grinding shifting from 1st to 2nd: my driving or tranny?

[hey...it runs]

Okay guys, here's the deal. 7m n/a w58 5-speed. I've noticed that when shifting from first to second gear during normal passive driving that it almost feels like the teeth grind 2-3 knubs as you slip into 2nd. Clutch depressed, rpms under 3k, everything normal and it does it. I've noticed the problem is worse when the trans is cold and as the weather gets colder the shifts are harder/rougher until she warms up. 3rd only does this maybe once in a while, fourth and fifth never do.

Could this be old/low tranny oil? i tried to check it this summer but the plug was frozen and i didn't want to snap off a plug in my transmission if I had no reason to.

I also read that my syncro might be going out on second. this scares me.

any help would be appreciated...thanks.

 

[IJ.]

How much freeplay on the clutch pedal?

 

[hey...it runs]

How much freeplay on the clutch pedal?

Not much. I just did the clutch mastercylinder about 2-3 months ago and did evething i could to try and match the stock throw. There's no doubt in my mind it's disengaging because there's no jerk or thud when you engage a gear at standstill and no effect when sitting in gear on a hill or such. I suppose i could do the official owner's manual test and hold it down for 10 seconds... but to my knowledge it's performing like it always has.

 

[hey...it runs]

I should also mention the clutch was replaced around 70,000 give or take (2 owners ago) and the car just rolled over 150k. I do not know if the fluid has ever been changed, I bought the car at 120k and have never changed or checked it because it doesn't appear to leak and I've never had a trans issue.

 

[hvyman]

If this did that before as well 2nd gear syncros prolly toast.

My r154 does this as well but i can drive without doing it. Mostly downshifting it will grind.

 

[IJ.]

Quite often the 2nd gear syncro takes a beating in normal use and is the first to fail, how far from the floor is the clutch engaging?

 

[hey...it runs]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh crap. The friction point is probably 3-4 inches off the floor (according to my muscle memory office chair clutch work lol). It's not right off the floor though.

Quite often the 2nd gear syncro takes a beating in normal use and is the first to fail, how far from the floor is the clutch engaging?

 

[IJ.]

DOA Syncros

 

[hey...it runs]

I can drive without doing it as well, but it's harder to when cold. The part that's weird is I don't seem to recall it does it downshifting. Just upshifting while she's warming up. I could try downshifting and I'm guessing it would, but I rarely ever downshift cold due to my driving patterns and I like to keep the rpms low until the block warms up before I step on it.

I wouldn't be too concerned except that the car only has 150k and I plan on driving her to the grave. Besides that I need this car for school. it's my daily.

If this did that before as well 2nd gear syncros prolly toast.

My r154 does this as well but i can drive without doing it. Mostly downshifting it will grind.

 

[IJ.]

Try double clutching it and see if that helps.

 

[Poodles]

Yep, common issue. Only thing that will make it a bit better (besides tearing down the tranny and replacing the syncro) is using Redline MT90 in the tranny.

 

[HMNGSupraMKIII]

Yea, I have the same problem, I just wait till my engine is warm then it wont grind when I go into second.

 

[jake8790]

Redline MT90 helps.

 

[IJ.]

Maybe try some of the Ford friction modifier, common misconception is it's something mechanical causing the graunching, well I guess in a way it is, the syncro rings wear very smooth and can no longer accelerate the gear to match speed and you get a clash, the Friction Modifier makes the oil sticker and the clash stops.

Some of the modern Synthetics are VERY slippery, had this issue with my TKO500 when it was new.

 

[Poodles]

Too slick and the syncro doesn't work. It's the reason the MT90 works so well, it doesn't have any friction modifier in it (like just about every other synthetic gear oil out there does )

 

[hey...it runs]

Alright. As long as my tranny isn't going to blow I'm not so worried. I'll wait until I can get some cash together and probably switch to the MT90 oil. Thanks guys. I'll try the double clutching idea too.