mis-shifted, 2nd to 1st.

[CHAMBMW]

well, here's the deal. i was out testing my car. i went WOT from 1st to 2nd (did a nice little chirp) then shifted back to first thinking it was 3rd (driver Error)

my rpm jumped all the way to redline, a little past....say 7300? i dunno. but soon as i realized i F***** up. i put it back to neutral right away and put it to third.

now i smell the clutch and it stinks. what damaged have i done to my engine? is it still okay? it's not like my rpm was bouncin at redline. i say it was at redline for not even a second. i didn't put any gas on it while it was in first.

is this considered the infamous "MONEY SHIFT"?

i know it's my fault but i think the damn gearbox is kind of messed up. any info is appreciated.



:chix

[quickslvr387]

that would be the money shift but it doesnt seem like too bad of one...did you notice anything different after you did it?

[Ali]

If you catched it real fast you've probably bent a valve or two. Not as bad as blowing it, but you're going to have the head opened anyways. There is no way nothing happened unless you caught it before it went past redline (8k, although i'd say you will damage something after 7.5k or so)

[hal9000]

The infamous money shift is more the 5th to 2nd (instead of 4th) shift. However, a 2nd to 1st can also be $. About the only real thing that'll tell if you have done major damage (guessing that the car runs fine now - no CE's or any idling issues) is to do a leakdown and compression check. If you're going FI later one, it's not going to hurt to see those numbers anyway.

How high up were you in 2nd? Chances are you're OK. The top of 2nd isn't nearly as energetic as the bottom of 5th.

[extremeM3]

Put the car in neutral and let it idle. Does your idle bounce or does it stay the same. Wihle in neutral, rev up to about 6k. Any hesistations or sounds that are different?

A bent valve @ idle sounds like this awful clunking sound and the car will shake and the rpms should bounce.

If nothing than man.. i would pray to whatever God you believe in because you just saved yourself 1k-5k worth of money.

[Daved]

I've miss-shifted from 2nd to 1st lots of times too (always while talking on the cellphone) without any hurts but never at the red line.

[dinomite]

I though the wouldn't go into first above 25MPH?

[extremeM3]

Originally posted by dinomite
I though the wouldn't go into first above 25MPH?


lol bmw trannies will allow you to throw her into first even going @ 100mph +. I dont advise you give it a try though

[Rahul325]

Originally posted by hal9000
The infamous money shift is more the 5th to 2nd (instead of 4th) shift.

actually the money shift is going from 3rd to 2nd, this normally happens when ur trying to go from 3rd to 4th and pull the shifter towards you forcing it into 2nd.

[surfacewound]

Originally posted by dinomite
I though the wouldn't go into first above 25MPH?

That's what I was about to say. I didn't even think it would even LET you shift it into first gear going over a certain (low) speed.

[Rahul325]

Originally posted by extremeM3
lol bmw trannies will allow you to throw her into first even going @ 100mph +. I dont advise you give it a try though

it may ALLOW you, but be ready to get lot of work done on the engine if u ever shift into 1st at 100 :D

[surfacewound]

Originally posted by extremeM3
lol bmw trannies will allow you to throw her into first even going @ 100mph +. I dont advise you give it a try though

There's no way in hell mine would. You'd have to FORCE it gear really hard.
When I slow down to go into my driveway I downshift to first because my driveway goes uphill. I have to be going really slow for it to go into gear, or else it just won't take it, simple as that. I guess anyone could be careless and just jam it in gear really hard, but I'd never do that. It doesn't accept first gear until I'm going really slowly.

[extremeM3]

Originally posted by surfacewound
There's no way in hell mine would. You'd have to FORCE it gear really hard.
When I slow down to go into my driveway I downshift to first because my driveway goes uphill. I have to be going really slow for it to go into gear, or else it just won't take it, simple as that. I guess anyone could be careless and just jam it in gear really hard, but I'd never do that. It doesn't accept first gear until I'm going really slowly.


lol i have seen people try to downshift on automatics from like overdrive to D2 or something like that and they accidentally put it into reverse going 80mph . This was in a civic by the way.

Yeah stupid people are out there.... sooo.. i am sure someone , someplace , some time will do a 3rd to 1st shift

[JSN]

Originally posted by extremeM3
lol bmw trannies will allow you to throw her into first even going @ 100mph +. I dont advise you give it a try though

I don't understand all the hype about money shifts. my car won't go into 1st unless I am stopped or almost stopped. 2nd to 3rd is very distinct. 5th to 4th always worries me a little, but it's not as bad as people say :dunno

[96m3]

I agree with Rahul325,going from 3rd to 4th it would fall into 2nd.I felt it too many times.SSK and TME's took care of the problem.I hope your car is ok.
In all the years I have owned this car I dont think I have ever downshifted from 2nd to 1st.These cars have so much low end torque,you dont need to.
Martin

[ImageDynamicsM3]

"money" shift = 3rd to 2nd.

Shifting from 2nd to 1st sounds pretty hard to do LOL.

If you caught it in time before the clutch fully engaged you should be alright. Take the car to get a compression check just to be safe if nothing seems wrong.

[MBimmer182]

My car will not let me go into 1st at like 10mph not sure about yours though

[CHAMBMW]

my car seems normal, i dunno.... no CE's or idling issues so far. i've tried revving it to 6k..and it revs with no hesitation. i hope i didn't bend any valves.

how much would a compression test be anyways?

Mbimmer182, and yes my car lets me in first...i don't understand why yours doesnt.

[bimma]

Easy on the shifting there buddy, you dont want to blow your baby's engine just from that, it has to be at least worth it, like maybe a race against an identical Bimmer, etc... I'm sure from what you've said you probably got lucky and got away with it, however just to be on the safe side, you might want to do some tests on your engine including a compression test, timing, etc.. just to double check that everything is operating normally in that sucker.

[themadhatter]

Originally posted by Rahul325
actually the money shift is going from 3rd to 2nd, this normally happens when ur trying to go from 3rd to 4th and pull the shifter towards you forcing it into 2nd.

I've done that once already. I caught it but it was still a scary feeling as the car screams - this was redline 3rd into second. :eek:

either way, if the motor blows, it'll be a great excuse to ship it out to Chuck Stickley while I'm out of town. :evil2

-Ron

[binh]

so you blew your motor already ron?;)

[themadhatter]

nah, not yet - just snapped my diff bolt from shifting like a maniac.

I've now got my 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 shift down perfectly. that dodge viper didn't have a chance. ;)

this "incident" was awhile ago. maybe 4 weeks ago? no biggie but like I said, it's just another reason to bury more money into the car.

-Ron

[saksiri]

Originally posted by surfacewound
There's no way in hell mine would. You'd have to FORCE it gear really hard.
When I slow down to go into my driveway I downshift to first because my driveway goes uphill. I have to be going really slow for it to go into gear, or else it just won't take it, simple as that.

double-clutching will let you get into 1st with no resistance... look it up!

[surfacewound]

Why would I double clutch while slowing down to go into my driveway? :dunno
It's not a problem because I'm coming to a near stop to make an 80 degree turn and go up a hill anyway.

[themadhatter]

I can't see how shifting into first is such a problem. You can't be moving too quickly to get into the gear which helps you from snapping your neck from jumping into a gear so low.

-Ron

[E30 Stu]

Who cares what the "money shift" refers to. The point is that any missed gear is a mechanical overrev.

The first things to go are the exhaust valves. They will collide with the piston tops putting a larger indentation in the valve cutouts and slightly bend the exhaust valves. Sometimes bending them to an extreme, or breaking them. If it's a high enough RPM, the valve will break through the piston and land in the oil pan; Seen it numerous times.

I would do a compression check and possibly have the head pulled if I were you.

[Def]

Originally posted by surfacewound
Why would I double clutch while slowing down to go into my driveway? :dunno
It's not a problem because I'm coming to a near stop to make an 80 degree turn and go up a hill anyway.

...because double clutching matches the intermediate shaft speed to the input shaft speed and reduces wear on the synchros on shifts that aren't "easy."

It's not necessary, especially in these cars since the transmission is excellent, but it's a good skill to have when the transmission decides to be stubborn.

[surfacewound]

Well I learned how to double clutch a few years ago just for the sake of knowing it, but to be honest I quite rarely ever actually do it.

[Def]

Originally posted by surfacewound
Well I learned how to double clutch a few years ago just for the sake of knowing it, but to be honest I quite rarely ever actually do it.

Exactly. Our modern synchro transmissions make it largely unnecessary, but I use it here and there.

Just another skill to have in the bag.