From Mk1 Auto To Mk2 Manual

[Guest deanclaxton]

Ive come from a mk1 auto to a mk2 6-sp. The mk2 has only 180km on the clock.

Has anyone else gone from the auto to the manual?

At this stage I can't help feel the auto is overall quicker, and a heck of a lot smoother to drive.

Mind you I am still getting used to the manual, and it does only have the 180km on the clock.

I find the box is very noisy, stiff/notchy, and driveline clunks.

I'll see if they can do something about this at the 3000km service if it hasn't improved by then.

Interested to see what others think - those who have gone from auto to manual.

Sure, the in-gear accelleration seems pretty good, but the gear change certainly slows you down. Haven't really wound it out yet though.

On that - the book says to take it easy for 1500km - what do others think about that? I find it difficult not give it a spin up to 4 or 5000 rpm now and then.

What sort on in-gear speeds should I expect once run in? Like speed in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear etc at say 5500rpm.

Edited 05/06/05 03:33 AM by deanclaxton

[mickq]

  deanclaxton said:

Ive come from a mk1 auto to a mk2 6-sp. The mk2 has only 180km on the clock.

Has anyone else gone from the auto to the manual?

At this stage I can't help feel the auto is overall quicker, and a heck of a lot smoother to drive.

Mind you I am still getting used to the manual, and it does only have the 180km on the clock.

I find the box is very noisy, stiff/notchy, and driveline clunks.

I'll see if they can do something about this at the 3000km service if it hasn't improved by then.

Interested to see what others think - those who have gone from auto to manual.

Sure, the in-gear accelleration seems pretty good, but the gear change certainly slows you down. Haven't really wound it out yet though.

On that - the book says to take it easy for 1500km - what do others think about that? I find it difficult not give it a spin up to 4 or 5000 rpm now and then.

What sort on in-gear speeds should I expect once run in? Like speed in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear etc at say 5500rpm.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mk2:

1st ~75kmh indicated (Mk1 was ~70)

2nd ~120kmh (Mk1 was 110)

3rd not sure, about 170 I would guess. Mk1 was 160 pretty much on the dot

4th Havent bothered to see as not much use for it in normal driving. Must get at or near the standard 230kmh speed limiter.

Those speeds are for effectively hitting redline.

I have driven the auto, not owned it. (I owned a Mk1 manual and now have a Mk2 manual).

The new gearbox is a bit notchy. I am around 3000km now. It doesnt like being cold and gets much better after its warmed up a little. Although its notchy, it is still strong. It feels much stronger than the Mk1 gearbox.

My Mk2 has driveline lash/clunk. My Mk1 had nothing like that. I will wait and see how bad it gets before getting it addressed by Ford.

You will find you can adjust your driving to suit (ie eliminate) most of the gearbox and driveline traits of the manual.

The manual has quite a few advantages. Having complete control of gear and revs (you dont get that in the auto, even in sport mode. It can and will change gears under certain circumstances like low revs, high load).

I find the control and additional limit pushing you can do makes the manual much faster on tricky roads. Sure a straight line run might help a slick-gear-change auto, but the inherant uncertainty of an auto means in the twisties you can get kicked by a manual. In the wet....give me a manual any time.

Dont get me wrong, its got a sweet auto which is enjoyable to drive, but you just dont get the same level of control, nor the pure physical mecahnical linkage of power and wheels. That does have its advantages.

Give it some time for the car to loosen up (gearbox and engine) and you to get used to it so you can push harder. You might be surprised.

Besides, the T has so much torque it can be driven like an auto if you really want...just stick it in 3rd and you can go from walking pace to 170kmh or so!

[Bain]

ive now done just on 1000km's since Tuesday last week.

Ive got gearbox chatter and clunking happening. But its only minor and I can deal with it.

If it becomes to loud then ill speak to the dealer about it.

The 6 speed is awsome though, I can change the gears damn quick in it (if you want to drag people). But driving sedately its easy to change without any of that neck jerk action.

Auto's are boring. You did the right thing in chosing a 6.

[Guest deanclaxton]

  mickq said:

Mk2:

1st ~75kmh indicated (Mk1 was ~70)

2nd ~120kmh (Mk1 was 110)

3rd not sure, about 170 I would guess. Mk1 was 160 pretty much on the dot

4th Havent bothered to see as not much use for it in normal driving. Must get at or near the standard 230kmh speed limiter.

Those speeds are for effectively hitting redline.

Wow - those speeds are for the 6 speed manual?

Nice - looking forward to getting a few more km's on it now so I can stretch it a little

Thanks for that - the advantages you stated are exactly the reason I wanted a manual this time. The auto always had the auto feel (as the torque convertor locked up) even when driven manually (which I ALWAYS did).

I think it is just a matter of me getting used to driving a manual again, and getting a few km on it so it can loosen up a bit

Edited 06/06/05 12:31 AM by deanclaxton

[Guest deanclaxton]

  Bain said:

The 6 speed is awsome though, I can change the gears damn quick in it (if you want to drag people). But driving sedately its easy to change without any of that neck jerk action.

Auto's are boring. You did the right thing in chosing a 6.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you say damn quick - do you just pull it through as fast as you can, ditto with the clutch?

I need to practise my standing starts now, coming from the auto. The auto was easy - the manual requires a little more coordination

What is the best method for standing start in the manual? Slip the clutch a little, or just drop it with enough revs on board?

[mattyc]

I dunno about you, but my SP6 manual does :

~65 in 1st

~100 in 2nd.

I havnt looked past there.

[harvyk]

For me max in 1st is at 70Km

2nd is at 100Km

at 3rd I was more interested at looking at the road...

[Bain]

  deanclaxton said:

When you say damn quick - do you just pull it through as fast as you can, ditto with the clutch?

I need to practise my standing starts now, coming from the auto. The auto was easy - the manual requires a little more coordination 

What is the best method for standing start in the manual? Slip the clutch a little, or just drop it with enough revs on board?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My standing starts are still pretty rusty.. Been driving a auto for the past 2 years.. But 1st into 2nd and then 3rd is quick like lightning.. (Looking forward to Calder 1/4 mile once I have sorted out my take off)

With traction control on I can have the car lose all power to the wheels going from 1st to 2nd.. With it off, I can get a good screech going..

[JB]

If I ever get a T again, I will go auto, only becasue they are quicker as much as I love driving a manual, once you mod and all you do is city driving stop start, it gets pretty annoying.

[Blonk]

  JB said:

If I ever get a T again, I will go auto, only becasue they are quicker as much as I love driving a manual, once you mod and all you do is city driving stop start, it gets pretty annoying.

Gotta agree with JB on that one..

6 sp auto for me...........