92_rugby_subie Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) So for awhile when its cold, NED always has trouble going into 2nd gear... Usually first 10-15 minutes of driving until fully warmed up... It kinda grinds when shifting into 2nd, be it downshifting or upshifting (although downshifting is near impossible) Ive thought, oh Redline 75/90W in the tranny and Ill be good... But havent done the $50 fill-up because it wasnt doing it throughout the summer... Now, as winter-ish temperatures hit, its doing it again... and I cant climb hills in 2nd anymore... 1st has power, 3rd has power (barely hill-climb able) but for some reason 2nd makes the car chug, chug, chug as it goes up hills... also lurches quite a bit... This is in FWD, I havent done it in 4WD as I dont think itll change much... Any ideas? Am I losing 2nd gear? Would filling the tranny with 75/90W Redline solve the problem? Edited November 26, 2011 by 92_rugby_subie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Oops for those that dont know - NED is a 1986 Subaru GL Sedan, 5 speed D/R with a 32/36 DGEV Weber. I thought it was carb related at first, but its ONLY in 2nd... I can floor it in first or 3rd and have amazing power still, I just chug and lurch a lot in 2nd with at least a 50% power loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 The GL had a terrible 2nd gear when I bought it. The gear oil looked like grey poupon (really). This was around 217K Just put in some normal 80W90 bulk gear oil and the issue went away in a week. The tranny was still going strong at 321K. I would just throw some normal gear oil in there and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 For me its hard to believe that the Transmission Oil has something to do with that problem, since you wrote that it doesn't show on first or third gear. This could be more a Second gear trouble, Specific to its Synchro or gear. But if you want to pour a Great oil in there, I Kindly suggest the Motul with Molybdene additive, that oil is Shiny Black and Really improves the internals Lubrication with that additive. Good Luck! Kind Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Also, GD said that to Run a Manual Transmission for short time with some ATF fluid, could help to Clean its internals. Then you can Drain the Mixed stuff and pour Fresh new oil. I Believe that is a Great idea. Kind Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Switching to synthetic, or just a lighter weight gear oil will certainly help. I need to do the same. With the temps diving, the 4-speed in my GL is noticeably stiffer when I first start it. After 10 minutes of driving is clears up, as the gear oil warms and thins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Fill it with ATF and drive it for a while like that. See if it improves. ATF is only about $14 a gallon and that is enough to do a full fill (3.7 quarts). I never changed the transmission gear oil when I had it (checked it and it looked/smelled fine) - but it wasn't a problem either and I had it for only a few years. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Fill it with ATF and drive it for a while like that. See if it improves. ATF is only about $14 a gallon and that is enough to do a full fill (3.7 quarts). I never changed the transmission gear oil when I had it (checked it and it looked/smelled fine) - but it wasn't a problem either and I had it for only a few years. GD Yup do this. I did it to a junkyard 5 speed with 74k on it that had sat for god knows how long. It really free'd everything up and its still shifting great with over 100k on it. Also a thing to note....ive found with every subaru trans of this era that 2nd and 3rd when cold are kind of crunchy. I have a article in a magazine from 1983 where they test drove these cars new that even stated that when cold 2nd and 3rd gear shifts were a bit crunchy and when warm they shifted fine. I just made it a habbit when cold to double clutch 2nd and 3rd and avoid that crunchy feeling all together. In warmer months i never need to do this however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoobDood05 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I recently put fresh gear oil in my 5spd tranny, in my 90 loyale, as soon as it got cold second gear only gets crunchy, im just livin with it:drunk: im sure if you do what these guys suggested it wil resolve the problem, i plan on doing that to mine in the future, Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 About how far should I run the ATF in my tranny? Like 500 miles? 250? 1000? lol Then I think I will do the Redline still because GD has had good luck with it in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Redline is mostly not worth anywhere near the price it fetches. I always use normal gear oil, follow the owners manual for the weight. It is better to stick with cheap stuff, and change it more often, You are not going to enjoy changing redline very regularly, well my bank account sure would keel over if i used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted November 27, 2011 Author Share Posted November 27, 2011 What do you guys recommend? I am looking for something that will last about 20-30k... As mucha as 50k as cheaply as possible. My plan is to drive him through school and then get a Legacy as a DD while NED goes under the... wrench, EJ swap, AWD, 5 lug etc. I just need him to hold out for another year or 2... without doing much other than swapping in the rebuilt EA82 when I get around to getting the parts for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I am going to assume this situation is like most I have seen: No records on last time gear oil was drained and filled...... that means, that even the cheap stuff is going to make it feel like new. that is also the same people who never had records, switched to hi price stuff, and they also say it is like new. So, people, please, change out gear oil 50k or sooner. use the cheap stuff, you will be 100% happy and fine. enjoy your new shifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 About how far should I run the ATF in my tranny? Like 500 miles? 250? 1000? lol It has more to do with the amount of shifting gears then actual miles driven. 200 miles of city type driving would do more than what 600 miles of hiway driving will. The ATF will clean the varnish off all of the internals of the trans. The more shifting one does, the more it works it's cleaning on the sliding gears/shafts and syncros. And don't be to surprized when you drain the ATF out and it looks like old engine oil in color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted November 27, 2011 Author Share Posted November 27, 2011 Can't quote on my phone but the last paragraph says that the color will be black ... should I drain atf after lots of shifting and then do it again and see if the atf is cleaner? Is it a case of the more I flush the cleaner it gets - like curing torque bind on the 4eat where you drain and refill a few times? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Just fill it, run it for 100 miles or so and drain it out. You should notice that the shifting is a lot smoother by then. Then you can put whatever you like in it. Redline is my #3 choice actually - behind Subaru extra-s and Motul. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I just run valvoline 80w/90 or 75w/90. As i said 2nd and 3rd even new were probably a bit crunchy when new if its cold out but when warm it should shift smoothly. I found 75w/90 to be a bit better in my trans in the past but recently ive been running 80w/90 and didnt notice any shifting difference. Also a note...its not worth paying extra for synthetic. You can easily get 30-40k out of regular old gear oil. Subarus dont need anything exotic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 ... Redline is my #3 choice actually - behind Subaru extra-s and Motul. GD I Agree! ... in my Own opinion humble opinion, The Best Gearbox & Differential oil is the one Reinforced with Molybdene: Somehow is the Same Black Grease Base that we use on C.V. Joints: (Motul 31721L Gearbox 80W-90 Molybdenum Bisulphide -MoS2- Reinforced Extreme Pressure Gearbox and Differential Lubricant) This Shiny Black Oil not only makes Quieter any old Gearbox, it also makes Easier Shifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renob123 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Motul isn't cheap or easy to get in the US, but it's great. So is Extra-S. Don't overlook Valvoline, though. Considering you can get it at Walmart or Baxter's, it almost feels like that's what was meant to go into a Subaru transmission. I was running exotic German stuff in my 6-speed, and I switched to Walmart Valvoline, and the shifting experience became a lot more rewarding. Jacob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Ill probably end up getting Valvoline then... Money is pretty tight, about the only thing that gets good treatment is I havent run below 1/4 of a tank on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maozebong Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 x2 on the atf for your synchros. i had a 3rd gear grind that was getting gradually worse as time went on, and i kept driving it anyways for 2 years, saw the atf tip on here, and tried it. 3rd hasnt grinded since and its been 3 months. since then, 2nd gear has been a bit notchy afterwards. but other than that shifts like butter. long story short i just put a quart of atf in even though filling with only atf would work better. i had pretty much condemned this tranny and was about to get another, at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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