Swapping between 5 and 6 speed cars

[Custom24]

Hi
I have a 5 speed car and a 6 speed car. On the 6 speed, 6th is in the same position as reverse is on the 5 speed. Consequently, I am worried that I will make the mistake one day of trying to go from 4th to "6th" on the 5speed (5th to reverse is protected so that's not a worry). What would happen?

[Standard Dave]

If you try to put a 5 gear car into 6th there is a horrible grinding noise but nothing else happened when I tried to do it with a Ford Focus at work. I has a Fabia vRS at the time and also drove a Mondeo both of which had 6 gears did it without thinking at about 60 mph.

[jameslb101]

Never tried it, but at a (not very well informed) guess, you'd lunch a syncho. Lifting the clutch up to 'resume drive' would probably have more terminal powertrain consequences, perhaps even a driven wheel lock-up.

[Slink_Pink]

You will be unable to engage the gear. I did this once on a hire car (by accident), it just crunches and bounces back to neutral.

[Custom24]

Thanks guys, makes me worry a bit less. I will still try not to do it, though!

[martine]

Yep I've done it also...Focus ST has 6 gears, Focus 1.6 has 5 - same thing...it made a grating noise and I quickly realised my error. Didn't seem to have any long-term consequences.

[brianhaddon]

You'd give any following driver a bit of a surprise when he sees your reversing lights come on.
Regards
Brian Haddon

[fungus]

You'd give any following driver a bit of a surprise when he sees your reversing lights come on.
Regards
Brian Haddon

That happened on more than one occasion in my Ibiza with a heavy handed learner when moving off from stationary at traffic lights. Reverse is push down, across to the left and forward. I have had a learner miss fourth when changing down from fifth and grinding reverse in the Fiesta.

I have not had trouble with changing from a six speed box ( daughters Cooper S ) back to my five speed Fiesta, although admittedly I don't drive the Cooper S that often.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Usually there's some kind of resistance to overcome going from a forward gear into reverse. Get into the habit of using only the minimum force required for your gearchanges and you shouldn't have a problem. As others have said, it'd be almost impossible to engage reverse at 5th gear speeds anyway. A majority of gearboxes have no synchro on reverse, making it even more unlikely that you'd be able to achieve it.

[jameslb101]

Usually there's some kind of resistance to overcome going from a forward gear into reverse. Get into the habit of using only the minimum force required for your gearchanges and you shouldn't have a problem. As others have said, it'd be almost impossible to engage reverse at 5th gear speeds anyway. A majority of gearboxes have no synchro on reverse, making it even more unlikely that you'd be able to achieve it.

I preferred my scenario - a bit more dramatic

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Spot the trainee journalist ...

[jameslb101]

Spot the trainee journalist ...

Exactly...why let facts or realism get in the way

[SeanP]

Does the reverse not have a "push down" or "pull-up" on the lever with a safety tang to prevent accidental engagement?

No idea what would happen if you tried to engage - and never realised there'd perhaps be some protection from one gear, but not another!

[jont]

Does the reverse not have a "push down" or "pull-up" on the lever with a safety tang to prevent accidental engagement?

I've had several cars with reverse behind 5th and I don't think any have had a pull/push protection mechanism, only an interlock so you can't go straight back from 5th into R. Mind you, most dated from well before the time of 6 speed boxes being common place.

[Mike H]

Because the MG is only a weekend toy for me I have occasionally found myself looking for 6th gear on the motorway to the extent that I've got as far as neutral before realising the error of my ways