2nd gear grinds!

[CJ_Boxster]

I need some insite as to what the issue is that im having with my boxster, Its a 97 boxster 5 speed with 108k miles.... :)

Issue im having is that i hear a grind noise ONLY when im changing from 1st into 2nd gear while making a left or right turn. I make the gear change in the 3500 - 4000rpm range and as the shifter is entering 2nd gear, i hear the grind. Again, this ONLY grinds while going into 2nd gear while turning!

In Addition: The only way the tranny wont grind while shifting into 2nd during a turn is if i wait for the RPM's to drop to idle before shifting into 2nd.

[rushrevisited]

Any slippage on the clutch in the higher gears?

[CJ_Boxster]

Nope. When i bought the car in August, the dealer told me the clutch replacement was done prior to me buying the car. I have done acouple burnouts and slipped the clutch 1 time in 1st gear and i smelled the burnt clutch smell at a stop light but thats about it for abuse

[Rodger]

Couldn't this be caused by a bad front engine mount? I seem to recall Toolpants mentioning something about the older Boxsters clunking in the engine area when turning. I've also heard shift issues can arise from a bad mount.

I am also having grinding issues shifting into second and fourth feels a little balky, too. I've only got 38K on my '00 S, so maybe I've got a bad mount as well.

Edited April 10, 2007 by Rodger

[insite]

this is the classic symptom of worn synchronizer rings. the synchros match the speeds of the input and output shafts in the tranny so that you don't have to. when you let the revs drop as you described, you are in effect manually matching the shaft speeds, which is why it doesn't grind when you do this. you really only have a couple of options unless you're good a good mechanic:

1. manually match the revs when you shift to second (a.k.a. just deal with it)

2. get a used tranny and install it

3. have the synchro ring for 2nd gear replaced

4. have ALL of the synchros and bearings replaced (a.k.a. rebuild the tranny)

[986Jim]

Change out the fluid to GM Syncromesh fluid. It's basically the savior of tranny's. Yeah it's GM, but seriously the stuff is gold. Many guys come with tranny's in exactly the same condition as you say, I swap out the fluid for GM Syncromesh fluid and within a week or so of driving nice the tranny doesn't grind anymore. It's made by Penzoil for GM specifically for their crappy trannies that grind all the time. Any fluid that is not snake oil, this is it.

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showt...;threadid=24048

etc. etc. etc..

Just google GM Syncromesh for 10,000 examples of it saving trannies...

[CJ_Boxster]

Ill have to give that a try if the engine and tranny mounts look good.

[986Jim]

Yeah, don't go swapping the fluid out unless you know for sure that everything else with mounts and linkage is good. Chances are you will find that it is however.

I have seen cases where we have changed fluid in a tranny and a tranny that never previously had grinding problems would all the sudden start to grind. Even when changed with Redline MTL or Light Weight Shock Proof which is supposed to be "the bomb", they started to grind. In any case where the car old and has seen a few track events we always keep the original oil just incase. There have been a few cases where we drained the new oil and poured back in the old oil. For some unknown reason, as soon as the original oil is back in the grinding will eventually go away, like the tranny is broken into that oil and it can't be changed. As strange as it sounds, it's the case in older cars that have seen a few track or drag events.

So when you change yours make sure to keep it just incase. Goto your local GM dealership and order 2-3 liters of the Syncromesh, should be about $12-14 each L.

[pk2]

this is the classic symptom of worn synchronizer rings. the synchros match the speeds of the input and output shafts in the tranny so that you don't have to. when you let the revs drop as you described, you are in effect manually matching the shaft speeds, which is why it doesn't grind when you do this. you really only have a couple of options unless you're good a good mechanic:

1. manually match the revs when you shift to second (a.k.a. just deal with it)

2. get a used tranny and install it

3. have the synchro ring for 2nd gear replaced

4. have ALL of the synchros and bearings replaced (a.k.a. rebuild the tranny)

Hi, Im In the same boat. Is it really worth replacing just one syncro? Is it significantly less labor and cost to do a single sybcro

Thanks P.K

[Tool Pants]

As stated, sounds like the second gear syncro is worn. That is the one that usually goes first. What I don't get is why you notice it only on a turn.

In my poor student days I had a Triumph with a 4 speed. When in started grinding while going into second I took the fourth gear syncro and swapped it with the second gear syncro. The fourth gear syncro gets little wear compared to second. These were your standard brass ring syncros and all 4 were the same.

Then I had a Fiat X/19 5 speed. That car had a mixture of standard brass and Porsche style syncros. The Porsche style was used on second gear. With that type of syncro you could flip it and have a new wearing surface.

Funny thing is, the Boxster transmission does not have Porsche style syncros. Guess we can thank VW/Audi for that.

[blinkwatt]

Hey Carlos,

Just swap the tranny completely,it may be less $$$$ labor wise then swapping out the syncros.

I've seen the 2.5L trannies go for $500-$1.5k,not too much. If your going to go this route then you might want to swap out the 2.5L clutch with a 2.7L clutch just incase you want to give your Box. more power in the future. One of those,'while your there' things. :P

Does anyone know if he could mount up a 986 S/996 tranny to it?

[pk2]

Change out the fluid to GM Syncromesh fluid. It's basically the savior of tranny's. ...Many guys come with tranny's in exactly the same condition as you say, I swap out the fluid for GM Syncromesh fluid and within a week or so of driving nice the tranny doesn't grind anymore. It's made by Penzoil for GM specifically for their crappy trannies that grind all the time. Any fluid that is not snake oil, this is it.

Just google GM Syncromesh for 10,000 examples of it saving trannies...

Hi,

How much of this Syncromesh fluid does it take to fill up a bopxster 5 speed? My second gear syncro took a pretty fast decline. For all pratical intents and purposes, I've really got to double clutch the _ell out of it to down shift. Ya really think this stuff could stave of a rebuild for awhile?

Thanx

pk