On Wed, 18 Mar 1998 12:09:08 -0800 Kelvin Dodd <kdodd@West.net> writes:
>A couple of notes to add to the fray.
>
> Non synchro first gears. The biggest problem I have had is
>with
>carbon t/o bearing cars and traffic lights. At the red light the car
>is
>normally kept in neutral with the clutch out. This means the input
>shaft and cluster gear are spinning around merrily at engine speed.
>When the light turns green, the immediate response is to press in the
>clutch, engage 1st gear and leave. The problem is that it takes a
>couple of moments for the merrily spinning gears to slow after the
>clutch is engaged. With a non-sunchro box, the lay gear must be
>stationary with respect to the first gear sliding hub. The first gear
>
>must either be sped up (tough to do, since the car is standing still)
>or
>the lay gear must be slowed down. In a synchro box the slowing down
>is
>achieved by a tapered brass sleeve working on a hardened section of
>gear. In a nonsynchro box the speed matching is taken care of by an
>interaction of driver brute force and expensive, fragile gear teeth.
>The noisy demise of which is well known to all of us.
> The ways to depart stoplights then are; Anticipate the light
>and engage the clutch early, giving the gears time to slow. Engage
>the
>clutch when the light turns green, then wait until you deem the noise
>of
>honking cars, or grinding gear teeth is preferable.
A much easier solution is to get into the habit of engaging 2nd gear
before engaging first. This allows the syncronsers to engage a gear, thus
stopping the layshaft motion, and thus a noisless shift into 1st.
With a bit of practice, it becomes second nature. After 15 years of
driving a Midget (3 syncro box), I still do it on the B, even though it
has syncro 1st.
Rick Morrison
72 MGBGT
74 Midget
> Whilst sitting at a green light waiting for my Mini
>Cooper's expensive transmission to nick into gear it occurred to me
>that
>there is probably a good reason why there are so many roundabouts in
>England.
>
> Double clutching and heel and toe. I don't know about anyone
>else, but my feet will not heel and toe a 68-76 MGB. I have used more
>
>of a foot/side of foot rolling action. The gas pedal was modified on
>later cars to allow easier use. The Paddy Hopkirk pedal does work
>well
>on the 63-67 MGB. I keep on meaning to modify my 65 race car, before
>I
>wear out my ankle joint and race shoes trying to keep the Weber from
>coughing.
> Double clutching an English car when careening around the
>neighborhood is as required as gunning a Harley at stoplights. When
>else do you have a chance to really enjoy the sound of the exhaust and
>
>alarms going off.
> It is also a required British car survival skill, along the
>lines of parking on a hill. Once, during my college days I drove an
>Austin Marina (very fragile gearbox) for a week with no clutch.
>Starting in gear, and double clutching became a honed technique. It
>was
>almost boring after rebuilding the master cylinder.
>
>Kelvin.
>
>
>
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