Clutch Spin Down Time - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

ChRZ · 06-10-2017, 01:20 PM

I think this is called clutch spin down time...
Had my BRZ for almost a month now and I was surprised at the level of gear crunch when going into first. What is others' experience with this? Is it normal for this tranny? The car was brand new special order, so I know no one beat on it during test drive.
It's only a slight crunch, but in my experience almost no other cars do this, especially not a brand new one.

Basically if I am in neutral, then push the clutch in and go into 1st within a second (or reverse for that matter) it isn't totally smooth and there is a bit of a crunch, almost a grind, either way I don't like it and feel like I'm hurting my synchro.
I have learned to wait a few seconds after pushing in the clutch before goign into gear and then it is fine.
My previous car was a '01 Sentra with 220k miles, and it, amazingly was buttery smooth by comparison, no need to wait at all.
..Side related question....is the reason our cars are "notchy" a price to pay for some more durability as compared to a basic economy car like my 'ole Sentra?

Will a simple gear swap to Redline or something help this?

Thanks!

Chronology · 06-11-2017, 02:49 AM

I had a similar crunch feeling when going from 4th to 5th or 2nd to 3rd, always on the up shift. 30k on the car, swapped trans, diff oil and the crunch feeling is gone. I verified no metal found in the old oil.

Mind you i had a Honda prior and the gear box on that was like butter also. I figure the notchyness is because racecar.

Ultramaroon · 06-11-2017, 03:09 AM

Clunk is 100% perfectly normal. Enjoy the mechanical feels.

Notchy crunchy is because it's new and syncros haven't yet fully lapped together. I'll guess you have less than 8000 miles on it. It will continue to improve through 15K miles.

humfrz · 06-11-2017, 04:08 AM

^ ..... yep, to what @Ultramaroon said.

Also, I suggest you make sure your foot is all the way off the gas pedal before you shift. Then, make sure you push the clutch all the way to the floor. Then give it a second to spin down.

Kind of like back-in-the-day with leather shoes ..... they just take a while to break in - they used to creak at first .....

humfrz

PS - there ain't nutten wrong with the oil that came in your car's transmission .....

06-10-2017, 01:20 PM	#1
ChRZ Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Drives: 2017 BRZ SP Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 19 Thanks: 7 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Clutch Spin Down Time I think this is called clutch spin down time... Had my BRZ for almost a month now and I was surprised at the level of gear crunch when going into first. What is others' experience with this? Is it normal for this tranny? The car was brand new special order, so I know no one beat on it during test drive. It's only a slight crunch, but in my experience almost no other cars do this, especially not a brand new one. Basically if I am in neutral, then push the clutch in and go into 1st within a second (or reverse for that matter) it isn't totally smooth and there is a bit of a crunch, almost a grind, either way I don't like it and feel like I'm hurting my synchro. I have learned to wait a few seconds after pushing in the clutch before goign into gear and then it is fine. My previous car was a '01 Sentra with 220k miles, and it, amazingly was buttery smooth by comparison, no need to wait at all. ..Side related question....is the reason our cars are "notchy" a price to pay for some more durability as compared to a basic economy car like my 'ole Sentra? Will a simple gear swap to Redline or something help this? Thanks!

06-11-2017, 02:49 AM	#2
Chronology Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Drives: 13' Satin White Pearl BRZ Location: Claremont, CA Posts: 193 Thanks: 44 Thanked 70 Times in 53 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I had a similar crunch feeling when going from 4th to 5th or 2nd to 3rd, always on the up shift. 30k on the car, swapped trans, diff oil and the crunch feeling is gone. I verified no metal found in the old oil. Mind you i had a Honda prior and the gear box on that was like butter also. I figure the notchyness is because racecar. __________________ RS*R Sport-I w/custom spring rate / Cusco Front/Rear Sways, Cusco Diff Brace / Cusco Power Brace (Rear/Front/Upper/Lower) / JDL UEL Headers / INVIDIA Q300 Ti / Valenti Revo Tails and rear backup/ EcuTek / Moto-East Flexfuel / Moto-East E85 tune

06-11-2017, 03:09 AM	#3
Ultramaroon not playing cards Join Date: Sep 2014 Drives: a 13 e8h frs Location: vantucky, wa Posts: 32,395 Thanks: 53,053 Thanked 37,228 Times in 19,308 Posts Mentioned: 1117 Post(s) Tagged: 9 Thread(s)	Clunk is 100% perfectly normal. Enjoy the mechanical feels. Notchy crunchy is because it's new and syncros haven't yet fully lapped together. I'll guess you have less than 8000 miles on it. It will continue to improve through 15K miles. __________________ service manuals

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06-11-2017, 04:08 AM	#4
humfrz Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S, white, MT Location: Puyallup, WA Posts: 30,432 Thanks: 29,826 Thanked 32,845 Times in 16,844 Posts Mentioned: 715 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	^ ..... yep, to what @Ultramaroon said. Also, I suggest you make sure your foot is all the way off the gas pedal before you shift. Then, make sure you push the clutch all the way to the floor. Then give it a second to spin down. Kind of like back-in-the-day with leather shoes ..... they just take a while to break in - they used to creak at first ..... humfrz PS - there ain't nutten wrong with the oil that came in your car's transmission .....

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