Synchro Question

[Melkor]

Hey guys/gals,

I'm trying to figure out if this is normal or if it's just a bad synchro. When shifting from 1 to 2 (low or high RPMs) I have to REALLY hammer the shifter into second. It feels like there's a wall between neutral and 2nd.

Anyone else have this problem? Or a suggestion on what I should have checked? Is this totally normal?

[jcamaro37f]

Don't have a 1LE but had a very similar issue with my 335i. I swore on my life the synchro was messed up from 1-to-2. Took it to the dealer and said nothing, other than 1-2 is always difficult with these type of cars.

Someone asked me at the dealership if I am " shifting" in proper form.. and I thought to myself " Of course, I've driven many manuals for many years" but it dawned on me that none were as performance oriented and sensitive as the bimmer.. I googled some techniques and it worked.. apparently because of my driving angle I was torquing it in a way that made it stick a bit...so maybe look it up

but that's my 2 cents good luck and i hope nothing's wrong!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Schluney]

my car feels the same going into second as every other gear... I've heard a lot of people say they've had syncro issues with second gear sounds to me like that's your problem..

[Melkor]

Originally Posted by Schluney

my car feels the same going into second as every other gear... I've heard a lot of people say they've had syncro issues with second gear sounds to me like that's your problem..

I've had 2 and 3 syncros replaced as well as first gear, then the entire transmission, and then the clutch. It's all a lot better but that shift to second is still weird.

[Ragnar]

OP, when I changed my trans fluid with Redline D4 ATF, my transmission got a lot smoother. But still, from reading about this transmission, it was not designed to be silky smooth.

[Melkor]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

OP, when I changed my trans fluid with Redline D4 ATF, my transmission got a lot smoother. But still, from reading about this transmission, it was not designed to be silky smooth.

I think that's the impression I'm getting. I'm okay with it if it's supposed to be normal, but it just feels really different to any other 1st to 2nd shift I've ever done.

Another reason that this car isn't a drag racer, I suppose. Which I'm fine with

[markgws6]

My car has had problems when shifting into 1st and R when the car is cold or has been sitting for several hours or longer. Sometimes it WILL NOT get into 1st gear at all. I have to let it warm up or shift it into 2nd or some other gear first then 1st. When it's warmed up, I have few problems getting into any gear, but it's not buttery smooth at all.

[Melkor]

Originally Posted by markgws6

My car has had problems when shifting into 1st and R when the car is cold or has been sitting for several hours or longer. Sometimes it WILL NOT get into 1st gear at all. I have to let it warm up or shift it into 2nd or some other gear first then 1st. When it's warmed up, I have few problems getting into any gear, but it's not buttery smooth at all.

My whole driving life, I've always gone 2nd - 1st. It's just habit for me. On the rare occasion that I DO go directly into first, it's terrible in the Camaro. It's like a messy jumble of stuff to actually get it into gear. But as long as I go 2nd to 1st, it's fine.

[Cleancoupe]

Mine is pretty notchy going from 1st into second when the transmission is cold. Once it's warmed up, it shifts a lot smoother. I also run redline d4.

[schecter7]

Do you guys hear some kind of fairly loud rattle/grind while shifting up into any gear over 2/3K rpm ? Is that normal too for this transmission?

[Bens1le]

Replace the cheap shitty oe clutch line with a one piece,route it well away from the convertors(too much heat)
Get the remote resorvoir kit, bleed it out with dot 4 fluid
Change the trans fluid to redline D4
And you'll thank me a million times over
Did my 1LE at 800 miles and it's been Perfect

[GONIF]

Mine has been smooth and slick , a real pleasure to up or downshift . I changed the fluid at 2000 miles to redline D4,and felt no difference . I do not baby the car ,so it has seen no lift shifts with no problems . Maybe I just got lucky .I have the GTO clutch res ,but haven't installed it yet . So mine is still as delivered ,and works great.

[schecter7]

Downshifting is fine as I can rev match perfectly. But for upshifting, something is not right. All my synchros/gears can't be bad from the factory. The rattle bugs me very much. I was told 'this is normal' once at the dealership, so I'm not going back there. Some people mentioned in other threads that it goes away once the fluid gets warm. But my experience is totally different. I don't hear any rattle actually when it's cold especially in the 70s (by Texas standard) or when I start the car in the morning till the transmission gets warm - the car shifts like a champ. But I hear the rattle in normal warm days when the temp is in the 90s or higher. I have tried all combinations - low/mid/high/redline shifting with slow/medium/fast clutch releases - no dice. It feels like this fluid/trans/clutch work together perfectly only for a narrow temp range

[shibbs]

Originally Posted by Melkor

Hey guys/gals,

I'm trying to figure out if this is normal or if it's just a bad synchro. When shifting from 1 to 2 (low or high RPMs) I have to REALLY hammer the shifter into second. It feels like there's a wall between neutral and 2nd.

Anyone else have this problem? Or a suggestion on what I should have checked? Is this totally normal?

Go talk to your dealer. There's a bulletin looking for Engineering Information on this issue right now.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=368069