Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

synchronicity..?


Recommended Posts

 My son doesn't know how to drive stick yet and about to give my 1993 5 seed Loyale to him to shoot back and forth from Providence RI to Boston.

 

I've put off this synchronicity question / fix whatever, forever because I know how to time my shifts...anyone else driving this, esp a newbie, will grind the gears...

 

When shifting from gear to gear even when clutch (new clutch) is fully depressed, the urge to shift quickly needs to be relaxed.....if not there's a bump, bumbling of action before it getting it in gear..occasionally that will be a grind ......if a newbie does this, it will always be a grind.

 

My solution this weekend is to change gear oil and hope that's all there is to it...

 

ANy thoughts?

ManyThanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well when you're teaching him, every time he grinds gears it is a humiliating kick in the crotch as daddy grips the oh spoob handle and stares alone into the distance. So I'm sure he'll learn how to drive it in no time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is an internal problem that a fluid change will most likely not help. If you're getting a grind, or a temporary 'lack' of shifting, Your blocking ring for that gear is worn and will continue to do so. IF it's gear specific. If it's all gears, I'd say you've got some kind of clutch issue. Possibly not fully disengaging.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how old is the clutch? Mine's got 135K on the original and it's near the end of the clutch travel when it finally bites... adjusting the clutch to hover closer to the pressure plate may help, but in the mean time, slower shifts between gears will help and fully push the pedal to the floor for max disengagment. If I'm lazy or too quick between gears, it gets angry or is real notchy.

 

Good Luck!

Edited by 86 Wonder Wedge
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well when you're teaching him, every time he grinds gears it is a humiliating kick in the crotch as daddy grips the oh spoob handle and stares alone into the distance. So I'm sure he'll learn how to drive it in no time.

 

an amusing picture.. so true, so sad... :-)

On a similar note, I was tired one day, let my S.O. drive ..she said she once used to own a manual / stick....we swap seats, I pull the passenger seat lever back to get some shut-eye.... @ 3 minutes prob, 5 grinds...suddenly I'm awake...no one else has ever driven the car again...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how old is the clutch? Mine's got 135K on the original and it's near the end of the clutch travel when it finally bites... adjusting the clutch to hover closer to the pressure plate may help, but in the mean time, slower shifts between gears will help and fully push the pedal to the floor for max disengagment. If I'm lazy or too quick between gears, it gets angry or is real notchy.

 

Good Luck!

sorry I don't know how the mulit quote works...prob like trying to teach my kid not to grind...

 

NOTCHY...that's a great way to describe it...I'm going to adjust the clutch today but think it's at it's correct setting...the clutch has @ 10,000 miles, installed it myself last fall...<---maybe therein lies the problem :-)....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The synchros are likely worn out. When I got a new trans for my GL from bratman (the old one was way pooched) it shifted alright and everything. But it was sluggish and ground a bit going into gears. The oil just looked old and dark. I put fresh stuff in there, and damn, it works completely awesome now. So if it's not too far gone, it may help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wife is guilty of slamming the shifter into the next gear. Been waiting for the shifter to break. :(

 

A flush of the trans will definitely aide the synchro's. Rislone Engine Flush is highly recommended, but ATF works also.

 

The FT4WD 5-speed I have in my Wagon was difficult to shift into 2nd, (either up or down shifting), and getting into 1st was impossible unless it was at a stop. Quart of ATF added and drove around for some time. Drained and refilled with proper lube, and 2nd has improved greatly, and 1st will happen if I slowly select it.  

Edited by TomRhere
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Teach him to double clutch! Mine does that too, but not if I double clutch. Which means the syncs are going I guess.

Going from first to second, clutch in, move shifter to neutral, clutch out, clutch in, move to 2nd, clutch out. No grinds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that clutch adjustment is crucial, if it does not disengage fully there will be problems even if everything else is fine. I was taught the 'counting' method of changing gear by my grandfather when I was eight (had a cushion but could reach the pedals in my mother's Mini - well it was the sixties!) and it goes like this. Clutch down, count one, into neutral, count two, into next gear, count three and clutch up. When you learn, each 'count' is about 1/2 second to a second. Over years that time comes down to 1/10th second or less (not that you're counting!) but the thing is to get the rythm really even and you'll have a graunch-free ride.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Put in 2 Lsyentheic 75-80  gear oil and 1 L gm syicro fliud and 1 L dextron 3 atf the lighter fliud will help it shift better and the gm fliud has syicro agents in it to aid shifting

 

I basically did exactly this^^(the only difference I think was a 70-90 oil cause that's what they had)..thanks again Ivan for another save...

 

I think this overall quantity may be one liter too much.. I could be wrong...I DON'T CARE....if Ivan says do it..I do it...and the quantities went in as diredcted

 

Results:

 

the first few days/ 90 miles or so.. I had doubts, it was still a little notchy (thanks for the word wonderwedge)....I began to re-think my clutch adjustment AND began to think of draining the new fluid in order to put in something super heavy.

 

I stored the car a couple weeks due to needing to be driving the truck (another project, another forum) ..Ivan, you know anything about Ford F250s?

 

getting off track here

 

I hesitate to go overboard with excitement for fear of jinxing what's transpired while she sat. The shifting is now SIGNIFICANTLY smoother...I, personally, would never grind a gear with this mix...please let my son become one with this mix.

 

Maybe it was the 300 mile round trip yesterday that stirred the special cocktail into a uniform blend or maybe it's the heat of the summer.  

 

either way, I'm very happy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...