Grinding synchros...

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sun Jun 22, 2003 8:33 pm

The dealer lost a good amount of gear oil from my tranny when they did the axle seals, so they added theirs to make up for it. Since the seals were leaking profusely, a quart in a couple days to be exact, I had added a quart of Mobil 1 as soon as I could get it, and almost two quarts of Redline 80W140 that I had around. So I had Redline MT-90, Redline 75W90NS, Redline 80W140, Mobil 1 synth, and whatever the dealer put in all mixed together in the tranny!!!

I never had shifting problems, though.

I just took a suggestion and swapped it for straight Castrol dino today, and I think it likes that better than anything else I have put in it. So I'm going to chalk up one for straight dino oil in Subie trannies. Synthetic oil is simply too slick for the synchros. I even found it easier to engage the non-synchroed Reverse with the dino.

So I am done changing tranny oil, I have come to a conclusion I'm happy with, and I feel that the synchro issue ends here.

The correct oil for Subaru manual transmissions is regular dino. Synthetic is too slick.

morgie · Post by **morgie** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 2:07 pm

I changed my tranny oil yesterday. I called my dealer to know what proper oil to put in the car.

I told him that i was just able to find 75w90 - 80w90 - 85w90.

He told me that in the begining they were using 75w90, but in winter it was to hard to shift, so subaru changed that for 75w grade oil.

This oil looks more like apple-juice than oil to me.. hehe. Nyway, that didn't solved my second gear synchro problem (if i shift 1-2 fast, i can ear gears scratching, so i never shift 1-2 quickly).

I just wanted to let you know

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 6:56 pm

I thought my third gear synchro was gone...but changed my oil the other day...amsoil series 2000 75w90 and its all better...amazing. I was really really worried. Just as I started to get this car toghether...bham...that would suck. Keeping my fingers crossed. Now if I could just figure out whether I have enough oil in my damn tranny...
Micum

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 12:42 am

Too hard to shift in the winter? I have that same problem.... if I don't let the car warm up! It doesn't like first gear in that situation. Solution: warm the car up. This is now easier for me with the turbo timer. Get in car, start it, turn off, manually adjust time to 5-8 minutes, lock car, go inside and eat 2-3 bowls of cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the best by the way).

My synchro problems mysteriously disappeared after... hold on a sec, they dissapeared after I did my tranny/engine mounts! Wow, I just figured that out. I've never changed the tranny fluid, but I will soon. But not synthetic, thanks Subyluvr. Morgie, do you have the STi tranny mount? If not, I'd STRONGLY recommend it.

morgie · Post by **morgie** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:56 am

Not yet, it's like "Pretty damn expensive" here ... :\

i wanted to change my tranny mounts last month, so i went to my dealership and bought brand new mounts. ... they came in two parts ...

this week when i did the center-diff change, i saw that my tranny mount is a single part !!

i'll have to take them back and do the replacement another day

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 4:38 pm

I think they gave you the mounts to an automatic.

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 7:11 pm

Could this thread title be changed to something that lends itself to describing what information is held as opposed to what emotion it conjures?

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 6:57 am

As you wish, Brat...

I was not a happy camper when I started this thread, but the issue has been resolved.

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 11:25 pm

how big a pain in the butt is it to change the tranny mount?

what would happen if your tranny was "too full" of oil. Mine appears to be and has been for 18k at least.

legazee · Post by **legazee** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 1:01 am

the trannie mount is a lot easier to get to than the motor mounts but those arenot bad either....just make sure u keep the mount holders in the proper orientation. the haynes manual is really helpful for things like that with some fairly good diagrams. the sti mounts do make anice difference and while ur at it put the motor mounts in since the car will be up on jack stands or a lift anyway. reread earlier postings about gear oil in the 5mt and i went thru the subie dealer oil and never could shift from 4th to 3rd..it was easier to go 4-2-3 and i got way tired of that and finally went with royal purple synthetic and what a difference.i have had it in there for 2summers and a coldass winter and have not had anymore problems with the downshifts or upshifts

it was worth every penny[from jegs]after reading everyones problems with all other brandson the bc-bf yahoo group only one person said he had tried them all and royal purple was the only one to work consistently. so thats something to consider on your next trannie oil change.

scottzg · Post by **scottzg** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 9:51 am

ok, this has got to be the most random fix for the notchy shifter problem.

I took off my bmw shift knob (although it was just as notchy with the stock one) and put on a shift knob resembling a microphone i got from an alpha romeo in a junkyard. Notchiness gone! My 4th gear synchro is still wunky, but thats no surprise.

cbose · Post by **cbose** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 3:51 am

Ok, I'll bite. What's Royal Purple --
mentioned in one of the recent posts.
Code name for . . . .

Chris

mTk · Post by **mTk** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 4:50 am

Royal Purple is the brand name for a company that makes several different kinds of oils. Check out http://www.royalpurple.com/

MK

SooBahRoo · Post by **SooBahRoo** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:23 pm

I use Royal Purple 10w30 in my car! It is very hard to find here. I had one place in mind that I wanted to call for it. I went ahead and called like 25-30 stores. No one had it. Only some had heard of it. It was like some kind of myth. So I was done. Oh wait, maybe I should call the store that I wanted to call in the first place. Yeah they had tons of it. Ironic isn't it?

Anyways I just swithched in some synthetic tranny oil(75w90) because I have a synchro problem with 2-3 and 3-4. I can get 2-3 if i take my time. But by then my RPMs have taken a nap. 3-4 when my car is warm, is impossible. So I don't know what to do.

Any thoughts?

NICO · Post by **NICO** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 10:35 pm

never never never put diffrent tranny oil in, all ways the factory stuff, you have bin warned. also change it twice or in my case three times a year and that will help out a lot, if anyone cant get there gears to go in start to rebuild it, its on its way out.

Flip_x · Post by **Flip_x** » Sat May 01, 2004 8:35 am

my reverse gear grinds

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat May 01, 2004 2:39 pm

Reverse has no synchronizers. Have the car stopped in a forward gear before engaging reverse.

Flip_x · Post by **Flip_x** » Sat May 01, 2004 8:27 pm

it grinds when im in a dead stop reversing out of my parking spot, only does it sometimes tho

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat May 01, 2004 9:36 pm

The vehicle is at a dead stop but the input shaft to the transmission isn't. Therein lies the problem.

When backing out of your parking spot, try shifting into 1st before you shift into reverse. You can keep your foot on the clutch the entire time.

Flip_x · Post by **Flip_x** » Sat May 01, 2004 9:47 pm

sounds like a plan i'll do that everytime then

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:56 pm

Mine will rarely shift into reverse without putting it in a forward gear first or double declutching.

Steve

Flip_x · Post by **Flip_x** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:06 am

i found if u are on a slight slop let the car roll down when shifting in reverse works for me

90LegAWD · Post by **90LegAWD** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 1:30 am

wow, 4 pages, and not a single mention of GM syncromesh transmission fluid?

it is BY FAR the best MTX tranny fluid available. in fact, the friction modified version of the fluid has been known to completely eliminate slight grinds. i kid you not. do some searching on honda-tech.com, and you'll see the testimonies.

the friction modified version, GM part #: 12377916 (~$13/qt)

non-friction modified version GM part #: 12345349 (~$10/qt)
pennzoil has a knockoff of it at autozone for $4.99/qt!

I use the non-friction modified fluid in most cars with 50/50 mix of 10w30 engine oil. always worked wonders for me.

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 2:19 am

the only issue with this stuff is it's not gl5, and really isn't what's supposed to go in the tranny.

I am fed up with my tranny....it doesn't matter whether I shift slow or fast, I have to pretty much force it into gear. I've never driven a MT with such a crappy shifting transmission. I don't know if it's just subaru tranny's or what.

I'm going to be buying some neo synthetic 75w90 HD stuff to put in. From the rally guys I've talked to it's some of the best, and does improve shifting and the feel. If that stuff doesn't work.....then I'll start playing around with the homade tranny brews.

90LegAWD · Post by **90LegAWD** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 4:07 am

what is gl5 supposed to stand for?

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Grinding synchros...

trannie mount