2nd Gear Grind - is there a fix?!

[Tru3]

When I go into 2nd it grinds but only when the car is cold. When the car is warmed up it’s perfect. I’ve read countless threads on this but never found a real “fix”.

I’ve tried changing transmissions fluids, as well as adjusting the shifter cable (I can try again?), I have solid shift bushings in as well.

Is there a fix for this, any input?? Sorry to beat a dead horse but I feel like there has to be a fix besides buying a new transmission...


2010 MS3 // CS Tip * CS Sri * CS Boost Tubes * CS MZR Bpv * CS Hpfp * Cp-e TMIC * COBB AP (Freektune OTS +)

[08mzr]

You could rebuild the transmission instead of buying a new one.

[Fstrnyou]

If this is your only car: buy a trans, have it rebuilt, swap it out when ready. Sell old trans or, depending on your vehicle intentions, save it as a spare.

[doublegmoto]

Originally Posted by Fstrnyou If this is your only car: buy a trans, have it rebuilt, swap it out when ready. Sell old trans or, depending on your vehicle intentions, save it as a spare.

Only one thing will give you a few more miles out of your transmission before you have to replace it. Everybody's correct, once a syncro goes nothing you can do but replace it. But you can drive the car as if you were driving it without a clutch. With perfect shifts at the right RPM range like a rev match. Alot of skilled drivers could do this. If you could do this, you'll be able to do it without grinding. But you're going to eventually have to replace the tranny or the synchros like everybody else is saying there is no quick fix to something that's worn.

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[Mazda3Blog]

Originally Posted by Tru3 When I go into 2nd it grinds but only when the car is cold. When the car is warmed up it’s perfect. I’ve read countless threads on this but never found a real “fix”. I’ve tried changing transmissions fluids, as well as adjusting the shifter cable (I can try again?), I have solid shift bushings in as well. Is there a fix for this, any input?? Sorry to beat a dead horse but I feel like there has to be a fix besides buying a new transmission... 2010 MS3 // CS Tip * CS Sri * CS Boost Tubes * CS MZR Bpv * CS Hpfp * Cp-e TMIC * COBB AP (Freektune OTS +)

Good news for you. I live in Canada and have a shit ton of experience driving/racing 2 Speeds through some really brutal winters here.

I really doubt that you need a new tranny. Our transmission, even when new, has a notchy/grindy second gear in cold weather.

If you're not popping out of second gear and it shifts normal when warm, you've got nothing to worry about.

The solution:

1. Use RedLine MTL transmission fluid.

This fluid is 75W80, often the second gen speed3 has 75w90 put in which makes cold crunches worse. This stuff is way better than the OEM or Ford fluid for cold weather. Also lets me shift faster in the warm.

2. Baby second gear for the first few cold shifts, first gear->neutral center->second gear

Instead of shifting directly from first to second, keep your foot on the clutch but pass the shifter into the center neutral area. Then go into second and it won't crunch. It's a trick that a lot of Speed owners use in the cold weather to avoid 2nd gear grinds.

There are some people who say the Ford fluid is better, but I've tried both and the RedLine MTL made a huge difference for my car in the cold. The canadian mazda3 forums also vouch for Redline over Ford fluid for cold weather.

I've also had second gear replaced under warranty a long time ago and it made no difference to second gear cold grinding.

Give it a shot and I bet you'll like the car a lot more in the cold.

[GohanX]

In addition to moving to neutral also double clutch the shift into second. That is, move the shifter to neutral, let out the clutch, push it back in, then shift into second, let it out. I've had to do that to my Speed 6 the first few shifts since it's been cold, and I used to have to do that in the old Miata too. I think it's just something when these Mazda transmissions, a lot of them have cold 2nd gear issues.

[Mazda3Blog]

Originally Posted by GohanX In addition to moving to neutral also double clutch the shift into second. That is, move the shifter to neutral, let out the clutch, push it back in, then shift into second, let it out. I've had to do that to my Speed 6 the first few shifts since it's been cold, and I used to have to do that in the old Miata too. I think it's just something when these Mazda transmissions, a lot of them have cold 2nd gear issues.

Agreed, that's the next level move if he's still grinding. That works in almost any car with synchro issues. I luckily don't have to double clutch once I switched to Redline MTL.

I put in Redline MT-90 in the Speed6 and it made a huge difference for cold and warm shifts. My 6 is easier to shift in the cold and the transmission warms up faster than the 3. Cars both have around 130,000 miles.

[Fstrnyou]

I've always thought double clutching was silly. Okay. I still think it's silly.

You don't need the clutch at all to disengage a gear if the trans isn't loaded.

As you let off the throttle, foot OFF the clutch, pull it out of first gear. This leaves the input side already meshed with the engine which is what your doing when you let out of the clutch the first time during double clutching.

[GohanX]

Originally Posted by Mazda3Blog I put in Redline MT-90 in the Speed6 and it made a huge difference for cold and warm shifts. My 6 is easier to shift in the cold and the transmission warms up faster than the 3. Cars both have around 130,000 miles.

I just put some of the Ford unicorn jizz in mine this afternoon, we'll see how it does when it gets cold again. Also noticed my cv boot was ripped... Dammit.

[Mazda3Blog]

Originally Posted by GohanX I just put some of the Ford unicorn jizz in mine this afternoon, we'll see how it does when it gets cold again. Also noticed my cv boot was ripped... Dammit.

Give the fluid a week of driving to break in, all the fluids I tried definitely got better after some driving. If you're still not happy with the cold shifts, try the redline MTL because it almost solved the crunches completely for me.

You can get cheap reman axles from RockAuto that work on the speed, I had an axle with a torn boot re-built for about $150 including labour a few years ago.

[GohanX]

It still hasn't got really cold here yet but I haven't had any 2nd gear grinding yet! And yeah I ordered an axle from Rockauto, just got here today.

[GohanX]

It was 24 degrees this morning, the shifter went right into 2nd, no grind at all. Very nice.

[Fstrnyou]

I use Royal Purple. Was in the 20's this morning and always shifts fine.

[TruckHer]

I live in Canada too and have used MTL. It worked great making every other gear shift as smooth as butter, winter or summer weather. Never got rid of my second gear grind if I shift relatively fast though. Mine was a different case though in that I tended to grind more when shifting from first to second when it got warmer. Never resolved it, just granny shifted into second or double clutched.

[Tru3]

Anyone in here have a short throw shifter? Does having this make the grind issue worse? Or still the same, waiting for the car to warm up?

I’m gonna assume there’s no change, just waiting for the car to warm up as usual


2010 MS3 // CS Tip * CS Sri * CS Boost Tubes * CS MZR Bpv * CS Hpfp * Cp-e TMIC * COBB AP (Freektune OTS +)

[MSMS3]

Originally Posted by Tru3 Anyone in here have a short throw shifter? Does having this make the grind issue worse? Or still the same, waiting for the car to warm up? I’m gonna assume there’s no change, just waiting for the car to warm up as usual 2010 MS3 // CS Tip * CS Sri * CS Boost Tubes * CS MZR Bpv * CS Hpfp * Cp-e TMIC * COBB AP (Freektune OTS +)

Its probably just a worn synchro. Common on older, higher mileage manual transmissions, and more likely when cold. Just double clutch or let it rest in neutral between the 1-2 shift until it warms up. No need to replace the transmission or try to repair it. Race cars with straight cut gears have no synchros at all.

[doublegmoto]

This is correct I have a 2012 70000 miles with just regular old mobile one Synthetic 7090 or something like that there is no grinding cold warm medium so if you want to get it fixed get it fixed if not do what the person before said and double clutch or even rev-match I can shift not that I'm bragging but I can shift with no clutch so anyway good luck with that.

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Originally Posted by doublegmoto This is correct I have a 2012 70000 miles with just regular old mobile one Synthetic 7090 or something like that there is no grinding cold warm medium so if you want to get it fixed get it fixed if not do what the person before said and double clutch or even rev-match I can shift not that I'm bragging but I can shift with no clutch so anyway good luck with that. Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk

P S I drive the car hard as hell

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PS I drive the car as hard as hell

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[Jeff23spl]

Ford syntec fluid helped (never tried redline)
But shifting very fast from first to second in a Mazda remain a problem. I own and owned few models and engaging second gear was never as good as we would like...(Even warm)

Anyway, you should not beat up a cold car so take 1 more second in neutral it may cost less than a new trans.

[leifmadsen]

Originally Posted by Jeff23spl Ford syntec fluid helped (never tried redline) But shifting very fast from first to second in a Mazda remain a problem. I own and owned few models and engaging second gear was never as good as we would like...(Even warm) Anyway, you should not beat up a cold car so take 1 more second in neutral it may cost less than a new trans.

This and the other post are pretty much bang on. Just slow your shifting down. If you hold the shifter against the engagement point with only a little pressure it'll eventually fall into place. Just gotta let the sync catch up and it'll go in easy.

Matching the rpm with heel-toe will help a lot as well but ultimately you just gotta be patient to let everything sync up.

[pqx]

Originally Posted by Tru3 Is there a fix for this, any input??

Which fluid did you use? I had the same problem in any weather, and it went away almost completely after I replaced the fluid with "Red Line 50205 MTL 75W80 GL-4 Gear Oil". By "almost completely" I mean it's still there when cold, but it's now very very minimal, and goes away once warmed up.

[leifmadsen]

I used Redline first then Ford XT-M5-QS. I like the Ford better but Redline helped over stock at 130k km.

Cold sucks. Warm much easier. Still an issue with too fast and/or mismatched rev vs shaft speed.

As far as I can tell normal for this transmission in 2nd gear.