A DIFFERENT transmission issue - Ideas needed please

[mocohead]

I have a one month old 2010 X GSR with about 2,400 miles on it. Never launched or abused. I have been driving stick for 28 years and do not abuse my cars. It is definitely not a driver issue...

After a long drive this weekend, I began noticing third and fourth were harder to select than 1st, 2nd, 5th and reverse. Fourth has more resistance and I can't feel the mechanical shift action like I can in the other gears. There's no grinding, popping out of gear, clutch slipping or odd noises. It just feels...spongy and too stiff relative to the other gears.

Has anybody experienced this? Any ideas?

I am about to take it to the dealer for diagnosis as a new car shouldn't be doing this. Thank you in advance for your ideas and suggestions!

[jamesinger]

I would take it to the dealer like you said. If they don't satisfy you, consider taking it to an EVO specialist here on the boards that is close to you. I live in LA, so I go to RRE personally and I recommend them very highly but there are a lot of great vendors on here and I am an RRE fanboy, so feel free to search around.

If you go this route however, you could consider taking it in for a diagnosis and having their recommended fluids swapped in over stock. I know that when I got my EVO (used), swapping my oil for their mixture made my car shift much smoother but coming from Nissans and Hondas before I got my EVO, the shifting will always feel notchy in comparison.

The only other thing I can say is that there are underhood shifter bushings that would smooth things up but I do not personally have any experience with them.

Good luck!!
Report back to this thread so people can learn from it.

[mocohead]

Thank you very much for the response. I did take it in. Both the service writer and tech drove the car and proclaimed it a normal part of the break-in process. The thought of changing the fluids definitely crossed my mind and I may well do that this weekend.

Again thanks!

[jamesinger]

Thank you very much for the response. I did take it in. Both the service writer and tech drove the car and proclaimed it a normal part of the break-in process. The thought of changing the fluids definitely crossed my mind and I may well do that this weekend.

Again thanks!


I would have someone professionally do your fluid changes. Having your fluids changed at a place like RRE doesn't cost much more than the oil itself and will make a difference. Personally, I don't like when people tell me that something weird about my car is normal when it is clearly not. On the other hand, I am not sure what car you are coming from but the EVO by definition has a notchy gearbox. This is also exasperated by the car being cold and etc. When I first got my EVO, I had this checked too and was told by Rigo over at SCM that it was normal and I trust his opinion. My car is notchy and hard to get in gear when cold but it shifts smooth almost all the rest of the time. I have also had RRE look at my car and they came to the same conclusion as SCM.

[obstacle1]

+1 on the notchy gearbox. Especially 2nd gear, No matter what it's a bitch.

[KT Motoring]

Thank you very much for the response. I did take it in. Both the service writer and tech drove the car and proclaimed it a normal part of the break-in process. The thought of changing the fluids definitely crossed my mind and I may well do that this weekend.

Again thanks!


I doubt swapping fluids will make any kind of difference. I have experienced this on other 2010 Evo Xs and there was nothing visibly apparent that would indicate shifting would be a problem. What you are experiencing is not notchiness or grinding, but a mushy feeling which requires greater effort to get into certain gears., correct?

I recommend you take it in to the dealer again and insist that the dealer compare the shift quality of a demo vehicle or one on the showroom floor versus your car.

[jamesinger]

Thank you very much for the response. I did take it in. Both the service writer and tech drove the car and proclaimed it a normal part of the break-in process. The thought of changing the fluids definitely crossed my mind and I may well do that this weekend.

Again thanks!


I doubt swapping fluids will make any kind of difference. I have experienced this on other 2010 Evo Xs and there was nothing visibly apparent that would indicate shifting would be a problem. What you are experiencing is not notchiness or grinding, but a mushy feeling which requires greater effort to get into certain gears., correct?

I recommend you take it in to the dealer again and insist that the dealer compare the shift quality of a demo vehicle or one on the showroom floor versus your car.


There you go. Solid advice right there. When I talk about fluid changes, I am talking about an VIII, so things are different but if one of our vendors is saying to take it in again, take it in again and be polite. You might also consider taking it to Rigo at SCM regardless of where you bought or one of the vendors on here for a second opinion. Even if it is a few dollars to have it diagnosed, it is worth it just for your piece of mind.

[mocohead]

My plan is to take it to SCM for the first service in about 1,000 miles. But they are so far away from home I need to plan well in advance. The good news is that I now have a record (in the form of a repair order) of expressing transmission concerns very early in the car's service life. Thus if anything comes up later I will have fewer challenges with the warranty. How it shifts is obviously not right, and would not feel similar to another Evo X. Presumably if it was something internal inside the box, I would have issues with 2nd and 4th, not just 4th. That leads me to believe it is more likely an external issue like a cable or fork. Am I misreading that?

It drives fine and is not currently exhibiting any behavior indicative of an impending failure. If that changes I will go in sooner.

Thank you for all the advice guys!

[Wht. Works]

No tranny is perfect, it sounds normal.

[BoostFrenzy]

Did anything ever come of this situation?? I have an almost brand spanking new Evo X and it's locking me out of first at every stop. I have heard that these trans require break in time and that swapping out the fluids early on is good because some people are reporting at 6K miles that there is a lot of metallic flakes floating around and then the next time there is practically nothing.

There is a large part of me that doesn't think this is the problem because with the car off it shifts just fine. But with the car running it doesn't want to go in without a little force. Here is a link to a youtube video I took of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYOVH4NfkUU

[blkside]

Did you think that it might be the clutch master cylinder issue...
When I built my 10 up my master cylinder got replaced and an aluminum unit was swapped in and it made the heavy duty clutch feel like a camry in all gears...

[BoostFrenzy]

Did you think that it might be the clutch master cylinder issue...
When I built my 10 up my master cylinder got replaced and an aluminum unit was swapped in and it made the heavy duty clutch feel like a camry in all gears...


I was thinking the CMC issue or maybe it's not fully disengaging the friction disc from the flywheel. But if it was the CMC issue, wouldn't pumping up the clutch HELP it? Either way, I need to take it in because both lead to synchro problems later down the road.

[blkside]

No because the oem cmc is a piece of crap and flexes which is where the issues lies... My clutch is so smooth now and this is with a heavy duty and 500 horses...

[mocohead]

I replaced the cable bushings and shift gate bushing with the AMS pieces. That seemed to help quite a bit. We'll see what a fluid change does for the car.

The shift mechanism can get balky sometimes and be difficult to engage 1st gear. Try selecting 2nd and then 1st to see if that helps.

[kzlflash]

I replaced the cable bushings too and I have the Redline mix for my X. It feels a little better after warming up, however, when it's cold and sometimes when it's already warmed, it has a horrible loud crunch when shift to 2nd. I could really hear it when I have my windows down, and I know people on the street can hear it too. Anyone else have this when shifting to 2nd and 3rd?



I replaced the cable bushings and shift gate bushing with the AMS pieces. That seemed to help quite a bit. We'll see what a fluid change does for the car.

The shift mechanism can get balky sometimes and be difficult to engage 1st gear. Try selecting 2nd and then 1st to see if that helps.

[DynamicEVO8]

Just do what i do....Drive it till it breaks then get something better....

[stormbird]

Got about 5k mi on mine now and its getting better. But when it is cold it still can be finicky going into gear (1st or R). Once it warms up to normal operating temps it shifts like butter. When its being bitchy you can feel resistance/sponginess. Makes sense not to force it.

Its also got a buzzy vibration when in 5th on the highway but that's a shifter linkage issue I think and unrelated.

Hey Blkside, which master cylinder are you running?

J

[blkside]

http://www.maperformance.com/blog/archives/1089

[GokuSSJ4]

http://www.maperformance.com/blog/archives/1089



Sweet!!!!

[SLOWVO VIII]

bump, having the exact same issue.

Any solutions?

[blkside]

Yeah look up at my previous posts... I am telling you that if you can shift fine with the car off and has trouble on look at the CMC.

We can beat this with a stick but that is most likely where your issue lays. Either you are low on fluid or it is flexing under pressure...

[I like to Smash]

clutch restriction pill? isnt this apart of the notchiness??

[Departed]

clutch restriction pill? isnt this apart of the notchiness??


I got mine removed since people were swearing by it. It didn't help me one bit. I am going to replace the CMC when I get a new clutch. Still no need as mine is going strong. Hope that will fix it.

[EvoWorld]

My 2011 X has the same issue with 3rd gear when it's cold after, it warms up I'm good. My problem is I do most of my driving on the freeway so I'm in 5th gear most of the time. I did take it into 2 separate dealers and both said it's normal. I have about 4000 miles and it seems to be getting better. I would call RRE, he explained what it was and seemed to have great advice regarding what to do. Good luck and please let us know if you find out something different.

[Departed]

My 2011 X has the same issue with 3rd gear when it's cold after, it warms up I'm good. My problem is I do most of my driving on the freeway so I'm in 5th gear most of the time. I did take it into 2 separate dealers and both said it's normal. I have about 4000 miles and it seems to be getting better. I would call RRE, he explained what it was and seemed to have great advice regarding what to do. Good luck and please let us know if you find out something different.


What did mike w. say about it?

[EvoWorld]

Not sure if I spoke to Mike. RRE said gears are new and sharp. When it's cold the clearance around them in less but as the car warms ups everything expands. He did recommend having the fluids switch out after 5000 miles just due to the fact that metal shaving will be floating around. In the morning when my cars warming up I shift through the gears a few times just to wake them up.

[Departed]

Well I have 13.5k on my car and 2nd and 3rd have to be shifted a certain way or else they will be notchy as hell. I also already had my restrictor pill removed and 15k drivetrain fluids changed at RRE. For most of us it's not just new sharp transmission gears unfortunately. As blkside stated, I can shift the gears like butter cold or warm with the car off but when on I have these issues. I def hope yours is though. Love RRE and I am hoping when I finally need a new clutch and get the new CMC it clears up the issue :)

[BoostFrenzy]

In the morning when my cars warming up I shift through the gears a few times just to wake them up.


I do this too. I'll row through all of them because it SOMETIMES makes second gear better when I first try and access it.

I also just hit 5K on my 2010 and will be heading into RRE to swap fluids soon.