Risky ??

Gammy leg · Post by **Gammy leg** » 24 Jul 2008, 10:31

Chaps

I need a bit of advice regarding choice of vehicle to take abroad for my holiday.
My preferred option would be the Synergie, nice and big, bikes on the roof and on the tailgate, roofbox, kids can recline the back seats and get a decent kip. Downside is that 2nd gear syncro has still not been sorted and won't be before I go ( credit crunch etc ).
The trip down to south of France and back again will be mostly autoroute but obviously there will be a bit of pottering about once i'm down there.

Am I mad to consider driving down with a defective syncro, or will it just be an inconvenience??

Any thoughts, pro's / con's etc gratefully accepted.

ps Option B is to take the company Mondeo hatchback

Thanks

Gammy

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Jul 2008, 11:47

Hi Gammy,

I ran a 205GTi with a duff third gear syncghro for several years with no issues. providing it's just crunchy and the gearbox itself is not whining or making other strange noises or has other issues, then really no worries. A 'box will soldier on with a duff synchro for ever.

You're not going to be making much use of 2nd anyway on a journey like that.

Avoid the credit crunch by double-declutching

Enjoy your holiday

Post by **RichardW** » 24 Jul 2008, 11:49

Synchros didn't exist till 40 years ago. Time to learn to double-declutch

I guess the risk is that you take some teeth off the dog gear, and then these find their way into some other part of the gearbox and it fails to proceed, which would rather put a dampner on the holiday so to speak

Gammy leg · Post by **Gammy leg** » 24 Jul 2008, 12:16

OK Chaps, time for some education.

For my sins I have never had to learn the black-art of double declutching. Could someone please enlighten me as to the processes involved.

Thanks

Gammy

mooseshaver · Post by **mooseshaver** » 24 Jul 2008, 12:35

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_clutch

Now I want to try heal and toe!

Gammy leg · Post by **Gammy leg** » 24 Jul 2008, 13:41

Thanks for the link Moose, I will take the old bus out tonight, if I get the chance, and start practicing. Once perfected I will teach the Wife, who was responsible for this problem in the first place.

Gammy

Post by **RichardW** » 25 Jul 2008, 10:05

The trouble with double declutching is that when you really need to do it, you're usually going downhill towards a junction - one foot for the brake, one for the clutch, the third to blip the throttle

You have to adopt a technique of brake early, then block change into 2nd at the last moment, fitting the double declutch in at just the right time. Nice 8) It does take a bit of practice to get the timing right, so try it on your own on a quiet road first!!

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 25 Jul 2008, 15:03

I almost always DD clutch now even though I have a fine set of syncros..

People get very cross sitting in the car with me, even though they cant even tell when gears are being changed they are convinced that I am damaging the box...

do i care..

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 25 Jul 2008, 16:09

Apparently DD clutch can damage good synchromesh.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Jul 2008, 21:16

Xac - how can accurate double declutching possibly damage the synchromesh? After all its only doing its job for it and rendering it redundant - and I've never complained if somebody did my job for me

martyorks · Post by **martyorks** » 25 Jul 2008, 21:23

can i add my apple to the cart on this one,

DD clutching is an art, that most of us experienced drivers have, and you know if you can do it or not,

just to prove to a girlfriend many years ago, i drove to the coast without using the clutch ,and all it is is using precise revs and smooth gear changes, even dropping from 5th to 1st is a doddle ,

get the car packed and get yourself to france, i would.

im already planning next years holiday to france, but hopefully will have traded the synergie in for another synergie a few years newer, ideal car !!! if looked after.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 27 Jul 2008, 00:43

martyorks wrote:can i add my apple to the cart on this one,

DD clutching is an art, that most of us experienced drivers have, and you know if you can do it or not,

just to prove to a girlfriend many years ago, i drove to the coast without using the clutch ,and all it is is using precise revs and smooth gear changes, even dropping from 5th to 1st is a doddle ...

Yeah - ok - fine with me ...
How do you catch 1.st (or any other) from neutral, not using the clutch

Or are you using the startermotor to get you going while 1.st is already selected ?

I would like to issue a warning here.
Its quite easy for the newbie to loose control of the car in traffic, if you feel like having a go not using the clutch ...
Dents are deer - especially in other peoples cars

martyorks · Post by **martyorks** » 27 Jul 2008, 21:12

AndersDK wrote: How do you catch 1.st (or any other) from neutral, not using the clutch
Or are you using the startermotor to get you going while 1.st is already selected ?

well done anders, for catching me out there, there is no way at all in engaging first from stationery unless using the starter, but in such a situation you loose the use of a clutch, you can easily get to a safe (alternative destination) without the clutch eg:: off the motorway for instance.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 28 Jul 2008, 00:03

i did manage Southampton to home (about 100 miles) after a clutch failure

I stalled at my garage door and had to push the bugger 2 meters !

Clutchless gearchanging
A useful art, if nothing else...

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 28 Jul 2008, 00:31

Clutchless gearchanging

Care to share the details of this dark art?