Clutch Going Out? Car Shifts Without Clutching
 

Sorry if this isn't in the right forum, I don't really lurk here much and seldom post.

Little background, I've owned the car since 15K miles, just about to cross 59K this week. 2013 FR-S, early build date (I was affected by the valve spring recall) and no performance mods. As for myself, been a DIY guy since I had my first car eleven years ago. Also have three years of semi professional retail wrenching, but I was managing a store for part of that time so I wasn't able to wrench full time.

This morning I ran out on an errand, and as I pulled out onto the street, I pulled the shifter - and slipped out of first. Never happened to me before because it usually takes significant effort to pull it out of gear without the clutch. For giggles I decided to try second without the clutch, and it went right in with no complaint once the revs were in line. I was able to replicate this in every gear on the way to work today.

I had previously adjusted the master cylinder plunger (the one in the cabin, attached to the clutch pedal) so that my engagement point was closer to the floor, similar to my old RX-8. Felt better to me. I have not checked to see if it's come loose at all. But there's no slip or anything otherwise, even at WOT.

Anyone else experience this? I searched and didn't find much of anything.

Advice/heads up of any future issues would be appreciated.

It's just called clutchless shifting. Essentially, your transmission allows you to shift without the clutch when the rpms of the engine, meet the rpms of the wheels (through gearbox) based on the gear you're trying to put it into. There are varying opinions of how bad it is for the transmission.

100% fine for the transmission IF you hit it at the right revs. 100% bad if you miss.

Yes, there's no mechanical lockout that is linked to clutch pedal on any gear on FRS/BRZ/86.

That being said, there's no keep-out on any gear either. (Some cars (I believe Veloster) has an actuated lockout on 1st gear.). You can try it on any gear, even at speed, if you really wanted to. As long as the RPMs are matching, it won't take much effort at all to get the gear in.

For example you're cruising easy and want to upshift, you can smoothly tailor off throttle as you apply pressure on the shift lever to return to neutral. This will help release the gear load and slip it out. Then before the RPMs drop all the way, you can very lightly gate the next gear and minimal pressure on the syncro. As the RPMs match, the gear will slide in and engage.

However if you try to force it in, you're going to grind the gear (get a zip and maybe a crunch depending on how fast and how hard you tried to clutchless shift).

You're telling me this is normal? My RX-8 did not agree with clutchless shifts unless I was absolutely perfect in the timing. I've had the car two and a half years and never noticed the ability to do this. Just seems really odd how easy it is to do.

It's possible on most vehicles. My Xterra does it no problem every gear and is not too picky about rev matching. The BRZ requires more precise rev matching but doesn't seem to fight it too much. That being said, I don't float gears in passenger vehicles very often.

Yes, that is quite easy to do with an FR-S, once you get the hang of it.

I do it quite often, just fooling around.


humfrz

Clutchless shifting
 

I do it when up shifting all the time, especially third to fourth and fifth to sixth.
Slips in easily,
Never do it downshifting.

jpw

Try shiftless clutching.

It's just as easy to upshift. Just give the throttle a blip and ease it in. Though it usually takes more concentration and effort than it's worth.

Hey, I went out into my garage and my MT FR-S does that perfectly - :D


humfrz

It's normal. Some car are easier than other, so that may explain why it was hard on your RX-8. It was easy to do on my old RSX. But I don't really do it on my BRZ, because when you miss, it's bad for the tranny.

I used to attempt stuff like that on one of my old S13s because it was older, not as nice and transmissions were dirt cheap. I don't think I will be trying it with the BRZ.