2nd gear won't engage with high rpm's

[JasoNeon]

Anytime I take 1st gear up to redline and try to shift into 2nd quick it just won't go. I've had it grind a couple times now, and it's not like I'm power shifting it or anything just trying to shift farily quick. By the time I can get it into 2nd gear, all the boost has fallen off. I'm pushing the clutch through the floor and I have no problems with any other gear, just 2nd. In normal day to day driving it's not as big of a problem but it is noticeable a bit. Could the linkage be out of adjustment, or is this just the way these cars are? I figure it's killing my times at the dragstrip also.

Jason

[Wrinkleboi]

i get the same thing... figured it was a combo of lack of driver skill and also the fact that i'm not forcing the car into gear and am relatively gentle on it. interested in what others have to say about this...
bryan

[Retro]

If you are firm but not forcefull it should go in before 3krpms.. at least it does on mine. Is your car properly warmed up before you try this?

[Roffa]

Welcome to the land of broken gearboxes...

I don't see the point of redlining the 1'st gear as you will have to use a few sec to get rpms down enought to get it in second gear without putting to much stress on the driveline.

(Of course I never dragrace either so...)

[JasoNeon]

Well this is pretty gay then, what's the point of having a turbo and awd if you have to drive like a granny.

Jason

[Skreekin]

Well this is pretty gay then, what's the point of having a turbo and awd if you have to drive like a granny.

Jason

The point is so that you can say "I have AWD and a turbo", and then watch as people want to race you and let them blow your doors off only to get a speeding ticket by a cop down the road. Just remember its only entrapment if you work for the police!

[Roffa]

Well this is pretty gay then, what's the point of having a turbo and awd if you have to drive like a granny.

Jason

There is many ways of having fun behind the wheel of a fast car.. Dragracing is the most stupid one

Well autox and rallying are more fun and you have even more use of a all around performance car like the wrx.

Add a lighter flywheel and don't be so brutal with the second gear and you may redline your first gear in a "safer" way..

[JasoNeon]

I don't think you could auto-x this car very well either unless you stay somewhere above 30mph so you don't have to downshift into 1st gear (which also doesn't want to happen anytime you're moving). I'm really considering selling it again now, it's really just not what Subaru says it is to me.

Jason

[Jörg]

I don't think you could auto-x this car very well either unless you stay somewhere above 30mph so you don't have to downshift into 1st gear (which also doesn't want to happen anytime you're moving). I'm really considering selling it again now, it's really just not what Subaru says it is to me.

Jason

Learn to rev-match when downshifting. That'll fix the problem with it not going into first at speed.

[JasoNeon]

Rev-matching works fine except going into 1st gear in this car. I'm posting it forsale on some boards, including this one.

Jason

[Jörg]

I seriously doubt you're rev-matching properly, then. You need to be double-clutching. Even my roommate's '03 WRX, which has an extremely unforgiving first gear, will go into first at 30 when double clutched and rev matched.

[ShotgunTC88]

Anytime I take 1st gear up to redline and try to shift into 2nd quick it just won't go. I've had it grind a couple times now, and it's not like I'm power shifting it or anything just trying to shift farily quick. By the time I can get it into 2nd gear, all the boost has fallen off. I'm pushing the clutch through the floor and I have no problems with any other gear, just 2nd. In normal day to day driving it's not as big of a problem but it is noticeable a bit. Could the linkage be out of adjustment, or is this just the way these cars are? I figure it's killing my times at the dragstrip also.

Jason

By the time you hit Redline (7000) you have just past the tourqe sweet spot (6500) so why do it?

Stick with the SRT if ya wanna race (or not buy a tranny soon)

.02
Shotgun

[wrx slob]

i had a similar problem...i know my problem was the shift linkage rod, or whatever its called..moves all the gears into place...if youre under warrenty take it to the dealer

[Jörg]

By the time you hit Redline (7000) you have just past the tourqe sweet spot (6500) so why do it?

Torque sweet spot is 4000 (if you trust SOA) or ~3750 (if you trust Cobb's dyno). The horsepower sweet spot is around 6000 or 5750 (again, depending on your source). I think the horsepower curve makes it beneficial to shift at redline or immediately before, but I'd have to work out the RPM change to be sure.

[Retro]

I seriously doubt you're rev-matching properly, then. You need to be double-clutching. Even my roommate's '03 WRX, which has an extremely unforgiving first gear, will go into first at 30 when double clutched and rev matched.

I think You might consider staying in 2nd instead of doing that, but I see your point. Of course we all should realize that just because you can get the car to do something doesn't mean it's the most acceptable way of doing it... Just because double clutching works doesn't mean it's acceptable to HAVE to do that (though for anything above 15mph I think it's asking much not to).

BTW: for everyone saying rev match I'd suggest saying double clutch & rev match instead since they are totally different and rev match does not imply double clutch.