MC Shift – What type of gearbox is it really?

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

So I have been doing some reading, and I have read the MC Shift is an automated sequential manual….great

So then I start to look at sequential manuals, which seem to differ from H pattern manuals and have a single shifter (connected to a selector drum) that use selector forks to move dog gears (which are instead of synchros). All seems good

Then I see a guy working on a Ferrari F1 gearbox (which I think are the same/similar to ours?) and there are three shifters – like a traditional gearbox would have. Checking spares sites I don’t see any dog gears. Also read that the gearbox has cone synchronisers anyway…

So which is the MC Shift? An H pattern shifted box – just automated with hydraulics (and only referred to as sequential as we have paddles rather than a gear stick) or a true sequential?

I’m no gearbox expert – this is all google/youtube info. Just interested in how these things work….

Cheers!

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

It's not what I would call sequential (although it's not easy to get it to block shift e.g. 5th to second)

It's H gate, and you can pretty much see this in the manual / operating actuators.

C

Oneball · Nov 8, 2022

Whether it has synchro or not is irrelevant.

Sequential refers to what happens at the lever. So you go from one gear to the next sequentially you can’t miss a gear or go from 4th to reverse etc. the main benefit is just that, in theory there’s no miss-changes. I’d did see someone bang all the way down into reverse at the weekend so it’s not infallible

The way it achieves this isn’t relevant either. Some do it like a bike with a selector drum in the box, some do it within the shift linkage.

I wouldn’t call the MC Shift a sequential box, it’s an automated manual.

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

Thanks! So H gate it seems then….I would have thought a sequential would be better in this car (simpler and faster shifts and all that)…though sure Maserati knew what they were doing

dickygrace · Nov 8, 2022

Mascar said:
Thanks! So H gate it seems then….I would have thought a sequential would be better in this car (simpler and faster shifts and all that)…though sure Maserati knew what they were doing

It’s the same as the Ferrari 599 so there will likely be more info out there on the ‘box.

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

Awesome…it’s great to tell people this stuff “Yes, the engine and gearbox are Ferrari...”

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Mascar said:
Awesome…it’s great to tell people this stuff “Yes, the engine and gearbox are Ferrari...”

Well sort of....

The engine isn't (really, AFAIK) and the box is Graziano from memory. Which is a bit like saying that my Bentley (or Granturismo) had a Hyundai box

C

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

CatmanV2 said:
Well sort of....

The engine isn't (really, AFAIK) and the box is Graziano from memory. Which is a bit like saying that my Bentley (or Granturismo) had a Hyundai box

C

Ahh, please don't tell me that.....I've told everyone now

Seriously, I read this which talks about the ferrari/maserati engine (the Ferrari versions having a flat plane crank whereas the Maserati versions having the cross-plane)....It seems to mention the Granturismo. Or are there so many other differences, that make it too far removed to make the Ferrari claim....

(yes, I wanted a Ferrari but couldn't afford it....)

Ryandoc · Nov 8, 2022

I should probably know this but having it risked a road full of metal parts ….

What happens if I’m in a gear other than 1st, somewhere in the rev range and driving, I flicked into neutral and then gave a single flick on the up paddle?

Will it junior back into a correct gear for that speed or try to engage 1st and game over?

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Mascar said:
Ahh, please don't tell me that.....I've told everyone now

Seriously, I read this which talks about the ferrari/maserati engine (the Ferrari versions having a flat plane crank whereas the Maserati versions having the cross-plane)....It seems to mention the Granturismo. Or are there so many other differences, that make it too far removed to make the Ferrari claim....

(yes, I wanted a Ferrari but couldn't afford it....)

There's a lot of discussion and I am happy to be corrected but I believe the informed opinion may be expressed as 'They share the same basics, but there are so many differences that you really can't call it a shared engine.

C

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Ryandoc said:
I should probably know this but having it risked a road full of metal parts ….

What happens if I’m in a gear other than 1st, somewhere in the rev range and driving, I flicked into neutral and then gave a single flick on the up paddle?

Will it junior back into a correct gear for that speed or try to engage 1st and game over?

It will select the correct gear. The TCU is programmed to not shift where it would cause a dangerous situation or a stall

C

Ryandoc · Nov 8, 2022

CatmanV2 said:
It will select the correct gear. The TCU is programmed to not shift where it would cause a dangerous situation or a stall

C

As I suspected / hoped but thanks for confirming. The devil in me wanted to try several times but I think even knowing I’ll just leave that trial on the back burner lol

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Ryandoc said:
As I suspected / hoped but thanks for confirming. The devil in me wanted to try several times but I think even knowing I’ll just leave that trial on the back burner lol

We used to do it on drives past. Select neutral, rev it, pull for a gear.

Works less well on a ZF equipped GT I confess.....

C

Sam McGoo · Nov 8, 2022

A

Ryandoc said:
As I suspected / hoped but thanks for confirming. The devil in me wanted to try several times but I think even knowing I’ll just leave that trial on the back burner lol

As Cat says, no issues with that at all. Pull both paddles for neutral, rev it for the kids or if your in a tunnel, pull the +paddle to go back into gear.

It's actually a bit too safe, and normally selects a gear higher than you want putting you low down in the revs. So you end up having to downshift again to accelerate away fast enough to not like like a dick that can't drive. Lol

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Sam McGoo said:
A

As Cat says, no issues with that at all. Pull both paddles for neutral, rev it for the kids or if your in a tunnel, pull the +paddle to go back into gear.

It's actually a bit too safe, and normally selects a gear higher than you want putting you low down in the revs. So you end up having to downshift again to accelerate away fast enough to not like like a dick that can't drive. Lol

Try using the - paddle. I'm not saying it will help but.....

C

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

CatmanV2 said:
There's a lot of discussion and I am happy to be corrected but I believe the informed opinion may be expressed as 'They share the same basics, but there are so many differences that you really can't call it a shared engine.

C

Fair enough. Just a sibling of Ferrari perhaps

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

Sam McGoo said:
A

As Cat says, no issues with that at all. Pull both paddles for neutral, rev it for the kids or if your in a tunnel, pull the +paddle to go back into gear.

It's actually a bit too safe, and normally selects a gear higher than you want putting you low down in the revs. So you end up having to downshift again to accelerate away fast enough to not like like a dick that can't drive. Lol

Before I try this…do we need to have a foot on the brake or anything before it will re-engage gear? I just remember putting it in neutral while coming up to some lights that then changed. It wouldn’t then go into gear and I ended up looking like a fool as I came to a complete stop. It was day 1 or 2 of ownership though so I could well have done something wrong. Just haven’t tried since…

CatmanV2 · Nov 8, 2022

Mascar said:
Before I try this…do we need to have a foot on the brake or anything before it will re-engage gear? I just remember putting it in neutral while coming up to some lights that then changed. It wouldn’t then go into gear and I ended up looking like a fool as I came to a complete stop. It was day 1 or 2 of ownership though so I could well have done something wrong. Just haven’t tried since…

Not if you're rolling, no. There are probably certain sets of circumstances that will confuse the (admittedly prrimitive TCU) and leave it with a default of 'Whoops' but I never recall having that happen. You probably need to keep some throttle on, though

C

Mascar · Nov 8, 2022

CatmanV2 said:
Not if you're rolling, no. There are probably certain sets of circumstances that will confuse the (admittedly prrimitive TCU) and leave it with a default of 'Whoops' but I never recall having that happen. You probably need to keep some throttle on, though

C

Thanks C. If it ever stops raining I will give it a try

Gazcw · Nov 8, 2022

Ryandoc said:
As I suspected / hoped but thanks for confirming. The devil in me wanted to try several times but I think even knowing I’ll just leave that trial on the back burner lol

Neutral in a tunnel. Rev. Select gear. Off you go again.

MC Shift – What type of gearbox is it really?

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