XTreme Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Howdy Y'all, Got another question for anyone game. My 86 Xt has 140,000 miles on it, and everything seems fine. The only problem is that whenever I go to stop, and downshift into first gear, if I am going over about 5-10 miles and hour it makes a terrible GRINDing sound. The shifter physically shakes, and makes a lot of noise. However, when I am completely stopped or just going really slow it is fine. All the other gears work, downshift works, etc. Does anyone have an idea of what could be causing this? Cost involved to fix this? Any help would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calebz Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Nothing to fix.. you aren't supposed to downshift into first while moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sube Wagon Kevin Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 From the sounds of it I would say that the blocking ring is very worn. it wont be cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88rxsedan Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 he he, my car does it too.. either slow down more, or double clutch and rev match that downshift. I of course with my dual range tranny just shift it into low and use second if im going to "fast" to shift to first.. its like having a 6 speed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrub2k Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Im Gonna Hafta Go with caleb on this one there is really no reason to be shifting into first while your still rolling, just wait till your stopped before you put it in to first, if your still rolling at all you can use second.....i doubt that there is any thing wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted March 5, 2004 Author Share Posted March 5, 2004 Thanks guys! Can you tell I've never owned a stick before? (or anything else). This 17 yr old thanks you! **Feeling Embarassed** That would make sense - OH DUH!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 hmm I can down shift into first ok. yeah its not a good way to slow a car down but some times you need to in say a off road situation. yeah it sounds like a synchro problem ( blocking ring) I have had reaal good luck using red line MTL in tranys with sticky synchros. some others may back me up here or mabey not. do some searches its been done indepth before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTrain Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 its ok...only use first when your coming from a stop. Your tranny will love you for it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsance Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Mine does that. I always assumed it was because it has an unsynchronized first gear, which is pretty common on older vehicles. In this case, first is geared so low that you don't need it above 5 mph anyways. 2nd works fine from a roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88rxsedan Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 out of all the subarus ive owned and looked at, its 50/50.. some grind, some dont.. just depends on the previous owner i guess.., ive rode with people that put it into first coming to a light at like 30mph (with the clutch in of course) just to have it ready for when its green.. im like WTF? just wait till you stop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 There is plenty of need to downshift to first while moving - at least from a RallyX perspective. Lots of times 1st is the right gear, and I don't think I'll be stopping to get into it either..... GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_bard Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 When my tranny's cold, I can't shift into first above 5 mph. When it's warm, it'll shift into first up to about 15 mph. It goes in kinda funky, though... I'll line the shifter handle up, and press gently (pushing harder doesn't make it quicker, and I'd rather not force it)... give it a few seconds, and it'll just pop right into first. *shrug* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoboy Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I'll tack on to this thread becasue it's very closely related to my question. I just test drove a 5spd 92 Loyale Wagon. Coming slow into a corner (snowy downhill) I found that I was unable to shift down to first (huge nasty grinding noises), but was going too slow to pull out of the corner in 2nd. I had to clutch and rev the engine to get out of the corner without lugging badly. Is this normal for this car or does it indicate a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I'll tack on to this thread becasue it's very closely related to my question. I just test drove a 5spd 92 Loyale Wagon. Coming slow into a corner (snowy downhill) I found that I was unable to shift down to first (huge nasty grinding noises), but was going too slow to pull out of the corner in 2nd. I had to clutch and rev the engine to get out of the corner without lugging badly. Is this normal for this car or does it indicate a problem? normal. every subaru trans I've ever had required double clutching to get it into first while moving at all. or alot of patience (gently pushing it into first, after a couple seconds, the synchros will spin fast enough that it will go in). fresh fluid will help. a half quart of Rislone will help too...but you're never going to get it to go away entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooziewhatsit Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I used to be in the same boat, until I ran an ATF flush through my transmission. Now I can downshift to first at about 15mph. Don't do it too often though; I do want to save the synchros do a search for 'atf flush' or similar, and you should find threads with pros/cons about it. -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pisces_0 Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I used to be in the same boat, until I ran an ATF flush through my transmission. Now I can downshift to first at about 15mph. Don't do it too often though; I do want to save the synchros do a search for 'atf flush' or similar, and you should find threads with pros/cons about it. -Dave I'm right there with Dave. I ran ATF in the trans for ~1000 miles, and now run a quart of Rislone topped off with standard Valvoline 80W90 and the transmission shifts like absolute butter. Once fairly warm, it'll easily slide into first at 15 mph and slower. Oh, and the car has 201,500 rounds on it. A little preventative maintenence goes a long way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebisko Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Grinding transmissions are no fun, I have to double-clutch to get into every forward gear but fourth:(. But, hey, I showed my friend up with his fire truck! I was able to drive it without grinding, and he couldn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 If you do decide to change your tranny fluid or do a flush..when your finished i would advise against redline unless its 75w90NS. This is the grade that doesnt have a friction modifier for posi rear ends. But all in all redline is expensive stuff and if i were you i would just put in some valvoline 75w90 nonsynthetic and be done with it. My car shifts pretty good now with that in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 come on guys - i can pull away from a "rolling stop" in second gear without a problem in my 89 wagon - heck have even done it from darn near a standstill a time or two...sure, it really doesnt like the "darn near standstill" thing much, but it does do it...first gears are over rated!! dont even use "first" gear in my old ford PU - it's a granny gear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 come on guys - i can pull away from a "rolling stop" in second gear without a problem in my 89 wagon - heck have even done it from darn near a standstill a time or two...sure, it really doesnt like the "darn near standstill" thing much, but it does do it...first gears are over rated!! dont even use "first" gear in my old ford PU - it's a granny gear! that's how it was designed. these cars were not engineered to go into first while moving. mine shifts great with a half quart of Rislone, and the rest Valvoline 80w90 it's a little stiff when cold....in fact, if it's been outside in below zero weather over night, the car will actually move in neutral until it warms up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 There is plenty of need to downshift to first while moving - at least from a RallyX perspective. Lots of times 1st is the right gear, and I don't think I'll be stopping to get into it either..... GD Yeah, I have to shift into first alot of times when I'm still moving. A particular switchback on the highway up to my house comes to mind. It'll lug down and stall in 2nd, but there's no way I'm stopping in the road then putting it in first. Also, I coast to stoplights and try not to use the brakes (not downshifting either -- just keeping it in 4th or 3rd whatever I'm in till I have to put in the clutch at 900rpms or so), so alot of the time, I'm still moving a little when it turns green if I haven't quite gotten to the line or the next car forwards yet -- but slow enough that it doesn't like taking off in 2nd. I find that revving the engine a little helps it slip into first while moving sometimes. And yes, sometimes I just keep it in second and throw it into low range instead. But, it does sound like your first has no synchros left -- it's usually just hard to get in gear -- not grindy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 My trans doesnt like to go into 1st unless your going under 10, it somtimes grinds, not too often. In my mazda i would put it in 1st at like 25 coming to a stop to be ready, but it was my first stick, and if i had no music on i could hear the transmission wind up really fast and high putting into first, i could imagine how hard that was on the syncros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 that's how it was designed. these cars were not engineered to go into first while moving. ... ... first is geared so low that you don't need it above 5 mph anyways. 2nd works fine from a roll. Absolutely True, I Agree. ...now run a quart of Rislone topped off with standard Valvoline 80W90 ... Well... I use Shell 80W-140 ... What do you Think ´bout? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 that's how it was designed. these cars were not engineered to go into first while moving. mine shifts great with a half quart of Rislone, and the rest Valvoline 80w90 . Yes, they were designed to go into first while moving. Hence the syncro rings.... It is often a necessity when driving around town, especially with turbo models and 4 speeds(unless you like lugging your engine around at idle speed). Fact is that synchros dont last forever, especially when people rely on them completely to down change gears. That is very hard on them, especially the lower gears. Learn how to double clutch, and get used to doing it whenever you downchange. Get some larger pedals - makes it much easier to have one foot on both the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Get some larger pedals - makes it much easier to have one foot on both the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time. I guess I just have fat feet....it works really well for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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