Is it bad for the car to skip shifts????

**pbguy357** · 06-11-2011, 07:24 PM

I got in a argument with a fellow today, and he said it's bad to skip shifts. I am not aware of this, first of all Pontiac has the 1st to 4th skip shift for better gas mileage, but is it bad to do this??? I do not believe it is but the guy said he knows everything blah blah blah. As long as you don't bog the engine down, is it bad to do this??? Or are you supposed to go through every gear up to 3k or 3.5k and shift it hard.

**tatertot91** · 06-11-2011, 07:30 PM

Nothing wrong with skipping a shift
I usually skip one or two gears when driving around town since the RPMs drop a little quick, keeps the shifts smoother

**pbguy357** · 06-11-2011, 07:50 PM

That's what I thought, but the guy said I didn't know how to "drive a stick shift" because I was skipping gears, not shifting every single one, I don't like to beat up my cars and I know the more you shift the worse it is on your tranny isn't it? It get hot? Or is it more wear and tear on lingage?

**tatertot91** · 06-11-2011, 07:56 PM

Can't exactly say its worse the more you shift, really all depends on how you're driving it
I can see it being a little more wear but you will definitely save some gas driving conservatively skipping a gear or two. As long as you're not causing the engine to surge or struggle like you said before

**MudStainKILLA** · 06-11-2011, 07:58 PM

you can look at it that way yes, the more you use it the more it wears but a manual is designed to work that way. As long as your not dropping the clutch or riding it your really not doing damage to the transmission by shifting through the gears. As far as skip shifting goes i would have to agree that there is nothing wrong with doing this. I dont think pontiac would have put the skip shift on the cars if it was bad for the transmission.

**pbguy357** · 06-11-2011, 08:09 PM

That's exactly what I thought and said. Guy said he was a "mechanic" and "knew" his stuff, but really he was full of it. I was almost about to buy his car but luckily I felt his clutch from him driving it, felt burnt and like it's been smoked.

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-11-2011, 08:28 PM

I skip shift all the time.

If I'm not banging gears , I usually do 1st, 3rd, 5th or 1st, 2nd 4th 6th.

I also down shift all the time to to slow down.

Nothing wrong with it.

**pbguy357** · 06-11-2011, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

I skip shift all the time.

If I'm not banging gears , I usually do 1st, 3rd, 5th or 1st, 2nd 4th 6th.

I also down shift all the time to to slow down.

Nothing wrong with it.

I do exact same, 1st, 3rd, 5th, or 1st 4th 5th 6th and downshift, I had front brakes on my last 01 last over 45k but I didn't downshift hard. When I did this in the car I was about to buy, after I said I didn't want it he sent me a rude email saying he was going to tell me to go home because I didn't know how to shift the car lol. I responded back nicely

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-11-2011, 09:10 PM

I skip shifts all the time depending on driving mood. Then again sometimes I like to go thru all the gears til I hit 5th. I only use 6th on the hiway.

**Smittro** · 06-11-2011, 09:34 PM

Skip shifting will not harm it.. Hell you can shift without using the clutch without harming the trany if you know what you're doing..

**Draik** · 06-12-2011, 12:19 AM

powerband shift ftw?

**Smittro** · 06-12-2011, 05:33 AM

Rev match FTW..

**fbodyNATION** · 06-12-2011, 10:33 AM

does the Camaros have the skip shift option too?

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-12-2011, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by fbodyNATION

does the Camaros have the skip shift option too?

All 6-speed F-bodies have it so they could pass the feds mandated minimum MPG reqt and not have to pay the gas guzzler tax when new.

But that's not what they OP asked about...

**tatertot91** · 06-12-2011, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Rev match FTW..

True dat!
People that drive around downshifting that don't do this piss me off
Its much easier on everything to rev match and the ride is smoother

**Ant71130** · 06-12-2011, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Skip shifting will not harm it.. Hell you can shift without using the clutch without harming the trany if you know what you're doing..

Had to do this to a ranger with a busted clutch for 30 miles in city. Fun times lol.

Definitely not bad to skip shifts, I constantly go 1-2-4. With 4.10s, to go through all the gears and need to, I'd have to rev it to.. 1.5 each time? No thanks haha. I downshift every time I stop as well.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 06-12-2011, 11:45 AM

I rev match when I down shift (slowing down to make a turn, etc) but I don't usually use the tranny to slow down the car. That's what the brakes are for.

**raynor139** · 06-12-2011, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

I rev match when I down shift (slowing down to make a turn, etc) but I don't usually use the tranny to slow down the car. That's what the brakes are for.

Yup

**35th-ANV-SS** · 06-12-2011, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

I rev match when I down shift (slowing down to make a turn, etc) but I don't usually use the tranny to slow down the car. That's what the brakes are for.

I do a combination of both, but have recently been using the brakes more.

I also skip shifts all the time as well. I have a 4.11 gear so I can easily skip one or two.

As far as clutch dumps go, yeah I've done those before. I have the clutch and corresponding parts to handle it though

**Spikito** · 06-12-2011, 08:34 PM

Im no expert.....but here's my understanding

Old transmission, "especially in big rigs?" had sequential gears that required the gear before it to be engaged first.

newer transmissions are not.....