christi

Ok, to make a long story short.....

Lately my car has been running not so good again. To start off.... really, my gears. Between 2nd and 4th, you'll hear either a grind type of noise, or even better yet, cracking anytime I go into those gears. It doesn't happen EVERY time, but for the most part it does....

What does this sound like to you? Is this bad? In your opinion, should I first go and get my gear synchro oil change again?

I dunno, but it's real disturbing hearing the gears pop/crack whenever you shift into them

Icemark

If you have the wrong weight gear lube in there, or the lube is old (more than 10000 - 12000 miles) you could change it. Sometimes a synthetic like the redline MT-90 will have a major improvenment. Make sure you didn't use a Mobil 1 gearlube or a GL-5 LSD gear lube last time, as they tend to eat the syncro's in our trannys. Use a GL-4 or something like the redline MT-90.

But the other end might be driving style (clutch not in far enough or long enough), or a bad slave or master clutch assembly, or a old clutch line between the two.

Driving style is easy to check, just have someone else drive the car and see if they have the problem... if they don't you need to modify your right leg action.

But if it isn't driving style, try bleeding the clutch system first and check the clutch line condition. You should not be able to pinch the flexible line at all. Any give to the flexible line and you should replace it asap.

Rebuild kits for the clutch slave and master are normally very cheap (like $14 each)... so if you got the time, its not a bad thing to do on a 13 year old car even if it is not the problem.

If synthtic gear oil and a a fully fuctioning clucth system doesn't solve it, then you may need to rebuild the tranny or learn how to double clutch everywhere.

christi

Nope, I know for sure I used redline MT-90, and I believe that was changed either in May or in June. I'm not extactly sure how many miles ago it was, but I'm sure it wasn't around 10k.

I know for a fact, I never changed out the diff. fluid, do you think that has anything to do with it?

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But the other end might be driving style (clutch not in far enough or long enough), or a bad slave or master clutch assembly, or a old clutch line between the two.

This is true... I can tell when I do things a bit wrong but nothing major when shifting. I know it's probably not the bad slave/master clutch assembly or anything like that, but how can you tell it's either of those... out of curiousity sakes?

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Driving style is easy to check, just have someone else drive the car and see if they have the problem... if they don't you need to modify your right leg action.

done that, just gotta get my father to drive the car now

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But if it isn't driving style, try bleeding the clutch system first and check the clutch line condition. You should not be able to pinch the flexible line at all. Any give to the flexible line and you should replace it asap.

I'm going to go with the other person driving first - to see if it's me or something totally out of my hands. If so, I'll make another thread, or just post in this one on help to do it. It's a newbie thing I guess, because I'm not sure how to do it!?

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Rebuild kits for the clutch slave and master are normally very cheap (like $14 each)... so if you got the time, its not a bad thing to do on a 13 year old car even if it is not the problem.

But would it be the best solution to do? Since I still live with my parent's ....they're VERY strict on what I do to my car, as far as fixing it up... ya know?

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If synthtic gear oil and a a fully fuctioning clucth system doesn't solve it, then you may need to rebuild the tranny or learn how to double clutch everywhere.

I can barely double clutch, unless it won't go into gear. I, IMO, think double clutching is a bad idea, but some will disagree with me. My only major problems with one of my gears is 5th... it won't go in at a certain rpm, or at a certain speed... or combo of both. Werid huh?

Isn't rebuilding the tranny expensive? I don't want to think that way, and I'm pretty sure it's not that way either..... Oh I hope not.

christi

bump

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

So you're saying that 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear grind? And you have relativly fresh transmission fluid?

Start by bleeding the clutch hydraulics really well. If the problem still persists, make sure that the fluid level in the tranny is OK. If that's good, you're probably looking at an internal transmission problem (worn syncros).

The diff won't have anything to do with it.

christi

Well, not really. It's just mainly my 2nd and 4th gear that make a crack/grinding noise. I do believe I changed the tranny fluid back in April/May, but.. I could be wrong. I know it was somewhere around there.

I'm gonna have to call the guy tomorrow that did my tranny fluid and see if he can do it again. (Redline MT-90 synthetic right?

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Start by bleeding the clutch hydraulics really well. If the problem still persists, make sure that the fluid level in the tranny is OK. If that's good, you're probably looking at an internal transmission problem (worn syncros).

The diff won't have anything to do with it.

I'm not sure how to bleed the clutch hydraulics, I'd be afraid of doing something wrong in the process.

Like I said, I'll check with the guy tomorrow, hopefully to see if I can get him to change it for me again - as I have no way to even jack my car off a bit higher than normal to do it myself (plus it's a pita if I do it that way ) ...

Ah, okay... atleast the diff has nothing to do with it, but shouldn't you change out the fluid in that too? I have yet to do that. Um, do you use the same gear oil as you do in the tranny or is it different?

Edit:

Icemark - Oh, I got someone to drive my car - a buddy of mine (turboshjosh). It happened to him too, so atleast it isn't driver error, but it is something with the tranny.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

If it's only 2nd and forth, then I doubt it's the clutch.

Sounds definitly like a tranny issue. Check the fluid and make sure it's not low, but it shouldn't need to be changed so early...That stuff is designed to be in a tranny for 3 or 4 years....If it is low, then you have a leak somewhere, most probably the rear or front seal. Rear seal is easy, front is annoying...But deal with that if it's a problem...First check fluid level...

SaabGuy

If theres any speculation with shifting as a result of the clutch, clutch bearings, master or slave cylynder you can try this simple test;

Warm up the car. Warm up the tranny and bearings too. Drive it around for a while. Pull the car into a smooth, flat parking lot and brake to complete stop. Put car in neutral and press clutch to the floor. Rev the motor up to like 4k rpms and SLOWLY engage the car into 1st gear. If the car starts to roll from this then you may have something wierd in the clutch, bearings, or cylinders.

The more it rolls, the worse your shifting will be between any gears. The car should not want to move with the clutch all the way in. If it does, repare the clutch components.

Sadly, my saab fails this test, and I'm probably going to need a new 3rd gear synchro within the next year or 2.