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2nd Gear Feels Weak

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Old 07-09-2009, 03:58 PM
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Pain Is Weakness
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Question 2nd Gear Feels Weak

Okay heres my story, Ive had my car for about 7months now. Just last Month a rattle began to develop in the rear of the car @ about 1k - 1.5k. I believe its the exhaust heat shield. A week later I start hearing like a rattle noise were the tranny is, again im thinking its a ehat shield or some type of shiled thats loose. So the week following that I began to notice the car feel kind of slugish in 2nd gear. Im not having any problems shifting up or down, and i just keep feeling like 2nd gear is slipping or something. I havent seen any post with a similar problem like mines, so any input will be great. O and before i forget i did the 30k service @ a Mazda stealership, and they did do a tranny flush and put their generic crap in it, the car has 37k miles on it now.


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Old 07-09-2009, 05:32 PM
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what do you mean sluggish... say you are under hard accel from first to second to third.... does it seem to loose power only during second? Is there any excess noise that goes along with this problem....?
Old 07-09-2009, 06:21 PM
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Far as the rattling... it could be a heat shield.
I had rattles from the shield on my exhaust manifold.

The other issue with "slipping" in 2nd gear... you need to be more specific.
Does it feel like its slipping like when the clutch disc doesn't engaged against the flywheel?
Does the car have a "power loss" in 2nd gear? And if so what RPM?
Definitely need more details.
Old 07-09-2009, 08:22 PM
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Okay, it feels like the car is accelerating too slow, lack of power. And you can feel that its not the engine. The power loss is thru out all rpms while in 2nd. 3rd and 1st gear seem to be way more responsive.It just feels like its lost its punch in 2nd gear. If I take it 2 red in 1st n drop it in 2nd the clutch does not slip or anything it grabs n the rear wheels cherp, so I don't belive its a clutch issue. No noises out of the ordinary. Just a feel of pwr loss.

Last edited by Jonathan11; 07-09-2009 at 08:24 PM.
Old 07-09-2009, 08:39 PM
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Basic things to check for power loss is coils, plug wires, spark plugs, and clogged cat.
Have you replaced any of these?
Old 07-09-2009, 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Jon316G
Basic things to check for power loss is coils, plug wires, spark plugs, and clogged cat.
Have you replaced any of these?
wouldn't those have an effect through out several gears? do you think it has anything to do with 2nd gear itself...? Idk jon I could be way off.
Old 07-09-2009, 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Donald.Clabaugh
wouldn't those have an effect through out several gears? do you think it has anything to do with 2nd gear itself...? Idk jon I could be way off.
His problem may not be gear specific... it might just be that he notices it more in 2nd.
If a gear fails or is failing, the symptoms would be different.
Old 07-09-2009, 09:49 PM
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I guess we wait to see whats been done then.
Old 07-10-2009, 09:23 PM
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Okay I have replaced the starter, I did the BHR ignition upgrade, cleaned throttle body, did throttle body by-pass mod, and removed the little plastic plates in the stock air box. I use 10w30 oil, top off every 500 n premix every fuel up. I rly don't think its an engine problem, u can feel like the engine is kinda freesping as if the tranny is not putting the power down. I've been reading up, I read our cars do. 0-60 in about 6seconds. I was thinking about timing my 0-60 and seeing if I get the same time. If I do no problem all just in my head. If I don't.....problem.
Old 07-10-2009, 10:58 PM
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Did you replace the plugs also when you installed the BHR coils?
Have you double-checked to make sure a wire hasn't come loose on the plug?
Old 07-12-2009, 12:50 PM
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Yea everything is in prefect working order. Timed my 0-60 today did 3 runs, from complete stop to 60. My average time was 6.4 seconds. That being said you think thats an accurate way to determine if my tranny is bad? I mean if there was something wrong with second gear I would not be able to do 0-60 in under 7 seconds right?
Old 07-12-2009, 02:36 PM
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6.4 sec is pretty good.
You need to know the right shift points, and like you said be able to shift, to get a time like that.
Old 07-12-2009, 03:04 PM
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did you notice the traction light go on right after you chirp into 2nd? cuz if i dump the clutch too fast after redlining first and hitting second, my traction light goes on and i lose power for a little bit then 2nd gets it back.
Old 07-12-2009, 11:01 PM
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+1^^^^ yeah when i turn of the traction control the car does accelerate a bit quicker.. DSC makes the car retarded
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