Shifting is notchy

[horizontalkev]

5 speed 2G. I've always had the problem with my shifting being notchy and not exactly smooth, but I've noticed recently I get locked out of gears randomly and ill have to pump the clutch several times to get it in. Especially reverse.

I've bled the system and adjusted the clutch myself, then had a shop do it. Made a slight difference but still notchy and some blocking still. Help please? Thanks tuners

 

[VtecvrsTurbo]

Have you changed the fluid lately? I have a rebuilt Shep trans and ever since day one I've had notchy shifts. I changed the oil after 400 miles like your supposed to and It kinda helped. Maybe like half the time I have to let the clutch out like 1/2 way to get it to pop into reverse. Guess it's a DSM thing...

Could also just be worn synchros. How many miles on it?

 

[horizontalkev]

Yeah I've replaced all fluids with redline (transmission, transfer case, diff). And the car has 77k with a rebuilt motor/trans with about 20k. The transmission doesn't grind so I can't see the synchros being worn.

 

[DSM1G90]

You the original owner when the tranny was rebuilt and by whom?

If not, the tranny could have been rebuilt by chimpanzees, or the previous owner trashed the hell out of it before selling it to you knowing of the potential issues the tranny can expose.

My Laser has 196K miles on its original F5M33 FWD tranny. It shifts butter smooth and I also do the Redline MT-90 change. Your's is the W5M33 since it needs to drive the rear wheels with the internal friction coupler.

Yet, here is a test below to check out syncros and I wouldn't post this test if it meant doing damage to anybodys vehicle:

With the motor in idle and foot off the clutch: Gradually push the shifter to a forward gear and the idle speed should be dropping slightly-which means the syncros are actually braking down the input shaft of the tranny. If a sudden grind is the results, the one set of syncros (be it the 1st/2nd set or others if you went in either upper gears) are shot and needs replacing.

Good luck - DSM

Something just not doing its thing inside - like a bad fork, clutch and tranny are not aligned completely or an internal adjustment is needed.

 

[Breezio69]

Mine started doing this when my clutch was going out. It would get bad, like not going in to gear, then I'd play around with it for a day or two and bleed it with 3 32 oz bottles worth of fluid and it would be fine for a couple of days.

Then the trans got pulled and some of the clutch springs dropped out on the floor...

What's the mileage on the clutch? Street disc or puck? Mine was a street disc, which was supposedly an act, it was later determined to be an O'Reilly special. Clutch still had easily 10 more years of pad on it, but it popped the springs out first.

 

[horizontalkev]

You the original owner when the tranny was rebuilt and by whom?

If not, the tranny could have been rebuilt by chimpanzees, or the previous owner trashed the hell out of it before selling it to you knowing of the potential issues the tranny can expose.

My Laser has 196K miles on its original F5M33 FWD tranny. It shifts butter smooth and I also do the Redline MT-90 change. Your's is the W5M33 since it needs to drive the rear wheels with the internal friction coupler.

Yet, here is a test below to check out syncros and I wouldn't post this test if it meant doing damage to anybodys vehicle:

With the motor in idle and foot off the clutch: Gradually push the shifter to a forward gear and the idle speed should be dropping slightly-which means the syncros are actually braking down the input shaft of the tranny. If a sudden grind is the results, the one set of syncros (be it the 1st/2nd set or others if you went in either upper gears) are shot and needs replacing.

Good luck - DSM

Something just not doing its thing inside - like a bad fork, clutch and tranny are not aligned completely or an internal adjustment is needed.

No I wasn't the owner when the rebuild took place. Haha chimpanzees is probably accurate, a ton of things on this car were done horribly but I know 100% the motor was done right, same person did the tranny.

I couldn't get it to grind at all, idle did slightly react though. Normally my notchy and blocky shifting happens in lower to mid rpm range. Normally at higher rpms it will shift without a problem..

Mine started doing this when my clutch was going out. It would get bad, like not going in to gear, then I'd play around with it for a day or two and bleed it with 3 32 oz bottles worth of fluid and it would be fine for a couple of days.

Then the trans got pulled and some of the clutch springs dropped out on the floor...

What's the mileage on the clutch? Street disc or puck? Mine was a street disc, which was supposedly an act, it was later determined to be an O'Reilly special. Clutch still had easily 10 more years of pad on it, but it popped the springs out first.

That's not what I want to hear breezio ..

 

[Breezio69]

Haha, sorry brother! Just sharing my experiences.

This was last month. Just barely passed my 500 mile break in! I originally thought it was a fork and pivot ball because the arm was cocked to the passenger side of the window while at rest. So we ordered up a fork, ball and tob to get it done with, and the springs falling out was a surprise, because the car was sold to me with a "brand new act street disc".... well, it still looked new, but it wasn't act

 

[VtecvrsTurbo]

My Laser has 196K miles on its original F5M33 FWD tranny. It shifts butter smooth and I also do the Redline MT-90 change.

WTF Seriously, I am soo pissed right now about my shep trans. 2k later and I still have a notchy tranny.

OP: One thing that sucks when buying something that was "rebuilt", theres no telling how/when or whatever.

 

[horizontalkev]

What dies it mean when I can move the shifted back and forth, Bushings? Could that be my problem?

And you gotta love dishonest people

 

[Pipnorcali]

When my clutch spring went it wouldn't shift at all...I would deff check you shifter bushings

 

[DSM1G90]

That's an easy check. With park brake on, pop the shifter in neutral, open the hood and get down and dirty where the two shift cables attaches to the tranny and work both the SELECT and SHIFT arms located on top of the tranny.

The SELECT is the one that goes up and down and the SHIFT is the one that goes back and forth. You'll notice a little bit of play in which we have to have that play or junk will wear out very quickly.

You could be experiencing major shift alignment issues if you really have to work the transmission, esp in the lower gear range.

Some user put skate board wheel truck bearings in place of the stock shifter linkage sleeves causing more accurate and improved smoother shifting.

My Laser, where I'm the third owner and bought it back in 2008, prob was a daily driver freeway vehicle since it's bone stock outside of a Galant VR-4 motor under the hood.
Guess, the first owner busted a belt and just figured to replace the original with a JDM 4G63 motor - including 510's and B16G turbo attached.
When I got it, it was running so pig rich and needed a belt real bad. Replaced the 510's with stock 450's to cure the rich running and did the MT-90 in the tranny since the stock fluid was slimy coal black goo coming out. (and it was a very notchy tranny when I got it-figured this fluid needed to come out read bad).
Just last month is when I did another fluid change using the same Redline MT-90 fluid.

 

[luv2rallye]

If shifter also seems to have too much left/right play check the select lever shoe for wear: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/mai...t-fifth-gear-grinding-help.html#post152266167

 

[dsmspick]

What kind of shape are your motor mounts in? Broken or worn motor mounts can cause crappy shifting as well.

 

[Silverpearll]

I second the idea that it sounds like the clutch is going out.

 

[bigdnno98]

I had a shep stage 2 in my EVO. It was always notchy. Never went away. Was very hard to put into first gear when it was cold out. My DSM has a built trans too. It's also very notchy. I didn't put this trans in so i'm going to swap fluids and see if it helps but I doubt it will. I talked to Trevor at Shep and he said it was normal.

 

[90'AWDTalonFroggy]

Mine Turned out to be my shifter Bushings, just never had the blocking out problem.

 

[DSM Phantom]

I started running syncro mesh in my 5 speed it got alot better

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I started running syncro mesh in my 5 speed it got alot better

I have run that in a couple cars that shifted terribly. After adding just one bottle of GM syncromesh and driving for about a week there was a night and day difference. Right now I run a a mix of Redline mt90 and MTL, but I was thinking about adding a bottle of the syncromesh again to try to get it a little better.

 

[VtecvrsTurbo]

Before recommending synchromesh, please have a read: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...manual-transmission-fluids.html#post152133514

If Jack AND Shep say dont use it, thats enough for me.

 

[DSM1G90]

Ya, that fight can go on forever ... and even good ol' 75w/90 or 80w/90 will even work.

 

[horizontalkev]

I've changed my tranny fluid to redline recently, and its always helped me before.

So I looked where the shifter attaches to the transmission and having a friend move the shifter side to side in gear, its definitely moving where its attached to the transmission... So what's that say? Select lever shoe?

And is this the reason for my notchy shifting?

 

[luv2rallye]

You need to move the tranny shift levers without the cables attached to know anything. As far as the shift lever shoe you have to remove it and measure it.

 

[RT-AWD]

Throw out bearing, clutch going, clutch out of adjustment, spongey lines coming off the master or slave (replace with SS braided lines even if they feel fine), and synchos could just be going also. I have failing synchos right now and get locked out of 4th sometimes, it really stinks when you get locked out on a good pull.

 

[horizontalkev]

You need to move the tranny shift levers without the cables attached to know anything. As far as the shift lever shoe you have to remove it and measure it.

Gotchya thanks.. Am I trying to move the lever in and out, side to side or what?

Throw out bearing, clutch going, clutch out of adjustment, spongey lines coming off the master or slave (replace with SS braided lines even if they feel fine), and synchos could just be going also. I have failing synchos right now and get locked out of 4th sometimes, it really stinks when you get locked out on a good pull.

Clutch has been adjusted and bled twice, once by me and then by a shop. And yeah it sucks, I had a good launch and got locked out of second . &I am leaning towards bad lines or bad bushings or something similar. I never grind, non of my gears pop out randomly or anything. I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED When I first got the car a year ago the clutch pedal was stuck to the floor, and would pop back and fourth without any pressure by hand, doing this a million times started getting the pedal firmer, eventually returning itself, and soon after allowing me into gear. Problems have been ever since. Car was sitting for a long time prior, 7+ years.

 

[Spanky_DSM]

You should get the extended rod for your slave. It may help. It's nice to have regardless. I got it even for my stock clutch.