Consequences of Bad Shift

[phita23]

What are the consequences, short and long term, of a trying to get into a gear without the clutch being fully depressed. The car makes a grinding noise, and you're forced to go into neutral and try to engange the gear again.

I am not talking about a money shift.

[wheel-man]

a new tranny.

[phita23]

I didn't want to see that response.

[wheel-man]

seriously though, accidently a couple of times, no worries.

any problems with engaging gears since?

[phita23]

No problems if I make sure I press the clutch down all the way and then put it in gear.

Sometimes the shifter feels like it's in gear, but it's not, and it will pop back into neutral. What's going on there? Did I not press the clutch down enough?

[wheel-man]

yeah, you may not be past your clutch's friction point...

is it happening on up shifts or down shifts?

when was your tranny oil changed last?

[cantona7]

How old is your car? My car did the pop back into neutral twice when I first got it. Hasn't done it since the end of the break-in period and I'll be hitting 10K miles on my way home today. Grinding the gears is obviously not good for the tranny, but doing it accidently once or twice won't hurt it.

[phita23]

Happens on upshifts. Usually 1-2 or 2-3 when I'm trying to shift quickly. My car is just a month old, has about 800 miles on it.

[wheel-man]

sounds like you're probably disengaging the clutch before the car is in gear....

may just need to break in the tranny a little more... but, with 1-2, 2-3 being the time when it happens, i think your probably coming off the clutch too soon...

oh yeah, 800 city or hwy miles? if city, maybe need to change the tranny oil.

[phita23]

It's about a mix. I gotta change fluids after just 800 miles? What else do I need to change in the near future?

[wheel-man]

800miles would be to soon to change unless you were doing all city...

would probably get a change at about 1000-1200, some go until 3000, although some like an oil change every 500.

tranny oil usually lasts 20k.

think you should be a little less light on the toes when shifting from 1-2, 2-3 and all should be good.

does happen when you're driving at a 'medium pace'?

[phita23]

This usually only happens when I drive sort of hard. I'm still tyring to baby the car most of the time while its in break-in.

Are all these fluid changes covered under warantee? I know the oil change is.

[wheel-man]

i'm not sure actually if tranny oil change is covered.

[Moderato]

This happened on my car 2 or 3 times the first month or so that I had it but it doesn't happen anymore. I think it was just driver's error on my part, not pulling the gear shifter all the way into gear, but it could also be the fact that the car is still breaking in. Anyway after 7 months with my 330i 6MT, I'm completely comfortable in any situation operating the manual trans, and I still have the infamous CDV installed. After 7 months with your car you will feel the same. :D

[doeboy]

i'm not sure actually if tranny oil change is covered.

Transmission fluid is considered "lifetime" by the dealer and is not covered under normal maintenance.

[Artslinger]

What are the consequences. Nothing just don't make a habit of doing it.

Sounds like you need to get used to shifting a BMW.