My car exhibits the grinding when shifting normally and it isn't a "beating on it" problem. My first experience with this problem was in October after the car sat outside all day at work and cooled off to the 40+F point. The first couple of times I thought it was me. After that I knew better.

In addition, the initial October grinds happened while driving through a residential area a few blocks from work, so it wasn't like I was jumping on the car. Just a driving around town, if you will, shifting normally from second into third, with a cold motor as well. Again, what I've learned through all these years, is that you don't beat or jump on a cold car.

Besides, the VIN on this car is so low, I have no intention of trashing it!

 

If your grinding started at 1200 miles and its still going on, I wouldn't waste my money on Redline trans oil. You may need a new trans in the near future, so puting Redline in it now may be too late. I don't know you're current mileage though, and its your money.

 

Boomer:

3200 miles as of today; and with all the snow around here it's been at 3200 for a couple of weeks now.

Don't forget, she doesn't do this every time but if I don't baby that 2nd to 3rd upshift until 20 miles or so, she'll grind and make me look like a fool who can't shift a manual transmission.

The best temporary solution so far has been 2nd to 4th to 3rd.

Lastly, I suppose you're right: I won't waste the $ until this gets resolved by Nissan.

Thanks

 

Well, my car only has 400+ miles on it so far and I've already felt some pretty hard shifts in 2nd and 3rd and I'm very experienced with manuals. Every car I've ever owned was a manual and I never replaced a clutch or had to have a tranny fixed. So, I know its not me. I figured the tranny would need some breaking in, but I did have a very very slight grind into second the other day. I gave the synchros ample time to mesh, but it didn't matter. This is only after a cold start, even if I warm the car up for 5 minutes or so. The first few minutes of driving require immense babying but the tranny goes into gear perfectly if I rev-match the shifts. After a few minutes of driving it shifts ok. The problem is that I rarely drive very far, so I have trouble getting to a point where the gear oil is thoroughly warmed-up. I hope this isn't a chronic problem. I try to drive the car for as long as I can, taking the scenic route to my work (only a mile from home). I guess we'll see what its like after a couple thousand miles. I just keep gritting my teeth with every 1-2 shift. 3rd gear is by far less difficult to get into gear and I haven't had any slight grinding or resistance there. Its just VERY notchy when cold. Very often I feel some very small amount of resistance in almost any gear. Its like a tiny clicking feeling as the shifter moves along its travel and into gear, just before the gear is engaged. That makes me think the clutch may not be disengaging fully, but I'm a true worry wart. I hope this is just a synchro problem and it gets resolved with upgraded or updated synchros.

My car's VIN is in the 9xxx range, so its pretty new.

 

I'm sorry to be blathering on about this but have you tried the double hitch, 1st to neutral, neutral to 2nd, and so on? I know you should not have to shift like this in a modern manual, but the stiffness of a new transmission seems to merit it. If you truly have to do the technique to get it into gear when its cold, it will be the first manual I've heard of that needed it since my 1965 Triumph TR4, other than Ferraris, they were notorious for cold shifting problems! My TR4 always required me to shift like that, but it was a 38 year old car!

You shouldn't have to do this on a modern manual. There, I've said it and I won't take it back. MY 91 MR2T was notchy in shifting, but nothing like what you are describing and using Mobile 1 tranny lube worked wonders. It shifted smoothly, w/o notchiness, and I used it every time I changed fluid in the transmission. Have you discussed it w/your service writer at your dealer? If I were you, I would discuss it and ask them if they know why the trans is so difficult to shift when its cold and you are babying it constantly.

Based on the reaction you get, they may not know the answer, I would call NNA and open a file w/David, the Z person we've heard about and explain your concerns. You are supposed to have fun w/the Z, not anxiety attacks, and tell him so. In the meantime, I would have the dealer replace your tranny lube w/Redline, Mobile 1, or another high performance lube.

You will have to pay for it, but it may be helpful. Talk to David, the Z guy before you do it, to make sure Nissan won't get pissy about warranty, you will be replacing it w/an SAE Approved product, but err on the side of caution. In fact, I'd ask him to contact your dealer about the change, given your concerns.

Boomer--I hope this is helpful, it makes me nervous giving advice about a problem I haven't experienced. Think it through and make up your own mind. I have given you my view, but yours may be better than mine and its your NEW CAR. Treat it as food for thought, not the gospel ala Boomer, just an opinion.

 

Boomer:

No, you're not blathering on about the "double hitch" shift. I've already tried that early on and sadly it didn't work either.

Once I noticed the problem back in October, I thought what could be better than "double clutching" to let the trans. break-in easier, thinking it was still a bit tight internally.

 

No transmission should have to be treated w/kid gloves just to keep from gear grinding. Nissan should be beefing up the synchros on the running changes it will be making. Someone said before we got the first Z in the States we were going to love the 6MT. I'm glad we weren't holding our breath.

 

Hey, Boomer-

Thanks for the concern, but I'm not really that worried about it. I think the combination of the cold temps and new tranny make it pretty stiff when its cold. I drove the car last night and after the gear oil warmed up, it was smooth as silk. It seems the more I shift the better it feels.

The double-hitch technique, as you call it, doesn't seem to matter about the stiff-almost-grinding-when-cold problem. I've tried that by instinct a few times and it didn't matter. It seems that no matter how much time you give the synchros to mesh, if they're cold they just won't work well. It doesn't seem to matter if I shift super slowly and either do the double-hitch thing or not.

As I said, its probably too early to tell if I have a real problem yet. I just wanted to state that my tranny MAY have the earliest symptoms and on a car that was built recently.

I drove the car for a couple hours last night and really let things warm up well. The shifter and tranny felt pretty darn good after a few minutes and I threw a couple of hard shifts into second and third to see how things felt. Each time they went in like butter and I was pleased. It does definitely seem like the tranny really likes rev-matching, so I do that as much as possible in the hopes that I might help save the synchros.

Rest assured that if I do run into synchro or any other tranny problems, I'm most definitely going to get it taken care of. I'm just glad I have a place like this to learn about the problem and be wary before I find I've developed the problem.

I totally agree with you that the tranny shouldn't have to be babied to be shifted without grinding. It shouldn't have to take powershifting abuse either, but the synchros should definitely do the job they're built to do. I'll keep an eye on how things break-in with the tranny and be sure to post how things feel at 1200 miles and beyond.

Does anyone know if we have multi-cone synchros, at least in 2nd and 3rd gears??? I will give this tranny ONE compliment for sure, and that is that it goes into reverse easier than any transmission I've ever had. I would bet there's a synchro in there for reverse because I find NO resistance or trouble at all getting the shifter into reverse. That, at least, is nice.

-Jon

 

Well I posted on 1/27 my tranny problems, so I thought I would update everyone. The dealer had a tranny on back order, and it has arrived. Now they are waiting on the new clevis pin, which should be in this week. so with any luck, all will be done early next week. I will update when I get the car back and let everyone know the outcome.

 

I missed the info earlier, what is a clevis pin?

 

clevis pin

one type of clevis pin use

clevis pin on hydraulic clutch

The clevis pin is part of the pedal assembly...

 

AH, we called the clevis pin a "cotter pin" in the way back machine. Probably incorrectly, but there you have it. Thanks

 

I'm extremely irritated - I've called Nissan North Amercian and they're going to look into it. The dealership I bought from (Downtown Seattle Nissan aka Pacific Lincoln Nissan Mercury aka Seattle Autocenter) won't provide me with a dang loaner while they diagnose. The grind and tire feather is too irritating to accept. I hope they resolve it quickly. I'm going to have new rims and new tires installed and if there is a camber issue that has to be fixed before new rubber goes on. That and I hope they give me replacements.

What a pain in the *** the dealer is. I wish I would have listen to a previous post from another member about the dealer... they have sucked 100%.

 

Cotter pins are those little squiggly bent-paperclip-looking pins. The clevis pins are pretty thick cylindrical metal.

 

Well, I'm approaching 600 miles on my car and my second gear synchro feels like garbage. I can't downshift without rev-matching or it grinds or refuses to let me in the gate. It mildly grinds sporadically on upshifts, and with no pattern anymore. It doesn't seem to matter how warm the gear oil is anymore. It used to be fine when warmed up (even just 100 miles ago). I'd say there's a defective synchro batch. I'll bring it up at the break-in oil change.

EDIT- For the record:

1) I've been really babying the car and shifting slowly, never banging gears.

2) I have plenty of experience with manuals. This is my fourth car with a manual and I've NEVER replaced a clutch or had any transmission problems with a manual before. I even owned a car that was notorious for blowing synchros (mitsu VR-4) and I NEVER had a problem with that car in 88k miles.

 

Well, I am back, and have my new tranny and clevis pin installed. Not bad dropped it off yesterday and it was ready last night. As for shifting, seems much smother, but time iwll tell. The original tranny did not show and problems untill I hit approx 3000 miles. We shall see how well this one holds up, but for right now I am a very happy z driver.

 

The first dealer I went to said the same thing about the loaner. I call Nissan 800-nissan1, and they were very helpful. They contacted the dealer where I purchased the car and told me they would look at the car and give me a loaner. They also gave me a loaner when the tranny got replaced. I would try to call Nissan directly.

BTW no loaner, but paid for a rental car. hope this helps

 

To everyone:

Well, went out to the garage and started her up this morning for her weekly turn-over and what do you think? Not moving and every gear [including reverse] drops in fine but third gear! Grind, Grind, Grind.....each time I tried to put her into third. Again, clutching each time between the gear throws. Even clutching between attempts to shift into third. She didn't do this last weekend, started and shifted fine!

Then drive forward about 6" and then EVERY gear works perfectly [even reverse and third!]

Does anyone of you have this part of the problem. I didn't get any replies to that part of this ongoing Tech Problem.

Now if only the weather would cooperate I'd get her into the dealer for their opinion, and get some time behind the wheel as well. I haven't driven her in weeks now.

Again, thank you all.

 

Well the dealer had the car for an entire week and did nothing except drive it a little bit to determine that the trans. did in fact grind one time going into third gear when it was parked outside overnight and good and cold. They didn't bother to call and tell me, so I had no news for the whole week.

The dealer then explained that Nissan doesn't know about this problem!!!??? ; they'd be contacting one of the area zone reps to follow-up further. Now a week later and no news from anyone.

Where do I go from here? [The dealer didn't even get the scratch fixed my 2 year old did to the Z's door with her trike, claiming the weather wasn't good enough to do it.]

Frankly I'm underwhelmed with all of this.

Time for a dealer nearer to where I live now to handle my repair work?

 

It was 68 degrees outside today in NYC, and the weather has nothing to do with the grinding, 3rd gear grinds anyway. Finding new Nissan dealer to bring the car to ASAP.