2nd gear cold start problem

[PetrolioBenzina]

Originally Posted by Spuds

New game: try to break the world record for the most instances of the word 'Normal' in a single thread. I see we are off to a good start.

My contribution: It's normal.

Your reaction is normal under normal circumstances.

[HKz]

yes, like everyone has said, this is quite normal for the twin's MT.

..best way to avoid it is before taking off let the car warm up a little longer and move your stick between 1st and 2nd a few times.

Originally Posted by Lantanafrs2

These things make every friggin noise possible. Hard to believe they were made in Japan. If they were European we would celebrate the noises as part of the "driving experience " lol. In reality it's just part of owning a 25k sports car.

don't think you've driven many 90s sports cars from Japan then lol

[Spec C Wannabe]

I have been combating with shifting shitty gears in my brand new M/T BRZ from the day one. In actual, every gear is hard, crunchy, making funny noise when cold. Things get better and better the more the car and the transmission is fully warmed-up and as the mileage piles on.
Even at fully-operating temperature like after an hour of long drive, if you stuck in the traffic for too long, the gear will become sticky again. I need to rev the car up and do a couple of high-rpm pulls to clear the gear up.

My tip: In the morning or after the cold start, I will warm the synchros up by:
1. Reving the engine up to 2-3 K rpm
2. Cluthch-in immediately
3. Put the gear into 1st. You will feel the resistance because the synchro is trying to do its work by braking/slowing down the rotaion speed of the countershaft. Just be gentle pushing the lever into the gear position....
4. Put the gear into nutral
5. Clutch-out
And strart it all over with other gears.


This way of warming up the synchros can reduce the frustrate time I must endure with when the engine and tranmsion are cold.

[MJones_RB]

Some have had luck using Pentosin MTF for cold starts, but stock Subaru MTF should work just as well.

[reeves]

I've been using Pentosin MTF2 for the last 70K+ miles. Occasionally I still encounter a hard shift into 2nd, but all other times, it feels 10X better... especially when the tranny's still cold after first starting up the car.
As long as it doesn't grind, the clunky/metal noise is normal.

[eddwvrd]

So I replaced the transmission and differential fluid with motul 300. It shifts smoother now but still making that clunk/metal sound on 2nd sometimes 3rd gear. I think the sound is coming from under the shifter and also i could feel it when im putting it on 2nd & 3rd gear. This only happens when im driving normal or just cruising around(2000-2500rpm) but when i do spirited driving it doesnt make any sound. Should I replace my shifter maybe?

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by eddwvrd

So I replaced the transmission and differential fluid with motul 300. It shifts smoother now but still making that clunk/metal sound on 2nd sometimes 3rd gear. I think the sound is coming from under the shifter and also i could feel it when im putting it on 2nd & 3rd gear. This only happens when im driving normal or just cruising around(2000-2500rpm) but when i do spirited driving it doesnt make any sound. Should I replace my shifter maybe?

How many miles on the car?

[eddwvrd]

@Ultramaroon 41000 miles. It was 35000 miles when i got it and thats when i noticed the sound. The mechanic who works at the dealer said it was normal but for me they just saying that so i could go back.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by eddwvrd

So I replaced the transmission and differential fluid with motul 300. It shifts smoother now but still making that clunk/metal sound on 2nd sometimes 3rd gear. I think the sound is coming from under the shifter and also i could feel it when im putting it on 2nd & 3rd gear. This only happens when im driving normal or just cruising around(2000-2500rpm) but when i do spirited driving it doesnt make any sound. Should I replace my shifter maybe?

Oh, just keep up the spirited driving …


humfrz

[eddwvrd]

@humfrz yeah ive been doing that most of the time loll. But there are times i feel like meh

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by eddwvrd

@Ultramaroon 41000 miles. It was 35000 miles when i got it and thats when i noticed the sound. The mechanic who works at the dealer said it was normal but for me they just saying that so i could go back.

It'd help to hear a recording of the sound but I can see where that might be difficult.


I don't mean to grill you but I'm trying to get a feel for your expectation of the transmission. Have you been driving stick for long?


This transmission can make some loud clunks when shifting. If it's just the clunk of it dropping into gear, that's ok.

[eddwvrd]

@Ultramaroon ive been driving for a long time now. I drove a lot of my friends car brz, frs, golf, civic and so on. All of them are fine every shift is smooth nothing makes any sound. I feel like this part is the one that makes the sound where it connects to the linkage? It might be broken or since its a 5 year old car so it shows some wear and tear? ill check it tomorrow just to be sure.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by eddwvrd

@humfrz yeah ive been doing that most of the time loll. But there are times i feel like meh

Ya, I know...

@Ultramaroon may be onto something when he asks you about your expectations of a MT transmission.

For example, I drove an NC Miata with a 5 speed MT for over 80,000 miles and I don't remember one time, that I felt (or heard) a peep out of it when I changed gears.

Now, my FR-S is a bit different, not that it's not stubborn nor does it grind when shifting gears … but, a lot of times I do feel the gears meshing when I shift.

"Feeling the gears meshing" is my expectation of this transmission.

It's not a smooth as my old miata's transmission, it's just different.




humfrz

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by eddwvrd

@Ultramaroon ive been driving for a long time now. I drove a lot of my friends car brz, frs, golf, civic and so on. All of them are fine every shift is smooth nothing makes any sound. I feel like this part is the one that makes the sound where it connects to the linkage? It might be broken or since its a 5 year old car so it shows some wear and tear? ill check it tomorrow just to be sure.

There's a trick to feeling for wear at that joint you circled. You shouldn't be able to rotate the shift lever about its vertical axis at all. If there is any looseness there, then it would confirm your suspicion.


It would also feel really sloppy - like dramatically...


Let us know what you find.