6spd MT Can't shift into second with these cold temperatures

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Suberman

.........

You need a firm shift from 1 to 2 as the gearbox warms up. .

That works for my FR-S.

Sort of like charging a .50 cal MG, be firm and positive ..... unless you want the receiver cover blowing up in your face ....

Ignor the chain gun firing at the first part of the video.

[ame]http://youtu.be/XI-Z8zPNHG8[/ame]



Who let humfrz in here .... it's past time for his meds!!!!!

[FLYFISHR]

Originally Posted by PMPB

You should at least leave the clutch engaged while idling, at least that way the input shaft is turning and causing some friction.... albeit, not too much. Rowing the gears while idling is literally doing nothing but swapping cogs around.... cogs that aren't even turning.

I agree. I wasn't very clear I guess that I do leave the clutch engaged while I move the lever back and forth (left and right) a few times to help stir the fluid so to speak and go through the pattern after the idle has dropped and I'm about to get underway.

[Antheezy]

So I have the same issue. I did a fluid swap to motul and noticed it being better after being warmed up but the same if on a cold start within first 4 or 5 miles. It sounds like mini grinding or just really harsh to throw into 2nd gear. So it seems like everyone saying this is normal? I mean really im not really confident in my 2nd gear shifts and it kills me inside that a brand new car is giving me this experience. Should I not take this in to the dealership? Does it improve after breaking in over time?

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by Antheezy

So I have the same issue. I did a fluid swap to motul and noticed it being better after being warmed up but the same if on a cold start within first 4 or 5 miles. It sounds like mini grinding or just really harsh to throw into 2nd gear. So it seems like everyone saying this is normal? I mean really im not really confident in my 2nd gear shifts and it kills me inside that a brand new car is giving me this experience. Should I not take this in to the dealership? Does it improve after breaking in over time?

The relatively short shift lever accentuates this "problem" but really, triple cone synchronizers are fairly stiff. That's why they fit them. The synchronizers are protecting the engagement dogs from clashing. Once the dogs speed up (downshift) or slow down (upshift) the gear will engage and not before. Toyota must have thought their gearbox would take a beating on this car. I suspect they were right to think so.

Double clutching cannot assist an upshift. You are trying to slow down the gearsets not speed them up.

[radroach]

I've figured a few more things out this week, so I'll share

@humfrz , firm positive actuation of the gear lever definitely helps. No more using flaccid handling of the shift into second. The thing I've noticed though is I've got to time it right so that the gear lever just drops into 2nd. And if it doesn't want to go, then i'll leave it in 1st to warm up further. Can't rush a manual sometimes.

Another thing that helped me was practicing clutchless shifting. I don't recommend doing clutchless shifting as a daily practice, but there are some fundamentals of it that do teach you how and when to shift perfectly. I noticed that if the trans was ready to shift from 1st-2nd, I could easily begin my actuation at that point and it could actually pop out of gear without clutching if I wanted to. Finding this "sweet spot" I found out how to time my shifts perfectly for a nice, positive, thunk of of shift, even on a cold morning.

[Blackdragon]

Originally Posted by White64Goat

I just go 1st to 3rd when cold until it gets a little warmth into it.

I do the same thing. Go from 1st to 3rd. By the time I get down my street and around the corner everything's fine.

[TheseColorsDontRun]

When it's cold I double clutch the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. Even after I put Redline into it. Once warm, shift with authority, I haven't felt a crunch in a long time by modifying my shift habits.

[Rayme]

I got penzoil synchromesh in mine. It makes the shifting feel like the gearbox is warmed up even at -20. I changed the fluid because of that shitty 1-2 shift in winter.

[reeves]

Switching to Pentosin has helped me & alot of other FR-S/BRZ drivers..

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16604

Been using it for the last ~30K miles with no problem. It doesn't completely eliminate the resistence shifting into 2nd sometimes, but it improves the feel by 150% over the OEM fluid.

[Traveltheworld]

Originally Posted by White64Goat

I just go 1st to 3rd when cold until it gets a little warmth into it.

This. Get to 4k ish rpm then straight to 3rd until warmup which doesn't take long.

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by Traveltheworld

This. Get to 4k ish rpm then straight to 3rd until warmup which doesn't take long.

This ^^^

Simplest way to get around the problem is to not use the gear till the transmission has warmed up.

In my last car i would do the same. Also didn't help that I was using heavier gear oil in that transmission... lol

[fradet]

Originally Posted by Wilso

Hey guys, for those living in Canada or the northern parts of the US, are any of you having trouble shifting into 2nd or any gear while your car is cold/ warming up? Do you think this a big issue?

lmao if people dont know where is the second biggest country in the world, they must have a problem.

[Dezoris]

Pentosin is the best manual transmission for this car in the cold. Nothing else works as well.
Once you switch its slightly notchy but smooths faster than any othet fluid from Redline, Motul, OEM, even Syncromesh, GM or Penzoil.

Been through it already many people have. The newer people on the forum need to get with the times!!!

[jwstaton]

I'll throw my hat in as well. Almost impossible to shift from 1st to 2nd if the gear box isn't warm and toasty yet.

In NC, we see morning temps in the teens during the winter, and I've letting my BRZ warm up for 15-20 minutes before driving.

I like what @radroach said above.