My trans oil 2nd gear problem - SOLVED!
 

I hope this helps someone....
i've read every possible post regarding trans oil and the 2nd gear crunch and grind when cold problem and I've tried several oils. My car is a 2015 series blue Aozora. Anyways here is a breakdown: (last one is what SOLVED my issues!)

1. Stock fluid fill (bought car new) - JUNK! locked out when cold (gets cold in Canada/Toronto) and crunch and grinding in cold weather, until after 15mins of driving until i got a usable 2nd gear! Also even when warm, in summer, 2nd gear NEVER felt good, 2/5 shifts resulted in a clank sound or just not feeling smooth at all.

2. Amsoil (can't remember the type, but it was their GL-4 for manual trans), and used their severe gear for diff, the diff was fine with this oil! This trans fluid was MUCH WORSE that stock! lasted 5000kms and out it came!

3. Motul 300 - MEH....slight improvement over stock, but still not right. Filled with motul 300 in trans and diff, the diff developed a shutter on the first few turns in the morning, then that smoothed out, but could definitely feel the diff with motul. So far this was the best oil for the trans, and worst for the diff! If anyone tells you you don't need the SG additive in a torsen diff, i'm hesitant to believe it anymore, i could definitely feel the diff shutter.
winter shifting with motul in the trans was just a slight improvement over stock fill, learned to live with it.....tried everything like driving down the street in 2nd gear in the morning, i usually ended up skipping 2nd gear until warm or slow double clutch shifts with a huge pause from 1-2, then ram it in gear....nothing worked....

4. Red Line - OMG OMG OMG PRAISE THE LORD!
i used this in the diff: https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=40
and this in the trans: https://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46
AND EVERYTHING IS BUTTER!
This morning was the first drive to work, it was 14*deg C (little chilly), and i purposely just left and took a normal shift down my street into 2nd gear on a cold trans, it was nirvana! Blissfully perfect shifting; something i NEVER experienced in this car!!! Night and day comparison, and exactly how i thought it would feel in my dreams! 30min drive to work in stop and go traffic and every single shift was perfect. Not only did 2nd shift perfectly but i also feel all gears just feel better, and shifting is effortless!

I also had a few other symptoms with all oils except for Red Line:
- rattle sound in netural from trans at idle sitting at a light when car was partially warmed up. Would go away if i just barley touched the shifter
- when coming to a stop with AC on, occasional shutter right when comming to a stop (sounded like the engine bogging/rpm dropping just ever so slightly too much).

ALL my issues are GONE! :confused0068::party0030:

If anyone has this problem shifting (which i know many do) don't think, get the Red Line oil and i bet you'll be as happy as i am right now!:burnrubber:

I should have went with my gut and gotten redline instead of motul. Only reason I still run motul is because of budget constraints preventing throwing money at fluid changes all the time.

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I don't want to start a oil debate, just sharing my expirence. But the problem with Motul is it's a GL-5 oil, and Red Line is a true GL-4, and that is the difference. Gives the syncros time to grab, and believe me it works!

I honestly feel like i bought a new car.....yes....it is that much of a difference.
Best $100 i spent on oils EVER!:cheers:

I have read an equal amount of bad reviews on Motul as I have good... I'm not sure why people keep going for it.

Pentosin I have read is the best

I have ran Amsoil, wasn't impressed

Currently running Redline MT-90 myself, and I think it shifts great! I wanted Pentosin, but couldn't find it locally and didn't have time to wait for an order.

Same with me, i just happened to find a red line dealer very close, and figured what do i have to loose. The diff was bugging me, and i had it like that for 10000kms, so i knew i needed to change that with some oil with a SG additive, and figured i'll just give the trans a try and see.....
completely amazing results!
rarely are my expectations exceeded!

I have motul and dislike it. I have Redline MT-90 to put in just have not taken the time as I have not driven the car much this year.

I would almost guarantee you will LOVE the Red Line! :cheers:

I use motul and fixed my 2nd gear clunk, whatever floats your boat

Probably going to head up to summit racing and grab some redline for next change.

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I think the sequence should be

Redline
Motul
Amsoil
Pentosin

I put Pentosin last b/c the viscosity is wrong. But many people would vouch for it. I know. Put Motul before Amsoil b/c a lot of guys had issues with Amsoil even though it is GL4. Ideally after you cycle though all 4 of them, you will find one that works for you. But is it true?

I'm not sure on the census of the oil order, i've tried 3 in that list, all except for the pentosin, also the stock in comparison. I'd bet that the redline will most likely be the best oil for anyone since it is the one that has night and day results with my testing. redline is the clear winner.
order of my findings:

1 Redline - 100% happy, 100% results in trans for me, truly if i were blindfolded and shifted my own car with this oil, i'd swear there is no way this could possibly be my car!! :confused0068:

2 motul/stock fill - both were to me the same, maybe give a preference to motul vs stock, but it's so marginal, both were not good for me, clunky 2nd gear 2/5 shifts when warm, grinding when cold (winter) in 2nd, 1st locked out when cold unless complete stop.

3 amsoil - absolutely junk for me, didn't keep it in for a month....the worst of them all, i got all out grinds on 2nd no matter what i tried when cold, and warm all shifts felt awful.

FWIW

My TL70 likes Amsoil and shifts wonderfully.

It truly seems that there isn't a single wonderful fluid that will solve the problem for every one's transmission. Each has a chance with some probabilities. I guess we just need to figure out the order that one should experiment with. Unfortunately, I have bought 4 Motul. Have to start with this one. The negative comment of Motul for the diff is what bothers me a little.

This dude has Redline shoved up so far up his bumhole it makes it feel like he's trying to sell something...

Well i wanted to share with everyone except you my experience hoping that it would help someone.
This problem bothered me for 3yrs so much so i was about to get rid of the car.
If your car shifts great good for you. But many people have this problem.
Its also coments like yours that make me wonder why bother trying to help.
People like you ruin the forum for others that genuinely want to help.

I must agree there is no one solution or magic cure all oil.
I tried to give in detail my symptoms so that if someone else could relate closely to mine that at least there is some basis to take at my time and expense! at least you can see what worked and didn't for me and then make a decision.
Motul in the diff was very bad to me. i hated the slight shutter and noticed it immediately. I knew the car at that point and before the motul in the diff i did 30000kms and never had a hint of that shutter. again a change away from motul in the diff eliminated it completely!
Fwiw

Heh I see how it could have come out the wrong way. I just meant that you sounded more like someone trying to sell the product than anything else. It's good that it has worked out for yall, though.

OP is 100% right. I have been using Motul for 30,000 miles. Just switched to redline and shifting is noticeably more smooth.

Planning on trying this out in the coming week or two. I recently started using their motor oil and I love it. Will post with my feedback when done and hopefully point people to this thread as everyone seems to have issues with hard shifting when the tranny is cold.

Hi brzstiz,

I have a 2015 BRZ with the same issues for the first 1-2 miles when engine/gearbox cold (not ambiant temps), including full blocking out of 2nd gear aswell as the snatching/baulking.

Did the RedLine oil prove to be a long term solution for you?

thanks.

I haven't used RedLine but I've used Motul's MotylGear and I don't have any problems anymore.

Ｉｎｔｅｒｓｔｉｎｇ，　ｗｉｌｌ　ｔｒｙ　ｒｅｄｌｉｎｅ　ｎｅｘｔ　ｔｉｍｅ．

Ｂｅｅｎ　ｕｓｉｎｇ　ｍｏｔｕｌ　ｔｈｅ　ｌａｓｔ　５０ｋ　ｍｉｌｅｓ，　ｓｉｎｃｅ　ｉｔ　ｆｉｘｅ ｄ　ｍｙ　２ｎｄ　ｇｅａｒ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃａｒ　ｗａｓ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　 ｎｅｗ．

Just why :suicide:

Hey, if it turns out to be even smoother why not?

It's never smooth to the point of most hondas anyway. Plus even though it's not grinding anymore, it doesn't feel good except 3rd-4th.

I think he's referring to the font and font spacing you used.

Ah... ya didn't notice i was typing english in Japan IME input but too lazy to retype the whole thing. :iono:

Wanted to throw in that Motul helped smooth engagement all around for me, and made a drastic difference in temperatures down to -20f. Where the stock fluid basically was like pushing a straw through a cup of ice cubes, the Motul did not need nearly as much time to warm up

I should have added that I don't have stock fluid currently its Millers CRX LS 75W90, which is their motorsport version of the fluid for the BRZ.

https://www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/c...ansmission-oil

This is supposed to help but I wonder if its making it worse?