My 5-speed manual transmission is having some odd symptoms when the car is driven for the first few minutes at the first startup of the day.

 

When shifting into second, instead of going into 2nd gear, the shifter feels strange, and it goes into a phantom neutral gear. It is also extreemely difficult to get back into 1st gear while moving, even at speeds where the tranny should let me go into 1st. (You really have to force it, if it let's you move the shifter into 1st gear position at all.)

 

The phantom neutral 2nd gear symptom does not seem to occur when I try to start the car from a stop, in 2nd gear.

 

So, right now, when I start the car and it's cold, I am forced to start in 2nd or shift from 1st directly into 3rd.

 

Does anybody have any explanation as to what might be happening to my manual transmission?

 

The car is an Impreza, and I'm posting to the old gen board because I think more people here might have a real good knowledge of how the subaru MT's work.

 

Thanks in advance for any input.

Check your owners manual.. I don't know abot the impreza, but most warn against putting the car in first while moving..

 

I have always been told, and have found through experience(60+ cars) that you should not put the car in first gear while moving.

 

As for your second gear problem.. that just sounds weird.. Its only when the car is cold? if it were a linkage problem(which it sounds like) it would do it all the time..

It sounds like shift fork detent wear, or shift selector thingy wear. There is a mechanism in there to make sure that the gears are only engaged one at a time. Wear in these areas can cause 'phantom gears' and also the dreaded 'in 2 gears at once'. That one is fun. You are stopping RIGHT NOW!

The family farm has a tractor that does that. You let out the clutch, and it stalls instantly.

 

The only real fix is to take it all apart, find what is worn, and replace it. The parts are probably not real expensive, but it could affect more than one piece.

 

Changing your gear oil to something lighter, perhaps, may reduce the chances of this happening while cold.

Yes, it sounds like it could be the onset of wear. It does happen only the first 5 to 10 minutes of driving on the 1st drive of the day.

 

The only real fix is to take it all apart, find what is worn, and replace it. The parts are probably not real expensive, but it could affect more than one piece.

 

I did change the fluid with fresh 80w90. I might head to the bookstore or library sometime and study how the subaru 5sp works.

You also shouldnt be trying to force it into first ever. With my loyale, it has to be a dead stop before it will go into first smoothly.

And from what i hear, this is the case with most Subarus.

I have to fiddle a bit, then it goes in, but when I push it feels like it goes in after it snaps past something metal. So I've stopped doing it. It sucks having to stop before going into first to climb bigger hills when 4x4ing.

Here's a thread that might be of interest.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/usmb/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9498

 

It won't solve your problem (sorry), but there's a lot of interesting information that helps to feel how transmission "behaves" and how to make things easier for it. For me it was big news.

Try running redline gear oil in it. It may help it a bit. Good stuff.

 

As for rebuilding it - well it's not a small job. There's many special tools needed, and the amount of parts in there is just insane. Many hundreds of parts - all need to be inspected and guaged. Leave that to a pro unless you are certifiable like me.

 

GD

"leave it to a pro unless you're cool like me."

 

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j/k man