Second gear grinding & remedy
- Thread starter gsxr1000
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CheapFuneral
New member
To be clear without reading 400+ posts, your sonics actually grind? When shifting my sonic I can feel its difficult to get in sometimes, but I just feels like the synchros are not working right but no actual grind or anything.
Also changing the fluid fixed your problems? And what did u change too?
Also changing the fluid fixed your problems? And what did u change too?
ChrisJ
Active member
I'm tempted to change over even though 99% of the time I have no problems.
My concern is how could this effect a warranty claim. You know, trans grenades and I have a different viscosity fluid in it than called for.
ChrisJ
Active member
My plans are to trade the car in at around 3 years old or so and it will have close to 100K on it.
Now what gets me is people claim the different fluid improves how the syncros work. Obviously viscosity and the fluid have an effect on them so GM would have no problem proving using the wrong fluid could have damaged the trans.
On the flip side if I don't touch it and I follow everything they say, well then, its their trans not mine when it grenades.
I understand your point about owning it past its warranty and agree but I think in my situation I need to proceed with caution.
mitdr774
also a dinner prick
Does the Amsoil meet or exceed GMs specifications? If not then they dont have to prove anything. Its a fluid that is not within manufacture specification and the trans failed. You would be hard pressed to force them to fix it if you use the wrong fluid.
I am okay with changing my fluid to something that is better due to the limits of the stock fluid and the plastic bits in the transmissions. If it fails I will replace it. My attitude has always been that if a failure might be related to something I did, I will fix it. Making the manufacture pay for my screw up is just going to make my next new car cost a little bit more. If I was worried about warranty I would not be modifying or autocrossing my car.
ChrisJ
Active member
I baby the Sonic 99% of the time. I've tached it out a few times and the last few times it did not grind. I also never force it into gear, either it goes in with almost no effort or it doesn't. I've always treated my transmissions this way and after reading about the plastic fork tips I think its probably a really good way to treat the Sonic.
When I shift, I'll hold very little pressure until it feels like it grabs it and just goes into gear.
Now that I think about it, technically I've never experienced a grind. More like it doesn't quite go into gear right and might feel like a quick hint of a grind. I grind from time to time when shifting our company model A, but thats just due to improper double clutching. Never had anything like that in the Sonic. I also believe the "A" is a sliding gear trans so that is actually grinding gears.
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CheapFuneral
New member
I think you are all looking to deep into this. When I worked at the gm dealer, if ur car was under warranty and it broke and wasn't caused by racing or the person physically breaking it, we would cover it. Rarely would they test a fluid. If it was the wrong color or something that may be a different story. The only time u would get the fluid tested was if a GM engineer came on site because they think they are looking at a lemon/ buy back or a recall.
To add to that if u have had your trans changed 3 times and it still grinds. Time to tell the dealer u want a buy back because u think u have a lemon. Gm takes that serious and ur car will be fixed or paid for.
To add to that if u have had your trans changed 3 times and it still grinds. Time to tell the dealer u want a buy back because u think u have a lemon. Gm takes that serious and ur car will be fixed or paid for.
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mitdr774
also a dinner prick
I used to work in a dealer as well. Every dealer is different as far as checking things out for warranty.
Lemon law varryes by state. The car that I think he is referring to probably will not fall under the state lemon law due to age, mileage, and time span for the issues. Would you be referring to a white Cruze Eco?
Lemon law varryes by state. The car that I think he is referring to probably will not fall under the state lemon law due to age, mileage, and time span for the issues. Would you be referring to a white Cruze Eco?
KartRacer
Member
The Trans clearly grinds on what we used to call speed shift from 1 to 2. No question in my mind that it is a synchro issue, however I am not an engineer.
attrapereves
New member
To be clear, is grinding when you feel some hesitation when shifting? If so, my transmission does that on occasion. It also makes the car jumpy if I shift too quickly from 1st to 2nd. I usually have to slowly let off the clutch.
Gsrdude
New member
So put about 1k miles on since the change to MT90. Shifting is still much better. 1-2 notchiness has gone now for the most part. Smoothed considerably after being in there for 1k
Next change I'll try a variation of the Redline ****tail we use in AWD land with our evos and subies.
May try something like 1.5 qts MT90 and 1/2 qt MTL and go from there.
EVO VIII-IX 5-Speeds take three quarts so popular choice is 2 qts MT90 1 qt MTL.
Redline also makes a MT85 (75w-85) now that may be another option
Next change I'll try a variation of the Redline ****tail we use in AWD land with our evos and subies.
May try something like 1.5 qts MT90 and 1/2 qt MTL and go from there.
EVO VIII-IX 5-Speeds take three quarts so popular choice is 2 qts MT90 1 qt MTL.
Redline also makes a MT85 (75w-85) now that may be another option
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sx sonic
New member
Well a bit of an update, a big one at that. I switched over to the Amsoil 5w-30 syncromesh and boy am I impressed.
I'm at 40k mi now and swapped to Lucas 75w-90 synthetic at about half that mileage ( I guessed on oil weight, read further).... It remedied the 2nd gear grind and made shifting in general marginally better.. However there was a caveat, cold weather shifting was a PITA, anything related to 1st or 2nd gear was slow and cumbersome shifting, the rest weren't bad but marginally worsel than stock. Once the trans warmed up it wasnt bad, still the cold mournings made it seem like a trade off.
The Amsoil on the other hand is resulting in excellent shift quality all around. My 1st drive with the fluid was in 15F weather, normally grabbing 2nd is a 2-3 second ordeal putting strong pressure on the shifter, downshifting to 1st or 2nd were also inconvenient when cold (i'd resorted to taking off in 2nd and rolling stop signs in 2nd until the trans was warm :/).
But this mourning was like grabbing any other gear with a warm trans. Getting into 2nd wasn't ideal but it was better than the Lucas fluid was warm and alil better than the stock fluid. Once warm shifting was almost perfect. With the solid shift bushings, solid trans mount, and Amsoil fluid it was really good...:.......... Like $50k car good, as it should be. Massive improvement!
I've still got to test it against the 2nd gear grind but im optimistic, will report back on that. So far thou I'm extremely pleased.
Also those thatve been on the forum for awhile should know I'm not one to just jump on the bandwagon or succumb to the placebo effect, this stuff is really looking like a magic elixir so far in. Ofcourse I'm still going to hold some reservations, although in this case I doubt I'll be disappointed.
Tl;Dr. Amsoil syncromesh does wonders for the transmission shifting, hot, cold, It's great.
I'm at 40k mi now and swapped to Lucas 75w-90 synthetic at about half that mileage ( I guessed on oil weight, read further).... It remedied the 2nd gear grind and made shifting in general marginally better.. However there was a caveat, cold weather shifting was a PITA, anything related to 1st or 2nd gear was slow and cumbersome shifting, the rest weren't bad but marginally worsel than stock. Once the trans warmed up it wasnt bad, still the cold mournings made it seem like a trade off.
The Amsoil on the other hand is resulting in excellent shift quality all around. My 1st drive with the fluid was in 15F weather, normally grabbing 2nd is a 2-3 second ordeal putting strong pressure on the shifter, downshifting to 1st or 2nd were also inconvenient when cold (i'd resorted to taking off in 2nd and rolling stop signs in 2nd until the trans was warm :/).
But this mourning was like grabbing any other gear with a warm trans. Getting into 2nd wasn't ideal but it was better than the Lucas fluid was warm and alil better than the stock fluid. Once warm shifting was almost perfect. With the solid shift bushings, solid trans mount, and Amsoil fluid it was really good...:.......... Like $50k car good, as it should be. Massive improvement!
I've still got to test it against the 2nd gear grind but im optimistic, will report back on that. So far thou I'm extremely pleased.
Also those thatve been on the forum for awhile should know I'm not one to just jump on the bandwagon or succumb to the placebo effect, this stuff is really looking like a magic elixir so far in. Ofcourse I'm still going to hold some reservations, although in this case I doubt I'll be disappointed.
Tl;Dr. Amsoil syncromesh does wonders for the transmission shifting, hot, cold, It's great.
Insanika
Super Moderator
I hope to hear a little more positivity after you've had it in a while. I may swap over too. I've only really hit the 2nd grind hard twice, maybe three times, but it's starting to regularly grunt on each shift into 2nd gear, quick shifts or slow deliberate shifts. *sigh.
brownbear64
New member
I'm hoping just the local NAPA in Berthoud? I'd love to switch ovet
I want to post my experience in here, I bought the car 1/17/2013, had it delivered on 1/22/2013 with 500 miles from them driving to deliver it. The car was fine, I was happy but second would grind when shifting quick. At 6k miles on 7/1/2013 I took it to Chevy, they were unable to reproduce the issue, yet it happened as I pulled on to the main road in front of the dealer. They suggested setting an appointment a few weeks out to have their master tech ride along.
That week I got a new job, and had 0 time to address the issue until now. The car has 14.8k miles on it, and I've had the trans grind going into second multiple times in a row with the clutch fully down. This seems to be worse with higher RPMs of course, but anything about 3500 is going to get a very hard to engage second gear. Downshifting 3-2 is really hit or miss.
What I've noticed so far, in winter the transmission was clunky as it was cold, but when warmed up never really posed much of an issue. As the temps have come back into the 90s the grinding is getting much more frequent to the point of skipping second most days and going 1-3.
I'm taking the car in tomorrow, as the dealership is remodeling and is down to only a handful of bays and can not look at it today. They're expecting to keep it for a whole day.
I've verified my shifter is in alignment, at least I think. It's a MY13, so when the shifter was in the alignment tabs I was able to push the black tab on the trans in and out just fine. Since the air temps seem to have an impact on it around here, I'm half expecting it to be fluid related.
That week I got a new job, and had 0 time to address the issue until now. The car has 14.8k miles on it, and I've had the trans grind going into second multiple times in a row with the clutch fully down. This seems to be worse with higher RPMs of course, but anything about 3500 is going to get a very hard to engage second gear. Downshifting 3-2 is really hit or miss.
What I've noticed so far, in winter the transmission was clunky as it was cold, but when warmed up never really posed much of an issue. As the temps have come back into the 90s the grinding is getting much more frequent to the point of skipping second most days and going 1-3.
I'm taking the car in tomorrow, as the dealership is remodeling and is down to only a handful of bays and can not look at it today. They're expecting to keep it for a whole day.
I've verified my shifter is in alignment, at least I think. It's a MY13, so when the shifter was in the alignment tabs I was able to push the black tab on the trans in and out just fine. Since the air temps seem to have an impact on it around here, I'm half expecting it to be fluid related.