Shifting Without the Clutch?
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Launching!
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 270
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Shifting Without the Clutch? So... on the way to my dentist appointment today going from 2nd to 3rd my clutch pedal lost all resistance and fell to the floor. I pulled it out of gear to try and get into 4th but the clutch pedal was sitting on the floor and all I could do was grind gears. So after I pull over I shut off the car and reach my hand up inside above the clutch pedal and realize the pedal lever fell off the cylinder. Of course I have absolutely no tools so I can't take off the lower dash to fix it and I wasn't really entirely sure if that was the problem anyway.
So anyway, I ended up pulling off to the side of the road in a bad place so I wanted to at least get to an area where I could get a tow safely. With the car off, I put it in 1st,presssed down the clutch pedal, turned the key, and gave it some gas, then I was moving again in 1st gear. Well, I didn't want to overheat the transmission and would prefer to go faster than 15 mph so I tried going into second....few failed attempts and a little grinding but figured out with the right MPH and RPM it would fall right in. Did the same until I was in 4th grear...drove about 15 miles to a parking lot where I was at least safe.
Once I was in the parking lot, I was able to get some tools and re-attach the pedal well enough to get to my mechanic's shop.
My question is, do you think I may have done some damage to my transmission/clutch by doing this? I had to start the car while in 1st gear about 3 times to get somewhere safe. I also grinded some gears trying to get into 4th about 3-4 times. It seemed to run/drive fine once I get the clutch pedal re-attached but just wondering what time of damage this would cause?
So anyway, I ended up pulling off to the side of the road in a bad place so I wanted to at least get to an area where I could get a tow safely. With the car off, I put it in 1st,presssed down the clutch pedal, turned the key, and gave it some gas, then I was moving again in 1st gear. Well, I didn't want to overheat the transmission and would prefer to go faster than 15 mph so I tried going into second....few failed attempts and a little grinding but figured out with the right MPH and RPM it would fall right in. Did the same until I was in 4th grear...drove about 15 miles to a parking lot where I was at least safe.
Once I was in the parking lot, I was able to get some tools and re-attach the pedal well enough to get to my mechanic's shop.
My question is, do you think I may have done some damage to my transmission/clutch by doing this? I had to start the car while in 1st gear about 3 times to get somewhere safe. I also grinded some gears trying to get into 4th about 3-4 times. It seemed to run/drive fine once I get the clutch pedal re-attached but just wondering what time of damage this would cause?
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Yeah around 3800-4200 you can slip into gear with no grind. If you hold it at the gate you can feel the resistance let off and it will just fall right in within that RPM range. Not great to do this cause im sure it causes undue wear on transmission components, but you are probably fine for the day you had to do it.
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,861
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From: Ringoes/Flemington, New Jersey
if you mean RPM matching... its not too bad. next time, if the pedal is "to the floor"... shut the car off if you stop, and just have the starter start you in first. I think that would do less damage than just shoving the shifter into gears and grinding the **** out of your trans...
