Smirnofsoldier

question for you guys is getting into second slightly jerky to anyone else?

reason im asking is me and my dad have driven this rx8 (potential buy) and are wondering if that's normal or if things are getting worn out?

and my dad isn't a noooob at driving stick either lol he used to drive truck for the longest time

but other then that the tranny seems fine... so is it normal or no? lol

swoope

iTrader: (5)

sounds like the transmission is still cold..

and you description is so vague..

beers

XxSaMiRxXS

^^ yea its prolly cause the tranny is cold

Drive the car around till it heats up good, and you wont have any problems going into 2nd gear

thats what i do

Smirnofsoldier

we drove it for about 20 mins,

but its not hard to get into the gear but it jerks almost as if you were just dropping the clutch almost... but not as bad? i dont know how to describe it lol but its not a smooth transition like all the other shifts there is a bit of a jerk no matter how you let the clutch out

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

the transmission is a bit more refined then that of a truck.. ease into it.

wheatley67

I've noticed what you're saying about 2nd gear also (up-shifting). To me, the ratio is spaced out different and that causes me to miss judge when to let the clutch out. (causes jerking like down shifting(I know... unless you try to rev match))

I use to drive semi truck and the gear spacing was 500 rpms, i.e. wind-out a gear to say 1500 rpm then pull it out of gear at the same time you let off the fuel (no clutch) and wait for the tach to drop to 1000 rpm and put it into the next higher gear (no clutch). When doing this, you could get close to putting it into the the next gear and feel for the right time, so you wouldn't have to watch the tach.

The RX-8s trans is a lot smoother and harder to feel, but as with the truck you will start to know when to shift. I don't usually use the clutch for up-shifting when I'm just having a nice drive. My RX-8 is in for the winter, but if I remember right, from 2nd - 3rd I'd rev to 4k and let her fall to 3k rpm, same 3rd - 4th and 4th - 5th is about half that, so I would skip 5th and go into 6th with the same 1000 rpm drop.

As a side note, I'm gonna try some synthetic gear lube this spring and see if that doesn't help with the warm up issue. Seems to me that it would make it easier for me to predict when to make a smooth shift.

AndrewE

I've powershifted lots of cars(using rpm/throttle to shift, no clutch) and I wouldn't really say the 8's tranmission is suited, albiet the tripple crown on 1 & 2 gear. It is still a 5speed trans with slimmed down "sprockets" to make room for 6th, as the rumour goes(I have no bias for comparison). I've killed syncronizers in lesser vehicles powershifting, But i also used to do it upshifting and downshifting(know your rpms) wont risk it when I can't just get a new trans at the wrecker for peanuts.





I live on a hill and have trouble shifting into 2nd every day, problem dissapears after warmup. My guess is cold gear oil = Slow syncro + rolling down a hill which messes with the whole process as the vehicle accelerates without power.

Rhawb

My girlfriend and I determined it's impossible to reliably make a smooth 1-2 upshift in the RX8. It seems no matter how hard you try, you'll still get at least a little "bump" to your shift unless you either hit a lucky shift or you let the clutch slip for quite a while. It sounds like you're just experiencing one of the RX8's quirks - if it really bothers you, try another 8 and see if the shifting is as bad.

aankhein

i have the same issue...took it in a long time ago with it was under b2b...but they said it was okay. downshifting into two is loud and rough. upshifting is jerky. always is that way. i think i agree with the guy above me that its an rx8 quirk

Smirnofsoldier

thankyou! that is what i was wondering! if it was just how the gears are spaced which i think it is because all the ones ive driven do it....

oh btw my dad knows how to drive stick really well.... lol so its not that hes used to driving truck because he used to race aswell :P


but thx for the info guys! OHHHH and another question i got into the car (havnt bought it) and the led display was frozen on a screen and flashing? wtf is up with that? is it a common issue or is something buggered in the computer because ive driven it a few times and this is the first time ive seen it

Marklar

On mine, it is always stiff going into 2nd, no grinding or anything just takes a lot more force than the other gears. But the shift is smooth once I get it in gear and let the clutch out. I don't have any problems shifting smoothly into 2nd, either from 1st or when downshifting (with double-clutching).

Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it. But 2nd gear does seem quirky on the 8, no doubt about it.

Marklar

Never heard of that happening. What was on the display? Is there an aftermarket stereo or any other non-stock gadgets installed in the dash? Could be someone jacked up the wiring.

There are no diagnostic codes or warnings that display there, all that stuff is on the instrument cluster. So it isn't telling you that the car is about to blow up, but something seems to be wrong and I'd shy away from buying that car.

Socket7

My first shift into 2nd every morning when driving to work is always so knotchy it makes me worry something is wrong, but thats just the way it is. You feel it pop out of first gear, Push up against second, slide part way in, then drop into gear entirely with a bit of a thunk, but no grinding. The drop in rev's between first and second is about twice what it is for the other gears, It's the engineers begging you to take your time getting into second I think.

Once it's warmed up, I've no problem with second gear. Sometimes if I'm going 5-8 miles an hour I have trouble getting into first, which is solved beautifully by a double clutch.

ken-x8

No trouble with mine. Shifts smoothly into every gear, even when cold. Downshifting to first always takes a little more attention because of the bigger gap.

When it was new all of the shifts were a little notchy, but that smoothed out as the shifter broke in. Had a BMW back in the 70s that was the same way: rough shifter action that smoothed out once it broke in.

Ken

Zerotide

iTrader: (1)

My 1-2 and sometimes 2-3 upshifts are knotchy when cold as well. I found if I double clutch while the tranny is cold all the shifts go completely smooth. Once the engine is warmed up I don't double clutch as often.

Marklar

I've been wondering about that. I bought my car with 4700 miles on it and right now I only have about 6200 on it. I've been hoping that 2nd would loosen up a bit after enough use.

How many miles did you have on your car before you felt the transmission loosen up? Mine used to be stiff going into 6th and 4th, but they are fine now, only 2nd is stiff now. Then again, it may also be a matter of getting used to where the gears are and hitting the gate correctly.

Zerotide

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone with the short throw shifter experience the stiffness? I know that helps with the reverse grinding... I've gotten to the point now where I can tell if its not all the way in reverse.

I think we might be able to chalk this 1-2 stiffness up to the quirks of the RX-8s tranny... much like the reverse grind.

77mjd

I have a similar wierd problem with my 2nd. This only happens when it is really cold out, but I can shift into 2nd with no problem, but then when I let go of the shifter it pops back into neutral. I have to hold it in 2nd for a little extra time for it to stick then it's fine, but it only happens when it is really cold. It's fine all other times and no other gear does that.

mysql

even on a brand new stock rx8, it can be difficult to row through the lower gears smoothly till you get more attuned to the vehicle.

with that said, I can't tell if anything you guys are describing is abnormal or just a sign that you need to practice more.

before you tell me you're experienced on manual transmissions, I've watched guys stall out my rx8 repeatedly trying to get it up the dyno machine. Of course I have hd clutch and lightweight flywheel, but that only exacerbates the existing issues.

Zerotide

iTrader: (1)

I'm not talking about a jerk when I disengage the clutch like the OP is... to be honest it does sound like the OP and his dad need more practice with the 8.

I'm talkin about how I get a little click or bump as I move the shifter into the second gear gate when the car is cold. This click or bump goes away when the car is warmed up or if I double clutch while still cold.

Smirnofsoldier

there is Sirius sat radio hooked up but thats the only think i know of but ya kinda weird....because what happens if that happens again since all it told me was that volume was on 4 and was flashing didnt tell me what the temp of what climate function i had on

Smirnofsoldier

wow! guys i just found out this car is on its second engine and was replaced 20000 kilometers ago in 07.... sweeet

Razz1

I never have this problem.

Try driving another 8.

that will tell you if it is the car or you.

Smirnofsoldier

ive driven a few and they all seem like that? its prolly just needing to get used to the car and clutch position

ken-x8

Just a few thousand miles.