Does anybody find 5th gear feels a bit coarse at low speed?

[PipeNslippers]

I have a T5 gearbox in a T350 and have always found 5th gear feels a bit coarse below 50 mph, and sends vibrations through the car.

Over 50 it is fine and all the other gears feel fine.

Am I the only one who gets this?

[Diablos-666]

Mine feels the same. I try and avoid 5th as much as I can.

[Targarama]

It think it is more to do with the gearing. Use 4th unless you're cruising at 60mph+

With the 3.91 final drive in the diff my car is now happy at 45-50, before it needed 55-60mph for 5th to feel 'smooth' and not strain the engine.

[TOV!E]

Diablos-666 said:

Mine feels the same. I try and avoid 5th as much as I can.

Yep mine is the same, hates being in 5th below 50....

[shep1001]

Yep I have a 3:71 diff and its pants in 5th at 50mph. 2nd & 3rd are much better gears oh the noise......

Shep

[PipeNslippers]

shep1001 said:

Yep I have a 3:71 diff and its pants in 5th at 50mph. 2nd & 3rd are much better gears oh the noise......

Shep

Thanks for the responses..I was worried a gearbox rebuild was becoming imminent..

[shorts!]

With the standard diff I wouldn't consider 50 in 5th, it's going to be labouring at less than 2000rpm. Have you spent too long driving diesels where such behaviour is encouraged?

[YRRunner]

Forgive me if I sound like a dick, but am I the only one who thinks the question (and some of the answers) are mad? Why would anybody with a T car want to be in 5th at 50 miles an hour, even on a sedate cruise around??? It must feel bloody awful! The S6 and T5 hate to lumber when gear, speeds and revs are unmatched. Not only that, it's very bad on engine and drivetrain to be 'labouring' and under loading, which IMHO the S6 is doing when engaging 5th at a mere 50 miles an hour. The 5th (regardless of diff ratio) is not an old school 'Triumph like' overdrive people. It's there for 80 plus cruising. Truly, isn't anyone else surprised by the question?

Edited by YRRunner on Thursday 29th March 21:38

[Diablos-666]

I'm not surprised by the question, i agree with you. However, we have all been in the situation where you are cruising at 70-80mph but then the roads become heavy and the speed drops off.

It's then that you hear / feel the car vibrating and can tell it doesn't like being in a high gear at such low speeds.

Now I'm hardly ever in 5th unless over 70 for a large period of time.

[KillerJim]

I experience this too, and I suppose the best way to describe it as you say is 'coarse' - its been that way for all the time I've owner her (>4 years) and I seldom use 5th

[natben]

Agree with YRRUNNER.
5th gear is for higher engine speeds certainley above 60mph, so yes it is coarse at low speeds but then 1st gear is noisey as hell at high speed!. simple.

[PipeNslippers]

KillerJim said:

I experience this too, and I suppose the best way to describe it as you say is 'coarse' - its been that way for all the time I've owner her (>4 years) and I seldom use 5th

All fair points above...but these are big engines (mine has a 4.0 litre) in light cars..and the engine feels fine at low speeds below 2,000 rpm (equates to 50mph in 5th) in all the other gears..so it is the gearbox that doesn't like to be used at low speed in 5th and not the engine..

My biggest struggle is trying to keep the revs down when the engine is cold (below 2,500..etc.) but not hold up traffic..which I always find a little embarrasing in a TVR..

[steveT350C]

Thanks for asking the question! I have exactly the same, probably below 65.

Another little issue cleared up!

[leef44]

Actually I do cruise in 5th at 50 mph. There's plenty of torque, low speed rumble, but it's smoothand not labouring

[TOV!E]

YRRunner said:

Forgive me if I sound like a dick, but am I the only one who thinks the question (and some of the answers) are mad? Why would anybody with a T car want to be in 5th at 50 miles an hour, even on a sedate cruise around??? It must feel bloody awful! The S6 and T5 hate to lumber when gear, speeds and revs are unmatched. Not only that, it's very bad on engine and drivetrain to be 'labouring' and under loading, which IMHO the S6 is doing when engaging 5th at a mere 50 miles an hour. The 5th (regardless of diff ratio) is not an old school 'Triumph like' overdrive people. It's there for 80 plus cruising. Truly, isn't anyone else surprised by the question?

Edited by YRRunner on Thursday 29th March 21:38

Nope, doesn't look like it.