Gear changes

[brian1925tourer]

I have a 1925 dodge 4. I was wondering if somebody could explain how I should change gears. I am not sure if I am doing it right, The clutch seems to be working ok rev and 1st no crunching moves to 2nd not too bad but when I change to 3rd there is a feel and noise of gears then it slots in, also how do I change down to 2nd gear without crunching. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Regards Brian,

By theway it was my crankshaft that broke in December I have fixed it and back on the road.

[Texacola]

Brian....the 1st thing to remember here is that these old DB's have non-synchronized transmissions.Unless your really experienced they will all have some degree of "crunch" while shifting either up or down and more so on the down.Thats my experience (or in-experience) anyway. What you need to do is "double clutch".I would attempt to explain it here but should I get sommething wrong I would suggest Google. Type in double clutch and you will find any number of good explainations complete with you tube video. Bill

[Phil 32DL6]

Also...some have found that using a heavier (600W) gear oil in the trans helps considerable, as it will speed up the spin down time.

If you search this Forum you'll find quite a bit of discussion on this topic.

Down shifting IS much trickier, and double-clutching is almost required at first, but ultimately the best advice is: practice, practice, practice, as every car is a little different.

[Guest 1930]

Slow down might be the good advice, when you push the clutch pedal in give it a second before you try and shift.

[FMF]

When your gut tells you to shift, wait a few seconds and then shift double clutching in the process. Also, I found if the engine idle speed is too high, it will be more difficult to shift without the grinding. Bottom line, don't rush your shifting (just because some idiot is crawling up your rear end) --- take your time.

Edited March 25, 2012 by FMF (see edit history)

[TonyAus]

You should remember that the Dodge transmission does not have constant mesh, that is, the layshaft is disengaged in third gear. If you attempt to change down into second the large sliding gear at the front of the upper shaft has to engage with a stationary layshaft. The net effect is that a clean downshift at above five mph is extremely difficult. The same problem can be noted if you attempt to change into neutral when slowing to a halt - the layshaft goes back into mesh with the large sliding gear, causing a crunch.

Use of the appropriate lubricant (600W) can induce some movement in the layshaft and help a bit when the transmission is relatively cold.

The shifting technique I have developed has proven to be successful. It first requires you to forget about the speed available from sychromesh - slow is the way to go. Each upward shift should take about three seconds. Count to yourself one-ten-thousand, one-ten-thousand, one-ten-thousand. The movements at each counted second are: 1. disengage clutch and shift to neutral 2. re-engage clutch 3. disengage clutch and shift to the higher gear.

Shifting down requires an additional action in the middle step 1. disengage clutch and shift to neutral 2. re-engage clutch and rev engine 3.disengage clutch and shift to the lower gear. What you are doing here is re-engaging the layshaft and bringing it up to speed.

Hope this helps.

[gundog99]

I agree with every one above ,interestedly the 1916 Manual recommends "A lubricant about the consistency of Vaseline should be used" ,this advise had changed by 1925

[Guest bull]

It may help by changing 1st to 2nd while going quite slow ie maybe about 5mph. I also stay in 3rd unless I have to go real slow around a corner. When going down from 3rd I make sure you are going quite slow and as everyone mentions take plenty of time with the shift. Also sometimes you may need to drop back into first, I wait until the car is about 3-5mph and just flick it back from the second de-clutch. My 1923 Dodge has never had any work done on the gearbox so everything is quite loose really and easy to change gears, however she leaks like crazy onto a plastic sheet, I then recycle this real heavy oil thickened by grease.(like treacle or cold honey). cheers and enjoy the slower life of a vintage automobile.

[brian1925tourer]

Thankyou for your replies, I will work on my technique and be a bit more patient. Also I need more practice. Although I think I am taking it easy and nursing the car I probably do not realize how fast I am going as it seems quite slow to me. Anyway thanks again

[lozrocks]

It all sounds easy doesn't it?

Practice is always the key, drive your car more often and learn from each gear change.

I personally believe that 3 seconds for a gear change is too long. As well, Its not easy for a layman to recognise whether the gears are over-running or under-running when they crunch. Every car is different.

The other thing to consider is do you have the correct lubricant in the gearbox?