Honda Car Forum

I have an 06 accord 5 speed manual (4 cyl) and I'm having some problems
getting into first on occasion (usually when going to a stop, I'll put it in
first at the light or whatnot) it just seems mroe difficult that it should
be (and yes the clutch is all the way down) the car only has 1,000 miles on
it, I'm just wondering if anyone is having problems with this, could it be a
damaged syncro (already?) or is it something else? thanks

-Nick

I have experienced that on occation. There is really no reason for
alarm. What I normally do is shift into 2nd or third... then back into
1st. That generally lines thinngs up where it'll go right in.

Professor
www.telstar-electronics.com

Trying to jam it into first while your still moving is not a great idea from
what i have gathered. The reason that you can't get it into first is that
the synchros need to spin up to speed. You can hear it, when you really jam
it there is a high pitched whine that happens.

Best practice would be to not jam it into first until at or almost at a stop.

t

Professor wrote:
>I have experienced that on occation. There is really no reason for
>alarm. What I normally do is shift into 2nd or third... then back into
>1st. That generally lines thinngs up where it'll go right in.
>
>Professor
>www.telstar-electronics.com

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"T L via CarKB.com" <u10197@uwe> wrote in message news:5a1cc29bf60d2@uwe...
> Trying to jam it into first while your still moving is not a great idea
from
> what i have gathered. The reason that you can't get it into first is that
> the synchros need to spin up to speed. You can hear it, when you really
jam
> it there is a high pitched whine that happens.
>
> Best practice would be to not jam it into first until at or almost at a
stop.
>

ok, thats usually when I do put it in first, sometiems I'm at a complete
stop and still havea hard time getting it in 1st. shouldn't you be able to
go form 2nd to first, say for ex your downshifting and slowing and then you
need to speed up again (I dunno, say a bus loses it's breaks and is
barrelling ass tword you, haha)

Nick Vital wrote:
> ok, thats usually when I do put it in first, sometiems I'm at a complete
> stop and still havea hard time getting it in 1st. shouldn't you be able to
> go form 2nd to first, say for ex your downshifting and slowing and then you
> need to speed up again (I dunno, say a bus loses it's breaks and is
> barrelling ass tword you, haha)

This is not a "problem" that can be fixed. It's just how it was
designed. What was your previous stickshift model(s) that you have
driven?

I had the same experience as you when I got my 2001 Civic manual, which
was my first Honda. I immediately noticed that it would not downshift
into 1st until the car was pretty much at a complete stop (less than 2
mph). Yes, I know that it is the synchros, but how come all the
previous stickshifts I had driven (Subura, Mazda, Toyota) could all
easily downshift into 1st at 5 mph? Especially given how wimpy the
torque is on a Civic, you can' t even accelerate in 2nd gear when
you're going 5 mph, you really need to downshift into 1st at 5 mph.

Anyways, a few years later, I learned about synchros, layshafts, and
double clutching. Now I use double clutching all the time to easily
downshift into 1st gear. Reading these few pages will help:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission3.htm
You can search around for how to double clutch for downshifting.
Basically, you want to be coasting in neutral with the clutch up. Rev
the engine so that RPM goes to about 1500 (or whatever to match the RPM
required to go at current mph in 1st gear). Quickly shift into first
normally. It takes a little practice.

> This is not a "problem" that can be fixed. It's just how it was
> designed. What was your previous stickshift model(s) that you have
> driven?
>

my last car was a 2001 Nissan maxima SE 5 speed, and the car I had previous
that was a stick shift was a 93 saturn SL2 5 speed, it's funny cause I don't
remember it doing this in my saturn (although I'm not as it was a while ago)
and it definetly did it in my nissan as well

Take it back to the dealer and explain the problem to them. I have owned 2
Accords and a Prelude all with 5 speeds and never had a problem like this
even after thousands of miles.

"Nick Vital" <drnick5@cox.net> wrote in message
news:qpvwf.51725$ih5.23709@dukeread11...
> I have an 06 accord 5 speed manual (4 cyl) and I'm having some problems
> getting into first on occasion (usually when going to a stop, I'll put it
in
> first at the light or whatnot) it just seems mroe difficult that it should
> be (and yes the clutch is all the way down) the car only has 1,000 miles
on
> it, I'm just wondering if anyone is having problems with this, could it be
a
> damaged syncro (already?) or is it something else? thanks
>
> -Nick
>
>

On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 15:35:25 -0500, "Nick Vital" <drnick5@cox.net>
wrote:
>> Best practice would be to not jam it into first until at or almost at a
>stop.
>
>ok, thats usually when I do put it in first, sometiems I'm at a complete
>stop and still havea hard time getting it in 1st. shouldn't you be able to
>go form 2nd to first, say for ex your downshifting and slowing and then you
>need to speed up again (I dunno, say a bus loses it's breaks and is
>barrelling ass tword you, haha)


Should almost never need to shift from second to first while moving,
use the brakes, brake pads are cheaper than syncros!


J.

JXStern wrote:
> Should almost never need to shift from second to first while moving

I disagree. There are many situations where is it is convenient to
downshift into 1st while moving: making a turn, bumper to bumper
traffic, going over speed bumps, basically any time that you're going
slower than 10 mph, and want to accelerate without coming to a complete
stop first.

While it may not be the case for a V6, entry level models like Civics
do not have enough power to accelerate under 10 mph in 2nd gear.

In article <1136855528.576899.180380@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
"Bucky" <uw_badgers@email.com> wrote:

> > Should almost never need to shift from second to first while moving
>
> I disagree. There are many situations where is it is convenient to
> downshift into 1st while moving: making a turn, bumper to bumper
> traffic, going over speed bumps, basically any time that you're going
> slower than 10 mph, and want to accelerate without coming to a complete
> stop first.

Wrong.

The ONLY thing first gear is for, is to get the car moving from a
complete dead stop.

Really.

If you're already moving, 2nd gear is more than adequate to do the
job--any job.

And in fact, 2nd gear can get you going from a dead stop, too--although
not as efficiently and easily as 1st gear.

Anytime you're slower than 10mph and you want to accelerate, you go to
2nd gear and do it.