abg123

Having a relatively tough time downshifting from 2 to 1st. Around 2K rpm it's fine but higher then that it's tough...I can hear someting spining and making noise. Is this a syncro problem? I can force it from 2-3.5K but higher then that wont go into first gear(I havnt really tried hard thinking I might damage something.
Cars under CPO so I might bring her in for a looksy.

GT3 Chuck

these cars have great brakes...no need to compression brake...strains the internals and a great way to get a catastrophic type II...just my opinion and the opinion of driving coaches I have had....interested in any other opinions...

996FLT6

Why u need to downshift from 2nd to 1st at a higher 2nd gear rpm? Its coasting to a stop rt? 2500-2000 is about the range. Mike Need toi try that myself.

abg123

I'm not downshifting to brake. I'm just trying to get out of 2nd and into first around 2-3K rpm while I'm rolling up to a light or stop sign.. Thats just regular daily driving. I'm not driving hard around town

GT3 Chuck

ok...rev matching 1st is tougher because of the big jump from 1st to 2nd...but if you rev match..it should slide in without much difficulty so maybe your syncro is worn...on the street, I don't pop it into first until I am nearly stopped and then I don't release the clutch

MM-Racing

it s highly likely that's a syncro but it would make the same noice from 1 to 2. There are two brass syncro in MKII: 1,2. The rest are steel. Change it quckly if you are not going to repair the gear box. Second gear syncro is the most popular failer among the syncros.

SpeedGeek

Why?

I rev-match on every downchange, but I find even with rev-matching it's difficult to get 1st gear when the car is in motion. It seems to stress the synchros so I only do it when absolutely necessary, like sometimes when crawling in bumper-to-bumper traffic. No need for 1st gear when cruising to a stop.

KOAN

My Audi is also difficult to get from 2-1 when the car is moving. I think it is best to avoid going to 1st unless the car is motionless.

datax

Chuck +1. I don't down shift to 1st unless car is motionless or barely moving. Use 2nd most of the time and 1st only to start rolling.

abg123

OK..sounds good. Maybe this is a stupid question..I'm not a person who has a great deal of knowledge about transmissions, But just as a hypothetical, shouldnt I be able to push the clutch in at any rpm and be able to put it into 1st gear? Or are the syncros there to guard against that?

SpeedGeek

The synchros (cone shaped) are there to match shaft speeds within the 'box when changing gear so that you don't have to double-clutch like in the old days. But 1st gear is difficult to sync because it requires a very rapid change of shaft speeds. So yes, theoretically you should be able to select 1st at any speed with the clutch in, but in reality it over-stresses the sync mechanism.

GT3 Chuck

have to admit that while I was out driving today your post came to mind...so I tried it several times...downshifts from 2nd to 1st at 2k to 2.5k rpm are like butter...mine is an early 2005 build MK II with 9k miles...you might try double clutching and see if it goes in smooth then you will know it's the syncro and not the gear...

abg123

:I'll give the double clutch a try and see what happens. Thanks

enthusiast

I agree with several others here, normally no reason to go down into first for the conditons you describe. Is so, double clutch (rev matching) for second or for first gear.

mooty

if you are around 2-3k rpm in 2nd you will be 4k or more in first gear, why would you drive easy around town like that. if driving easy, stay in 2nd gear and keep 2k.

that said, to get into 1st at 2k rpm, you have to rev match or blip the throttle otherwise it's hard to get in gear in ANY car.