As the title says, going for a run at the highway about an hour ago, i miss-shifted into 2nd instead of 4th...

RPM gauge when i looked at it was outside of the range (8+k rpms?) so i assume i was at around 9000! rpm

i immediately put it into neutral and my heart dropped fearing the engine just blew up, but it drove just fine and sounded exactly like before
i drove home and it felt exactly the same!!

Did i get lucky? anything to check for?

 

Most likely you just buzzed the motor and did no real harm. There is no way to tell without an unneeded tear down. You are going to hear horror stories, mostly second hand. Listen nod and say gee that is interesting. Watch you oil, coolant, exhaust, etc. for the next bit, but chill, until you have a reason to worry. Watch your shifting and how you place your hand around the shifter for the different gates. But what do I know I'm an old man. Motor on

 

Only two types of Manual Transmission owners: those that have mis-shifted and those that will.

 

I know! I always wondered how stupid people have to be to mis-shift and blow up their engines. Oh well...


I guess i'll just keep paying attention to the noises and oil for the next week or so.

 

yup, nose dive? done it before and did no harm/damage to the car. best of luck and should be okay.

 

Sounds like you are OK...
In a few thousand miles you will know for sure...
If you broke a valve spring (most common) you would know it right away.....
If you spun a bearing, you will know in a few days...your car will sound like an old ice cream truck...
If that happens...motor time!!
That's why they call it a MONEY SHIFT!!

 

Total Money Shift. No worries; we've all been there. Like others have said, valve damage would manifest itself fairly quickly, and bottom-end damage shortly after if not immediate. I'd just consider changing the oil in the very near future, and look to see if the oil is especially sparkly

 

9k is high. I pulled apart one engine that had over revved on throttle, when the throttle bar dropped out between the carbs, and locked them open. It was only for a few seconds and appeared ok. I checked all the compressions, monitored oil consumption, all the noise checks, but was difficult to identify piston slap really, but when apart, found a large arc shape crack on one piston skirt. I had driven for quite some time before rebuilding the motor, and it was about 1/2" each end of the arc before detaching from the crown.


Cheaper then, as it was me doing it, than it coming away during continued use, as it would have wrecked the motor in a big way. Just a point to consider that's all. It does happen, and inherent strength in components can delay consequences that dependent on use may or may not show.

Food for thought that's all

 

take an oil sample

 

When my car was just out of the break-in period, I did the same exact thing at a track day. I was at redline in third, grabbed second by accident. 185,000 miles later I haven't noticed any problems. Chances are it will be fine.

Jason

 

Aaah the money shift.

 

In your defense, even after driving stick for 16 years, I find the R53's 'gates' a bit fiddly and narrow, especially for a 6 speed.

 

+1 "Money Shift" .. monitor your engine and for the most part, things more than likely will be OK...

Still not as bad as sitting at a RED light and accidentally shifting into Reverse, dumping the clutch and lunging backward into the nose of the car behind you.

Motor on!

 

Back in the early 80's I worked for the CHP and we started using 4sp Mustangs. we had to install rev limiter in the cars because of the missed shift and over revved engines. They had a changeable chip that plug into the out side of the case. They came with a number of choices and we installed the 4500 RPM Chip but kept the other and would hand them out to Officers who asked for them. Those Mustangs were never designed for the use they got and they loved to wheel hop.

Tom

 

Sounds like you were lucky, Just keep checking things. Should be ok.