VOTE: Your Transmission 6MT? Butter smooth? -or- Problems?

[Calum]

Originally Posted by Thorpedo

Experienced manual driver. Crunchy 2nd when cold. Motul fluid change didn't help. I learned to live with it.

Mr. Pedo,

Go see the guys at ISI Automotive on Blue Water Rd. They put the Motul in my FRS. (Which I supplied. I got it from an online vendor in a warm climate.) ISI then put a Redline mix in mine a couple weeks later after the Motul didn't work and I asked for their help. The owner, Steve, was fantastic to work with. He'll be corner balancing my RCE's sometime in the spring.

[Anthony]

Super smooth in every gear. Changed oil at 11,269 miles (506 miles after I bought it). ~7 years manual experience.

[tennisfreak]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak

2nd gear when cold has always been notchy.

4th gear in high RPM's causes slight crunch.

Originally Posted by hmong337

I should maybe ask...

How many people voting are new manual transmission drivers? Or have been awhile since they've had a manual gearbox?

Tons of experience with manuals.
1 - 3 on the tree spring clutch manual in an old 1982 Ford pickup
2 - 5 speed Ford Ranger manuals
1 - 5 speed Toyota Supra manual
1 - 6 speed Suzuki GSXR manual
Not to mention the many vehicles that have been manuals I have driven that I did not own (friends, rentals, etc...)

And for the record while I love my FR-S to death it has by far the worst manual out of anything I have ever driven (in regards to smoothness and grinding).

[Chanpion]

Stock power.
1. Can't shift into first from any temperature or speed over 15kmh.
2. Started crunching into second when cold. No resistance when shifting from first to second and crunches in. Double declutching does fix it though. (I think, I can't tell if it's because of the double declutch or because double declutching pauses it and causes me to shift at a lower rpm) Started developing and progressively got worse. I really want to fix this one. Anyone think a change of the syncro/ tranny fluid would help? Or at least possibly confirm that it doesn't damage my tranny?
One of those people who treasure their car or at least the working components.
Around 24k

[lp87]

totally different car when cold than when warm. Recently it has been in the teens and it is incredibly rough and chunk-y, especially in 1 and 2. When warm though it is pretty much always very smooth.

[hmong337]

Here is more info about why we have the 2nd gear "clunk".

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31929

It's -15°C here in Canada at the moment. Just be super gentle with the gearbox when it's cold and DO NOT force gears in! I only ever get gear lockout when it's winter, first thing in morning, and I didn't warm up the car before driving. But I am also not an idiot blaming the gearbox because I know this gearbox was not spec'd for cold use. These aren't Toyota Corolla gearboxes here. They need to be warmed up to come alive.

I suspect a lot of issues are from people who impatiently didn't bring the fluid temps up before smashing gears.

Yes, I get the 2nd gear clunk when cold (like how the gearbox was intended to act), I NEVER forced any gears into place, and my gearbox is only getter smoother over time. In fact, I find my transmission smoother this winter than it was last winter (since it's more broken-in).

I'm finding it hard to believe so many people are having problems with the gearbox. Maybe they just suck ass at driving a stick shift, not taking it easy of the box when it is cold, or just plain abused it from misshifts and driver error.

If anything, this is one of the best gearboxes I have ever driven (warmed up of course).

[adprokid]

I learned to accept baby shifting this b***

[Xuningshen]

background:First Manual car, had it for just over 6 months. Learned how to drive stick pretty easily and fast, only stalled the car a total of 4 times in the first 2 days of ownership,(literally stalled twice on my way home from the dealer that was rough) only grinded twice.

I notice the crunchy-ness but its does not bother me at all. It smoothed out after maybe 3-4k miles, then I switched to Motul 300 and I actually could feel it even more, especially when cold. *regret* ("cold" being Socal 40's, 50's in the early morning)

on top of that.... I used to be able to get into 1st and 2nd easily, before switching from stock gear oil, when driving to work in the morning after its been sitting all night. Now i'm only able to easily if double clutching. Strange right? everybody says the opposite.
so now as i leaving my housing community i drive slowwwww and @ around 2k-2.5k rpm in 1st or 2nd gear. that seems to warm the trans up quickly (also helps warm up the car well, low load higher rpm/oil pressure)

I might go back to stock fluids for giggles even though i have 6 quarts of motul sitting around. or i might try throwing in a little bit of redline shockproof. not sure need to do more research.

otherwise the transmission is just crunchy/knuckly. been boosting for over 1k now (10,500 miles total)and it seems to be more crunchy and knuckly, going to change the fluid soon and see whats up.

wont be upgrading the clutch because the stock clutch holds power up to my goals. and plus i'd rather fly/burn up clutches(consumables) then destroy anything else along the drivetrain. i'd rather be swapping out oem clutches more often.

[OkieSnuffBox]

2nd is a little tough to get in when cold, but's no different than Speed 3, NC Miata, 350Z I owned either.

[tahdizzle]

I really think 90% of these complaints are driver error.

[nguyen_er]

It gets pretty cold here. I have not had a problem. I mean it's notchy when it's cold but that makes sense? I have a lwcp and have no problems rev matching or shifting period. Scratched a few times but that was my fault.

[Thorpedo]

Originally Posted by Calum

Mr. Pedo,

Go see the guys at ISI Automotive on Blue Water Rd. They put the Motul in my FRS. (Which I supplied. I got it from an online vendor in a warm climate.) ISI then put a Redline mix in mine a couple weeks later after the Motul didn't work and I asked for their help. The owner, Steve, was fantastic to work with. He'll be corner balancing my RCE's sometime in the spring.

Hahah yes, Mr. Pedo. Many forums/games have "Thorpedo" blocked as as user name as it includes the word "pedo".

Thanks for the advice! So the mix made a big difference? I don't drive mine in the winter either so its only really the first shift to second in the morning where I experience resistance. Just FYI, pretty much any motorcycle/powersports shop around can get Motul fluids, you just need to ask!

I can't say i've noticed that you're from halifax before, Yours isn't the one with the intercooler clearly visible through the "mouth", is it Why the hell haven't I seen you at autocross or AMP?!?!?!

[GotBRZ1691]

I was commenting in another thread which resulted in this poll.

As for the noob skill comment, thats B.S. I have a lot of manual driving experience, mostly with Subarus. I have never had an issue with any gear boxes ever, or clutches. My previous '07 WRX had the stock clutch for 88,000 miles. Before that I had a 2.5i Impreza, '07 as well. Had it for 50,000 miles, second owner, stock clutch up until 99,000 miles, no gear box issues.

There is a legitimate issues with some of the gear boxes, and I don't see how that is hard to understand. I believe the issues is a quality control issues, but that is my opinion. Synchros are the problem, and it is common. I've called several dealerships in the Bay Area to get my gear box replaced, and most of them have pulled and replaced a Transmission.

My car is notchy as can be going into 2nd, and on the colder mornings (~45 degrees F) I cannot get second until the transmission has warmed up some. There is a crunch going into 4th, which has been there since ~5 to 7,000 miles on the clock. 3rd gear is now starting to crunch.

I have never been to a track or an Auto X event, but I do drive spiritedly, and do long highway stints on the weekend. I have put 23,000 miles on my car in ~8 months of ownership.

[tahdizzle]

OMG! No way! I R Pro Driva and my skeelz are aboslute. It has to be the gear box!

bwahahaha