2nd gear grind

SiFi · Post by **SiFi** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:08 pm

Hi there..I have a 77 Spider and live in Melbourne, Australia. I recently had the clutch replaced and the car has been driving beautifully all summer (your Winter)....just last night I took her for a spin and noticed difficulty getting into 2nd gear and a grinding when gearing down to 2nd. All other gear changes are fine....up and down.

Any ideas as to what the problem is?

Do I have to drop the transmission?

Cheers//Simon

124JOE · Post by **124JOE** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:24 pm

i would wait untill its gone
you need syncros in the tranz replaced

on my trip home from getting it 1800 miles
i had no 2nd and just skiped it 1 3 4 5
mainly on-ramps untill i got home

===============sorry i spelled to wrong===========

maytag · Post by **maytag** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:05 pm

124JOE wrote:i would wait untill its gone
you need sinkrolls in the tranz replaced

on my trip home from getting it 1800 miles
i had no 2nd and just skiped it 1 3 4 5
mainly on-ramps untill i got home

Sometimes, "sinkrolls" are also referred to as "synchros", as in "synchro-mesh".

This could be the issue, and it is very common.
Yes, the trans would need to be removed to rectify.

vandor · Post by **vandor** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:09 am

Yes, likely synchros. The trans needs to be dropped and taken apart for any kind of work on it...

In the meanwhile you can double clutch when going from 1st to 2nd, that will keep the grinding down.

131 · Post by **131** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:37 am

Try changing your gearbox oil before you commit to pulling it out, you may be pleasantly surprised. I had a celica box in an old Holden years ago, with heavy oil in it the bearings were quiet but I had no synchros until the box was hot, I put auto trans fluid in it, the bearings whined a bit but the synchos worked. I drove it like that for years. It may not solve your problem, but it may make it drivable while you source another box.

Ernie · Post by **Ernie** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:04 pm

I agree with 131. I have a '74 Spider that had the same problem -- downshifting into 2nd would crunch a bit. I changed to Castrol 20W50 and it's been shifting just perfect for at least two years.

Worth a try.

SiFi · Post by **SiFi** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:51 pm

Tried the oild change - no joy.

Dropped transmission...2nd gear sleeve and fork worn/broken...cluster shaft nut off and wearing through rear cover....also 2 bearings faulty/worn

Drives like a dream now!

Thanks for feedback

Turbofiat124 · Post by **Turbofiat124** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:01 am

Ernie wrote:I agree with 131. I have a '74 Spider that had the same problem -- downshifting into 2nd would crunch a bit. I changed to Castrol 20W50 and it's been shifting just perfect for at least two years.

Worth a try.

That's weird. I had just the opposite experience.

I put 20W50 in my Yugo's 4 speed transmission to see if it would make it shift easier in the winter until it warmed up and it started to grind when I would shift into 3rd gear. Where as before using GL-1 90, it did not grind in any gears.

I drained it out and found bits of brass in the oil where the syncro had been grinding. I put GL-1 90 back in and no more grinds.

I was going to suggest that thicker oil is better in a worn transmission than thinner or automatic transmission fluid.

2nd gear grind

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