4 speed Trouble

[padam]

I worked with a guy when I was an apprentice, and he loved changing gears in the work van without the clutch. A real show-off.....and it wasn't his vehicle. I doubt he did that with his own car after work. I only ever change gears a couple of times without the clutch, and it was in an emergency - clutch cable broke in my work car. I didn't like doing it then, I don't enjoy doing it now.

To me it's like shoving a fork-full of food into your mouth while clenching your teeth.

I had a ford pick-up l used to shift with out the clutch.

After awhile it wouldn't stay in gear, so I dropped that practice.

 

[padam]

In my mind, there's a certain amount of friction required to hold the transmission in gear.

Shifting without the clutch can increase wear on those parts.

That's just my theory.

 

[Cranky]

I also learned how to shift without a clutch a long time ago but only did it to see if I could. It did pay off a couple of times when something messed up in the clutch or linkage but didn't employ it on a regular basis but always went to neutral when coming to a stop without touching the clutch. That's just too easy not to do lol We also had some machines (machine shop) you could shift up if the load wasn't too high so we could maintain a good finish on the final cut when we were machining something with large diameter. Surface feet per minute is important to get a good looking finish as you get closer to the smaller diameter.

please explain the process on how to powershift

To me a power shift is full power shifting with the throttle on the floor and held there while making the quickest shift possible using the clutch. If you're good, the tach shouldn't show any rise in RPM. Things need to be right to do this and using a good shifter along with a good clutch setup is key. Some call this speed shifting but that to me is letting off the throttle quickly and jumping back into the throttle while making the shift as fast as possible.....but still using the clutch. If you're good at speed shifting, it sounds almost like you power shifted. If you're good at power shifting, it should should like an automatic trans....

 

[BSB67]

To me a power shift is full power shifting with the throttle on the floor and held there while making the quickest shift possible.....

Same. Full throttle upshifts

This is the first I've heard someone referring to normal driving without using the clutch as power shifting. It's actually the opposite of what occurs: no load (power) with throttle rpm and gear synchronized shift.

I'll need to remember this alternate use of the term to potentially avoid confusion. Kinda like installing the cam "straight-up", which apparently has three different meanings.

 

[WileE]

To me it's like shoving a fork-full of food into your mouth while clenching your teeth.

No wonder I always saw most of my food fall back on the plate.

 

[Cranky]

Same. Full throttle upshifts

This is the first I've heard someone referring to normal driving without using the clutch as power shifting. It's actually the opposite of what occurs: no load (power) with throttle rpm and gear synchronized shift.

I'll need to remember this alternate use of the term to potentially avoid confusion. Kinda like installing the cam "straight-up", which apparently has three different meanings.

I left out the fact that I use the clutch when making full power shifts or when getting off the throttle slightly and quickly while shifting as fast as possible.....so I edited that in my previous post. Use to have a Jerico 4speed that you were supposed to be able to shift using full power without using the clutch but was told it would reduce wear to go ahead and use the clutch.

 

[dadsbee]

I guess I called it power shifting as you add power to downshift and what I as originally telling him to do.. "try power shifting from 3rd to 2nd to rule out the shifter being worn out". What ever you want to call it I've been doing it to the Bee since 1979. She has 157,000 miles on an untouched #'s A833 and I also had the #'s trans in a 69 Fury for awhile from '77 to '79 to add a few more miles to it. Still shifts like silk, clutch or no clutch. Doesn't fall out of gear or make any noise that it shouldn't.... so my thought is maybe clutchless shifting has saved it from wear. Now if you start grinding and chipping teeth from doing it wrong... lol

 

[BSB67]

I guess I called it power shifting as you add power to downshift and what I as originally telling him to do.. l

I think we agree, it's just a terminology thing. And, are you really adding power to the down shift, or just adding rpm to speed match?

 

[dadsbee]

LOL.. I'm pushing the go pedal, while going through neutral so the engine/trans input is at the right speed for the next lower gear.

 

[BSB67]

LOL.. I'm pushing the go pedal, while going through neutral so the engine/trans input is at the right speed for the next lower gear.

Yep.

 

[flatiron44]

Thanks for all the input guys this Newbie appreciates it very much. Adjusting the free play helped alot and I definitely think that's a step in the right direction. On to a fluid change...

 

[kiwigtx]

In my mind, there's a certain amount of friction required to hold the transmission in gear.

Shifting without the clutch can increase wear on those parts.

That's just my theory.

Not to mention clipping the edges off the gears, and introducing more metallic shavings into the oil supply for the bearings to make use of.

I do not subscribe to the clutch-less shift theory....unless of course it's a Ford, or a rental car...then maybe I'd do it.

But definitely not in any classic MoPar muscle car.

 

[BSB67]

I've had my GTS since 1977. Was my daily driver for several years. Took it for a ride yesterday. Shifts as smooth as can be. The clutchless 1-2 shift was as effortless as the 3-4. Maybe catastrophic failure is imminent after 43 years. My guess it'll go another 43 years just fine driving as I have.

 

[dadsbee]

Wife took video during todays 85 mile cruise.. hopefully it turned out and I'll post it up. Up shifts will almost do themselves, downshifts take knowing the sound of your car and not forcing a shift.

 

[padam]

Thanks for all the input guys this Newbie appreciates it very much. Adjusting the free play helped alot and I definitely think that's a step in the right direction. On to a fluid change...

I think adjusting the pedal free play is actually required maintenance as the clutch disk wears