Can't shift smoothly into 2nd?
#1
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Can't shift smoothly into 2nd?
Wuddup!
It's been really bugging me out lately. Every time I'm starting from a stop and shift into 2nd gear, it doesn't feel smooth. Like the shifter feels like it gets stuck a little (as I'm shifting into second) and then it goes into gear. Sometimes I'm able to shift into second gear perfectly fine though. I've been experiencing this for as long as I've had the car. I've noticed at lower RPMs it's rougher and at higher RPMs it's even worse.. like I have to man handle it into gear. I've also noticed that when I'm accelerating at a slower rate in first and I try to shift at my ideal RPM (3k) it doesn't feel smooth. When I say it doesn't feel smooth, I mean the shifter; the car is perfectly fine and it doesn't jerk back and forth or anything like that. As for the other gears, It shifts into them perfectly.. third, fourth, fifth, downshifts are also fine.
Does this happen to anyone else? Is it normal?
It's been really bugging me out lately. Every time I'm starting from a stop and shift into 2nd gear, it doesn't feel smooth. Like the shifter feels like it gets stuck a little (as I'm shifting into second) and then it goes into gear. Sometimes I'm able to shift into second gear perfectly fine though. I've been experiencing this for as long as I've had the car. I've noticed at lower RPMs it's rougher and at higher RPMs it's even worse.. like I have to man handle it into gear. I've also noticed that when I'm accelerating at a slower rate in first and I try to shift at my ideal RPM (3k) it doesn't feel smooth. When I say it doesn't feel smooth, I mean the shifter; the car is perfectly fine and it doesn't jerk back and forth or anything like that. As for the other gears, It shifts into them perfectly.. third, fourth, fifth, downshifts are also fine.
Does this happen to anyone else? Is it normal?
#2
Registered User
I think this could actually be normal with any Z. My Z is sort of the same way. Of course, I may not know exactly how the shifting in your Z/G feels, but my 03 is somewhat stiff going into 2nd gear, typically from 1st to 2nd. When I step on it from a dig, thats when I really notice the shifter tighten up. I have to literally rip the shifter down into 2nd. No issues involving the transmission or clutch (i.e. slipping, grinds, etc). I recently also installed a brand new oem nissan shifter in my Z. So in my opinion, I think this is normal, as the feel of any sports car will be more stiff in general when compared to any other general car.
Last edited by CNunes_95; 05-16-2015 at 09:50 PM.
#4
Registered User
Have an 2004 roaster very notchy some shifts some times like butter,I would say dump tranny fluid and put in fresh mine seems a bit better after I do that so I change tranny fluid every 10 to 12,000 miles. You would think for such a renound sports car the clutch and tranny would be much better. I hear we all have the notchy tranny in these cars.
#5
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Mine has been the same way since I bought it. 60k miles later (114k on the car) and it still shifts the same way. Kind of a 2 step shift. When racing I don't notice it but daily driving gently I feel it.
No griding or slipping so I don't worry about it. I'm just glad the shifter has feel instead of being a mush box like lots of the newer stuff. I test drove a 2012 Focus ST and brand new the shifter had no feel to it. Same for the 2003 STI that I drove. I actually missed a couple shifts in it because of it.
No griding or slipping so I don't worry about it. I'm just glad the shifter has feel instead of being a mush box like lots of the newer stuff. I test drove a 2012 Focus ST and brand new the shifter had no feel to it. Same for the 2003 STI that I drove. I actually missed a couple shifts in it because of it.
#10
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Pretty normal. When I first got mine it would do this especially if it was cold. I did put in MT-85 but I didn't notice much of a difference. I always have to shift at a higher rpm or extremely low rpm from 1st so 2nd would be smooth. Besides that, for normal driving I normally avoid shifting into 2nd. Sometimes I just jump from 1st to 3rd then 5th and just have the rpm sitting just at 1k and cruise with barely any gas. I found shifting is a lot smoother when the car is warmed up and you've been doing some driving.
#12
Registered User
Look at the ratios:
1st -3.794
2nd -2.324
3rd -1.624
4th-1.271
5th -1.000
6th -0.794
You can see the ratio difference between first and second is huge (1.47) compared to the others (0.7, 0.35, 0.27, and 0.21). It takes time and effort for the synchronizers to bring the rotating parts up to a speed where they'll mesh together.
1st -3.794
2nd -2.324
3rd -1.624
4th-1.271
5th -1.000
6th -0.794
You can see the ratio difference between first and second is huge (1.47) compared to the others (0.7, 0.35, 0.27, and 0.21). It takes time and effort for the synchronizers to bring the rotating parts up to a speed where they'll mesh together.
#13
Registered User
Mine does the same thing. I find when it warms up it doesn't seem as bade. I think once the fluid warms up it then feels a lot better. Also that is the most Jammed gear if your going from corner to corner 2 will be the most used and just be a wore 2nd gear
#17
350Z/370Z Tech Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
I think the takeaway from the MT-85 comments should properly be "When you change your tranny fluid, use MT-85 as it is the most highly recommended fluid to use in the Z's CD tranny as it has the proper amount of friction modifiers for our cars. Using generic fluids can and will cause "too much lubrication" for the cone synchronizers to function at peak capacity."
Not "I didn't feel a difference". Fluid changes produce only nominal "through the pants" changes in feel. Sure, the car feels fresher after an oil change or flushing the sawdust out of the rear diff with fresh Nissan gear lube but... I'm willing to bet no one would notice if one didn't know it had just been changed.
Unless it's the first one in 100k miles.
On the 1-2 shifting, I've never experienced any shifter bind or gronk going 1-2. Now third gear.... whole 'nother story. The notoriety of said third gear gronk is legendary. Oh, and I use MT-85. Heh heh.
Not "I didn't feel a difference". Fluid changes produce only nominal "through the pants" changes in feel. Sure, the car feels fresher after an oil change or flushing the sawdust out of the rear diff with fresh Nissan gear lube but... I'm willing to bet no one would notice if one didn't know it had just been changed.
Unless it's the first one in 100k miles.
On the 1-2 shifting, I've never experienced any shifter bind or gronk going 1-2. Now third gear.... whole 'nother story. The notoriety of said third gear gronk is legendary. Oh, and I use MT-85. Heh heh.
#18
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iTrader: (1)
I used MT85 and whatever redline fluid is suggested for the diff at the same time. I think I was somewhere around 90k miles and I had never changed the fluids since I bought the car with 55k miles. I was kinda hoping the dealer changed them before I bought it. I felt no difference in the car by switching to redline with that many miles on it.
Everyone always suggests Redline because it makes the shifts smoother etc... I couldn't tell.
Everyone always suggests Redline because it makes the shifts smoother etc... I couldn't tell.
Last edited by 92K1500; 05-18-2015 at 12:30 PM.
#19
New Member
The original transmission in my 2003 was “notchy,” and would even grind going from 6th to 5th. The transmission was replaced under the drivetrain warranty with the newer version. There was a huge difference; the new transmission shifted more smoothly and felt much better.
#20
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I average 26mpg with that driving style. Keep in mind I am barely even on the gas if not at all if I'm in 6th gear so there is no lugging. Sometimes I even throw it in neutral and let the car roll where I want it to go if there's a decline or if I picked up enough speed to just roll to the next stop light or stop sign etc. If I need more power, I just change to a lower gear depending on how much power I need. I've been playing a game with my car to see if I can beat my highest mpg from the week before lol. 26 seems like the best I can get out of it.