Elara

Occasionally, there is a slight clunking noise when I shift from neutral into first. I can't even hear it if I've got the radio on, and it doesn't seem to make any weird vibration in the car, but the thunk is a little disconcerting. Sounds like metal on metal- not scraping, but you can kinda feel the car going into gear, if that makes any sense.

It doesn't sound particularly worriesome to me, but I just wondered if anyone else had it too. If not, maybe I'll go have it checked out.

P00Man

i havent noticed anything, but ill listen for it tomorow and see if i do actually hear anything strange
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RXhusker

I just hear the ABS brake check thunk when I back out of the garage in the morning and shift into first gear.

Elara

Hmm..it usually occurs after I've backed out of a parking space and immediately throw it into first. Maybe that's it. I had no idea there even was such a thing.

eccles

See this thread.

Goldenhue22

Elara, that is completely normal with a manual. All, yes all, cars have that mechanism going into first. I think it is a safety net so you can't go into first going 30 40 miles per hour. The tranny would probably fall out. If you notice you have to slow down to a certain speed to even get any manual transmission into 1st. Even my dad's 5 series BMW does that, and that is the smoothest gear box I've ever driven with. Don't worry about it.

GH22

msrecant

The cluck is definitely real. I have noticed it many times myself but have never reliably been able to reproduce it. Like you get only one clunk per stop. It is probably the synchronizer issue eccles talks about in the other thread. I'm going to play with it some more tomorrow.

Bottom line, I believe it needs to be considered one of those things that is part of the car's "character".

akrx8

this has been talked about in another thread but if you push in the clutch and hold it there 2 sec than no clunck(try it)if you push in and grab first real quick it clunks every time,i thinks its the nature of the beast.

Digisan

Yes, I have the first gear "clunk". I've had it since day one, I don't think there is a problem though. I have 1000 miles on my car now and the tranny is getting smoother (engine too) on a daily basis.

D-san

Elara

Thanks eccles, I thought I remembered a thread about it but a search for "1st gear" and "clunk" didn't come up with much.

I realize it's a common thing for all manuals, but I was concerned because it's only audible every once in a while. For example, this morning, it didn't make the noise. That was why I was wondering about it. If it did it every time, I would have completely ignored it.

zoom44

if you go from reverse directly into 1st you get the clunk but if you wait for a moment in neutral for the revs to drop no clunk.

RodsterinFL

Yes. But it seems to be related to the clutch/shift timing like another person mentioned.

BRx8

now that we know the cause and the cure, can we ascertain as to how damaging this clunk can be when it does do it? there are a few times that i'm not paying attention and someone will blow their horn at me...in the rush i'll put it directly to first without waiting a few seconds and "clunk" happens...how bad is this?

Efini 8

no worries guys, I think this is totally normal - I too have the same 'clunks'

selmeralto

In my experience the clunk is also related to how warm the transmission is. When the car is cold the clunk is more pronounced. When I've been driving for a while it is less clunky or even non-clunky.

Genom

Sorry guy, but youve revived a 2 month old thread when people first got their cars. It has long ago been established that it's the ABS system doing it's diagnostic when you start moving.

RenesisPower

Yes, I have the clunk too. Based on my experience if I push the shift lever into first very gently there is NO clunk but with even a gentle forceful action I get the clunking noise.

I don't believe there is cause for alarm for this clunking noise.

the_doug

Are there synchros on 2nd gear, too? I'm probably more patient going into first from a stop than I am going into 2nd from 1st, but whatever the case, I often hear/feel a slight clunk going into 2nd.

I vaguely remember seeing another thread that discussed an optimum RPM to go into 2nd - around 4000? - that would minimize this, but I can't recall for sure.

Clunks into 2nd, anyone?

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Yes, I also have the first gear clunk it is dependant on how quickly after depressing the clutch you shift into 1st, as well as the temperature of the car.

I have also had the second gear clunk, this in my opinion is caused by your shift points, 4000rpm+ will minimize it a lot. Also, if you tend to be force full with the clutch while shifting into 2nd, as most of us are in order to quickly shift so that we don't jerk. (at least those who don’t slip the clutch into the next gear by adding more gas) You may pull the clutch down and to the left (or toward you), while you should simply tap it downwards.

jferg

When shifting from reverse to first gear in any manual transmission, it's always a good idea to quickly go into second gear on the way to first. That will make the gears mesh smoothly and eliminate the "thunk." It's a lot easier on the synchros that way.

mshumaker

I also get the clunk when I move to first gear. I mostly notice it when I'm in neutral (like at a stoplight) and shift into first before accelerating from sitting still. (Before I take my foot off the brake.)

I don't think this can be chalked up to just being a manual transmission issue. I've driven manual transmissions all my life (most recently a Prelude) and never experienced this before.

After a drive with the service manager from the dealership, he said it was nothing out of the ordinary for this car. I'm a little leary, but it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, so I'm just gonna live with it for now. I do notice that if I shift "gently", it doesn't happen as often.

Well, I dunno if "relieved" is the right word, but it appears that this isn't just happening to me. I'm glad I'm not just hearing things - now if I can only convince the service manager that I have an intermittent rattle in the driver side air vent that only happens when he is not in the car...

Texas 8

2nd to 3rd on mine is the only time its' iffy. The smallest of "clunks".

Omicron

Clunk first thing after you start the car is the ABS test. Clunks after that tend to have to do with the syncros, and are most noticible when the tranny is cold. And ANY transmission noises with this car are going to be more noticible than other cars because you're basically sitting almost on top of the tranny.

Elara

Yup, not a big deal- mine's still doing it, and I've got no problems after 10k miles. ABS test is all.

Chevy

Sounds like a typical manuel to me. It just the gears meshing to each other, prefectly normal in a manuel.