I switched to Redline gear oil and it didn't make any difference with the problem.

I have driven manual transmission cars for around 15 years now and I have never had such a notchy gear box. I really wanted to avoid having to swap the transmission on a new car, but I think I will have to do it. My 91 ZX had no transmission issues for the six years I owned it. This car had problems right off of the bat.

I am curious how others are faring, My car has a Feb. 03 build and it has 2nd gear issues, while it seems some earlier cars have had 3rd gear issues. The owner of my company has an August 02 build 350Z and his transmission feels perfect!

Go figure,


Stu E.

 

Even on my brand new car there is a regular "clunk" on the first to second transition. Doesn't happen all the time, but frequently enough to notice. seems a little more frequent when cold. Mentioned it to the dealer when they rang to do their new car happines call and he responded " oh yea - it goes away after a few k's ". seems like Nissan now about it.......

 

....well, it sounds like you got a good tranny, but that doesn't mean everyone else with this problem doesn't know how to shift. Believe me, I can do a "quick" easy shift in steps. When I am getting the lump and grind is when I am all out racing at the track and doing really fast shifts. THe lump feel by itself is there all the time and it has nothing to do with "rev-matching" because you can feel it weather you are shifting at under 4K rpms for daily driving, or when going all the way up to redline. I have shifted just as fast on other performance cars without any issues, so I don't understand why the 350Z should be doing this. Like I said, I can do a "quick" shift avoiding any grind, but doing a truly fast shift many times I get a grind right at the end of the shift. Besides, as other people have stated, they have been in other 350Zs that don't have this problem, but their own car does....so how would you explain that?

 

You know, after reading a lot of this thread, and the other big "how does your 350Z shift?" thread, I think I am seeing a pattern of who USUALLY agrees/disagrees with the smoothness of the shifting(not counting the people who truly have/had a bad tranny).
I've noticed that many of the people who say they have been driving M/T for many years, or in cars w/out synchros, or in truer track/race cars all say the shifter is very smooth. A quick generalization might be people who are used to "beefier", tougher, more performance oriented settups.
On the other hand, a lot of the people coming from cars like Integra GSRs, Type Rs, RSX-S (like me) which have very, very smooth shifters (I mean really smooth...if you haven't driven one, go to an Acura dealer just so you understand how much smoother it is compared to a 350Z) or maybe even come from not-so-high performance cars, seem to think that the shifter offers noticeable resistance. Quick gerneralization, people who are used to very smooth, everyday driver friendly settups.
The one response that does confuse me though is bhobson333s because my biggest problem IS when I speedshift (as he defines it) from 1st-to-2nd, which is what bugs me. I mean I always feel that little "lump" of resistance from 1st-to-2nd, but it is obviously much more noticeable the faster I try to pull the shifter down.
Any thoughts?

 

Thats correct. I don't notice any hinderance from 1-2, just a nasty grind. I will be taking it in to the dealer.

 

I don't think the lump is a tranny problem and think it is part of the shifter-tranny design so I don't think Nissan will do anything about it. I'm real curious about its origin. I don't slap my shifter around and work pretty hard on timing and smooooothness. The lump seems to be there regardless of whether the car is warm. I do get a little notchiness on the way into 3rd, but think like TereP said, it's because I slightly missed the gate. The shifter is stiffer through the about the 1st three shifts in the morning. I thought the warm summer weather would loosen things up, but the change is only slight. It takes a few laps to warm up.

My last MT was a '64 bug in the '68 -'70 time frame, it was a 4sp synchro, but this tranny is way different. I did test an MT RSX type S and drove a 5spd VW Jetta recently. The shifters are a world apart. I agree with newmexico that the difference is more what you are used to. I love my Z tranny and prefer the more rugged feel.

 

LOL... If ya ever want to see how fast I shift, take a swing by Z Chickz and go to the 350Z Mods forum, Borla thread, 3rd page at bottom is a link to a video of redline shift runs 1 through 5, downshifts to 4 then 3, two stop signs, and then rolling 1 through 4 redlines. You won't see shifting much faster than that with no lumps, bumps or grinds. The Z starts rolling at about 7 seconds into the video -- you can do the math on speeds and times if you know the redline shift speeds (hint 2-3 is over 60)... I shot the video for the Borla sound, not to demonstrate shifting...

And yep, my background is big muscle cars and drag racing...

 

Hot air...

There are some serious transmisson problems here. Nissan is replacing transmissions to correct true problems... not individual shifting experience problems.

This is the same his/ HER advice given to the bounce problem. This is a true problem with many Zs due to the suspension. However, there was some advice that ... well, this can be corrected with driving techniques... blah, blah... to later find out that this same person was also later complaining of the same problem.

................ hmmmm

 

Excuse me, but I never complained about "bounce," and I think the stock suspension is pretty darn good for stock (I've gotten her airborne at 80+ with no bounce on the landing -- no road rash either). What seems to be the issue you're referring to is the 17" wheel/tire combined with spring rates (I've got 18"s so no problem) over certain types of concrete roads. The harmonics of the tire/spring and road combine adversely. The solution is to change a variable: 1) change springs, 2) change tires, or 3) change speed. Changing any variable reduces the "bounce."

And I'd just love to drive one of the Z's with the reported problem to see just what it is. Given the other related threads I've read though over the past 6 months or so, I'd bet we're looking at at least 60% driver error (just a guess, no solid data) -- that's 40% of the gearbox reports with legitimate problems (it could be worse, in the computer business it's 95% user error). Yeah, the early Zs off the line did have a bad clevis pin, but that was fixed with the Dec '02 and later builds. That's also the only TSB on the gearbox last I looked.

The last thing I want to see is Nissan "detune" the gearbox and make it sloppy like some of the other imports just to protect the bad shifters from themselves -- remember the infamous photos of the guy trying to get his new Z out of the parking space? Talk about frying your clutch! How many of those folks are running around with Zs blaming their ineptitude on the gearbox? Yep, it may sound harsh, but we've all seen the truth in pictures.

 

OK, I don't have an MT on my Z but, I have driven MTs for 38 years legally and I have read all the posts on this problem. Obviously, some MTs were defective and were replaced early by Nissan but some posts I've read were driver error w/o question. When an MT balks at being put into a gear, don't force it and try something else. Several of the posters were slamshifting their MTs and folks, you do not do it to some transmissions and the Z's is one, it appears.

My 91 MR2T 5MT was one also. Journalists griped about the "notchiness" keeping them from getting really fast shifts. B.S. , they weren't allowing the synchros to rev-match like Tere is saying. If I had used that technique, my transmission would have disintegrated in a very short time. I drove a 95 Supra a few years ago and discovered the same phenomenon, it balked at the shift from 1st to 2nd unless it was shifted into 2nd over 4000rpm. This from a car with 25,000 miles, not new, but well taken care of and it had to be shifted as I said or it would NOT go into 2nd!

new mexico's observations on who had which cars and transmissions seem to have troubles with the Z's MT are right on the mark, to my way of thinking. I went from the 91 MR2T's "notchy" transmission into a VTEC Accord 5MT with a cable shifter. The difference was like night and day. I could shift the Accord's MT with the clutch partway in or all the way to the floor and the shifts were ALL the same, perfect, regardless of technique, good, bad or indifferent. I could NEVER be lazy with the MR2T or it would not engage a gear I wanted, period. I could do the world's sloppiest shift on the Accord and never miss a shift, unless I forgot to use the clutch at all.

I think new mexico and Tere are right in many cases of Z MT failures, the MT rewards the precise driver and penalizes the inept one. Before anyone gets all puffed up for war, remember different MTs require different techniques and especially if you are coming from a VTEC front driver w/cable shifters. If you are one of those, you have to change your tecnique. I know from experience, I traded a 5MT Honda Prelude for my MR2T and I adapted my shifting technique for the car, not for the way I shifted the Prelude. Think about it.

Boomer--my advice, use it or lose it, I don't have to care, I have a Great 5AT!

 

Hey Boomer! I think your analysis is on the money! Nice comparisons of the various MTs!

 

Thanks, Tere. I read a quote from a Nissan employee several months ago that said the Z's shift action was like a fine bolt action rifle. If you think its accurate, I have to say, having owned several bolt action rifles, they will perform flawlessly if the user is careful to follow the action's operation. If you do a poor job, the action will jam, force it and it will break.

I posted on the transmission earlier, trying to get people to develop their skill with the Z's shifter action w/o much success. We seem to keep getting more failed MTs than we should at this time and the change you mentioned took place in December. I don't think Nissan will keep replacing them for much longer but, hey, I've been wrong before.

 

Another good analogy Boomer...

Yep, it's a very precision piece of equipment. It just takes a nice easy smooth touch and it glides right into gear. I know all the guys are capable of getting this one (I hope so anyway) -- think of shifting like sex -- it's not cool to just try to cram it in. Easy touch, boys -- works every time...

Here's my other quick shifting racing tip -- calm yourself down! If you let the adrenaline get the best of you in a race, you'll blow shifts left and right. Also don't shift with the intent of doing a quick shift -- shift with the intent of smooth precision and you'll have quick accurate shifts every time. And practice, practice, practice...

Hopefully, Dweeb will be sending my Ti Q-Shifter next week -- woo hoo -- 2.7" throw! I can hardly wait for that!

 

I like your analogy better than mine, its definitely uncool to cram it in for sure. BTW, I just signed up for your ZChicks site. Very, very nice. I hope to visit often. Boomer

 

Yep, it was about the only way I could figure to get the message across as succinctly as possible...

I noticed you slip into Z Chickz. The guyz who are regulars are pretty cool. You'll also notice that we're absolutely nutz. It's a lot of fun, and what's even neater is that in over a month of operation we haven't had one post even come close to a flame! Everyone gets along with each other -- refreshing concept!

 

OK.. I have owned MANY MT cars. That includes muscle cars, Vettes, GTO's, Camaros.... as well as sports cars Z's, Triumphs, GTI's....

MY Z's TRANS HAS PROBLEMS. You can blame driving all you like, but a bad trans is a bad trans.

As far as the bounce, I don't know if this is car specific, but I've got it too. This another REAL problem, and unfortunately it's an expensive fix by owner problem.

 

Some transmissions are faulty for sure, but Zs with 18" wheels and tires are usually immune to the bounce. I have 17s, so I am in the group too.

 

I have 18" RAYS, the bounce killing me

 

As for the whole 17" theory, I don't notice any bouncing in the Z at all. For the first couple thousand miles sure, maybe there was some bouncing. But I didn't think much of it until I started reading about people complaining about it.

But now that I am at 72xx miles, I don't notice any bouncing at all on my Enthusiast with 17's. The ride is great. BTW, I have no signs of tire feathering for that matter either. VIN# 42xx with a build date of Sept. '02.

 

The 2 previous posts are unusual in the bounce category, but who knows what the cause is, it refuses to be consistent in every theory we've come up w/here!?