2nd gear grinding (sort of)
12-12-2006, 01:44 PM
#1
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2nd gear grinding (sort of)
Well, I had been having problems with my transmission (although told it was completely fine when I took it in) mainly with second gear, and my clutch was also really "loose" feeling with no resistance at that time. It shifts fine if I push the clutch in while the car is not moving to check it (which is what the techs did when I took it in last time). But, if the car is moving, it is impossible to get it into second gear (especially when cold) with a much effort and a strange noise. It isn't quite grinding but more like a catching/clunking noise like something it hitting against something else before it will finally catch. The clutch feels fine now but 2nd gear sucks. It works reasonably okay if the temperature outside is above 60, but that isn't going to happen here for months. This morning I took my car on a drive and when I was at about 7 miles per hour I went to downshift into first to park. It would not go in at all!!! It just felt like it was hitting against something and refused to budge. I put it in neutral and tried again (while coasting more slowly now) and it still wouldn't go in. So, I let the clutch out (while still in neutral) and tried it again. It went in this time but with a really loud metallic clunk, but not quite a grind. I have never ground my gears unless you count what has been going on for the last month or so as "grinding" with lound clunking, and a lot of resistance. To me it feels slightly like grinding but it is not making the typical grinding sounds. There is allegedly nothing wrong with my transmission according to the dealership but it just totally sucks *** lately and it has never done it before. I took it in at 8000 miles to complain and it seemed slightly improved when I picked it up (at least the clutch was tighter like it used to be), although they said they did nothing to it. Now it is acting up worse and worse again. I know I didn't change the way I shift, either. Everything was working great for the first approximately 7500 miles and now it is really starting to suck on me. I don't know what to do about it.
Edit: Oh yeah, and I was told that my transmission was probably just finally broken in. Shouldn't things improve when they are broken in, instead of suddenly turning to ****???
Edit: Oh yeah, and I was told that my transmission was probably just finally broken in. Shouldn't things improve when they are broken in, instead of suddenly turning to ****???
12-12-2006, 03:22 PM
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They wouldn't look at it for the TSB, even though I mentioned it to that obnoxious new service advisor. He said it didn't do anything of that for him, so nothing needed doing. Well, it doesn't do it constantly, but it does do it often. Mine was built February 1, 2006.
Edit: I'm going to call a different dealership probably. Mine does sound like everything in the TSB, except for the "hot weather" part. The only time mine was doing it great like it always used to was on the drive on Sunday when it was above 6000 RPMs at all times for like an hour or more. LOL I'm not going to drive it like that constantly, and I certainly can't drive it like that when I am starting out and it's cold.
Edit: I'm going to call a different dealership probably. Mine does sound like everything in the TSB, except for the "hot weather" part. The only time mine was doing it great like it always used to was on the drive on Sunday when it was above 6000 RPMs at all times for like an hour or more. LOL I'm not going to drive it like that constantly, and I certainly can't drive it like that when I am starting out and it's cold.
12-12-2006, 03:28 PM
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Oh yeah, and to me, the feeling I get with second gear, and now the downshift into first, is like when the clutch isn't fully pushed in/engaged, so it's not smooth, but I have my pedal pushed in as far as it can possibly go. It's like the clutch isn't quite catching right or engaging fully, which, again, sounds like the TSB issue.
12-12-2006, 03:30 PM
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Oh yeah, and third gear is very minimally acting like it may be trying to start in, too, with the problem. It's like second gear started getting in September before it actually became a problem, and at that time I didn't think much of it and attributed it to the weather change since it has been around 40 around here for awhile. I just can't imagine having to live with this problem all winter, every winter if that is truly the problem, which I doubt.
It never did it when I first got it, so I know it can't be "normal."
It never did it when I first got it, so I know it can't be "normal."
12-12-2006, 03:32 PM
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Wow. I certainly hope that isn't my problem!!! I certainly can't afford to replace all that stuff right now. The transmission works great and smooth when it is just sitting parked, with the car running and I push teh clutch in and shift it. For some reason there seems to be a problem after the car starts moving.
12-12-2006, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by VarneyMazda
try changing your fluids to royal purple gear oil.. helped alot.
12-12-2006, 03:46 PM
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Is there anyway for me to check this myself (that wouldn't require a lot of removing stuff or whatever) so see if there is a potential problem? I know my clutch is starting to get "looser" feeling again after the initial tightened feeling when I took it in to complain last time. I was thinking maybe something keeps coming loose on it maybe. 
12-14-2006, 07:29 PM
#9
An RX ate my baby
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I've been happy with Royal Moore in Hillsboro- they have been very happy to listen to me and even buffed out a scratch no questions asked.
On the clutch issue- I've messed with a lot of clutches. The symptoms you are having sound like a master cylinder issue- especially the cold making the pedal feel mushy. The cylinder is probably leaking past the piston and not building enough pressure to disengage the clutch all the way.
Master cylinders can have internal leaks without losing fluid out the pushrod.
If it does it with heat I would suspect the slave cylinder.
I'm pretty sure it is a clutch issue due to the change in pedal feel. Make sure you keep all the diagnosis papers in case something dies later and you have to sue to get your warranty covered.
On the clutch issue- I've messed with a lot of clutches. The symptoms you are having sound like a master cylinder issue- especially the cold making the pedal feel mushy. The cylinder is probably leaking past the piston and not building enough pressure to disengage the clutch all the way.
Master cylinders can have internal leaks without losing fluid out the pushrod.
If it does it with heat I would suspect the slave cylinder.
I'm pretty sure it is a clutch issue due to the change in pedal feel. Make sure you keep all the diagnosis papers in case something dies later and you have to sue to get your warranty covered.
12-14-2006, 07:56 PM
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^^ Why would something like this happen to a car only 7500 miles old??? And if she really doesn't abuse it, like ripping it through gears w/o clutch like some rednecks do, I think this should be fixed no questions asked. A failing tranny or whatever the issue after only 8k miles is unacceptable. I would blow up at mazda if they told me nothing was wrong.
12-15-2006, 12:42 PM
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It is possible to get a bad part from the factory- a master cylinder with a quality problem, or contamination in the fluid, or bad seals. Stuff happens.
12-17-2006, 08:43 PM
#12
On another thread I mentioned that I had a similar problem which didn't take so long before the faulty part was found- a broken clutch pedal bracket assembly. One of the two spot welds that hold the assembly together broke and the pedal would not depress the pushrod fully. Dealer warrantied the ***'y and the clutch disengagement problem was gone.
12-18-2006, 01:49 PM
#14
The net result of such a problem is to have a clutch that does not fully disengage. You would first find difficulty getting the car into gear from a standstill or, even worse, reverse gear would grind upon attempted engagement.
12-19-2006, 11:50 AM
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My problem is it randomly grinds going into 5th gear at anything over 4krpms...I changed the tranny fluid...it looked good....'normal' amount of metallic residue on the magnetic drain plug...and no brass shrapnal (syncros) in the fluid (I filtered it).
12-19-2006, 02:37 PM
#16
Try and watch the tachometer when you have these grinding issues and see if there is a correlation between the grinding episodes and an rpm-matching problem. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem but if the PCM has something going on or if you've swapped in a lighter flywheel these issues may come up. Light flys need a slightly different approach.
12-20-2006, 01:34 PM
#18
I seem to have noticed the "falloff" rate of the engine speed slow down with the new flash, meaning that the engine holds it's rpms longer while you release the clutch. Still look at the tach and see if you notice this phenomenon.
12-20-2006, 01:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Charles R. Hill
I seem to have noticed the "falloff" rate of the engine speed slow down with the new flash, meaning that the engine holds it's rpms longer while you release the clutch. Still look at the tach and see if you notice this phenomenon.
By 'fall off rate' do you mean it has a rev-hang? I know that with the '06 Civic Si's, when you push the clutch in...the rpm will not drop for a good second...then it will fall. Honda released a reflash that is supposed to stop this...
12-20-2006, 09:12 PM
#20
That's exactly what I am talking about. I noticed that I had to modify my foot-hand coordination a bit when I got my car back from the dealer for the reflash. Although I also had my clutch pedal bracket replaced, which firmed up the pedal feel, I noticed the revs now "hang" longer when I pushed the pedal in to shift gears.
12-21-2006, 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Charles R. Hill
Do you think that slightly altering your shifting technique/timing might help?
12-22-2006, 12:31 PM
#24
I forgot about a similar episode where I used Royal Purple and I removed it because the "clinging" properties of the lube were causing stiff shifting when the tranny was cold, even in summer temps. I now use B+M synthetic, called either "Slick Shift" or "Trick Shift", I don't remember. One is for autos and the other is for manuals. The B+M stuff seems pretty close to the stock lube and it only costs about $3/qt.
12-22-2006, 12:35 PM
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I guess maybe the reason I didn't notice it last year, is because I didn't drive it a lot last winter...and anytime I did I never went above 3krpms...this 'winter' has been cold here...but only a few days of snow so far.