Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - View Single Post - My trans oil 2nd gear problem

brzstiz · 08-08-2017, 12:49 PM

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!

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!

08-08-2017, 12:49 PM	#1
brzstiz Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Drives: 2015 brz series blue Location: mississauga, ontario Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	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! 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!