battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

The first problem: When shifting from third immediately into fourth, I'm hearing and feeling a bit of a grinding noise, but if I shift from third to neutral, wait a second, then go into fourth, I get no noise. I spoke to my local Mazda service guy and he said it sounds like the syncro may have gone bad. Does that sound right, and are there any other possibilities?

The second issue: When I have taken some freeway entrance ramps aggressively (read - sustained hard right turn), once I straighten out, my ABS, handbrake, and traction control lights all come on. Once I turn the car off and back on, the lights go away. Any idea what might be causing this?

Thanks in advance for the help and advice.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

1) Yes, 4th gear syncro's are a known weak point in our transmission. It's typically the first point of failure in a transmission driven hard and/or excessive mileage on old fluid. Change out the fluid to MT-90 and it should help for a while.

2) It sounds like there is a different rolling diameter in your tires. If they are all the same size, check your tire pressures. Much higher or lower pressures can change the rolling diameter enough to trigger this.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Thank you for that.

I'll get a fluid change done asap, and, as soon as I get off work, I'll check the diameters and pressures on the tires.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Unless you have MT-90 on hand, or can obtain it locally, it might take longer than that

The other two accepted good fluids are Eunos and OEM Mazda fluid. MT-90 is often easier to obtain than both of those however, but typically only at speed shops or ordering from vendors online.

Anything you can get at a typical autoparts store is usually not viable. Our transmissions are very picky about fluid.

Assuming you have a series 1, draining is simple, then fillt hrough the shifter turret. No need to remove the fill plug or mess with a pump. Check the DIYs here for the instructions on it. Doing changes is pleasantly easy.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Pleasantly easy work makes me happy. My local dealership is a Speed dealer, so I'll talk to my service rep about getting some. And it doesn't hurt that they belong to the same dealership group I set service appointments for.

And yes, I'll look up the DYI guide once I procure the fluid.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Okay, I checked the pressures and tires. It's a matched set of four, and all the pressures were showing 33-35 when warm (because I forgot to check them before I pulled out of the parking lot at work, duh me).
I'll double check them tonight after it's fully dark and cool and see if there is a difference.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Upon taking a closer look at my tires this morning that I had 3 225/40R18s and 1 225/45R18, which sits on the left rear. With some snooping around here, I think that might actually be causing my issue.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yup, that would certainly do it. The left rear has a sidewall 101.25mm tall, the other 3 have a 90mm sidewall. This would equate to a 0.86 inch taller left rear (total, sidewall x2). This would effectively slow down the left rear in relation to the other tires, by about 3%, and in a right hand turn the right side would be turning less anyway. This would exaggerate that result and the ECU would be seeing something seriously wrong, and the calculation wouldn't be seeing a loss of traction. So something wrong and not within expected possibilities = self disabling as a safety measure.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Without all the math, that's the conclusion I came to as well.
So, in my mind, I have two solutions:
1. Get another 225/40R18 for the left rear
-or-
2. Get a 225/45R18 for the right rear

Either solution looks to cost in the area of $100 to fix (give or take $15-25)

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

(i just realized that i swapped the tire side in my calcs, so some of my prior post is inaccurate)

No, it's 1 tire or 3.

The DSC monitors all 4 wheel rotation speeds plus the steering angle (and possibly more?). Changing the right rear just means that now the computer is fighting with the difference front to rear rather than front and right rear vs left rear. You can run into the same problem as before, only just in straight lines.

You need all 4 rotational speeds the same, or within a 1-2% range.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Got it.
Well, then, it looks like I need to secure a 225/40R18 for that left rear.

Thank you for being so helpful.

battlehawk77

iTrader: (1)

Went in and got the new 40 installed today. Promptly took her on a tight entrance ramp and she stuck fine with no lights.

Well, when I say no lights, I mean no traction lights. For some reason, my coolant light popped on for about 10 seconds after I cleared the entrance ramp and was accelerating, then turned back off. Then after looping back to go the other way on the interstate, the light came back on and stayed on for about a minute before turning off while I was on the exit ramp to find a parking lot to make sure I didn't have any leaks or anything. I have confirmed no leaks, and my fluid level was right at the Full line when I checked once she was cool.
Odd...

kops

iTrader: (1)

From what I read, that could be an issue with the coolant sensor. Its inside the reservoir tank, which is usually replaced as a unit. A quick search could probably turn you up some more relevant answers