2nd gear grind

[mramones]

Just bought a 2013 frs, for the first week it was shift smooth then after that I started getting the infamous 2nd gear notch and grind. I have changed my trans and diff oil to motul gear 300 seems a little better but is there any way to eliminate this issue for good?

[BlueWhelan]

Not really. You can try a motul/redline cocktail or the like, but it seems nothing's really been proven to eliminate the 2nd gear clunk....aside from just slowing down your shifts.

[gravitylover]

If you bring the revs up just a bit between the 1-2 shift it will slide in more easily. Syncros are great but don't work as well when everything is cold so a little mechanical assistance goes a long way.

[milanojess]

You can also double de-clutch it. That’s how ppl drive some of the earlier super cars where their synchros are weak. Think of it as a feature from super cars of that era.

[DarkPira7e]

Is this your first standard car? I'm not trying to pick on you, but be sure that now you're getting used to driving stick, you're not becoming lazy. Be sure that your gear changes are quick, do not slowly lean into second gear. When you put the clutch pedal down, pull quickly from 1st into second and see if this helps.

Some cars don't mind lazy gear changes; this car is wound pretty tight and will grind if you're shifting really slowly, especially from 1st to second.

Also, be wary of referring to anything as "infamous" or " notorious"- these should not make you feel like you are not responsible for something wrong with your vehicle. Whether an issue is commonplace or not, are and will always be a minority of reported and statistics. People tend to complain about something than to praise it.

I'm not trying to be snarky, I promise! I just want to prepare you for life on this forum, where people daily excuse themselves of a problem or stop trying to fix it because they think it's "infamous"

[mramones]

Thanks guys, will try each of the things you've suggested.

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[why?]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

Is this your first standard car? I'm not trying to pick on you, but be sure that now you're getting used to driving stick, you're not becoming lazy. Be sure that your gear changes are quick, do not slowly lean into second gear. When you put the clutch pedal down, pull quickly from 1st into second and see if this helps.

Some cars don't mind lazy gear changes; this car is wound pretty tight and will grind if you're shifting really slowly, especially from 1st to second.

This is true, but our 2nd gear just sucks.

[HKz]

normal. people will say change the fluid, people will say change your technique, people will say let it warm up, people will say get an automatic, etc...1st/2nd will always have moments of being notchy and clunky, inescapable, just let the clunk into your life.




personally I just take it real easy shifting the first few miles, I make sure I'm totally off throttle, slowly press in the clutch, I bring the shifter to neutral and then to 2nd. Once it is warmed up, zero clunk..

[mramones]

Hkz that's what I noticed, seems putting it in neutral then going to 2nd shifts smoothly all the time. Any of you guys ever heard of maybe switching up the clutch to something other than oem to resolving the issue?

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[HKz]

Originally Posted by mramones

Hkz that's what I noticed, seems putting it in neutral then going to 2nd shifts smoothly all the time. Any of you guys ever heard of maybe switching up the clutch to something other than oem to resolving the issue?

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doubt changing the clutch would do anything. think @ultramoon has mentioned the reason for the clunkiness before, something to do with the input shaft on this gearbox being larger compared to similar gearboxes..

[accwai]

Originally Posted by HKz

[...] personally I just take it real easy shifting the first few miles, I make sure I'm totally off throttle, slowly press in the clutch, I bring the shifter to neutral and then to 2nd. Once it is warmed up, zero clunk..

Hmm... to me going into 2nd never feels as smooth as higher gears. That goes for both up and down shift. But even with that slight glitch, things are functioning. Except when the outside temperature is well below freezing, then the 2nd gear gate tends to be closed tight for the first few shift from cold start. It's tight enough that I'm not comfortable forcing it. Double clutching fixes that. In fact, it eliminates the glitch completely. But once the car gets moving, the gate opens up. Still not as smooth as higher gear but totally functional. Nothing to worry about if you ask me.

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

[...] Be sure that your gear changes are quick, do not slowly lean into second gear. When you put the clutch pedal down, pull quickly from 1st into second and see if this helps.

Oh yes that's a big getcha. If you hesitate in the middle of sliding into a gear, chance is good that you will be grinding as you complete the slide. Don't know all the details but this seems to be how this particular gearbox works. Regardless, hesitation during the shift process is bad in general anyway. Another example: some traffic situation spooked you in the middle of an upshift and you let the engine RPM drop without releasing the clutch. If you then mindlessly let the clutch go without a rev match, big engine braking choke. Ouch!

Originally Posted by mramones

[...] Any of you guys ever heard of maybe switching up the clutch to something other than oem to resolving the issue?

Depends on what your issue is I suppose. The only way clutch can interfere with shifting that I can think of is if it's out of spec and doesn't disengage complete. But that would be an all out grind, not just a glitch. If it's just a glitch, personally that's a fact of life with respect to stick shift. If you must get rid of that, I suppose one of the following could work:

• Double clutch into 2nd gear at all times. 1st gear too while we're at it of course. In fact, 1st gear needs this much more if you ask me.
• Go for automatic transmission.
• If you don't like torque converter auto, get a car with DCT. This would be especially nice for those who view rev matching and heel-and-toe as chore.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by why?

This is true, but our 2nd gear just sucks.

with my sample size of 2, cold starts are sometimes stiff. once the trans gets above 100 degrees though, i rarely have issues beyond my own spastic hand/foot coordination when i accidentally try shifting at exactly the same moment i let the clutch out.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by mramones

Just bought a 2013 frs, for the first week it was shift smooth then after that I started getting the infamous 2nd gear notch and grind. I have changed my trans and diff oil to motul gear 300 seems a little better but is there any way to eliminate this issue for good?

Welcome to the group, there, mramones -

There ain't nothing really wrong with you or your car's transmission. It just takes some getten used to. I have found that when I grind going from 1st to 2nd I'm not payen attention and am lazy legging it.


humfrz

[milanojess]

[*]Double clutch into 2nd gear at all times. 1st gear too while we're at it of course. In fact, 1st gear needs this much more if you ask me.


Indeed, I get a lot of commute hr jams, and downshifting to first gear while car is moving can only be done with double clutching... at least with my 2013.