Starting in 2nd Gear? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Manic · 10-29-2013, 03:15 AM

So, as I'm learning stick, I'm still really jerky starting in 1st and shifting into 2nd. I'm curious about starting in 2nd gear instead because I feel a lot more competent shifting between 2nd and 3rd and so on.

I've tried to do some research on it, but I've read conflicting reports. Some say it will wear the clutch faster because you're slipping it a bit longer. Other's say they start in 2nd gear and see their clutch last 80-100k miles. What's more, I've seen others state that close-ratio transmissions can start in 2nd just fine.

Obviously, I will try to learn how to start in 1st properly, but I'm just wondering if starting in 2nd is a viable option for this car? I tried searching the forums for existing topics, but no dice.

hattorihanzo · 10-29-2013, 03:23 AM

I think first is there for a reason. Don't think second gear start off is a great idea...

FRSfan111 · 10-29-2013, 03:25 AM

Start in first and ur car will be happier, do will ur tires and gas tank. U start in second only 1 of 2 ways.

A) lots of wheel spin from dumping it. This burns tires and gas.
B) lots of bogging down from not enough gas. This will consume more gas to get up to speed.

Obviously neither are going to brake the car acceptionaly fast by any means. But the car wouldn't have a first gear if it didn't serve a purpose.

If ur having trouble, first get is always the trickiest. Do what I did, find a hill and practice start/stoping with out killing it. Once you learn to feather the clutch/gas you are golden.

Manic · 10-29-2013, 03:33 AM

Interesting. While I was out practicing tonight, I tried a couple starts from 2nd. Even with wet roads (rained a couple hours ago), I didn't have any wheel spin or engine lugging. I did admittedly slip the clutch longer than I would have in 1st, but only by a half second or so.

I'm not trying to defend starting in 2nd or anything like that, I understand that starting in 1st is better for the car and a better practice in general. I just want to see if anyone else here starts in 2nd and if so, what has their experience been.

I do appreciate the responses though, all input is useful!

FRSfan111 · 10-29-2013, 03:37 AM

Lol in all honesty I can start this car in third or even fourth. The gearing is so close. But I wouldn't recommend it.

alan.chalkley · 10-29-2013, 05:33 AM

What about handbrake hill starts or edging forward in a traffic jam?
First gear is there for good reason.

ft_sjo · 10-29-2013, 06:00 AM

z3ro · 10-29-2013, 06:44 AM

I don't see any issue with 2nd gear starts. No wheels spin whatsoever (doesn't make sense that you'd spin in 2nd but not in first) and no real engine lugging. With such a short 1rst gear, 2nd is almost perfect to start off in on flat ground or downhill. I wouldn't recommend it for hills though.

Mikem53 · 10-29-2013, 07:51 AM

Figure it out.. 1st gear is there for a reason.. Learn how to drive a stick and use it. Takes practice to get it right.. Slipping 2nd gear is dumb.
By an automatic if you can't figure it out..

frosty86 · 10-29-2013, 08:12 AM

If I'm going downhill from a complete stop, I just ease into 2nd gear smoothly while the car rolls forward. Otherwise I use 1st gear to start. I just don't like the sound of engine bogging in 2nd gear on flat ground - besides, it requires extra energy and time to start movement from a higher gear.

JDMenrique · 10-29-2013, 08:38 AM

Doing a clutch pedal adjustment (in the DIY section) is really gonna help you.

Nm86 · 10-29-2013, 08:46 AM

If you had really low gears, say a jeep rubicon. 1st gear in that goes to like 15 at redline,then you may consider starting in 2nd, but this 1st gear is not that short, 30+ mph in a gear is not short. But if u don't like shifting why not just start in 6th, I mean what could it hurt? You would just need to slip the clutch for like 30 seconds, take it to an extreme when you think about it, that will allow you to see the damage you are causing.

trigger happy · 10-29-2013, 08:51 AM

start in 1st, just practice more

whaap · 10-29-2013, 08:57 AM

Probably nothing wrong with starting in second but instead I suggest you work on polishing your skills. Try starting in first gear but not taking it up very high in the rpm range. Start slow and shift into second 'slowly'. Use first gear to do little more than get the car rolling. It takes a lot of practice to become good with a manual. Don't give up. Keep in mind that just because a person drives a car with a manual transmission doesn't mean they have to drive it hard. You can drive a manual as nice and easy as your neighbor can drive his automatic.

10-29-2013, 03:15 AM	#1
Manic Is not fast. Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2014 Whiteout M/T Location: SoCal Posts: 521 Thanks: 208 Thanked 473 Times in 198 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Starting in 2nd Gear? So, as I'm learning stick, I'm still really jerky starting in 1st and shifting into 2nd. I'm curious about starting in 2nd gear instead because I feel a lot more competent shifting between 2nd and 3rd and so on. I've tried to do some research on it, but I've read conflicting reports. Some say it will wear the clutch faster because you're slipping it a bit longer. Other's say they start in 2nd gear and see their clutch last 80-100k miles. What's more, I've seen others state that close-ratio transmissions can start in 2nd just fine. Obviously, I will try to learn how to start in 1st properly, but I'm just wondering if starting in 2nd is a viable option for this car? I tried searching the forums for existing topics, but no dice.

10-29-2013, 03:25 AM	#3
FRSfan111 Sideways and smiling! Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: First 86 FRS 5/8/2012 (second US) Location: Oregon Posts: 941 Thanks: 17 Thanked 273 Times in 179 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Start in first and ur car will be happier, do will ur tires and gas tank. U start in second only 1 of 2 ways. A) lots of wheel spin from dumping it. This burns tires and gas. B) lots of bogging down from not enough gas. This will consume more gas to get up to speed. Obviously neither are going to brake the car acceptionaly fast by any means. But the car wouldn't have a first gear if it didn't serve a purpose. If ur having trouble, first get is always the trickiest. Do what I did, find a hill and practice start/stoping with out killing it. Once you learn to feather the clutch/gas you are golden. __________________ My build http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...08#post1283608

10-29-2013, 03:37 AM	#5
FRSfan111 Sideways and smiling! Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: First 86 FRS 5/8/2012 (second US) Location: Oregon Posts: 941 Thanks: 17 Thanked 273 Times in 179 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Lol in all honesty I can start this car in third or even fourth. The gearing is so close. But I wouldn't recommend it. __________________ My build http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...08#post1283608

10-29-2013, 08:51 AM	#13
trigger happy Bang Bang Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 Raven FR-S Location: louisville, ky Posts: 216 Thanks: 334 Thanked 61 Times in 45 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	start in 1st, just practice more __________________ Raven 6MT//Injen CAI//VDS UEL//Invidia N1//OFT//ST Coilovers

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10-29-2013, 03:23 AM	#2
hattorihanzo Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: 2007 Lexus IS350 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I think first is there for a reason. Don't think second gear start off is a great idea...

10-29-2013, 03:33 AM	#4
Manic Is not fast. Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2014 Whiteout M/T Location: SoCal Posts: 521 Thanks: 208 Thanked 473 Times in 198 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Interesting. While I was out practicing tonight, I tried a couple starts from 2nd. Even with wet roads (rained a couple hours ago), I didn't have any wheel spin or engine lugging. I did admittedly slip the clutch longer than I would have in 1st, but only by a half second or so. I'm not trying to defend starting in 2nd or anything like that, I understand that starting in 1st is better for the car and a better practice in general. I just want to see if anyone else here starts in 2nd and if so, what has their experience been. I do appreciate the responses though, all input is useful!

10-29-2013, 05:33 AM	#6
alan.chalkley Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 4wd zooks Location: Sydney / Australia Posts: 495 Thanks: 135 Thanked 167 Times in 108 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	What about handbrake hill starts or edging forward in a traffic jam? First gear is there for good reason.

10-29-2013, 06:00 AM	#7
ft_sjo Banned Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: GT86 Location: The Motherland Posts: 1,398 Thanks: 140 Thanked 473 Times in 271 Posts Mentioned: 22 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)

10-29-2013, 06:44 AM	#8
z3ro Banned Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Shelby, NC Posts: 626 Thanks: 209 Thanked 409 Times in 144 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I don't see any issue with 2nd gear starts. No wheels spin whatsoever (doesn't make sense that you'd spin in 2nd but not in first) and no real engine lugging. With such a short 1rst gear, 2nd is almost perfect to start off in on flat ground or downhill. I wouldn't recommend it for hills though.

10-29-2013, 07:51 AM	#9
Mikem53 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: FR-S 6MT Location: Somewhere in Space Posts: 1,565 Thanks: 500 Thanked 882 Times in 433 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Figure it out.. 1st gear is there for a reason.. Learn how to drive a stick and use it. Takes practice to get it right.. Slipping 2nd gear is dumb. By an automatic if you can't figure it out..

10-29-2013, 08:12 AM	#10
frosty86 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: '13 FR-S (Whiteout) Manual Location: Hawaii Posts: 247 Thanks: 73 Thanked 164 Times in 72 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If I'm going downhill from a complete stop, I just ease into 2nd gear smoothly while the car rolls forward. Otherwise I use 1st gear to start. I just don't like the sound of engine bogging in 2nd gear on flat ground - besides, it requires extra energy and time to start movement from a higher gear.

10-29-2013, 08:57 AM	#14
whaap Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Drives: '13 FR-S firestorm, 6 mt - '11 CR-V Location: Tucson Posts: 2,133 Thanks: 243 Thanked 1,387 Times in 657 Posts Mentioned: 36 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Probably nothing wrong with starting in second but instead I suggest you work on polishing your skills. Try starting in first gear but not taking it up very high in the rpm range. Start slow and shift into second 'slowly'. Use first gear to do little more than get the car rolling. It takes a lot of practice to become good with a manual. Don't give up. Keep in mind that just because a person drives a car with a manual transmission doesn't mean they have to drive it hard. You can drive a manual as nice and easy as your neighbor can drive his automatic.

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