Gear Question

Sala

My friend has an old car (15 years) and she is learning to drive. She has to go up the hill in first gear. Her other half said it will take a hill in 2nd if you have enough acceleration but if you are in first at the start of the hill it is very hard to get enough power to get into 2nd gear without the car struggling. Is this just an old car thing or is it a symptom of something wrong?

spiggotpaddy

what kind of old car has "your friend"

mickdw

It all kinda depends on the hill, the car, the driver & the run up you have to the hill.
It is quite possible however that if taking off on a steep hill, the car may not have enough power to manage to take 2nd gear & not bog down.

Mycroft H

Sala wrote: »

My friend has an old car (15 years) and she is learning to drive. She has to go up the hill in first gear. Her other half said it will take a hill in 2nd if you have enough acceleration but if you are in first at the start of the hill it is very hard to get enough power to get into 2nd gear without the car struggling. Is this just an old car thing or is it a symptom of something wrong?

There called hill starts and they shouldn't be any problem to any car unless the hill is at massive angle.

Emmm I would consider telling her to take driving lessons, sounds like she needs better control of the clutch and accelerator.

Sala

what kind of old car has "your friend"

She is my "friend"! (I have a fiesta, it takes the hills fine;))
She has a citroen ax (echo I think?). It is either a 1995 or 1993 I'm not sure. It is very relaible car and they can't really afford a new one at the moment. But, if this is a problem she will not be allowed do the driving test in it.

There called hill starts and they shouldn't be any problem to any car unless the hill is at massive angle.

Emmm I would consider telling her to take driving lessons, sounds like she needs better control of the clutch and accelerator.

Her partner who has a full licence for years drives th car and he was the one who said if you start in first it is very hard to get it into second on a hill so you can end up driving up a long hill only in first, which might not be allowed in the test. She is doing lessons in the ADIs car at the moment

Cookie_Monster

More power, Mr Scott.

She won't hold sir, she's breaking up...

sentient_6

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

More power, Mr Scott.

She won't hold sir, she's breaking up...

Exactly. On a hill you just need to get the speed a little higher than you would on the flat before going up to second.

Edit, i miss read what you said the friend partner was suggesting. He's saying get it into second, she's saying the car doesnt like this?

Jamie-b

Exactly. On a hill you just need to get the speed a little higher than you would on the flat before going up to second. I can't see the problem OP, would your friends partner not know this?

Yes -that could be a problem I think. But my fiend had this too on a punto and got a new car. If you floor the car in 1st there is not enough power

edit: She had loads of things wrong with it though that would cost loads- so maybe that's not a good example actually. But, going up a hill it struggled loads in first even.

Rovi

If the hill your friend is having difficulty it truly so steep that the car can't handle it in 1st gear, it won't feature on any Driving Test route that I've ever heard of.

Sala

If the hill your friend is having difficulty it truly so steep that the car can't handle it in 1st gear, it won't feature on any Driving Test route that I've ever heard of.

It will make it in first. You just can't change to 2nd as there's not enough spped so you have to go up the whole hill in first. Which you can't do on the test. And the hills are the same ones on the test routes

Cookie_Monster

Sala wrote: »

It will make it in first. You just can't change to 2nd as there's not enough spped so you have to go up the whole hill in first. Which you can't do on the test. And the hills are the same ones on the test routes

sounds like the car is ****ed tbh

Sala

sounds like the car is ****ed tbh

As in nothing that can be fixed? She is going to bring it to mechanic soon to see if there is something that can fixed and weigh up the price to fix it with that of getting a new car. But she can only afford another old car so the same problem might exist. I am curious to see if this is what happens to very old cars but are they still seen as roadworthy

mullingar

Always use the correct gear NOT to strain the engine,

if the car can go up the hill in second gear comfortably for the speed you are doing (ie around quarter to half acceleration), use second gear.

If not, use first.

Simples

Mycroft H

Does the car have problems accelerating on the flat? If it doesn't then it likely not to be the car.

I'd say its just the hill and a combination of driver error.

Alanstrainor

landyman wrote: »

I'd say its just the hill and a combination of driver error.

I'd have to agree. Tell your friend to get the revs up as much as it takes, and change to second quickly and apply the power straight away.

Sala

Thanks for the replies. I have only just passed my test and know nothing about cars so I cab't really help her.
So... tonight we got three friends, all fully licenced drivers with a few years experience and their own various cars to test the car on the hill beside her house. None could manage to do a hilll start in first and pick up enough speed/power to go into second - they tried and it stalled.
I''m an amateur driver but my own fiesta will shift happilly to second after about 2 seconds. It takes about 15 seconds in first to get up this hill.

What I mean when I ask what is this problem is Is there a specific part (gearbox, clutch etc) that controls this power and can it be replaced/fixed and at what cost. As I said I am an amateur and I know nothinh about what does what so any suggestions will be welcome

mickdw

Sounds like the car is very poor on power. Not really a whole lot to be done with it if it is running reasonably well. If it cant take 2nd, she will have to use 1st.

johnos1984

Sounds like the car has issues.

Firstly when was it serviced? Oil (engine and gearbox),spark plugs and filters (air and oil) changed? It could just be something simple which can make all the difference

Secondly it could be something more serious such as a failing gearbox or it could just be wrecked.

TBH from the description it's hard to know. If you know someone who knows something about cars let them have a look. They could be able to tune it up!