1st to 2nd gear shift trick?

[Larphraulen]

So, I don't have the mechanical aptitude to figure this out but I live in Canada with cold winters that are not nice for the 1-2 gear shift. In my previous car (VW GLI 6mt) and in my 2018 BRZ, I've noticed that the shifter doesn't grind on cold 1-2 shifts if I do the following:

1. Am moving in 1st gear
2. Push and hold clutch in
3. Put shifter into neutral then put it into 2nd
4. Release clutch

Where as if I just shift normally 1-2, it is really notchy (can feel some abrasion that I assume is the synchro). I'm not complaining by any means. For some reason the 1-neutral-2 method also seems to work better than a full double-clutch upshift as well.

Anyone else find this to be the case or have some speculation as to why it works better?

FYI, I'm on stock MTF for the BRZ. For my VW, this worked when it had stock MTF as well as Redline MTL.

[nastynate88]

The Aisin 6 in our cars are generally unhappy in the cold, especially with the stock fluids. Changing the oil helped but it still feels like that. Improves vastly once the gearbox warms up.

[milanojess]

Not particular to this box, quite a few had difficulty with 2nd gear in cold. Redline synth gear oil of right grade usually helped.

[HKz]

Originally Posted by Larphraulen

So, I don't have the mechanical aptitude to figure this out but I live in Canada with cold winters that are not nice for the 1-2 gear shift. In my previous car (VW GLI 6mt) and in my 2018 BRZ, I've noticed that the shifter doesn't grind on cold 1-2 shifts if I do the following:

1. Am moving in 1st gear
2. Push and hold clutch in
3. Put shifter into neutral then put it into 2nd
4. Release clutch

Where as if I just shift normally 1-2, it is really notchy (can feel some abrasion that I assume is the synchro). I'm not complaining by any means. For some reason the 1-neutral-2 method also seems to work better than a full double-clutch upshift as well.

Anyone else find this to be the case or have some speculation as to why it works better?

FYI, I'm on stock MTF for the BRZ. For my VW, this worked when it had stock MTF as well as Redline MTL.

chasing this concern by changing trans oil is a waste of time and money.. there are some techniques like the one you're doing but really the best workaround is go 1st to 3rd until the car warms up then every gear is smooth as butter no need to rush things right away as far as why this happens, think a good clue is that this is pretty common with other cars equipped with a similar AISIN derived gearbox like S2K and Miata..so after all it is a small trans designed for low torque applications and less about refinement. nothing is really perfectly balanced or smooth for power delivery and the cold only exacerbates those jitters..

[ITmushishi]

Congratulations on the new car. I find the 1->2 shift smooth when cold if I let it wind up to 3-4k before shifting out of first.

I understand these transmissions all behave a little different and get smoother as they wear in. The shift I find most trouble when cold is downshifting 3->2... still have to blip the throttle in neutral to rev match that or just avoid downshifting into 2nd until the transmission is warm.

Also... the directly connected shifter will always feel different from the spring loaded cables on a front wheel drive VW.

[Tcoat]

Gentle yet firm consistent force.

[Jesse36m3]

Don't try to force it. Let it sit there against the gate until you feel a bit less resistance, then stab it down into second when the revs come down and it starts to give. I drive my car from time to time in the NorthEast winter when there isn't snow on the ground and I have no issues with her at all.

[DarkPira7e]

Changing to Motul transmission removed my notchy 1st to 2nd gear shifts when it's below 0.

[Larphraulen]

Thanks all. I guess I'll just keep doing the 1-neutral-2 shift motion until the trans warms up. Doesn't need anything more than 3 fingers worth of pressure.

[R2]

I had this problem for years on many different oils. Turns out it was the reverse lockout plate that was adjusted too far to the right and made shifting into second from 1 or 3 almost impossible. Once I moved that over a couple mm the issue went away.

[wolffbite]

Originally Posted by Larphraulen

Thanks all. I guess I'll just keep doing the 1-neutral-2 shift motion until the trans warms up. Doesn't need anything more than 3 fingers worth of pressure.

That's the way! It will slowly improve as you break in the car. I switched to motul 300 last year and the difference is so small I wonder if it changed anything at all.

What I do before I leave every day is row up and down the gears while sitting in neutral. Initial cold notchiness seems to go away quicker when I do this.

[Larphraulen]

Originally Posted by wolffbite

That's the way! It will slowly improve as you break in the car. I switched to motul 300 last year and the difference is so small I wonder if it changed anything at all.

What I do before I leave every day is row up and down the gears while sitting in neutral. Initial cold notchiness seems to go away quicker when I do this.

hahaha... that is awesome. Also, will try pre-emptively rowing through too. Maybe it'll get a little oil in the gears.

[FR-Sky]

I will move around the gear during morning cold start warm up, and shift slowly within 1-2 miles. This works for me.

[Qwimby1]

Here in Florida the car never gets really cold, but I notice a bit of change as everything gets up to temperature. Having said that, the tranny remains relatively cranky IMO. It often doesn't like to go into 1st and 3d. I put Motul 300 in with no noticeable improvement. Best thing I've found is the old Jaguar non-synch 1st to 2nd trick. Pause for a millisecond as you first touch the synchros, then push it on in. Done properly you almost don't notice any delay, but do get smoother shifts.