I've gotten used to my FRS quirky transmission. I just learned to deal with its learning curve. After about 1k miles I hardly got any crunch noises. To this day I rarely crunch if ever on the transmission. I am at approximately 12k w/ stock trans fluid.

My first to 2nd shift is usually, after pressing down the clutch and letting off the gas completely at around 3k - 3.5k rpms, i wait half a second to change gears and it pops in really smooth. same for 3rd and so forth. Except for 5th and 6th.

Yeah jp I'll try it.
My trans has been feeling pretty smooth since I did the whiteline Perrin bushing combo from ft86 speed factory and a trans fluid change. After she's warmed it it's pretty darn smooth.
Got a nasty rattle from one of the two bushings that's driving me fuckin nuts. Gear whine is cool because racecar but a ratle is no good!

doing gear oil without addressing the actual source of the problem (clutch adjustment) will just accelerate the wear on your synchro's.

Take off any mods whatsoever and start taking it to the dealer. Have them document what you pull out of it, that's the only thing that got me a new tranny when my first one was grinding into 4th and 5th.

Hi all,

I had all the usual grinding/notchy/blocked shifts issues on my FRS (mfg 07/13) since the day I got it, and had my transmission replaced after 6k miles (on good faith--toyota engineer noted "worn rear tires" and claimed operator abuse, so they're not gonna warranty it anymore, which i think is total BS, but that's a story for another day). New transmission was great for the past month--I felt as if that's how it was supposed to feel, you know, like a NEW car.

BUT NOW going into 3rd gives me a notchy crunch and sometimes when it's going smoothly it feels like something is nicking (when I move the shifter into 3rd, right in between neutral and 3rd there's this metallic-feeling bump, like snapping your fingers) as I shift into 3rd normally at normal street speeds at around 3.5k RPM. If I shift more quickly and at higher engine speeds 4k+ it doesn't seem to do it as much. Temperature doesn't seem to have any affect (it was buttery even when cold before) and I feel the nick whether cold or warmed up.

I haven't been grinding/missing any gears since getting the new transmission, and this is the first issue I've felt with the new transmission.

Would this just be those triple cone synchros I'm feeling now? I'm not too worried, as I haven't been getting locked out of gears or grinding the sht out of shifts, but needless to say I'm a little concerned, especially as this is a new trans. :iono:

I get this sometimes as well. There's a slight hitch going into 3rd under certain conditions, like something is catching for a moment. You can feel it through the shifter. I don't have a solution though.

YES definitely felt through the shifter. But this is my best case scenario when shifting into 3rd now--it's either the notchy/cruchy feeling going into gear or the metallic nick which would otherwise be smooth.

How's yalls 5th gear? Upshifting from 4.5-5K in 4th to 5th provides a LOT of resistance, to the point I've actually released the clutch before engaged accidentally.

Is Orbital just noob or is Orbital's transmission funky?

ive experienced everything described in this thread in one form or another at some point or other

most annoying are the occasional misshifts from 2nd to 3rd that make me feel like a total manual noob

i've ordered the MTEC springs and replacement gear oil from AMSOIL (car is at 30k, tranny oil not been changed) and gonna put all that within the next 2 weeks, will report back later.

My 5th can be notchy on upshifts, but not like 3rd. My 3rd feels like I'm squarely nicking something metal on the way in. Doesn't happen all the time though, maybe 1x/day. No issues when driving hard, just when puttering around town under 4000 rpm.

I suppose it could be my shifting, but never really had these issues with other manuals I've owned.

5th gear grinding and not engaging (shift blocking? I think I've seen it called round here) was the main reason Scion/Toyota replaced my transmission.

My new transmission's 5th and 6th are muuuuch better than my original one, but I still make sure to shift confidently into 5th and also make sure to not lift the clutch too early/stay on the throttle too long before shifting. But then again my new transmission isn't without its own issues now. Maybe it's all normal?

I feel like my transmission issues show up more with sedate, regular day-to-day driving—if I'm shifting quick and at higher rpms (when everything's warmed up, that is) things seem to work better.

It's not you buddy. Aisin created a shitbox. The best part is how the dealers act like they've never heard of the issues :)

Subaru told me to pound sound. I was never really certain if what I had was what other people had, so I appreciate that.

Take off all parts before you go in, there is no way in hell they will warranty your trans with those on. Grinding crunching on this trans is not normal.