Shifting in Mazda 6 MPS

[High on PSI]

Not sure how the Mazda 3 MPS is, but I find the Mazda 6 MPS extremely difficult to shift smoothly. I've had the car for a few months now and not once have I shifted from 1st and 2nd without having the car rev too much and not enough and it will jerk a little. When I try hard enough to get the clutch right it's like 2 - 5 seconds between the gears and I still don't get it right.

Is it just me?

[spooon]

I've found there's a bit of a nack to shifting in the 6, mainly because the clutch is so heavy/bitey. But I haven't had too many issues other then the usual ones of getting stuck in stop start traffic and stalling it due to lack of concentration.

I find when the times where I make the most mistakes is when I over-think the shift rather then just getting on with it and drive.

I dunno, sometimes I think the 6 is just a... hard car to drive smoothly... sorry not much help :P

[SarcasticOne]

triple synchro's on 1st and 2nd make the MPS a bit of a pain to shift smoothly from 1-2
the rest i find are easy enough

[bd581]

Not just you, its an issue complained about since the first media drives.
Cause is a combination of several different little things.
It just takes time and practice.
I know of many owners that still have issues stalling, especially in reverse.

[pHiLix]

The Gen 1 MPS 3 is much the same. I've owned my car for nearly 2 years and still cannot get consistent smooth shifts. 1-2 shifts are the worst. As mentioned earlier, the clutch is too bitey.

[bd581]

MPS 6 is worse than the 3's.
Dad used to love my gearbox compared to his 6.
But then, I don't consider my gearbox bad at all.
Clutch is still a bit of a buggered, but still much better than a 6.

[rogwick]

You may find these posts useful...I had to dig them out

I must be weird - or lucky. I LIKE my clutch and never stall it. Guess it's all in the technique! And I've always hated woolly clutches that feel like custard anyway. I much prefer direct engagement that feels like a switch - on or off.

RD415, Hi. Re the stall on tight reversing, mine does that too. It's not the clutch - it's transmission wind-up that locks everything up, due partly to the loads imparted by the limited slip rear differential, and the full time AWD. My Toyota Landcruiser also has the same setup, limited slip diff and full-time AWD and does the same thing. We have a car-park at our local shops that has a speed hump at the rear of each bay, so you have to back out tight, turn and transect the hump all at once. A lot of load-up. I have stalled the MPS6 there on occasion.

Avoiding full lock turns under load is the easiest way to avoid this. If that is not possible, then you can do it in small bites perhaps. It can be overcome by application of more power, but that doesn't reduce the lockup, just enables you to apply sufficient power to overcome the only way the car is going to move and this is by scrubbing the tyres. Cars with fatter tyres will experience it more. You will note that it will not do it, or will do it less under otherwise identical circumstances, on a slippery/gravel surface, as these surfaces enable the tyres to slip easily and relieve the transmission wind-up. You will find that occasionally, the diff will click or groan as the plates slip, depending on the severity of the turn. It sounds painful but doesn't hurt the diff unless you make a habit of it.

In short, no matter how big or how new, or how wonderful your clutch is, it will still do it.

This is an issue often dealt with by 4WD drivers, most particularly where there is no centre diff to compensate. However, talking of making a habit of it, the mining industry used to blow up out lots of FJ45/55/65 gearbox transfer cases (no centre diff) that couldn't handle prolonged low-range 4WD use on tight turns when working underground, even on loose (but still hard and unforgiving) rock surfaces. These cars were often locked permanently in 4WD low range as part of the mine safety directives, so the boxes and transfer cases never got a chance and would last mere months in some cases.

Hope this useful advice compensates for being weird! :-)

Nice of you to agree that they stall - maybe not necessarily a clutch fault but you have to admit that a better controlled clutch would relieve the stalling. Of course it's not a direct clutch fault, but the fact that you can't manipulate the clutch and increase the revs to compensate for driveline wind - up - I'll keep blamimg the clutch operation thanks.

Pretty useless advice actually - please don't take offence, because with a good clutch operation the car could be driven to overcome the problem. I am actually offended that you didn't check my profile and qualifications before giving me advice.

Just by the way my last car was a crapadore that did exactly the same diff lock up, never stalled it, just clunked away happily, but I could feel it coming on and increase revs while manipulating clutch pedal, something you can't do in an MPS6.

Hi RD, I didn't mean to sound patronizing if that is how you felt I was being - I appreciate that you are more familiar in this area. But there are others here who may never have heard of or be familiar with transmission wind-up. It can take considerable power to overcome, if that is what one wished to do and to put up with the graunches from the back end as it can sound like mechanical bastardry.

I only stalled the once in the situation I described. But also did so once in my Cruiser - that speed hump is a bitch. And the 4500 Petrol Cruiser has a giant clutch and lots of grunt as you will know. I guess you might disagree but I still think that if you asked the average driver to drive a manual car directly over a curb from a standing start hard-up against the curb, an effort I'd estimate as equivalent to overcoming worst-case wind-up, they would likely also stall their engine, and that they would probably feel it was the fault of the obstacle, not the clutch. That might include the first attempt in a 4WD for those unfamiliar with it, even given the advantage of larger wheel diameter. And I doubt they'd say, "I wish my car was a tracked vehicle so it could do this".

Unfortunately nothing short of reducing the number of stupid syncronisers can shorten the time it takes to complete a gear change. Three synchronisers is f_g absurd for any car with a performance bent. What the hell were Mazda thinking?!!!!!!

BTW I haven't stalled my car once since the clutch was replaced 60,000 km ago. I've driven numerous ceramic, brass button and centre-force clutches and I have no problem with ON-OFF clutch operation. The problem I believe with the original MPS clutch was a lack of consistency and predictability. Sure it was ON-OFF, but for some strange reason you could never tell where the ON-OFF was going to occur - hence the frequent stalling.

Exactly what I have been trying to say - me too - plenty of race Cooper S's, Mazda Sports Sedan (mid mount rotary) and other cars with on and off only clutches. Low torque at low rpm and inconsistency of operation reason for stalling. I can drive for months without stalling, last weekend she stalled. Not stalled since. GO FIGURE!!!!!!!

[SarcasticOne]

very helpful collection there!
you're bored at work arent you?

[rogwick]

very helpful collection there!
you're bored at work arent you?

Busy actually! Sourced that info on the tail end of lunch break!
Pretty good info there from old skool clued-up members...worth a re-post

[rayd]

Do the clutch adjustment and get a new rear engine mount, massive improvement !