Anyone done a 3rd to 1st by accident

[brise]

I did this the other day, as gearbox was very notchy for some reason, and it came up with a bar coming up from the centre outwards, at the top of the dash, just under the rev counter. I wasn't even aware it was even there.
Anyway, I don't know what the damage would of been, as I just caught it (I hope) seems to be driving fine. It does seem easily done as the gears are close together.

 

[jp129]

Depending on the severity of the mechanical over-rev, there are usually 2 outcomes:
1) Rapid unscheduled dissassembly of your engine aka "money shifting" - valve completely breaks and piston becomes a valve pulverizer

2) Bent valves

Usually if your valves are bent, you'd lose compression on the affected cylinders and the idle may feel rougher. A compression and/or leakdown test can confirm bent valves.

But in essence, there would be valve float and piston to valve contact.

 

[geoffbland]

I did this the other day, as gearbox was very notchy for some reason, and it came up with a bar coming up from the centre outwards, at the top of the dash, just under the rev counter. I wasn't even aware it was even there.
Anyway, I don't know what the damage would of been, as I just caught it (I hope) seems to be driving fine. It does seem easily done as the gears are close together.

Is it this bar you are talking about, circled in yellow?

That's just the shift light, telling you to shift up a gear. Your engine will have cut power as you hit the rev limiter if that starts flashing to protect itself.
It's very unlikely you have done any damage to your engine. As you say it is running fine still.
If on track you'd be seeing those markings fairly often to maximise the power curve. It's not great to consistently keep hitting the rev limiter but just on occasion should be fine, it can even loosen up the engine a bit.

 

[brise]

Is it this bar you are talking about, circled in yellow?

View attachment 71184
That's just the shift light, telling you to shift up a gear. Your engine will have cut power as you hit the rev limiter if that starts flashing to protect itself.
It's very unlikely you have done any damage to your engine. As you say it is running fine still.
If on track you'd be seeing those markings fairly often to maximise the power curve. It's not great to consistently keep hitting the rev limiter but just on occasion should be fine, it can even loosen up the engine a bit.

Yes that's the one, it was so quick I didn't have time to see the 'Shift' part. Thanks for you're reply, has made me feel much better now phew

 

[brise]

The problem also, is that the gear number on the dash, only shows when you let the clutch up not when you put it in gear

 

[me73]

The problem also, is that the gear number on the dash, only shows when you let the clutch up not when you put it in gear

It's very unusual for a manual car to even have gear number indication. I think it's almost useless. Use the centering spring force to find 3rd/4th, 1/2 is a tug to the left until it won't move further. Work up the muscle memory.

 

[Hardsports]

The problem also, is that the gear number on the dash, only shows when you let the clutch up not when you put it in gear

Did the tires chirp or did you catch it fast enough? The fuel cutoff protects the engine from an over rev while under power but rotational inertia and momentum (physics) and abrupt changes to that can still tweak things. On one of the earrlier YouTube videos of Misha driving the Emira at the Nurburgring, he did the same thing accidently and the tires actually chirped a bit but he clutched it quickly and finished the lap without any ill effects. It's probably fine.

 

[seriously]

You are good! In fact, you should try to get those lights more often. Healthy motors need their exercise.

 

[Kimmax]

The light can also flash red if you enter the actual limiter zone. Then remember the engine can supposedly handle 7200 - 7400rpm without any upgrades whatsoever, so you still have some room for error.

Do you know how fast you were going? First gear @6800rpm is around 64km/h if I remember correctly

 

[chirowolf]

The money shift?

 

[Nova]

Yeah, you need to get that shift light to come up more often. Use your engine.

 

[Kimmax]

fyi I calculated the theoretical perfect shift points based on a stock dyno chart, gear ratios and 6800 rpm limit:

• 1-2: shift ~6700 rpm
• 2-3: shift ~6650 rpm
• 3-4: shift ~6620 rpm
• 4-5: shift ~6630 rpm
• 5-6: shift ~6510 rpm

 

[MiamiBlue]

If you haven't seen the shift lights before you haven't really been driving this car! That's where all the power is.

Coming from a high reving Porsche I've hit the rev limiter many many times on the Emira.

 

[Honcho]

Yeah, you need to get that shift light to come up more often. Use your engine.

If you have the shift light coming on often when you shift down gears you're going to ruin your engine.

 

[Nova]

If you have the shift light coming on often when you shift down gears you're going to ruin your engine.

Well… there is more than one way to get that light to come on more often.

 

[jonsealsportscars]

I would recommend you take it into Lotus and get them to do an ECU read. There have been very well documented issues with the V6 Exige with how poorly the V6 Engine handles over revs. The Cam followers can detach but give no symptoms until the car is exposed to enough G force to dislodge them where they then enter the timing side of the engine and kill it.

This is not scaremongering I have an £11,000 bill and flashbacks to prove it sadly. We bought a scan tool specifically to check the V6 cars we buy but it's not available outside the dealer network for the Emira yet but would recommend you get them to plug in ASAP. If it's under 8000RPM it will be fine.