Hi everyone,

New to this site and I really need some help in trying to identify whats going on with my 2005 base model Nissan 350z. Car has only 30k on it just purchased the car around 3 months ago and really had no problems with it.

Recent ( i live in Vancouver BC Canada ) we started having some colder weather here and every single time the car has been sitting for an extended period of time lets say 3+ hours i find it IMPOSSIBLE to shift into any gear until the car has warmed up for around 30 minutes? it grinds, i cant put it into reverse as this is the hardest gear to get into. I put new tranny oil the redline as described in the wiki tech it helped a tiny bit but the issue is still extremely bad.

Can anyone tell me what the issue is? i'm at a loss ! thanks so much

 

Dreckis, while it’s not uncommon for the Z transmission to be a little notchy and cranky in cold weather until it warms up a bit, your issue seems extreme.

Until the more mechanically gifted members here can chime in. I’d recommend checking to see if the clutch is completely disengaging 100%, as even a slightly dragging clutch can cause this type of malady. Also the shift linkage might be a little out of whack adding to your woes.

What part of the Vancouver area are you located? If you’re near any of the Bert’s Transmission shops, they’re extremely good at diagnosing these things on the spot without making a big deal out of it like most Nissan dealers.

 

Jennifer, thanks for the reply. While i did adjust the clutch play ( i have double checked to make sure the clutch gets completely disengaged while changing into gear. Again im unsure why this changes when the car heats up? if it was a clutch issue it wont happen all the time regardless of if the car was warm, am i not correct? I'm located in downtown i see they are located on Kingsway i think its worth giving them a shout!

 

YES! there is a God.

I got in before anyone else jumped in to make fun of the name of this post!!!!

I expected to hear a story about a chick who was really a dude.

I was sadly let down HA!

OK, back to your serious question..
I have spoken my piece, go now with grace my friend .haha.

 

oh btw, when your car is cold, so is your slave cylinder and your fluid.. and it contracts as well... making it push the shifting fork in just a touch less at the start up.. hence your catching. Pump the clutch a few times on start up and it goes away. Happens around 40 degreesF outside. Luckily, that happens 3 days out of the year here.
Nothings broke, but maybe youre overdue for a clutch fluid change? Hmm?

 

Very common, we run a heavy gear oil in the trans, when its cold its really thick. Its just takes a little finesse and moving the shifter slowly to put it in gear.

 

Agree.

HINT: Do not troubleshoot a vehicle when cold. Not until it reached “operating temperature.” That is why it is called “operating temperature.”

 

a. Pour molasses through a funnel.
b. Pour water through a funnel.
Let me know which works out best.

 

Thanks it actually doesnt even get into gear until its been fully warmed up i understand a car needs time to get going especially in cold weather. My temp meter reaches middle temp in around 7-10 minutes easily. Is there any other type of gear oil i can put into the car other then the specified mt-85?

 

It's becoming more and more obvious that Nissan puts their best transmission engineers in the AT section.

 

so funny omg!