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02_Legacy
10-07-2009, 10:28 PM
This is my first manual car so this may be a noobish question but...
It it normal to not be able to downshift into 1st gear untill your going under about 10mph. I have tried double clutching and it makes no difference, which makes me think that it is some sorta saftey thing that is built in, and it is really anoying me. So is this normal for any manual transmission, is it specific to Subaru's, or is something wrong with my transmission.
ouch1011
10-07-2009, 11:08 PM
Normal. Its because in order to shift back into 1st at anything more than 10mph the 1st gear synchro has to really quickly accelerate the gears in the trans quite a bit (think of how fast the engine is spinning at like 20mph...4000rpm or so?) If you rev match it will go in pretty easily. A lot of newer cars have double-cone synchros for the lower gears to make them more effective, so many newer cars can shift back into 1st more easily. I don't think the Subarus got double cone synchros until like 04 or so.
jey
10-08-2009, 02:18 PM
Yeah double-clutching won't help by itself you need to double-clutch and rev-match. Over time as the synchros get more worn it gets harder to put it into 1st without rev-matching.
02_Legacy
10-08-2009, 04:52 PM
OK thanks guys
rougeben83
10-15-2009, 05:39 PM
you have to remember that this 5mt has been around for >20 years now...it doesn't have t ose doubleconed synchros like on newer trannies so shifting esp to 1st can be very tricky, if not almost impossible.
impreza_GC8
10-15-2009, 08:28 PM
Yeah double-clutching won't help by itself you need to double-clutch and rev-match. Over time as the synchros get more worn it gets harder to put it into 1st without rev-matching.
Exactly right, it can be done, but it helps to double clutch and rev it up. Or just don't put it into first while your moving very fast.
1-3-2-4
11-02-2009, 03:34 PM
Sometimes if I'm rolling at 5 mph and I try to get myself in 1st I can feel it fighting and I may or may not get a little kick out of the shifter or sometimes I just wait until I'm stopped.
anothernord
11-04-2009, 02:00 PM
Yep, totally normal for our year transmissions. Certain new 5MT's have dual cone syncros and can be downshifted under a roll. I can't recall what years though.