Downshifting Help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'11-'12
Downshifting Help
From time to time, I'll be cruizing in 6th at about 1500rpm or so and want to drop into 4th directly. Problem is, I am so used to the old school 4 spd shifter that I end up in 2nd.....any tips to cure this old habit or is the shifter (the mechanical one 
) contributing to this???
) contributing to this???
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2002
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
From time to time, I'll be cruizing in 6th at about 1500rpm or so and want to drop into 4th directly. Problem is, I am so used to the old school 4 spd shifter that I end up in 2nd.....any tips to cure this old habit or is the shifter (the mechanical one ) contributing to this???
) contributing to this???For shifts first and second try putting your hand on the side of the shifter by gripping the right side of the shifter, palm facing left and knuckles pointing towards the passenger door.
For shifts third and fourth try putting your hand on top of the shifter with your palm covering the shift pattern on top of the **** and knuckles pointing to the roof.
For shifts fifth and sixth try putting your hand on the side of the shifter by gripping the left side of the shift ****. You'll need to turn your hand upside down for this one and press your palm little finger at the top) to the shifter and your knuckles should be facing the drivers door.
This little extra trick will help you guide the shifter without really thinking about it once you get comfortable with the technique. The way that you are shift currently is putting pressure on the shifter and pulling it all the way over and ending up in second. The spring does the centering but you are overcoming the centering motion and pulling it right down to second.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 743
Likes: 1
From: Papillion NE
Have you had the car long? You'll get better at it the longer you have it and following Talon's advice will sure help. My MGW shifter helped a bit too....seems like the slots/shifts are more well defined. So the answer is to drive the car more often to keep improving. Not the worst thing in the world to do!
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 1
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Change the Stock Shifter
Change the stock shifter to an aftermarket. I put a Calloway into mine. The centering spring is stronger. You just pull it out of 6th, let it pop itself into the "centering position" then gently pull it back into 4th. I have never had a missed shift after replacing my stock shifter. Same goes for 2nd to 3rd. You just push up on the shifter, it will slide right into 3rd without any effort at all.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 2
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'11-'12
Thanks Talon, I learned that for the upshifts and have been trying that on the downshifts, but miss the centering feel for 4th....
Jim, Not really that long - 2K miles and three months...I have already noticed a great improvement...
I guess I'll just have to drive more
, ya know, practice, practice, practice 
Jim, Not really that long - 2K miles and three months...I have already noticed a great improvement...
I guess I'll just have to drive more
, ya know, practice, practice, practice
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2002
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Thanks Talon, I learned that for the upshifts and have been trying that on the downshifts, but miss the centering feel for 4th....
Jim, Not really that long - 2K miles and three months...I have already noticed a great improvement...
I guess I'll just have to drive more , ya know, practice, practice, practice
Jim, Not really that long - 2K miles and three months...I have already noticed a great improvement...
I guess I'll just have to drive more
, ya know, practice, practice, practice 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Try this. Just push the shifter out of 6th, then relax all pressure and just pull down. The centering spring should do the work of putting the shifter right over the 4th gear gate. If you are trying to pull it over to 4th you are probably overshooting the gate. Less is more in this case.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
I’m not trying to be facetious but why skip-shift? I’d shift from 6th into 5th gear instead of shifting from 6th into to 4th.
Everyone has a different driving style to be sure but for me, 5th and 6th gears are 'over-drive' gears reserved almost exclusively for freeway or interstate driving...not for in-town driving where speeds seldom exceed 50 mph. I couldn't imagine cruising in 6th gear anywhere other than a freeway or interstate (5th maybe but not 6th).
Certainly practice makes perfect no matter how you shift.
Everyone has a different driving style to be sure but for me, 5th and 6th gears are 'over-drive' gears reserved almost exclusively for freeway or interstate driving...not for in-town driving where speeds seldom exceed 50 mph. I couldn't imagine cruising in 6th gear anywhere other than a freeway or interstate (5th maybe but not 6th).
Certainly practice makes perfect no matter how you shift.
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 691
Likes: 12
From: Columbus Ohio
The tips above will all help for sure. Here is a little modification to the tip that I use and it works for me.
When shifting UP to 5th and 6th, I have my hand on top of the shift **** and just apply a little pressure with my thumb as I move up.
I do the wrap from 6th to 4th a lot when I am coming into a freeway exit and if I want to rally accelerate...as adised above, stay on top of the **** in your fingers and pull out of 6th, let the centering spring settle you, using your fingers like a shock absorber...then down into 4th.
BTW, lose the stock shifter ASAP. I got tired of it real quick, sloppy. I instaled an MGW shifter and a heavy **** and it made all teh difference in the world
When shifting UP to 5th and 6th, I have my hand on top of the shift **** and just apply a little pressure with my thumb as I move up.
I do the wrap from 6th to 4th a lot when I am coming into a freeway exit and if I want to rally accelerate...as adised above, stay on top of the **** in your fingers and pull out of 6th, let the centering spring settle you, using your fingers like a shock absorber...then down into 4th.
BTW, lose the stock shifter ASAP. I got tired of it real quick, sloppy. I instaled an MGW shifter and a heavy **** and it made all teh difference in the world
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
If you look in the stickies above, there is a post on how to race your car at the drags by "ranger." I'm not saying to go racing. I am saying that one of the things he recommends is literally sitting there with the engine off and practice your shifting.
It doesn't matter what method or trick you use, without the engine on, and with the handbrake on, there's an awful lot you can try out, and get used to.
Give it a shot!
PS I understand why you might (very) occasionally want to skip a gear, but otherwise I mostly agree with Wayne. That said, since the spring in the shifter with no extra effort centers on 3rd and 4th gears, moving the lever up from 6th should put you right in line for 4th. Try it. It'll slot into 4th every time.
It doesn't matter what method or trick you use, without the engine on, and with the handbrake on, there's an awful lot you can try out, and get used to.
Give it a shot!
PS I understand why you might (very) occasionally want to skip a gear, but otherwise I mostly agree with Wayne. That said, since the spring in the shifter with no extra effort centers on 3rd and 4th gears, moving the lever up from 6th should put you right in line for 4th. Try it. It'll slot into 4th every time.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 958
Likes: 1
From: Fresno California
Unless you want to spend the $$$$, I wouldn't change shifters. The one provided is quite good. Just follow the pointers from the previous posts, and soon you'll be going from 6th to 4th without thinking about it.
Stactic practice will help a lot . . .
Stactic practice will help a lot . . .
