High RPM Shifting Issue?

[Rinzler]

Hey guys,

When I'm really giving it WOT, and I run above 6,000 RPM, is the shifting supposed to feel difficult to accomplish or is something wrong? I can get it in 2nd gear after a bit of seemingly a struggle. If it gets to be too long where it won't go in, I throw it in neutral and start over, I never grind the gears. The car is just fine at lower RPM's, I was just wondering if having a high RPM would make it difficult to shift at all? To be specific, the shifter itself just doesn't seem to want to go where it needs to. I was a new MT driver, but now I'd say I'm pretty good at it. I never have any issues shifting anymore and haven't for at least a month or so.

Is this something I should go to the dealer for?

Thanks.

[LeeMaster]

The issue you are having is your mounts are too soft, get some stiffy rear differential/tarnsmission mount.

What's happening to your shifter at high Rpm is that it is shaking vigorously, you should be able to easily shift it though and this is not something you should take it to the dealer. What are they gonna do, rev your car over 6,000RPM for 30 minutes and come back saying everything is fine?

[Rinzler]

Originally Posted by LeeMaster

The issue you are having is your mounts are too soft, get some stiffy rear differential/tarnsmission mount.

What's happening to your shifter at high Rpm is that it is shaking vigorously, you should be able to easily shift it though and this is not something you should take it to the dealer. What are they gonna do, rev your car over 6,000RPM for 30 minutes and come back saying everything is fine?

http://www.perrinperformance.com/p/2214

This?

I've noticed after running some tests that the actual gear is going in where it's supposed to, but as a new driver, I'm used to a tactile feedback of that, and it doesnt seem to be doing that at high RPM's. That's probably normal, and the purpose of the part you suggested?

[wheelhaus]

You could try a different transmission fluid, heavier shift knob, clutch pedal adjustment, or simply a different shift technique. How many miles do you have so far?

The oil plays a big role in making the tranny function properly, not just make everything slippery and reduce friction. For instance, the sytnchros need some friction to work correctly and the oil needs to allow for this. The factory oil should work fine, but many owners have complained for one reason or another.

If the clutch is dragging (or if you're not disengaging it completely doe to poor technique or poor clutch throw adjustment), it would prevent the input shaft from spinning freely inside the clutch, which would cause the synchro to not allow engagement until the engine's rpm drops to match the new gear's RPM.

At higher RPM, the synchros have a bigger job to do. They create friction between the different parts of the transmission to match their speeds before they allow engagement. This may mean you simply need a different technique or a heavier shift knob to provide a bit more oomph in your shift throw, Don't be dainty, but don't hulk on it. A good decisive push into gear should be all it takes, at any RPM.

[Rinzler]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

You could try a different transmission fluid, heavier shift knob, clutch pedal adjustment, or simply a different shift technique. How many miles do you have so far?

The oil plays a big role in making the tranny function properly, not just make everything slippery and reduce friction. For instance, the sytnchros need some friction to work correctly and the oil needs to allow for this. The factory oil should work fine, but many owners have complained for one reason or another.

If the clutch is dragging (or if you're not disengaging it completely doe to poor technique or poor clutch throw adjustment), it would prevent the input shaft from spinning freely inside the clutch, which would cause the synchro to not allow engagement until the engine's rpm drops to match the new gear's RPM.

At higher RPM, the synchros have a bigger job to do. They create friction between the different parts of the transmission to match their speeds before they allow engagement. This may mean you simply need a different technique or a heavier shift knob to provide a bit more oomph in your shift throw, Don't be dainty, but don't hulk on it. A good decisive push into gear should be all it takes, at any RPM.

Thanks for the reply --

The car has roughly 2,250 miles. Admittedly, I haven't really WOT that many times in the time driving, and as I mentioned, I'm a new(er) MT driver.

I've got the clutch pedal adjustment, I've had it for around 1.5 months, it's down to just below the brake pedal.

I've had problems twice with gear grinding from 1->2 very cold weather and very slow, and I stopped it immediately, but when it warmed up, everything shifts perfectly when I'm not WOT.

I do think it might be a lack of confidence issue, since whenever I was trying it, I was kind of used to the tactile feedback, or finality of "you're in gear, you can let go of the clutch." I always have the clutch depressed fully while shifting, so I don't think I'm shorting out the clutch at all.

To clarify fully, the process is as follows:

1. 0 RPM
2. 6000 RPM (1st gear)
3. Clutch depressed 100%
4. Pull shifter into slot 2. It seems to get there, but no feedback on the matter.
5. As a driver, without that feedback, admittedly, I think it's not actually in the right spot, even though it seems to be. Worried about letting off clutch and finding out that it's grinding my gears instead of being in 2nd.

I guess the moral of the story is that the shifter is smoother at these RPM's, and have no little to no audible/feel feedback with the current transmission mount, not hard to operate. I just need the confidence to let off the clutch when I know all things should be right. Just don't want to grind my gears.

Does that sound right?

[wheelhaus]

Yeah absolutely it does. At higher RPM the synchros do have more work to do, but they also have more RPM, so it all happens much quicker than it would at low RPM. Before long you'll develop a better sensitivity to it, and muscle memory will help your brain acknowledge a proper gear change without having to analyze it.

Keep practicing, and also try mixing in some downshift practice by rev matching at low-mid rpm. The only difference is you need to blip the throttle before letting the clutch out.

At only 2500 miles, the tranny is barely broken in. I've had cars that didn't start to feel buttery smooth until they were well past the 15k mark.