What up guys. I have had my '04 DB Performabce for about 2 weeks now and am starting too open my baby up. Although I am not the most skilled stick shift driver, I have noticed that changing into 2nd gear takes a little longer in order too properly shift it into gear without hesitations vs all other gears. Can someone possibly give me some advise on what might be a solution in case i have too take off from the line.

 

It's actually easier to shift when you're accelerating a little faster, faster than what you would do in a subdivision. For now, I recommend that you break the car in according to the Owner's Manual guidance. I don't think anyone is able to accelerate slowly and then just ram it back into 2nd in one quick motion - it's a bit too "notchy" for that. Once you get things broken in more, you should feel more comfortable in shifting.

WayneTN

 

For me, 2nd is both notchy and difficult to transition smoothly. I've had my Z since May, and at times I still don't make the shift to 2nd smoothly.

 

Same as me. Sometimes it takes soo long that a freaking civic could kill me. Seems like i have too baby the gear into place unlike all other gears and its starting too get annoying. I am going too take it too my dealer too look at. I dont know what i would doo in racing situations even though i dont even race.

 

By the way it also gets embarrasing when others are in the car and you cant even switch gears w/out pausing for almost 2 seconds too let go of the clutch slowly enough.

 

had my tranny replaced for this very problem... new one was marginaly better... traded my coupe in for a roadster last month and the same problem is still evident... grin and bear it...

 

I'm having the same problem too. The 2nd gear is making me sick. May be it's just me but if I warm my car long enough, it improves a little bit.

700 miles on odo now. We'll see....

 

Man, this is huge for me. I am going too see my service guy on Fri. My last option would be too return the car even though its the only thing i want right now. God, what a horrible decision!!!

 

I have the same problem. It's not a solution but it's better than my previous. When I shift to 2nd gear i put some leftward pressure on top of the back pressure to put it into place. It helps a little bit at least for me.

 

Mine does it too, and I have 6k miles on it. Since this is my first MT car, I had my dad check it out and he noticed it too. The hesitation seems to be getting worse. Guess she is going back to the dealer to get looked at.

 

Does this happen to people with '04 Zs?

 

Thats what I've been doing. Try letting go of the clutch a little bit slower and put a little bit more gas too have a quicker shift. That has seemed too help.

 

If your car is fully broken in, but the tranny continues to be notchy, try a different gear oil in the transmission. My car has 22K miles. I switched to Redline MT-90 at about 4K miles; it didn't make much of a difference in the shifting. (others have had good luck with the MT-90; you may, too) Recently, I tried Royal Purple Max-Gear 75w90. It has definitley helped my transmission shift more smoothly. The 2nd gear notchiness is still there sometimes, but to a lesser extent. The tranny is quieter, and 5th/6th gears are easier to access. It's definitely worth a try if shifting is making you sweat too much ...
Mika

 

mine is 04 performance

 

Mine is '04 as well.

 

I have a 04, and transmission has no prob so far

 

How far off the floor before the clutch engages?

 

Time and practice will improve your shifting skills. When you do get a clean shift from 1st to 2nd, take note of your rpm's when you shifted. Then start shifting by the rpm's. Many times you can start out in 2nd gear especially if you are on level ground or a downgrade. This car is wound so tight that it takes a while to master the gears, particularly 1st to 2nd.

 

The only thing for me is that it takes longer too engage in 2nd gear vs other gears. This could affect the driver during aggresive driving.

 

I'm telling you to check the distance off the floor before the clutch engages. In some of the earlier forums people complained about how little distance there was off the
floorboard before the clutch engaged. I had the same problem with second because you had to jamb the cluthch to the foor to make a quick shift from first to second. Well quess how surprised I was to find that the clutch bracket that attaches to the firewall, held on by two bolts, had backed themselves out after 3500 miles or who knows it may have been delivered that way. I tighten them up and now it shifts like it's suppposed to and you don't have to put your foot through the firewall to change gears! Love the "Z"