View Full Version : sometimes cant shift into first
So i just got my first manual car - the new 3 and i dont think this is a problem with the car...but with me...
So ill be in 2nd gear pulling into my driveway...i come to a stop and want to leave it in first while its parked overnight...im stopped with the clutch down in 2nd and it sometimes wont let me put it in first...i have to put it in neutral...let out the clutch then press it down again and it will smoothly go into first gear.
mabye there is a problem...but i doubt it lol any ideas?
blankets3
12-06-2009, 12:59 AM
to keep things simple
its just like that and its suppose to be like that
u cant put ur car in 1st unless ur like doing under 10 or something like that
(dont try putting ur car in REV while ur moving backwards)...ever
ricohman
12-06-2009, 01:03 AM
Not a big deal in a new tranny. Its just a matter of getting the first gear synco spinning at the same speed (or close to) the main shaft.
Try shifting a non syncronized SM420 into 1st while coming to a stop.
to keep things simple
its just like that and its suppose to be like that
u cant put ur car in 1st unless ur like doing under 10 or something like that
(dont try putting ur car in REV while ur moving backwards)...ever
I just found it weird because I was completley stopped...and it wouldnt go into first until i went through neutral and then into first.
blankets3
12-06-2009, 01:25 AM
I just found it weird because I was completley stopped...and it wouldnt go into first until i went through neutral and then into first.
ya it happens i get screwed over when at a red light that goes green on men when im like 99% stopped wont jump into 1st. i usually pull it out shake it and put it back
also
when u 1st start ur car in the cold ull notice 1st and R some times just wont go into gear aswell, just dont ever slam it in and try letting off the break and and pushing it back down shaking it in neut and dropping it in R than back to 1st
Flagrum_3
12-06-2009, 08:40 AM
ya it happens i get screwed over when at a red light that goes green on men when im like 99% stopped wont jump into 1st. i usually pull it out shake it and put it back
also
when u 1st start ur car in the cold ull notice 1st and R some times just wont go into gear aswell, just dont ever slam it in and try letting off the break and and pushing it back down shaking it in neut and dropping it in R than back to 1st
:No Homo Smiley :chuckle
/But seriously, try throwing it into first gear before you come to a complete stop (clutch in ) and you'll have no problems getting it into first afterward.....Works for me.
_3
Lol thanks for the quick replies.
I was stuck in my first traffic jam from the 427 all the way to hwy 10 on the 401. Crawling down the highway gets annoying in manual... But the fun from driving makes up for the sore foot lol
Donutz
12-06-2009, 05:50 PM
You can also shift down to second then up to first. This used to happen on my Protege 5.
ricohman
12-06-2009, 08:16 PM
ya it happens i get screwed over when at a red light that goes green on men when im like 99% stopped wont jump into 1st. i usually pull it out shake it and put it back
also
when u 1st start ur car in the cold ull notice 1st and R some times just wont go into gear aswell, just dont ever slam it in and try letting off the break and and pushing it back down shaking it in neut and dropping it in R than back to 1st
Not only does this hurt to read but I have no idea what he is saying.
blankets3
12-06-2009, 11:03 PM
When you first start your car in the winter; you'll notice 1st gear and Reverse gear sometimes just wont go into gear.
Just don't ever slam it in, try letting off the break and pushing it back down, shaking it in neutral and dropping it in Reverse and back to 1st gear, (if your trying to put it into 1st if if doing reverse do the opposite)
better
i was playing HoN as i was typing it so i just rushed it.
pacmann33
12-07-2009, 08:30 AM
happens to me too. I posted a thread about it. I'm not too worried since it is not just mine, seems to happen to more or less all of them lol.
yeah I was just curious as it is my first manual car.
FlashEngineer
12-12-2009, 10:27 AM
Just use 2nd if it doesn't go in, usually no problem to start on 2nd for regular driving.
-RJ3-
12-12-2009, 11:11 AM
Ive noticed it gets harder to put my car in reverse.. Its like I have to depress press and depress the clutch to get er in.... *shut up phill with your Thats what she said.. hahhaah*
colinchrisc
12-15-2009, 09:44 AM
So i just got my first manual car - the new 3 and i dont think this is a problem with the car...but with me...
So ill be in 2nd gear pulling into my driveway...i come to a stop and want to leave it in first while its parked overnight...im stopped with the clutch down in 2nd and it sometimes wont let me put it in first...i have to put it in neutral...let out the clutch then press it down again and it will smoothly go into first gear.
mabye there is a problem...but i doubt it lol any ideas?
Hey guys, I just picked up my 2010 Mazda 3 a few days ago and I'm getting a similar problem. Sometimes when I am in Neutral and try to put the shifter into 1st gear, it gets stuck in between and I have to go back to Neutral and try again before getting it to work. I called the Mazda Service and they said to bring it in because this should definitely not be happening and they will have a look at it.
slam525i
12-15-2009, 12:01 PM
Again, you're clutching in in 2nd gear, the tranny is still spun up, and so the 1st gear won't engage. Put it in neutral, clutch out, back in again, and it should go into first smoothly.
colinchrisc
12-15-2009, 12:30 PM
Again, you're clutching in in 2nd gear, the tranny is still spun up, and so the 1st gear won't engage. Put it in neutral, clutch out, back in again, and it should go into first smoothly.
Maybe I didn't explain my situation properly, this happens when I'm at a stoplight or stop sign and the car is not in motion and car is in Neutral. I then press the clutch and put the gear into 1st except it doesn't go in all the way. I then have to put the shifter back into Neutral and then into 1st.
Donutz
12-15-2009, 12:50 PM
Do what I described in post #8.
colinchrisc
12-15-2009, 12:53 PM
Do what I described in post #8.
Honestly, I don't mine doing this because this is what I've been doing so far, but is this something that is SUPPOSED to happen? If not, then I'm going to bring it in. If it is something that's supposed to happen, then that's a different story.
Donutz
12-15-2009, 12:59 PM
I've owned 2 mazda's and this has happened in both. I've spoken with people who own other makes and they have claimed to experience this (how frequently I can't say though). You will see from surfing this forum that it is a common occurrence on this car.
After all the responses im not too worried anymore. Im taking the car in for an oil change at 4k and ill make sure i mention it and see what they say.
Donutz
12-15-2009, 01:27 PM
After all the responses im not too worried anymore. Im taking the car in for an oil change at 4k and ill make sure i mention it and see what they say.
You might want to reference Colinchrisc' other thread. He seems to have a somewhat different issue; it's unclear to me if your experiences are the same or different.
slam525i
12-15-2009, 06:01 PM
When my 2010 was new, it occasionally wouldn't go into first (even after clutching in and back out). I just lugged it off the line in second. Haven't had that happen after breaking the tranny in. Yours may smooth out over time too.
McGuyver_3
12-15-2009, 07:04 PM
u cant put ur car in 1st unless ur like doing under 10 or something like that
That is not true as i down shift in to first all the time sending revs sky high but still below redline with my 05 3 and my 10 3. BUT i may add if you dont know how to judge your speed and predict your rpms i wouldnt recomend it as you could bend the valves and need a new head. That would be pricey
You might want to reference Colinchrisc' other thread. He seems to have a somewhat different issue; it's unclear to me if your experiences are the same or different.
this is the best way to explain it
i come home and pull in the drive way..as i pull in im in 2nd gear..i press the clutch all the way in as i come to a stop..throw it in neutral from second...then i was like "well i should probably leave it in gear cause im on a bit of a slant"
i press the clutch all the way down...try to put it in first and it wont go...i then have to put it back into neutral from the *almost in 1st* position...let out the clutch...then press it in again and it will go into first no problemo!
McGuyver_3
12-15-2009, 10:33 PM
That is normal though happened to me before my transmission rebuild and still happening also happened with my last 3
transmission rebuild, thats scares me...
McGuyver_3
12-15-2009, 11:01 PM
i had grinding in 2nd and 5th gear and ever since the rebuild been good. The synchros were gone
where did you hear/ feel this grinding?
McGuyver_3
12-17-2009, 10:26 PM
manily down shifting in to 2'nd clutch fully pressed in i made sure because i monitered it for 2 weeks. 5th gear up or down shift on the highway but it was very intermittant never easy to retrace. Since its rebuild been working better then ever
Kappa
12-17-2009, 11:21 PM
kinda an fyi mazda canada does not rebuild the 5 speed trannys.. they do rebuild the auto but i have been threw a few and they always sent me a new one.. last one was right from japan..
as for your problem i get it all the time to with a few different makes of cars to.. i always just thought it was like that because when stopped and gears where not engaged that the gears just didnt line up so they needed to be moved a little to fit in place..
also you can shift into first from higher than 10km/h no problem.. i speed shift or speed down shift (shift with out clutch) from 2nd to 1st all the time.. if you suck at it then it will do very bad things to your car but if your good and know your rmp's vs speed then your set :) i would use a crap box to learn though haha.. hence my 2 transmissions
McGuyver_3
12-18-2009, 12:52 AM
you have that backwards they rebuild 5 speeds and replace automatics bevause they are a whole pile more complex then standard.
The down shifting is simple with or without a clutch you just have to know the rpm ranges very well BUT in the process of my learning NEVER did i smoke any trannys. Since i have gotten my new 3 i NEVER downshift w/o a clutch. My tranny problems were there from factory and NOT due to neglect. If you went through 2 trannys learning how to down shift excuse my french but thats idiotic
Kappa
12-22-2009, 12:05 AM
lol no i did not do it learning how to downshift one problem was due to the diff pin slipped or broke and the second was not on the 3 but an old ford :D and as far as i know they do not rebuild the 5speeds as i talked to mazda canada about it when i had the problem with my 3 but maybe im wrong but no the braking was not from downshifting :)
i was just making a joke it wasnt ment to be serious!
but yeah like i said i may be wrong about the rebuild process but i went threw it once and they threw my old one out and sent me a new one. dealer said because it was cheaper to do it that way and that the auto had so many different parts that it was cheaper to rebuild those! then mazda canada told me that the 5speeds never really have any issues so when they do brake they just replace them so im sure somewhere in the middle is the truth,, but then again you know way more than me about this type of stuff but i was just repeating what i was told :)
ZooLander
12-22-2009, 01:40 PM
Anyone know what the technical background is to this problem? Is it due to not having a synchro gear for 1st and R? A bit of an explanation would be appreciated. Is there a way to avoid this all together?
Has anyone experienced "crunching" through the gears on a cold start? NOTE: I DON'T mean grinding!
On a related note, I am not sure if I'm getting lazy with my shifting (i.e. not putting in enough effort and not completing the shift) or if I'm actually experiencing a problem with my gears wanting to pop out. I'll be driving along when I shift and notice that I'm having to double pump the clutch and push the shifter back in place. If I don't do the double pump, the gears grind
Can anyone else comment?
On the point about putting it into 1st, I have no problems downshifting into 1st, or as I'm rolling up to a light, I can still pop it into 1st. Like another person said, it depends on if the gears are aligned properly when you try to do it.
ricohman
12-22-2009, 09:30 PM
Anyone know what the technical background is to this problem? Is it due to not having a synchro gear for 1st and R? A bit of an explanation would be appreciated. Is there a way to avoid this all together?
Has anyone experienced "crunching" through the gears on a cold start? NOTE: I DON'T mean grinding!
On a related note, I am not sure if I'm getting lazy with my shifting (i.e. not putting in enough effort and not completing the shift) or if I'm actually experiencing a problem with my gears wanting to pop out. I'll be driving along when I shift and notice that I'm having to double pump the clutch and push the shifter back in place. If I don't do the double pump, the gears grind
Can anyone else comment?
On the point about putting it into 1st, I have no problems downshifting into 1st, or as I'm rolling up to a light, I can still pop it into 1st. Like another person said, it depends on if the gears are aligned properly when you try to do it.
I've rebuilt many manual gear boxes over the year. The most often abused parts are 1st gear sychro, 2nd gear sychro and sometime 3rd.
The single biggest reason for what you are experiencing is the difference in speed between the 1st gear sychro and the speed of the gearbox mainshaft. If to big a difference exists, you cannot engage 1st gear.
This article explains it quite nicely.
http://www.albinsgear.com.au/SyncroVsDog.php
I also noticed too that going from 4th to 5th seems a little stiff...mabye just because I do mostly city driving and dont really use 5th...but going from 5th to 6th is very smooth when I need to.
Noisy Crow
12-23-2009, 04:54 PM
On a related note, I am not sure if I'm getting lazy with my shifting (i.e. not putting in enough effort and not completing the shift)
Like another person said, it depends on if the gears are aligned properly when you try to do it.
I hope when you say "not enough effort" you don't mean "not enough force". You should be able to change gears with one finger (or at least the force you can apply with one finger).
For reverse, misalignment of the gears is possible, as there is no syncro in reverse. So sometimes you need to cycle the clutch to get the reverse gear spinning so the teeth can engage. For 1st though gear though the pins and holes should mate up without a lot of effort.
How Stuff Works has a great section on manual transmissions:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission3.htm
Donutz
12-23-2009, 05:22 PM
I also noticed too that going from 4th to 5th seems a little stiff...mabye just because I do mostly city driving and dont really use 5th...but going from 5th to 6th is very smooth when I need to.
Yes, this is the case. It will loosen up over time. I had the same experience with my car.
well i dont think pushing harder is always the best idea lol
Zoom Zoom Boy
01-09-2010, 09:58 AM
To address a couple of earlier posts. Dan is correct, Mazda rebuilds 5spd manual tranny's and 'typically' does not rebuild auto tranny's.
...and, I'm sorry, but it baffles me as to why anyone would willingly choose to downshift a moving car back into 1st gear. Why? Do you hate your car? It is simply not required and if your tranny and synchros could speak to you, they would be calling you very, very bad names. Just leave the car in 2nd and if you're close to coming to a dead stop, or actually come to a dead stop, then by all means put it into first.
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