Snook

iTrader: (12)

So I've had my rx7 now since June 23d and I've been driving it since August 3d
The transmission was rebuilt about 20K ago and the car has 68k miles. It was rebuilt by mazdabecause it had the 5th gear synchro problem

So I have put about 750 miles on my rebuilt streetported motor and it took me a while to get used to driving the car but after the first few days it was cake.
I had a problem when I shifted to 5th gear it would grind. I did this about 5 times total over 3 weeks. I didn't really know why it was happening when it did. I never ever had a problem with any gear but I just figured that I didnt have the clutch down all the way those times when it did the grinding in 5th. Yesterday on the way to monday night football I shifted into 5th going 50 or so and it grinded hard (still not sure if it was my fault or not) then I put it back in neutral and tried 5th again and it grinded again. It does it every time I put it in 5th now.

What the hell happened? Has anyone had the 5th gear synchro go bad so soon after it was fixed or ever after it was fixed. Did mazda repair it incorrectly?
Most important of all...I don't plan on getting this fixed soon since I just layed 6k into the car after I payed for the car itself. So is it okay if I let this go and just keep driving the car and use 5th gear still? Am I going to damage the rest of the transmission? Are there metal shavings that can mess up the rest of the gears from teh grinding in 5th? Is mazda responsible for this because they put it in wrong?

I was already getting about 9mpg not even boosting and driving in 5th a lot....
Ohh well can't get too upset about this I guess I am still lucky to have this nice car I just didn't expect this problem since it had already been fixed.

thanks and props if you made it to the end of this post
SNook

Mercury

Did you go from 2 to 5 and grind? That could have caused your problem. I recomend changing your 5th gear synchro the next time you do your clutch.
-M

JONSKI

Just double clutch when shifting to fifth gear to reduce the grinding.

Snook

iTrader: (12)

No, I never go from 2nd to 5th I go through each gear slowly and try not to boost for the breakin
I go from 4th to 5th and after that one time last night it grinds every time now


See jonski knows his ****
BTW I did try that and it did reduce it a lot but it still sucks that it happened...I feel like my car is about to blow up cause of it...it's always nice to have a perfectly functioning car.
The passengers are freaking out between that grinding, the 3k hesitation and they are asking what that noise is cause I vented the bov, then my passenger mat got soaked cause of the a/c, then they get out and tell me I need a paint job because my car is pink, then they tell me I left my car on cause the turbo timer is on.

Any way....not that big of a deal with the tranny I guess

Snook

Nathan Kwok

Try Redline MTL or Neo Synthetic gear oil. I've never had grinding but I think shifting is smoother since changing over to Neo. Redline I was told is even thinner and would help even more but I've also heard to the contrary, but either one will make an improvement. Double clutching upshifts, man thats gotta suck.

PolishDude

tru

Chronos

What exactly is "double clutching", what does it do to make shifting easier?

Talek

Snook, next time you get down cuz of all the little things we put up with, just find yourself a nice, twisty road and haul ***... Always puts a smile on my face.

GoRacer

iTrader: (2)

torque brace

skunks

its gone

turp182

Double clutching is when you put the car in neutral and release the clutch prior to making the next shift rather than moving straight to the next geat during one depression of the clutch.

I was having "difficulty" getting into 2nd (no grinding, but I had to use more force than other gears), and switching to Neo took care of it nicely.

JONSKI

After you read this article, you will know exactly what double-clutching is.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm

Snook

iTrader: (12)

Can anyone answer any of my original questions please?
Out of all these posts 3 have tried to help but I already knew what they said and the rest are trash.

I noticed today that this grinding into 5th doesn't happen 1-2 out of every 5 times I try it.
if it was the synchro wouldn't it do it every time?

thanks

SNook

rotary-tt

Mine happens when I let the rpm drop prior to going into 5th. If I am at speed and shift 4-5, no problems. If I speed up, slow down in neutral, and then go to 5th then grinds almost every time. Try always going into 4th prior to 5th. The syncros seem to work better this way. I had this problem prior to my trans rebuild. Eventually I lost 5th altogether. Now my neutral to 5th problem is back after 1 1/2 years. I don't think I shifted 2nd to 5th after the rebuild, but I did it a few time before...

PaulyDee

Sounds like Mazda needs to do the job right this time. They may have just changed a broken syncronizer but not the shift sleeve (hub). When I do a 5th gear syncro job, I always change the synco, shift hub, bearings and new roll pins.

I would definately take it back for a warranty.

Paul

Chronos

Thanks a lot Jonski

You the man

JONSKI

SPOautos

Check with the previous owner and Mazda to see if there is still warrenty. Dont tell Mazda you just bought the car cause if there is any warrenty left its probably only good to the previous owner so they should call and set up the appointment it its coverd.

That said, everytime you go into 5th and grind your wearing down the teath on the 5th gear clutch hub assembely and I believe it cost about $150 to replace but could be wrong about that, its been a while since i checked. You have probably already worn the teath down on it bad enough to need replacing but everytime you grind your getting metal shavings in your trans.

Dont use 5th unless you have to magic was of getting it to noth grind....even then I wouldnt use it. You wont get a good a gas mileage on the hwy in 4th but you prob didnt buy it for that anyway.

STEPHEN