hey guys. i've posted on this before about my clutch and i thought it was shot but i think i've figured out what it is. my second gear grinds A LOT especially when it's cold out but i noticed today when i'm in first and then put it in neutral and then put it into second it doesn't grind. although it is a little stiff. when i'm in first and shift right down to second it does grind (not every time though, and happens less and less the more the car warms up) do you guys think it's my synchros that are bad?

 

I'm assuming from your screenname that you have an '04. If so, this is a bit of a known issue, later year trannies went to more advanced synchros to minimize this issue (triple cone synchros or something like that). Changing to a synthetic tranny fluid may help, but the most important help will be to be sure to depress the clutch ALL the way to the floor in between your 1-2 shift, and to "time" the shift so the synchros don't have to work as hard. Don't slam it quickly from 1-2, because the synchros will have to work to slow down the layshaft to engage 2nd. On the other hand, don't wait too long to shift while the clutch is depressed, because the layshaft will slow down too much and then the synchros have to try to speed it back up as you engage 2nd (this is normally what my wife does when she drives a manual trans). There's a lot of "finesse" to driving a manual tranny, the driver is even more important than the tranny design.

--Bryce

 

usually when my gears grind i just stop exactly where i am to see if it's actually me grinding the gears but my clutch is always to the floor. so you think that its probably the synchros? i think that inifiniti said they would replace those under warranty, but i'm not positive.

 

If they're going to replace under warranty, then go get it replaced!

 

wait. do you work at infiniti? would you be able to tell me if they replace the synchos?

 

You tell me; I'm just re-iterating what you said.

Synchros are a wear and tear item.

 

03-04 MT trans had issue with synchro. It was a widespread problem with G's an Z's. Dealer replaced transmission + clutch under warranty. Search, i'm sure there's 9 million posts about it.

 

not always. i work at a dealership and know people a Mission Viejo Infiniti. I have the same problem on my 04 g. Get it to happen on a test drive and your set. If not then "its your clutch"

 

I have the same problem going into 3rd.. Has anyone ever replaced the synchro's themself? Is there a way to adjust it?

 

Luckily, new sychros are cheap... Unluckily, opening up the tranny isn't...

Unless the service is free, you might as well replace the gear along with as many synchros as possible at the same time.