On Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:15:53 +0100, scott wrote:

>>> I do that (downshifting 2-3 gears at once) every day while slowing
>>> down from the motorway - either 6-5-3-2, 6-4-2 or 6-3-2, depending on
>>> place, traffic etc.
>>
>> Ah, I've never driven a 6-speed vehicle.  From higher gears it would
>> probably be less of an issue, but dropping from 3 to 1 can redline the
>> engine, at least IME.
> 
> I never put the car into 1st gear unless I'm stopped or moving along at
> a constant very slow speed in traffic, the ratio is usually so high that
> by 5 km/hr you need to change to 2nd unless you are in a race or
> something.

This was true on my old 3-speed Duster as well.  It was usually going 
from 3rd to 2nd.  In my automatic, which I think is a 4-speed, I can drop 
to 3rd and that's usually sufficient.

> You won't redline the engine if you wait until the revs are down near
> idle before changing down, but doing 3rd-1st is going to cause problems
> because the ratios are so far apart.

Yeah, that's gotta be the important bit.  I do recall going from 3rd to 
1st on occasion with a rapid deceleration, now that you mention it.

Jim

Post a reply to this message