Quote:
Originally Posted by JCH1218
. . . if I'm waiting at a stop light and put the trans into neutral and let the clutch out, when I push the clutch back in and try for first, it will grind at me until the gears mesh and it eventually goes in, . . .
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 56sedandelivery
Letting the clutch out in neutral allows the input shaft to spin. This throws the gears out of sync. The shift to 2nd realigns them allowing you to go to 1st again without the grinding. Nature of the beast without a synced 1st gear. ...
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What
56sedandelivery said is my understanding as well.
Letting the clutch pedal out in neutral grabs the clutch disc and spins the 'front' / input side of the trans up to engine rpm, while the output half of the trans is stopped.
As you discovered, pushing the clutch in and shifting to a synchronized gear (2nd or 3rd) before selecting 1st gear should take care of it. Third might work out better in the long run, to put less wear on the 2nd gear syncro rings. ???
Being able to anticipate the traffic light changing helps you get ready. I often watch for the traffic light for cross-traffic to change to yellow then red just before my light goes green. (allowing for green turn-arrows too) If the light will be changing soon just leave it in 1st with the clutch in. Yes, unfamiliar traffic lights can be a crap shoot for deciding which to do.
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