Starting in second gear. When and why?

[Kelemvor]

Or cars like a Dodge Viper where first gear only lasts about a second before you have to shift anyway...

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
My friend managed to start my car in 3rd once. That's no easy feat in an Accord.

One of my college roommates claimed he could do it in 4th... but that was in a Festiva.

I only start in 2nd if I haven't come to a complete stop, otherwise there's not much point.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
My friend managed to start my car in 3rd once. That's no easy feat in an Accord.

Heh..I was teaching someone to drive a manual trans car and she was having a rough time..wasn't until we finally got moving that I realized she had been in third the whole time. I didn't know my car could even start in 3rd..

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: psteng19

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
My WRX doesn't let me shift into first unless i'm traveling at less than 3 mph (approximately). This can be bad if you're slowing down for traffic and you're under 10 mph, and traffic starts moving again. Since I'm usually already in 2nd gear in this scenario, I can either A) Double Clutch into 1st or B) Just keep it in 2nd and sometimes bog the engine. I usually choose the latter of the two becauase I'm not good at double clutching.

It's not just your car. Happens in mine's as well.
I just double clutch.

i really need a lesson on double clutching... on a side note, even at like 5 miles an hour in 1st.. seems i'm already reaching 4 grand. I just let it sit in 2nd in traffic.. it usually doesn't bog that much.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I'll do it if I'm starting at a roll (5MPH or downhill) to save on a gear change, or in my dad's truck where 1st is a 5.62:1 ratio and only used for very low speed maneuvers (redlines at something like 8MPH) and towing.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Colt45
when you're driving your 1971 Impala with bald tires in the snow, second gear helps

Because sometimes, even in the winter, you just gotta have a Colt 45 and some fried chicken.

 

[dmurray14]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I'll do it if I'm starting at a roll (5MPH or downhill) to save on a gear change, or in my dad's truck where 1st is a 5.62:1 ratio and only used for very low speed maneuvers (redlines at something like 8MPH) and towing.

:Q

And yeah, I only use it for snow...

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: NutBucket
My friend managed to start my car in 3rd once. That's no easy feat in an Accord.

Heh..I was teaching someone to drive a manual trans car and she was having a rough time..wasn't until we finally got moving that I realized she had been in third the whole time. I didn't know my car could even start in 3rd..

I did that once when I was first learning how to drive. I was driving my dad's pickup and stalled it. Fired it back up and stalled it again. Did it twice before I realized I was in 3rd

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: psteng19

Originally posted by: scorpmatt

Originally posted by: Cheezeit

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I do it when I'm hurting for traction on Ice or Snow. Less torque makes it easier to get going.

Maybe you live in a part of the country with no snow/ice, but trust me its a lifesaver sometimes. Thats the only time its useful IMO though.

bah, I live in michigan

too bad you cant do it with automatic transmission

you can, the shifter should have gear numbers after drive, mine just has a 2, but i've seen some with 3, 2, 1 or low

I was under the impression that '2' in an automatic means second gear is as high as it goes.
Sorta like D3 (overdrive off) in a Honda. The overdrive gear (4th) is off.

It depends on the car. Some autos will take off in second if you put it in 2 while most just ignore it and start in 1st and will only go as high as 2nd. Auto Mercedes atleast the older ones always start in 2nd unless you manually put the shifter in 1st. Suppose to make it smoother.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: scorpmatt

Originally posted by: Cheezeit

Originally posted by: AMDZen
I do it when I'm hurting for traction on Ice or Snow. Less torque makes it easier to get going.

Maybe you live in a part of the country with no snow/ice, but trust me its a lifesaver sometimes. Thats the only time its useful IMO though.

bah, I live in michigan

too bad you cant do it with automatic transmission

you can, the shifter should have gear numbers after drive, mine just has a 2, but i've seen some with 3, 2, 1 or low

Bingo. And some GM's (mid-90's) even have a "2nd Gear Start" button on lower left of the dash. Really helped w/my 95 Grand Prix & the torquey 3.1L, that bitch was fun

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: psteng19
I was under the impression that '2' in an automatic means second gear is as high as it goes.
Sorta like D3 (overdrive off) in a Honda. The overdrive gear (4th) is off.

From my experience, you have 4 actual gears and then "overdrive," which IIRC uses the torque converter as an extra gear(????). I heard this described once and am not intimately familiar with the mechanical workings of a torque converter, so please forgive me if this is entirely wrong.

On a '99 Sonoma I-4 auto I had, it had 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Drive. In my '93 Concorde V6 auto I have L(ow), 3rd, and Drive. I can distinctly drive and feel it go from 1st-->2nd-->3rd-->4th and then if I'm just cruising RPM's will drop again as if there was another gear; that is overdrive.

Feel free to correct me

 

[phantom309]

Originally posted by: psteng19

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
My WRX doesn't let me shift into first unless i'm traveling at less than 3 mph (approximately). This can be bad if you're slowing down for traffic and you're under 10 mph, and traffic starts moving again. Since I'm usually already in 2nd gear in this scenario, I can either A) Double Clutch into 1st or B) Just keep it in 2nd and sometimes bog the engine. I usually choose the latter of the two becauase I'm not good at double clutching.

It's not just your car. Happens in mine's as well.
I just double clutch.

Mine too. REALLY ANNOYING at autocross - in a car that makes no power whatsoever below three grand, coming out of a tight curve in second is aaaaagonizing slow. You sure don't need to start off in second gear in the snow, though.

OP: Starting in second won't hurt your engine, but it is very hard on your clutch.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
My friend managed to start my car in 3rd once. That's no easy feat in an Accord.

Haha - I've done it many a time when I was learning to drive stick in my 'stang...kept mistaking 3rd for 1st and wondering why in the hell am I not moving

 

[Jawo]

the linkage connecting 1st gear is getting stupid at times...therefore start out it 2nd....