Anyone Experience this??, Manual Tranny Shifting Problem Options

[Fastbird]

This is probably going to be for the forced induction guys more than anyone, but here's my issue:

I CANNOT hit a hard shift into 2nd at WOT in the car. Simply put, the tranny refuses to go into 2nd gear, and third gear offers quite a bit of resistance at high throttle inputs also. When driving easily however, it shifts fine into any gear I want it to.

Call me crazy but I've always had trouble shifting cable actuated manual transmission under heavy loads. What I think is happening is that my old/weak motor mounts are allowing enough movement in the motor that enough of a shift happens to throw off the sync of the cables to the shifter. What I'm trying to do is get some verification on this.

Thoughts? I must have tried 4-5 times last night on the way home from work to bang a high RPM WOT 1-2 shift and it wouldn't happen.

[playr158]

penzoil syncromesh + new syncros

[brthrurik]

penzoil syncromesh + new syncros

x2... definately sounds like syncro's not disengaging... had the same problem going to third in my car...

[Coomer]

I had the same issue as well before my car clutch/tranny really started having problems and could barely shift at all. Sounds like synchros to me as well. Are you using the S54 tranny?

[Fastbird]

Just using the stock 5S-FE 5 speed tranny (don't know the name of it) but....let me retiterate: Under normal driving conditions there are absolutely no noted issues. Smooth shifting, no resistance, nada. No signs of trouble at all. Only under HEAVY throttle inputs do I get the resistance. And ONLY under the throttle (I.E. heavy loads). If I wind it up and take my foot off the gas, it'll go into gear without much fuss. If I stay on the gas and keep the engine torqued though, it'll have an issue with me. If I slow down the shift too, it'll go. It's only when it's under a heavy load at high RPM and when I try to hit a quickshift or powershift.

Essentially what I'm trying to find out is IF it's possible for saggy and old mounts to allow enough transaxle movement to cause the shift cables to have slack or what not that wouldn't allow gear selection. I honestly don't think it's an internal issue on the tranny because of how it drives at anything but the heavy loads.

Thanks for the words everyone. I'll keep you all posted. I'm probably going to pick up a set of those poly motor mount inserts (my stockers were a bit thrashed when the swap happened) and see if those don't improve anything.

This post has been edited by Fastbird: Oct 31, 2006 - 3:00 PM

[Bitter]

you're having a hard time shifting without using the clutch?

[Dr_Tweak]

Sean, due to the design of the shifter cables and a how they attach to the tranny, I don't think that the movement of the engine is your problem. It could possibly be the age of the tranny, but I personally have always had a hard time shifting 1-2 fast under heavy acceleration.

-Doc

[Rjb23]

I have the same problem but I have the e153. 1st to second shifts fine under normal acceleration but hard acceleration grinds. Do you have a short shifter?

[jgreening]

I had difficulty shifting issues and tried a number of things. In my particular case, syncromesch and stiffer mounts made the most difference. At sale, she was shifting smooth as butter.

[Fastbird]

Ok, I'm starting to think this is more normal than anything then. On the way home from work today, I got on it a few times and found that I could pull it off if I was 100% concentrating on the shift instead of going by my normal nature. These dang cable shifters are a different beast than on the tranny or direct solid linkage shifters that I'm used to.

Thanks for the help everyone!!!! FYI, the car should be at a test and tune at Atco on the 18th of November. Taking 2-3 cars if everything works out right.

[Fastbird]

Figured it out. In my Corvette and Trans Am's, I'm used to just "kicking" the clutch pedal. I have the engagement points set very high on those and can bang a powershift with at little as 1/3 pedal movement in each.

The celica however, needs to be put all the way down (due to the limited amount of pedal travel in the first place). Let's just say I was screeching the tires on the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts on the way home tonight whilst making buttery smooth shifts.

Atco......here I come. November 18th provided weather is agreeable. Will be on vid too.

[bufferdan]

Change the gear oil and put pennzoil synchromesh from autozone in

[maikl]

change oil and check clutch

[Yellow94GT]

Atco......here I come. November 18th provided weather is agreeable. Will be on vid too.

Looking forward to that!

Yellow94GT

[Coomer]

Figured it out. In my Corvette and Trans Am's, I'm used to just "kicking" the clutch pedal. I have the engagement points set very high on those and can bang a powershift with at little as 1/3 pedal movement in each.

The celica however, needs to be put all the way down (due to the limited amount of pedal travel in the first place). Let's just say I was screeching the tires on the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts on the way home tonight whilst making buttery smooth shifts.

Atco......here I come. November 18th provided weather is agreeable. Will be on vid too.

You can adjust where the clutch engages on our cars if you desire. At the top of the clutch pedal there's a threaded rod that's part of the master cylinder and is locked in place with a 12mm nut. Loosen that nut and then you can spin the rod to adjust how high or low your clutch engages.

[Fastbird]

Figured it out. In my Corvette and Trans Am's, I'm used to just "kicking" the clutch pedal. I have the engagement points set very high on those and can bang a powershift with at little as 1/3 pedal movement in each.

The celica however, needs to be put all the way down (due to the limited amount of pedal travel in the first place). Let's just say I was screeching the tires on the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts on the way home tonight whilst making buttery smooth shifts.

Atco......here I come. November 18th provided weather is agreeable. Will be on vid too.

You can adjust where the clutch engages on our cars if you desire. At the top of the clutch pedal there's a threaded rod that's part of the master cylinder and is locked in place with a 12mm nut. Loosen that nut and then you can spin the rod to adjust how high or low your clutch engages.

Coomer, I'll take a look at that tomorrow! I didn't think that the Celica's clutch pedal would be adjustable like that. Thanks for the info!

[spunky393]

To coomers input and fastbird, our clutch throw adjusts to the user because of the hydraulics. when i first got my 98, the disengage point was as the bottom, and after a few short months of owning it, the disengage point is with-in a 1-1.5 inch depress.

And oh yeah, about the somewhat trouble with clutch at the right time with a powershift.....shift quicker

[laff09]

To coomers input and fastbird, our clutch throw adjusts to the user because of the hydraulics. when i first got my 98, the disengage point was as the bottom, and after a few short months of owning it, the disengage point is with-in a 1-1.5 inch depress.

its adjustable on the pedal itself, 2 nuts i think? probably should check/adjust them couple times a year

[easternpiro1]

damn! back from the dead!


im having THE SAME EXACT problem except that its with my 2nd and 4th gear most of the time, and when i try to downshift. it feels sorta mushy as if something was in the way, so i looked at the cables (from inside the car) and noticed that one of the gold colored brackets used as a washer for the cables going in and out of the shifter was off... fixed that and thought i was good... it continued...

I looked in the engine bay at the connections, and everything seemed fine, unless im missing something. like previous posts say i guess i will look for the tranny oil bolt and see if i can add some syncromesh

anyone else have any suggestions? im kinda stumped... Fastbird how did you resolve this? did shifting proper fix it in your case? (changing shifting technique didnt work for me and im scared to mess with that clutch bolt again as the u shaped bracket bent on me and i had to bend it back with my teeth a few months ago lol)

edit: i looked for the bold and couldnt find? about where is the bolt on the 5sfe?

This post has been edited by easternpiro1: Jul 16, 2009 - 6:57 PM

[DEATH]

Eastern - PM me I have a couple of questions about this for you and hopefully an answer.