[reggy66]

So I've noticed for a while when I shift from 1-2 I get this weird feeling in the shift (kind of like your shifting through really coarse sand or gravel? I don't think I'm grinding or anything but sometimes it can seem like I might be but I don't hear the unmistakable sound of that. I noticed it only happens when I shift at 2.5k RPM when the shift light comes on... If I shift at 2k or at 3k RPM its just fine and feels pretty normal... Anyone know what might cause this? Would it be the syncro's?

I should mention that I do have a JBR short shift arm as well as boomba trans bushings too.

 

[poletrain]

Possibly your slave cylinder. That's a typical culprit for shift issues. On my old Acura at high RPM it would very difficult to shift into 2nd, clutch really didn't do much, felt like I was power shifting. Never fixed it, but I was told by many it was the slave cylinder

 

[reggy66]

Possibly your slave cylinder. That's a typical culprit for shift issues. On my old Acura at high RPM it would very difficult to shift into 2nd, clutch really didn't do much, felt like I was power shifting. Never fixed it, but I was told by many it was the slave cylinder

But its not really at high RPM... I haven't really tested it more than 5k but it only seems to happen at 2.5

 

[brian60]

My 2nd gear syncro is pooping out and I can't spirited shift into 2nd anymore. It feels like there is a layer of gravel or something slowing/stopping me momentarily before it finally lets me in the door. Sound like your issue? Our 2nd gear syncros are trash. It's the most common dead one.

 

[reggy66]

My 2nd gear syncro is pooping out and I can't spirited shift into 2nd anymore. It feels like there is a layer of gravel or something slowing/stopping me momentarily before it finally lets me in the door. Sound like your issue? Our 2nd gear syncros are trash. It's the most common dead one.

Sounds pretty similar.. But I haven't really been able to do spirited driving to test it... I'll see if I can get some room today coming home from work to check

 

[brian60]

Sounds pretty similar.. But I haven't really been able to do spirited driving to test it... I'll see if I can get some room today coming home from work to check

Best of luck, if it is synchro related (or not..) it's still warranty protected if you are not to 60k miles

 

[reggy66]

Best of luck, if it is synchro related (or not..) it's still warranty protected if you are not to 60k miles

Just over halfway there lol... If it gets worse I'll have to take the JBR arm and boomba bushings out before taking it in

 

[brian60]

Just over halfway there lol... If it gets worse I'll have to take the JBR arm and boomba bushings out before taking it in

Good call. However, I will add that a fluid change is a good idea to try, or have them try.

Also, when I uninstalled my Cobb short shifter to prepare to take my car in for warranty..the problem "went away" it seemed because of the added leverage of not having the short shift. It quickly caught up and is doing it again now though so I need to take it in.

 

[reggy66]

Good call. However, I will add that a fluid change is a good idea to try, or have them try.

Also, when I uninstalled my Cobb short shifter to prepare to take my car in for warranty..the problem "went away" it seemed because of the added leverage of not having the short shift. It quickly caught up and is doing it again now though so I need to take it in.

Fluid is my next thing to do... I was supposed to do the 30k maintenance 2k ago... Maybe its just the fluid that needs to be changed?

 

[brian60]

Fluid is my next thing to do... I was supposed to do the 30k maintenance 2k ago... Maybe its just the fluid that needs to be changed?

It will DEFINITELY help with shifter smoothness. Mine needs it also, but time doesn't allow for that lol.

 

[reggy66]

It will DEFINITELY help with shifter smoothness. Mine needs it also, but time doesn't allow for that lol.

Literally my problem

 

[SIstomper]

Takes 15 minutes

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-maintenance/40342-tranny-fluid-change-noobs.html

 

[reggy66]

Takes 15 minutes

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-maintenance/40342-tranny-fluid-change-noobs.html

Thanks for the link I wish my driveway wasn't so steep That way I don't have to do this stuff on the road in front of my house..

 

[reggy66]

Best of luck, if it is synchro related (or not..) it's still warranty protected if you are not to 60k miles

Did a couple of pulls on my way home at 100% throttle (back roads with no traffic) and worked like a charm... No issue whatsoever. Out of the 3 pulls I did 1 I decided to shift slower than usual to see if it made a difference and nope natta.

 

[brian60]

Takes 15 minutes

http://www.focusst.org/forum/focus-st-maintenance/40342-tranny-fluid-change-noobs.html

Thanks for the link I wish my driveway wasn't so steep That way I don't have to do this stuff on the road in front of my house..

Yeah that's my issue, I have no level ground or pavement to do this kind of thing. By "I don't have time" I mean "I don't have time to drive 15 minutes (at least) to the closest person I know personally with a garage's house to borrow it. And my closest friend with a garage has no space in his for a month at least while his brother engine swaps his Cobalt so I'm really out of luck lately lol

 

[brian60]

Did a couple of pulls on my way home at 100% throttle (back roads with no traffic) and worked like a charm... No issue whatsoever. Out of the 3 pulls I did 1 I decided to shift slower than usual to see if it made a difference and nope natta.

Definitely do the fluid change and report back

 

[reggy66]

Yeah that's my issue, I have no level ground or pavement to do this kind of thing. By "I don't have time" I mean "I don't have time to drive 15 minutes (at least) to the closest person I know personally with a garage's house to borrow it. And my closest friend with a garage has no space in his for a month at least while his brother engine swaps his Cobalt so I'm really out of luck lately lol

Lame....


Soooo update. OMW to work I was running late and in the rush I punched it from first off a stop light. Went to shift to 2nd and immediately grinded the living hell out of it.....

I'm beginning to think this might be a syncro issue after all

 

[brian60]

Lame....


Soooo update. OMW to work I was running late and in the rush I punched it from first off a stop light. Went to shift to 2nd and immediately grinded the living hell out of it.....

I'm beginning to think this might be a syncro issue after all

Let us dig a little deeper into the workings of Synchros. If your engine is at the same speed as your transmission (rev-matched) then the synchro doesn't have to do anything. So it'll act normal. However if you are at 6k rpm and you shift to the next gear and try to slam into the gear before the rpm falls to the 4500 needed to match the next gear...then it will delay you if the synchro is damaged. But at higher rpm it falls quicker, so maybe it rev matched and felt fine...and when you tested it today you beat it before the rpm fell and it gave you issues? Just a hunch

 

[5dmc1]

Hey, so I just stumbled on this thread. And I wanted to ask a question. When I downshift I usually let the syncros make the engine rev match by slowly letting the clutch out, is this bad for my syncros? Or am I just letting them do their job? I only do this if I am decelerating gradually to a stop, they only bump the rpms up maybe 200-600 rpms and occasionally on the freeway I will downshift from 6th to 5th this way also, will this hurt the transmission or syncros? I tend not to rev match with my gas pedal because I tend to over shoot the correct rpm and the syncros end up having to drop it back down for me.

 

[reggy66]

Let us dig a little deeper into the workings of Synchros. If your engine is at the same speed as your transmission (rev-matched) then the synchro doesn't have to do anything. So it'll act normal. However if you are at 6k rpm and you shift to the next gear and try to slam into the gear before the rpm falls to the 4500 needed to match the next gear...then it will delay you if the synchro is damaged. But at higher rpm it falls quicker, so maybe it rev matched and felt fine...and when you tested it today you beat it before the rpm fell and it gave you issues? Just a hunch

Yeah I'm not sure... I wasn't even sure what the RPM's were this time. I was just focused on getting to work in the moment lol... I'll try it again going home. My Poor ST I hate beating on it this way.