Tranny grinding

[ramboh]

Does anyone else here have problems with gears grinding with the clutch fully down?

I get occasional grinding going from 1-2 and more rarely 3-4. It's a terrible sound and it really worries me that the tranny life is being shortened everytime it happens.

I have 30k on my '08 car.

[alhope34]

my car has been doing the 1 - 2 grind every so often since I have gotten the car at 33kms. I'm at 56,000 now.

[FoXy]

same, me too.

[alhope34]

same, me too.

Completely different transmissions, though.

[cy88]

I've experienced grinds if I am attempting to rev high and shift fast. However, I've concluded that it's due to my skills not my tranny...I think!

[alhope34]

I've experienced grinds if I am attempting to rev high and shift fast. However, I've concluded that it's due to my skills not my tranny...I think!

Naw, mine does the same but only 1 to 2. it's your tranny. This is a problem I've heard many times before. I've just learned to deal with it. It isn't even much of a grind, not for me anyway. Just a fraction of a second while going into 2nd at high rpm (5000+)

[MRT_MS3]

I find it that it grinds when the tranny is cold. After it warms up, mine shifts just fine.

[Fobio]

Guys. Two words: Engine mounts.

Other than that, I'd say it's the timing of shifts. We have triple synchros 1st thru 3rd. We grind cuz the tranny moves around and doesn't line up right for every shift. So it's partly the car, partly driver. Mod the car and keep driving the way you like. Win win. Bang bang.

[WeatherB]

Mine does this too. But I also get a bang noise sometimes too.

I doubt they are going to fix it but I plan on bringing it up at my next oil change, must use the extended warranty for something right?

[alhope34]

Mine does this too. But I also get a bang noise sometimes too.

I doubt they are going to fix it but I plan on bringing it up at my next oil change, must use the extended warranty for something right?

I thought you just got your car brand new...how are you past 80,000kms already??? The standard driveterain warranty ends at 80,000.

[Donutz]

Two words: Engine mounts.

You beat me to it. I've read that engine mounts, particularly the rear mm and tranny mount make a huge improvement to this issue.

[jaimie08mazda3]

mine more often grinds from 2 to 3. sometimes from 1to 2 but usally from 2 to 3

[cy88]

mine more often grinds from 2 to 3. sometimes from 1to 2 but usally from 2 to 3

Yup, I rarely (or never) grinded from 1 -> 2. Funny thing I noticed - I've never grinded when I had my winters and steelies on. The day that I changed back to my stock 18's, I grinded.

My gf realizes that it's the timing of my shifting. I put it in gear too soon before the clutch is depressed far enough.

My friend had all his engine mounts replaced on his speed6 and it feels awesome now...however, his steering wheel has a constant vibration which I would hate more than grinding..

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

My MS3 has a brief grind 'notchiness' going from 1st to 2nd only when cold (sub 10 degree weather). The colder the weather, the more noticeable the grind 'notch'.

This also only happens on the 1st shift from 1st to 2nd as I am pulling away from home after pulling the MS3 out of the garage. Once I get to the next corner and stop sign, which is no more than maybe 100 yards away, it doesn't grind again going from 1 to 2. I assume this is because the tranny oil has already started to be warmed slightly and is flowing better by this point. For instance, if I warm up the car and let it sit in idle for a few minutes with a few light taps of the accelerator, I also will not experience the grind. Also, switching out the OEM tranny fluid to MT-90, lessened the amount of grind experienced.

This has never bothered me much and I just consider it a 'quirk' of the car. I can pretty much eliminate the grind anyway by going from 1st, putting it into neutral, double clutching and then placing it slowly into second with my foot off the accelerator. Then, there is very, very little grinding.

Otherwise, I have zero grinding in any other gears and the tranny is smooth as butter at all engagements even under full throttle and 5k+ shifts.

[Aitch]

Am I the only one that had a completely different idea of the thread topic, based on the title (Tranny grinding)?

:p

[Thrizzl3]

Am I the only one that had a completely different idea of the thread topic, based on the title (Tranny grinding)?

:p

EWWWWWWWW:loco:chuckle

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Am I the only one that had a completely different idea of the thread topic, based on the title (Tranny grinding)?

:p

Ewwww. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little...:chuckle

[Aitch]

Hey I wasn't saying I came in here with a smile on my face, rather that I was dreading what the conversation would be about lol.

[Wild Weasel]

mine more often grinds from 2 to 3. sometimes from 1to 2 but usally from 2 to 3

Same here. Only ever happens to me from 2 to 3. Then I have to explain to my wife that it wasn't me... it's the car. :(

[craigrodrigues88]

Mine was so bad that my syncro completely went, car is in the shop now getting a new transmission, clutch, flywheel and all other necessary things...SO FRUSTRATING!:flaming:bang

[alhope34]

Mine was so bad that my syncro completely went, car is in the shop now getting a new transmission, clutch, flywheel and all other necessary things...SO FRUSTRATING!:flaming:bang

Did warranty end up covering it?

[craigrodrigues88]

Did warranty end up covering it?

Everything except the clutch and flywheel, and they said if they had seen the condition on those parts before nothing would have been covered

[alhope34]

Everything except the clutch and flywheel, and they said if they had seen the condition on those parts before nothing would have been covered

Lmao!! So just because what the clutch and flywheel looks like, they wouldn't have covered the transmission?? Yea, right. The only way you could really hurt the transmission that would also affect the clutch would probably be trying to force shifts without clutching at all. I hope at least they are giving you a deal cause the stock MS3 flywheel is $960 by its self. I would have gotten the 11lb Fidanza wheel for like $300 USD if I were you.

[SilentJay]

I thought I saw granny grinding as the topic... :chuckle


...


But this topic is valid as well. I've ground the gears a few times going from 1 to 2, but I might have just been too impatient.

[craigrodrigues88]

Lmao!! So just because what the clutch and flywheel looks like, they wouldn't have covered the transmission?? Yea, right. The only way you could really hurt the transmission that would also affect the clutch would probably be trying to force shifts without clutching at all. I hope at least they are giving you a deal cause the stock MS3 flywheel is $960 by its self. I would have gotten the 11lb Fidanza wheel for like $300 USD if I were you.

Yeah that is pretty much what they were saying. They took 10% off all the parts and did the labour for free. Which in my eyes still isn't much of a deal, kind of annoying that they advertise the car as a performance car but when you push it even a bit things like this happen and you have to get stuck with a huge bill.

[Soyabean]

Actually, come to think of it, recently i have been getting a grinding for some reason from 1 to 2. Im not sure why tho but it happens once in a blue moon.

As for the engine mounts, i already have the rear engine mount. Does that mean the insert for my mount is defective or something like that?

[WeatherB]

I thought you just got your car brand new...how are you past 80,000kms already??? The standard driveterain warranty ends at 80,000.

Haha, that didn't come out right. Only have 11,000KM on the car right now.

I find that the car (or me) is moody and sometimes the transmission is perfect and other times it grinds.

[craigrodrigues88]

Got the car back today, and it is going right back in! As I am hitting the highway to go home I feel a nasty jerking with the car turns out the turbo cylonoid is not gone and my car is over boosting. So far I have been without my car for 16 days won't have it again for at least monday...I want a new car lol

[alhope34]

Got the car back today, and it is going right back in! As I am hitting the highway to go home I feel a nasty jerking with the car turns out the turbo cylonoid is not gone and my car is over boosting. So far I have been without my car for 16 days won't have it again for at least monday...I want a new car lol

Sorry you're having so many problems with the car. Seems like you just got a lemon.

[Speed 3 Demon]

I get the grinding a lot. :bang Not just that though... it seems like my transmission is just a piece of crap. I'm getting an oil change this week, so something must be done. Every time it grinds it makes me cringe, and I really don't think it's my fault.
See what happens.

[alhope34]

I get the grinding a lot. :bang Not just that though... it seems like my transmission is just a piece of crap. I'm getting an oil change this week, so something must be done. Every time it grinds it makes me cringe, and I really don't think it's my fault.
See what happens.


Did you swap out the stock oil yet? Redline MT-90 synthetic tranny fluid makes the transmission shift and feel much better.

[horto]

I found the rear engine mount really helped my 1-2 shifts. And the MT-90 (in cold weather anyway).

I am however experiencing problems getting my car into 1st from neutral (like at a red light). I know that sometimes in most manual cars the gears don't line up quite right and you gotta pump the clutch a few times (and that's normal). But what isn't normal is when the shifter absolutely REFUSES to budge into 1st or 2nd even while having pumped the clutch a few times. (Feels like the gate is closed). This can be downright scary in rush hour traffic, in an intersection or on a hill.

It's happened twice in the past week, and it seems that even when I manage to get the car into 1st it's actually engaged in reverse. Which is a big problem for the guy behind me. I'm pretty sure I'm not pushing down on the shifter but hey, who knows, I'm fighting off panic mode when people behind me are honking. I am calm, precise and methodical when trying to clear this issue in traffic - if its more than 3 seconds the handbrake goes on along with my 4-ways.

Today I wasn't able to clear 1st or 2nd but I just revved up and took off in 3rd. At the next light I was able to go from neutral to first to second just fine.

Anyway.. anyone? similar issues? Have I blown my syncro?

I've never tinkered with my shifter nor the adjustments. I can't seem to reproduce the problem... sometimes it just happens. But now I find myself preemptively shifting into 1st with the clutch in at a red light just to make sure she's gonna go in...

[alhope34]

^^ That happens to me too. If pumping the clutch doesn't work, I put it in 3rd then with the clutch still down put it in 1st and it has always gone into 1st after that.

[JashiK]

^^ That happens to me too. If pumping the clutch doesn't work, I put it in 3rd then with the clutch still down put it in 1st and it has always gone into 1st after that.

I remember these senarios when I had my speed.
Definitely putting it into 3rd with the clutch down and then into 1st worked for me too.
My car was bone stock minus the CAI.

[Fobio]

try adjusting your shifter first...it's free and it gets you in under there to get a sense of how the tranny works and why it does that...there's a stickied video for it.

2nd...my clutch slave cylinder went...without going into details, my clutch went to the floor and I couldn't get it into gear. for the past few weeks, I would grind into gears...this is with my foot full into the clutch. I'm sure this is not what everyone is experiencing, as my daily 404/dvp commute makes me a rather unique case.

and yes, mt-90 is better than stock fluid...Ford Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid is even better.

yes, engine mounts help, but in this particular case (speed demon's), engine mounts don't help when you're trying to get into first from a stop.

to be honest, I've tried many things, and changed every bit of the tranny controls that I can, and I still sometimes can not get it into first...so after the salve cylinder is fixed, guess what...I'll be adjusting my shifter again.

[Turok]

I found the rear engine mount really helped my 1-2 shifts. And the MT-90 (in cold weather anyway).

I am however experiencing problems getting my car into 1st from neutral (like at a red light). .

I've had this happen a couple of times even with the shifter adjustments.. it's like it just won't go into first.. I normally shift into 2nd/3rd or any other gear then come back to first.. sometimes that works.. or pumping the clutch like alhope said or I put it in 2nd or 3rd let the clutch our slightly and then push the clutch in and try shifting into 1st and that works as well.. not sure what the cause is though.

[prime]

Did anybody get their car repaired under warranty for this issue? Is the solution only better tranny oil and engine mount?
I've been grinding gears from 1st-2nd this month (4 times) and it happens when I push 1st gear hard and switch to 2nd. Right when it enters 2nd it kind of struggles while you hear the embarrassing and cringing sound. I've had self-doubt but I tried again and it happened. It's annoying me that I'm starting to get a phobia of going to 2nd gear or wanting to push hard from standstill.

BTW I realize this is the mazdaspeed section but I have a 08 GT.

EDIT: Nevermind, found this http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?36973-Engine-Mounts-(Specifically-Rear)