^ Good point, maybe I should look into doing this before I make any further moves. I have a hard time understanding why a transmission would need its fluid changed at 30k miles, but who knows. Is the $140 including infiniti fluid? Seems like a low price compared to other stories I've heard. I suppose I need to do some research..

 

Yes it includes the fluid. I don't think it holds as much fluid as the automatics so that may be the reason for the discrepancies, along with the fact the Automatic price is for drain and flush.

 

gear oil develops acids and additive packs deteriorate over time. my toyota tundra calls for rear diff oil change every 30k as well. there is also a build up of small metal flakes that should be removed and seals depend on good quality oil to keep from leaking.

30K interval is a PITA, but it will probably help keep the car running longer and save you money in the long run.

another things to consider is your shift linkage may be out of adjustment or need lube. the dealer should be able to help you with that as well.

mine has done the 1st to 2nd grind once or twice in the 2 years i've owned. i try not to speed shift until the car and tranny are fully warmed up. note that a manual transmission only warms from friction (unlike an auto which circulates fluid through the radiator to warm up to operating temp quickly and dissapate heat while towing) and so can take a long time to warm up on a cold day.

 

Definitely change out the mtf. Always start with the fluid, you'd be surprised what a difference it makes in overall shifting in addition to getting rid of the cold weather grind. If you can find a good independent mechanic, the change should be well below $140. And they can check your shift linkage as well.

 

or DIY for only $40 in OEM nissan fluids!

 

My car used to do the same thing here in california during the cold rainy winter but now it seems to be fine, i also did change out the tranny fluid and noticed it got smoother, my rule of thumb is to wait a few minutes before driving, and before i take off i clutch in and give it a nice run through the gears while i'm parked just to lubricate it up, i could be wrong but hey an extra 5 minutes of my time for peace of mind is worth it.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, I'll change the fluid & lube the linkage and see where I'm at. When I was at the dealer recently I'm pretty sure they quoted me $299 for the trans fluid change, which is far off from $140. I'll have to check further into it. (this is one thing I'd prefer to have the dealer do)

 

^why waste money at the dealer? any local mechanic can do this for super cheap you can easily save over $150 here just save the receipt for the original nissan MTF oil and mechanics receipt for service and you should have no problems down the road, for MT's its a simple drain and fill that ANY mechanic can do properly there is no hidden secret to it.

Its your decision obviously but im just letting you now in case you want save a few $$

 

Bump...

Any updates? I'm also have the occasional 1-2 clunk on my 6mt. When it gets colder sometimes you have to double clutch or play with the shifter to get it into 2nd gear. They say it's a common issue with Infiniti but I think I may need a new transmission?

I changed my Manual Transmission Fluid and Differential Fluid a week ago with Amsoil and it didn't help much.

I would highly recommend sticking with OEM Manual Transmission Fluid. A lot of people have reported that they went back to OEM Transmission fluid and the gearbox felt smoother. I might dump the brand new Amsoil fluids and put in some Nissan OEM.