Hey guys, I got a question - My max is been tought to shift into first while moving any faster than 2 mph. It's really easy to put into gear from a stop but if I am rolling i cant get it into first without fighting it? Any Ideas?? Thanks.

 

That seems to be the way it is...

1st locks itself completely out after about 10 MPH.

Why are you shifting into 1st from anything other than a stop anyway?

 

ya every maxima has this , i think its some inda of saftey thing, i hope your not downshifting using first.

 

 

Yep mine does it too. Its normal.

 

I don't suggest doing it all of the time but I sometimes find myself forced to accelerate from 10-15 MPH and do not want to 'lug' the motor in 2nd gear to do it. I shift into first when this situation arises. Since the syncros alone do not enable an engagement into 1st gear while rolling at these speeds, I need to do a couple things...

push in the clutch,
put it in Neutral,
push the shifter against the 1st gear entry point... NOT TOO HARD,
let off the clutch,
push in the clutch and you should then be able to put it in gear.

The whole sequence should take 2 seconds.

This takes some practice... and slippery synthetic lube.

If you can't get it to work for you after a few attempts, stop trying and accept that you have to stop to grab 1st. Don't wreck your tranny.

 

If you push hard enough it will go in. But first is so low when you engage the clutch at those speeds the car will lurch, just leave it in second until you stop.

 

heh i got the same problem. I find myself trying to shift to first. I did force it a few times. Then i just started using 2nd for quick turns... works alot easier... (When i first learned to drive my mom was in th passenger seat, and i shifted and let the clutch out to early and my little 3 pound dog went flying into the dash)ROFL! I feel bad but hey, we live and we learn right?

 

I forgot to mention on SMALL detail... you'll need to match revs to the speed you are going when you enter 1st gear. Otherwise, bad things will happen. Case in point listed above... not to mention getting rear-ended as you have just slowed down really fast and don't have your brake lights on.

 

Yea, if you revmatch you can probably get into first a lot easier BUT revmatching into first is tricky because you have to be really really exact. It's tough to get it revved to a point where the shifter will go, and fall to the right level just at the right time so you don't start bucking when you release the clutch.

The best way to rev match is to double clutch. To do this...

1.) Press clutch and put gear lever in neutral
2.) Blip throttle to correct rpm (requires lots of practice in any gear)
3.) Quickly press clutch and put gear lever into new, lower, gear
4.) Release clutch.

If you do it right you can just dump the clutch, but for the LOVE OF GOD don't start dumping the clutch the first time you double clutch into first. In fact don't start dumping the clutch into ANY gear until you get good at it. If you want to learn this start with 5->4 and work downwards. Honestly though, you shouldn't be downshifting into first if you're moving more than a couple miles an hour. It's just not necessary.

Once you get good at it you can start heel-and-toeing. You can actually revmatch without double clutching (just shift normally and goose the gas in between gears) but my rudimentary understanding of how the 5 speed works tells me that this will kill your synchros. Used to do it all the time but now I am trying to learn to double clutch and heel-and-toe at the same time for maximum safety and smoothness. There is NOTHING like hitting a perfect heel-and-toe downshift into a tight corner...

 

If you want to be able to go in 1st at a 10mph+ roll, simply double clutch the correct way and the shifter will go in smoothly.

Double clutch:

1) Clutch in
2) Shifter to neutral
3) Clutch out
4) Clutch in
5) Rev match
6) Clutch out



Dave

 

1st gear is really only designed to get the car going...... Every 5-speed tranny I have ever had has been like that......

 

Actually you need to blip the throttle with the clutch engaged...otherwise there's no reason to bother double clutching...just rev match only pushing the clutch in once...it's faster. When you blip with the clutch engaged you spin the layshaft up to the same speed as the new gear, which will keep you from wearing the syncros (that's why you double clutch in 18 wheelers that don't have syncros).

At least that's what I think. If there's a reason why this theory is wrong...lay it on me. I really didn't udnerstand the modern 5 speed completely until i checked this site out...really really nice diagrams of an oversimplified 5 speed...

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm

 

Also consider switching to Redline MT gearbox oil. Shifting is very smooth, even in winter. My 5 spd easily glides into 1st anywhere from 0 to 10 mph.