midwestCali

I've had my 2000 1.8TQ for less than a week now and today I started to notice something about my shifter. When I'm slowing down to a stop, sometimes I hit the brakes and clutch, and shift into 1st. As long as still going 20 mph+, it's pretty hard for me to shift into 1st. I gotta really force it. But I notice that once I've slowed down under 20 mph, I can shift it easily into 1st. Is this normal?

(I've just started learning stick, so I don't know if this is a normal procedure, but it makes sense to me to throw it into 1st while I'm slowing down for a light so I can wait in 1st...)

Thanks

midwestCali

What about when I'm trying to slow down? I just want to put it into 1st while I'm slowing down so I don't have to wait til I'm stopped to do it. If it is normal, is it BAD to FORCE it into gear?

RNO.Audi

Do you wait at the stoplight in first with the clutch pushed in?

Jretal

normally you should wait until you're completely stopped until you go into first.

Also, it is a good idea to not depress the clutch when waiting at a stop light cuz it puts unneeded wear on your system

midwestCali

At first I didn't, but I have a friend who drives a manual Integra, and he told me it's basically the same thing as sittin in neutral... I thought it might wear out the clutch because that's what I've also heard before... again I don't know too much about the tech aspects of a manual transmission...

regardless of whether or not it's good - is something weird with my shifter?

quattro_silver

no need to gear down.. especially when "learning" to drive manually.

maggio

yes, normal. you shouldn't sit in gear w/ clutch while waiting at a light.

spicnspan320

its basically made so that u cant "accidently" throw it into 1st wen going at high speeds. Say your doing forty, and you want to throw it into third, and somehow you put it into 1st, your RPMs will go too high, and too much of this will burn the clutch. So they make it so you can't put it into first. Just put into neutral when you stop. You should never really need to put the car into 1st under normal driving conditions unless your going slow, 2nd should do fine

RNO.Audi

Waiting at a stop with the clutch pushed in and in frist gear is bad.

e

Even at 10mph in my car there's still some resistance...nothing a little blip of the throttle won't fix. Where are your rpms when you downshift into first at 20mph?

I'd say 20mph is too high for first gear (at least in the 1.8). Just go into neutral. And yes, keeping it in first at a light with your foot on the clutch is bad.