Zman

This is probably my least favorite shift because of a coarse grating sensation that transmits up my arm. I have driven 2300 km already. Will this disappear with increasing wear? Does any one have a similar experience?

alphaz

I have the same problem. It is even worse when the Z is cold. I called the dealership and they said the tranny fluid might be the wrong viscosity. I brought over Redline MT-90 and had them put it in for free.
It seems a little better. This is the touchest manual i have ever had. I'm going to call them back and let them know that it did not help. What is next?

Flyingscot

I've noticed 1st to 2nd or 3rd to 2nd feels overly difficult and very unsatisfying. I don't think changing oil will help much. Only time will tell whether the shift improves with age.

I wonder how many other people are having trouble with 2nd?

Fly

integrate

I'm also having the same problem, as well as almost every other gear...except for 5-6.

droideka

My gearbox has me completely stumped. 50% of the time it's buttery smooth going into the gate, the other 50% of the time it has to be forced. This happens on 1>2, 2>3 and 3>4 shifts. Low revs, high revs, doesn't matter. I've put over 6500 miles on this gearbox so I'm NOT going to chalk it up to inexperience with this particular car. My technique is identical everytime and I always, without exception, fully depress the clutch. Always.

In addition, I sometimes simply cannot get the shifter into the gate on 3>4, high-rev (6300+) shifts. I have to back out of the shift, double de-clutch and then work it into 4th. That's a problem, if you ask me.

Apexi350z

iTrader: (3)

I am having the same problem, so I switch to Redline ShockProof Tranny Oil. Seems to be better now, but I just need to make sure I don't speed shift...Other gears are ok.. it's just 2nd gear.

droideka

IMO, that's not acceptable. It's a Z, for f**k's sake. Remember the whole, "we're shooting for the best in the business when it comes to the shifter. Boxster S, S2000..." from Nissan. For you to NOT be able to fully enjoy your car and have to modify your driving habits to make it work correctly is inexcusable.

Just so we're all clear, when you say "speed shift" you mean very quick shifts between the gates and not power shifting, right? I wouldn't expect my tranny to hold up very long under power shifting, but to have to granny shift just so I make it into the gate is not cool at all.

bobbyz

iTrader: (1)

Zman,
Yes I too have this problem and live in Toronto. Where are you located? Have you taken the car to a dealer? Sometimes its a grinds for a second before slipping into second, other times, if I shift very slowly, I can feel the **** kich back up before settleing into second. And very rarely, I shift and hear a horrible grind and the **** pulsates like crazy and it will not go into second, so I go back to neutral and then try again and it goes in. This all happens with my clutch peddal on the floor, and I had driven a Porsche 968 6-speed for three years before this without a tranny problem, so it is not me. It is only 1-2 shifts, it is more prevalent in the cold, and some days it is smooth as butter (of corse the days I have time to take it to a dealer). Even if they find the problem and it is soemthing like tranny fluid, I'm worried that the synchros and second gear are ground up already. It seems like the second gear synchro is not adjusted properly, but I really do not know anything about transmissions.

Another thing. when you push the clutch all the way to the floor and up, do you hear a little click near the bottom travel? Is this normal? It does not seem to match when the clutch engages, so I wonder why it is there

Zman

Bobbyz:

I agree with you that it does not occur all the time...I have not noticed whether it occurs more frequently when the weather is cold. I don't hear any click when the clutch is almost at the bottom. So far I have not taken it in to the dealership to have the problem analyzed because it does not occur all the time. By the way, I live in Edmonton and so far happy with the weather this winter.

3rdpower

This happens to me often. Lots of gear grind in second and one time I had a complete gear drop when trying to **** from 1st to second. Sounded like the whole transmission was dropped out the bottom of the car - very loud *BOOOM*

DIGItonium

iTrader: (1)

Getting going from 1st to 2nd, and 3rd to 2nd is still rough
compared to other gears.

Sometimes it feels like the gears are about to pop out
when I downshift to 2nd after a turn.

Then there are times when 2nd gear engages smoothly
without a problem.

It's confusing.

ppw350Z

i've noticed the same i have appx. 1500 miles on my Z now. i read this post a few days back and said to myself, "i haven't had trouble with that." then on my way to work yesterday it felt grainy a little tough. i'm hoping that i'm just playing this out or thinking into it. however, i'm headed to the dealer tommorrow. they are gonna be pissed when i leave i have a page long of things i want them to check.

s9am_me

iTrader: (1)

yup.. same problem here. Only about 300 miles in it so far. Shifting from 1st - 2nd seems a bit rough.. but shifts better if i shift around 3500-4000 RPM for some reason... from 2nd - 3rd is a bit better but still not like how i want it... from 4th on feels fine. So i'm guessing this is normal since a lot of ppl have been posting Also, sometimes getting into first is rough... sometimes its smooth

jeffa55

Just writing in to say that I don't have this problem. Is there anyone else out there who does NOT have this problem (and has some miles on their car)??

Apexi350z

iTrader: (3)

Update: after the Redline ShockProof Gear oil were put in the tranny, it gets better and better now. Every gear is smoother and no grinding at all.
I went ahead and changed the rear differential oil yesterday, just to make sure everything thing is lubed up properly.

walesinc

Left the car over night so the dealer can try it out cold as the problem is worse.

Here is what they said:

We notices what you were talking about.
We got in a new Z and took it for a drive.
They both drive the same,

so...

it is not a problem.

I am sure the new one did it, but I am not so sure it isn't a problem.

I don't notice it at high rpm's or when the tranny is warmed up. At first, I drove with low rpm's when the car was cold to let it warm up, but then I notices that shifting from 1st to 2nd with low (2000-2500) rpm's made the problem happen. If I let it go to 3000 or so, and shift slowly when cold, it doesn't really happen. I feel the gears connect more, but don't get the grind or bang noise.

I figure I will see how it goes. The tranny is covered under the powertrain warranty for quite some time. If it is a problem, it should get a lot worse before the warranty is up.

themyst

iTrader: (1)

When i first got the car i had a ton of complaints about my 1-2 shift. 4100 miles later, its definitely loosened up a little and i dont have any complaints at all. my only concern is the uneven tire wear issue from the bad factory alignment... which should be fixed under warranty.

Traffic

Yah, 1-2 for me is pretty rough. It's never ground or anything in any gear, it just feels like it takes a lot more effort to go from first to second, and it makes my shifting very slow and unsatisfying. Every other gear is great. I thought this was normal. My father's driven the car and never complained about it. I may try some new tranny fluid and see how that goes.