take alot of abuse, but should I go get it checked out or do anything... change the oil, or check anything???

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

did you hit the fuel cutoff? if not i wouldn't be concerned at all.

You would know if you hurt the car. Your transmission would be sitting back on the road where the bad shift happened. Luckily for you, shifting to 2nd in 70 isn't HORRIBLE, because the engine braking could likely take it down to a reasonable speed for that gear (~60, maybe slightly higher).

I remember when the cars were first being delivered (around July last year) hearing a story that someone was called, his car was delivered but he couldn't take it, it was broken. Turns out the GM of the dealership took the car out and did a 3->2 shift instead of 3->4 shift going around 100, shredded the tranny.

its really hard to shift the car into an improper gear. Try it sometime. With the clutch engaged, try shifting down into 1st at like 50 mph. The gearbox won't let you. If you do somehow manage to get it to go into first, it is through much duress (and please don't disengage the clutch if you manage to get it into 1st)

I highly doubt you damaged anything at all

The high rpms only happened for a split second so I'm hoping the car is ok. once I realized that it was second, becuase the tach didn't stop at 6K, and kept going up, I pushed the clutch immediately, but the needle went past 9 to 10 K. It was too quick to hit the fuel cut off.

I'm sure it's ok. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I thought that the tranny wouldn't let you shift into first after you started going over 10 miles an hour(or something like that)

I seem to recall reading it here somewhere.

If it just went to 10k for a moment then I'm sure it's OK. I have heard of someone destroying an M3 engine with the same 5-2 mistake, but the problem was obvious immediately. :)

The fuel cutoff will not help in this situation. You've got the momentum of the entire car making the engine spin. Cutting the ignition won't stop it.

From what i remember, i belive it is listen in the owners manual, is that the speed you redline at for 2nd gear is 68. My driving experience also confirms that this is somewhat accurate, i don't look for an exact reading cause the tach is more important at that rpm. Given engine breaking i think that u should b fine. The only accidental shift that i sometimes do is a 5->4 instead of a 5->6, and that really isn't bad at all. Also i have redlined it strangely. I was accelerating on2 the highway, and the onramp was a pretty steep grade uphill, at least 8-10% (I drive the steepest interstate grade east of the mississippi twice a week and i know it was steeper than the interstate grade). I was doing a 2->3 shift at around 62mph. The trouble was when i stepped off the accelerator and engaged the clutch, the accelerator stuck down for half a second or so and brought it to 9.5k rpms while the clutch was engaged. It might have gone higher but i disengaged the clutch shifting in2 3rd gear. Yes i did lift to shift, i am certain of it but i have not noticed ne problem in it but the engine was halfway warm and that was the main thing that worried me. Nothing noticeable so i think the car is ok.

so can u just put in it nuetral if it happens

I know what 2 do incase of a stuck accelerator and i would have done it if it had stayed stuck after i shifted 2 3rd gear. But it didn't so i didn't c the need 2 put it in neutral. I thought it was interesting just that it stuck for a very very short peroid of time.