My car shifts very unsmoothly into second gear. The car only has 30k miles on it so i know its not the syncros. It seems that the higher rpm's i bring it, the smoother it shifts. Also, i have no problems downshifting into 2nd at all, so that is another reason why i dont think its the synchro. Redline tranny fluid was put in the car a few weeks ago and is still the same. Any ideas what's wrong??

 

Mine does the same thing.....fucked up, but it goes away when it's really hot.
~Tom

 

Well, u could actually feel the resistence even when it is hot. However, it is much easier when hot. I dont get it. And its only 2nd gear too..

 

That's one of the personality traits of the car. I think all 3rd gen's have problems shifting into 2nd on cold starts.

You just have to keep reminding yourself that it's a "race" car.

I've got it down to an art form. I never grind 2nd gear anymore. You just have to find the right way to shift into 2nd. It'll take some getting use to but you'll get the hang of it in no time....

Later,

 

i had the same problem on two occasions...one was a damaged throwout bearing...the other was a damaged fork for the throwout bearing...but since it shifts into gear easier at high rpms...(that was how my fifth with the bad synchro was) I would bet that is the cause of your problem...

ps..it doesnt matter what your miles are...you can damage a synchro at 100 miles or a million....My fifth was changed at 40k and at 90k.


best o luck...

now that i have my new tranny....I dont have any of those problems...so for the guy who said that that is a problem inherant in third gens...I have to strongly disagree...what is inherant is weak synchros.

jason
94 modded peg

 

well i don't know, but i also have that problem. I am pretty sure that this is a problem that almost every 3rd gen have. maybe that changing the syncros helps but i am pretty sure it will come back. Since it seems to be the same problem for everyone, you should worry unless you find it very anoying, just like the sqeeK sound from the back, you ebery 3rd have that so it is a "normal" problem. I got used to it and shift gently when the car is cold, that's it.

puma

 

Unless you can't shift into second without making very loud unpleasent noises the gearbox is fine. You can try changing pilot bearings, and syncros but I'm pretty sure that it'll be back before you know it.

It's not that you can't shift into 2nd, it's just that you find a bit of resistence when the car is cold. Once the car is up to temp everything moves smoothly.

I tend to like it because it reminds me what type of car I'm driving around......

Later,

 

When it's cold out mine is stiff into second as well; once the gear lube is warm all is ok. When it is warm outside second is never balky; even with a cold motor. If it shifts smoother after it has warmed up, you know it isn't the synchro.

If the tranny was abused the synchro could be bad regardless of the miles.

 

Buy BG Products Synchro Shift. You will be very happy with the result. My Mazda dealer carries it, I just bought some today for both cars. I have a total of 165k use with it between the two, and only wish I knew about it sooner. I replace it every year or two depending on use. Winter will seem like the way it shifts in summer or better.

 

Can anyone help me with my tranny problem?

When my car is in neutral the trans makes a spinning sound that I can hear while sitting in the car. It stops as soon as I depress the clutch and put the car into gear. Then, when I start moving, I can hear it throughout first until I shift into second.
I am also having problems shifting into fifth. I cant shift into fifth sometimes. I dont think that its the synchros cause the gears dont grind or anything. The shifter just wont go into fifth. Its like something is blocking it. I dont know if this is a second problem or if it is related to the first.

Any info would be appreciated. thanks.