So, just out of curiosity, for those of you with a MT, how often do you use your clutch to shift. I find that if im just cruising around between 2-3-4 there is no need. Who is with me?

 

on my max i have to use the pedal i cant without, i drive my saturn alot,a nd i only us the clutch for 1st gear. i know how to rev match, i think its my short throw that makes it hard to do, its really stiff.

 

i always use my clutch to shift....but i know theres a way to do a clutchless shift...

 

i'm too worried of killing synchro's and wahtnot...many people say its safe but i dont buy that....i've done it before but jut to get out of gear, never to get in.

 

Buy a auto or use your clutch. PM me when ur trans blows.

 

c'mon man be nice to the max and it will be nice to you dont do that its uncool.

 

there's a reason why the clutch is there.

 

it's called "speedshifting" and it's always a bad idea if you like you syncros and tranny.
1. it doesn't save any time on the shift
2. it can only easily be done at a certain (small) rpm range in each gear
3. it's just stupid.....

 

Why tear up the equipment?

I wish Nissan would improve the dashboard and offer Majestic Blue/Caffe Latte leather 6-Speed manual so I could get a new one.

 

From what I heard, it will not do any harm if you can do it correctly, but I do not recommend you to do that 'cause you ganna kill your transmission while learning doing that correctly.

 

thats why i learned on a saturn, i do it cause i can do it withotu thinking, not to say i can do it, i think its the way saturns are set up, i can do it on everyone ive tried, go take one for a test drive ur self, its really easy on them

 

expect some grinding if you're at the wrong rpm's...

 

Nobody's saying you "can't" do it....we're just saying it's a bad idea.

 

Some trannies- like Hondas newest designs can be shifted without a clutch, but seriously 200 dollar clutch vs 3K dollar tranny ? If you passed grade school math you should be able to figure this one out. Nissan trannies do not like to be shifted without a clutch, its not a friggn Mack truck for crying outloud.

 

Who the heck came up with the idea of clutchless shifting, that has got to be the worst thing i have ever heard. To all those who think that it is even remotely a good idea, sell your manual and drive an auto becuase you are just disrespecting the fact that you have three pedals. All this is coming from an auto driver who wishes he could press a clutch in...wow i miss my 328i. Anyway, press in the pedal or sell the car. Wait what do i care, its not my bill.

 

back in the day drag racers used to grind off every 2 gears or something like that so it's easier to smash the gears in.. it's not good for the tranny, but then again they can afford to rebuild it after every event..

now adays they have a crazy neumatic shift linkage thing.

 

your left foot couldn't possibly be THAT worn out, now could it?

 

Im not talking about power-shifting at all. I am just talking about slow to reasonable everyday shifting. If i have to nail it i will for sure use the clutch but as long as you do it correctly you are doing no disservice to you tranny. Its as smooth as a perfect shift w/ a clutch. I know someone already said its no mack truck which i agree but the same concept applies. I use it when needed but sometimes i choose not to. Just pull it out of gear after letting off the gas with a little pressure on the next gate and pull it when the syncro's mesh. No harm done. Happy shifting.

 

If you want clutchless shifting get an SMG M3 and call it a day. Otherwise use your clutch.

 

Truckers developed this kind of shifting long time ago to save their clutch because clutches in those old semis get worn very quickly. So they had a choice of changing their clutch after every other trip or learn to drive without one. You drive a passenger car made in twenty first century, those technique are no longer necessary. Besides, our transmissions are much more advanced and more sensitive and the possibility of damage is much higher. Take my advice, use clutch, and find something else to worry about.

 

i had this happen once or twice while just coasting in third. i had my hand down on the shifter, slighly pulling towards me, and it just popped into 4th. i guess the rpms were at the right speed to let the clutch out of 3rd and into 4th. if you can get it PERFECTLY ever time, you will not grind anything, but because we are human, you are bound to mis-match rpms sometimes.

 

Given the crappy, notchy synchros Nissan blessed us with, I've never tried it. Not worth it. In my old Civic, that's a different story.


p.s. "Power" or "speed" shifting works on straight cut gears and dog rings, not one with helical gears and synchros. If you want to power shift, get a CDL and get a job at J.B. Hunt...

 

i was wondering why my 01 seems kind of notchy when i shift , especially when its first being driven in the morning and the 02 i test drove once shifted really smooth- i only have 68k miles, now, is that normalor the tranny wearing out, or does the gearbox oil just need to be changed?

 

That little pressure at the next gate that you feel is the syncro matching the shaft and gear speed, and may feel smooth, but is actually wearing the syncros every time you do it.
Believe it or not, Saturns actually have pretty strong trannies. Except for the differential pins that slide out and break the case from people getting stuck in snow. They also have steel syncros with fiber friction surface. I don't know what Maximas use. Brass?? Hope it's strong.

 

ive done it a few times, when you know the trans well, you dont have to press against the synchro... you just know when to throw the shifter in. its easy, doesnt harm the trans if done right... but the maxima trans isnt as friendly as my MX-6, which i shifted up and down like that with NO problems...

i dont do it regularly... besides, heel and toeing is much more fun...

 

I never had a problem in the 5th gen, smooth as silk


Just have to know the car and be smart

 

im too nice to my max to play around with my tranny like that
its not hard though, the clutch on my dads ol jeep that i used to drive had a habit of failing and leaving the truck totally clutchless so i learned out of need how to rev match and whatnot, the sychros in that cherokee were tough as nails and suprisingly smooth i could run it up and down through the gears sans cluch like it wasnt even an issue

Edit: Oh yeah and i did this in a Cherokee without the guage package so NO TACH, totally by ear and feel

 

Ive never done it on any of my cars and i never knew you could do that. The clutch is there for a reason!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If you're too lazy to use the clutch, get an auto. The thought of not using the clutch to shift has never even crossed my mind. If fact, I didn't even know you could do that.

 

People, everyone calm down. Shifting without a clutch is not going to make your transmission explode or ruin your syncros by any means. If shifting up throuth the gears minus overdrive and first you don't need to use a clutch. The only reason for the clutch is to take the load from the engine off the tranny to shift so they can match speed. But if you are shifting and your engine and tranny are already at the same speed there is no need for the clutch bottom line. When you pull it out off gear after laying off the gas the gear slides right out because there is no pressure on drive train. Then when pulling it into the next gear as soon as the engine drops to the right rpm it falls right in. Its not shredding your syncros or griding your gears. The clutch is only needed to get the car going from a stand still and going into 5th (thats a little harder to do without a clutch).

 

a 00-01 should be harder(notchier) to shift than an 02-03 due to the 00-01 being a rod shifter and the 02-03 being cable right?

 

though ive had to do that a few times

 

hehe, sorry to revive this 2005 thread but....

I accidentally shifted without clutch today:

1) stop and go traffic --> 2000rpm, pulling out of first gear about to push clutch in and the shifter comes out of first before i push the clutch

2) did it again

3) 0mph --> 2000rpm pull out, 1800rpm slide into 2nd w/o clutch

I won't do this again, but it was strange - never expected to be able to do this.

 

It happened to me once as well. When engine and transmission speed is perfectly matched the shifter will slide in and out without any problems.

 

if you time it correctly, it will slide right in...

i wouldn't do it on a daily basis though...maybe once in awhile to impress your friends...now hurry up and respond to my AiM!!!

 

I always shift with my clutch. I used to play around sometimes not using my clutch in my old civic. Just habbit, i feel better pushing the pedal in.