Manual Transmission Noise In 1st, 2nd, 3d gears

Putting a lot of stress on the transmission stresses the bearings. When the bearings are worn, gear alignment is sloppy. Sloppy gears make noise. If things get bad enough, gears can collide, which will destroy many things.

If you replace the main bearings, and any needle bearings where shafts join (such as the mainshaft on a lot of transmissions), the transmission should be quieter. You can first check the transmission once you have it out by rocking the input shaft. If it rocks a lot, then you have loose bearings.

Agressive driving, as I have learned, is poor economy. It ruins the car and ruins the gas mileage. It also increases your stress levels and ruins your personal life. Going fast is fun, but when driving in regular traffic, relax, and time your driving accordingly. You can save a lot of stress and gas if you anticipate stoplights. Slow down when you see a red light ahead. Let the car cruise up to the light. Once you get there, the light will have changed to green. You can keep going, and won't have to accelerate from a stand-still. .....But yeah, I know how much it can tick me off when I'm late for work or school, and grandma's going 25 in front of me, and then she slows down more to teach me a lesson. ARGH! Of course I live in Milwaukee, which isn't too bad for traffic. If I lived in Chicago or New York, I'd probably go insane!

Also, downshifting is actually good economy, if you do it gently, though it can wear on the clutch if you let the clutch engage too slowly. However, many modern engines cut the fuel when coasting, and braking with the engine in gear stabilizes the car. I drive a 1951 Chevrolet on a regular basis, so downshifting while braking, with 4 wheel non-assisted drum brakes is especially important. It helps with modern cars, too, though.