Grinding noise when shifting into 2nd

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FCD

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Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
It's been doing this for a long time now, it only happens when shifting into 2nd or downshifting from 3rd into 2nd, it doesn't happen with any other gear and otherwise it shifts okay.
when driving slowly it doesn't make any noises.
This is a sealed gearbox with no dipstick so i can't know how much fluid is in it.
I've been playing with the clutch cable so could it be that? is the clutch on it's way out?
 
I think it may be time for a new car. You really have a lot of problems with this car.

It sounds like it is a synchronizer that is wearing out.
 
No that is not an option you would have to give me some serious drugs to do that.
Yeah the synchronizer is what most people say.i'll change the fluid for now, and pray lol
i can get a recon 5 speed gearbox for around 1200 Euro
 
Yes it kind of helps, as i said when driving really slowly it doesn't happen.
I've thankfully found a company that sells the synchros for these and a good gearbox repair shop.
I'll have to start counting pennies! should i bother having the fluid changed if that helps?
 
I would try changing the fluid before I took the thing apart.

If it doesn't have a drain and fill plug, there still has to be a way to service it.

If you want to do the cheap fluid thing, just make sure you use GL4 rather than GL5. If you want to go premium, put in Redline MT90. I have fixed several 2nd gear crunches using this fluid.
 
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Yup, Redline MT (whatever version needed) IS the tranny fluid of choice sticks. It is kinda amazing what it'll do
smile.gif
 
Besides a fluid change, make it a habit of rev matching and double clutching when going down into 2nd gear. And it wouldn't hurt to do that on the up-shift to 2nd either. That will put the least amount of wear and tear on your 2nd gear synchros. I'd also choose the fluid that is exactly specced for your transmisison - as the friction modifiers for synchronization are more important at this point than anything for gear/bearing wear.

Besides a clutch adjustment, also look at the shape of your clutch hydraulics. Bleed if it's easy to get to. You can always follow the simple "Ranger method" to freshen up the clutch fluid. Dark clutch fluid (full of clutch dust) can make shifting a lot harder.
 
2nd gear synchronizer is almost always the first to go. Downshifting is particularly hard on the synchros as the synchro ring has to accelerate the rotational mass of the clutch disk. Rev-matching does nothing for the synchro, unfortunately. That requires double-clutching.
 
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Well it specs SAE 90 oil but i'd have to order online, i guess it has to be done though.


If that spec is from 40 years ago there is probably a better recommendation for today as others above have suggested. Your priority is to buy a fluid that is ideal for your synchronizers. You probably don't want to get a fluid that will tend to give you even firmer shifts.
 
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Well it specs SAE 90 oil but i'd have to order online, i guess it has to be done though.


At this point I wouldn't worry about spec. You'll have to experiment with a number of different oils and weights to quiet it down. Start with cheap stuff first.

I have AutoZone 85w 140 in my super t10 now. It has a sloppy main bearing and sounds better with thicker stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Well it specs SAE 90 oil but i'd have to order online, i guess it has to be done though.


SAE 90, but SAE 90 what?? GL-3? Gl-4? Unless it specifically says that GL-5 is OK, I would NOT USE almost any modern gear lube out there. They're virtually all GL-5 approved, and even if they say "meets or exceeds GL-3 and GL-4", the fact that they also meet GL-5 makes them deadly to many older manual transmission synchronizers.

Redline MT-90 is as good as you're going to get. GL-4, specifically designed to be kind to synchronizers.

Slightly less optimum but still recommended for a lot of manual transmissions that need a 90-weight (for the gears) and GL-3 (for the synchronizers) is an Xw40 engine oil, believe it or not. Same viscosity range as an 80w90 gear oil, but without the synchro-killing sulfurized EP additives that GL-4 and GL-5 90-weights have.
 
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Besides a fluid change, make it a habit of rev matching and double clutching when going down into 2nd gear.


+1
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: FordCapriDriver
Well it specs SAE 90 oil but i'd have to order online, i guess it has to be done though.


SAE 90, but SAE 90 what?? GL-3? Gl-4? Unless it specifically says that GL-5 is OK, I would NOT USE almost any modern gear lube out there. They're virtually all GL-5 approved, and even if they say "meets or exceeds GL-3 and GL-4", the fact that they also meet GL-5 makes them deadly to many older manual transmission synchronizers.

Redline MT-90 is as good as you're going to get. GL-4, specifically designed to be kind to synchronizers.

Slightly less optimum but still recommended for a lot of manual transmissions that need a 90-weight (for the gears) and GL-3 (for the synchronizers) is an Xw40 engine oil, believe it or not. Same viscosity range as an 80w90 gear oil, but without the synchro-killing sulfurized EP additives that GL-4 and GL-5 90-weights have.


Didn't we decide that modern gl5 stuff doesn't bother yellow metals? Ive used a number of different gl4 and gl5 stuff and can't tell any difference in shifting.
 
Same thing happened in my dads Chevy before it wouldn't shift into any fear at all. Family mechanic said it was the shifting fork in his case
 
Always trouble with clutch hydraulics causing balky shifts for the last 20 year son ALL kinds of vehicles. Insure the system is bled if hydraulic, and the clutch starts to engage at least an inch off the carpet. You can test this at idle and put car in second gear brake off and slowly engage clutch an note where it starts to grab. If its within a 1/2 " of the carpet you get balky shifting. This issue unattended to can eat up your syncro blocker bronze.
 
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