Shifting to neutral while driving
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 258
From: Dublin Ohio
Shifting to neutral while driving
Today I was driving in 2nd gear and I had my hand on the shifter, kind of pulling it back more than anything else, and it popped out of gear.
I then experimented and I can go from 1st to neutral and 2nd to neutral without using a clutch .
It's never popped out on its own but I'm wondering if this is the first step of that.
So, normal?
Adjust linkage?
Trade it in this weekend?
I then experimented and I can go from 1st to neutral and 2nd to neutral without using a clutch .
It's never popped out on its own but I'm wondering if this is the first step of that.
So, normal?
Adjust linkage?
Trade it in this weekend?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 410
IF you are under acceleration you cannot pull it out of gear, the helical angle and the torque will not allow it...
When drag racing 4 speeds with clutches you pull on the lever pretty hard... when you stab the clutch it goes right to the gear, no thinking, no lifting from the throttle.
When drag racing 4 speeds with clutches you pull on the lever pretty hard... when you stab the clutch it goes right to the gear, no thinking, no lifting from the throttle.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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I have never tried that......that might help my 1/4 mile time
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 221
Likes: 71
From: Kalispell, MT
Back in the days I was drag racing (60's) you didn't even use the clutch to power shift, just to get off the line. You simply lifted slightly off the accelerator before you stabbed in into the next gear. Of course, having a Hurst Competition Plus shifter help immensely.
Last edited by C3TPI; Oct 23, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
you could get away with stuff like that with those muncies....even my 80s toyota trucks could do it...todays trans not so much.
Powershifting was never worth it to me, those who have and got time slips can vouch for that. Did a lot of it with my 70 Z but you better not miss a shift.
Powershifting was never worth it to me, those who have and got time slips can vouch for that. Did a lot of it with my 70 Z but you better not miss a shift.
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 451
Likes: 520
From: Chicago Burbs
I had a 1974 L-82/M-20 coupe back in the 80's. I was driving it one day accelerating and shifting gears, when SNAP-CLUNK. The clutch pedal then went to the floor with no clutch dissengagment. I pulled over and shut the car off, still in gear. Upon further inspection, I discovered that one of the arms on the clutch cross shaft had snapped off at the weld. I was about 10 miles from home with about 15 stoplights to go through.
I quickly learned how to shift gears without a clutch in traffic. Shifting from 1st or 2nd to neutral was the easy part. Lift up on the throttle and pull back on the shifter slightly. The harderst part was getting the car in first gear from a dead stop. I had to get out and push, jump in, and shift into gear. Once moving I could find that "sweet spot" combination of throttle and vehicle speed to shift from neutral into a gear without grinding anything. I made it home by taking side streets to avoid stop lights and stop signs. Cross shaft was then replaced..
I quickly learned how to shift gears without a clutch in traffic. Shifting from 1st or 2nd to neutral was the easy part. Lift up on the throttle and pull back on the shifter slightly. The harderst part was getting the car in first gear from a dead stop. I had to get out and push, jump in, and shift into gear. Once moving I could find that "sweet spot" combination of throttle and vehicle speed to shift from neutral into a gear without grinding anything. I made it home by taking side streets to avoid stop lights and stop signs. Cross shaft was then replaced..
Last edited by '73and'75; Oct 23, 2020 at 12:23 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,232
Likes: 1,232
From: PHX AZ
Hands off!
Barry. It is VERY bad practice to drive with your hand resting on the shifter.
My old Driving instructor would whack my hand with his clip-board!
This will wear out the shifter linkages , shift pins and bushings. All these things are hard mounted and will develop play. (as opposed to cable shifters where the shifter is 'remoted' from the tranny/gearbox.)
Your hand/ arm is a 'motion damper' all the stuff BELOW your hand is moving.....wearing itself out.
You've heard of the M-22 Rock Crusher tranny? The gears were almost straight cut, this was to allow power shifting through the gears with 'rev-matching'
It's is amazing to me that they have a 'gizmo' for this now. God knows, you wouldn't want to break a nail! lol
Unkahal
My old Driving instructor would whack my hand with his clip-board!
This will wear out the shifter linkages , shift pins and bushings. All these things are hard mounted and will develop play. (as opposed to cable shifters where the shifter is 'remoted' from the tranny/gearbox.)
Your hand/ arm is a 'motion damper' all the stuff BELOW your hand is moving.....wearing itself out.
You've heard of the M-22 Rock Crusher tranny? The gears were almost straight cut, this was to allow power shifting through the gears with 'rev-matching'
It's is amazing to me that they have a 'gizmo' for this now. God knows, you wouldn't want to break a nail! lol
Unkahal
Last edited by L-46man; Oct 23, 2020 at 01:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 258
From: Dublin Ohio
Thank Unk. I did not get that lesson.
I did try to turn left through oncoming traffic because I was confusing a regular green light for a green arrow.
My instructor had to grab the wheel or we wouldn't have made it home that day I can assure you.
I did try to turn left through oncoming traffic because I was confusing a regular green light for a green arrow.
My instructor had to grab the wheel or we wouldn't have made it home that day I can assure you.
Last edited by BarryB72; Oct 23, 2020 at 04:03 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 753
From: Doctors Inlet Florida
What you are doing is "floating" gears like truck driver does. At a certain RPM the you can shift gears without the clutch. You have to be much more precise with helical cut gears than with straight cut but it is definitely possible. I used to find myself doing it all the time in my Corvette until Big Brown gave me an Automatic tractor.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
I pop mine into neutral all the time without the clutch. I also upshift sometimes without the clutch just because. I do it my 3 speed on the floor hurst shifted truck too. I was always told that if there's no grind, you're not hurting a thing. I too have driven the Corvette home with a dead clutch pedal. The ball stud on the block for the Z bar broke off. Fortunately I didnt' have to stop at all until I got to the gate across my driveway in front of the garage, and I just pushed it in from there.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 706
Likes: 294
From: New Jersey
On one of my old cars, I was able to drive off from a stop with a broken clutch.
The starter motor was strong enough to start the car from a stop while it was in gear.
Clutchless up shifting from there got me home.
The starter motor was strong enough to start the car from a stop while it was in gear.
Clutchless up shifting from there got me home.