Rough Shifts when cold...???
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Junior User
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Rough Shifts when cold...???
I noticed when i start driving my truck while it is cold and not warmed up, it is really rough when shifting, but when it is warm, it shifts nice and smooth.
What causes this? The tranny fluid being cold?
1994 supercab xl 4x4 3.0 stick shift with 166,000 miles.
What causes this? The tranny fluid being cold?
1994 supercab xl 4x4 3.0 stick shift with 166,000 miles.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Rough as in just kind of hard to get into gear, or rough as in it grinds? When the tranny fluid is cold it can make it hard to shift. How long has it been since the fluid was changed? I noticed an improvement after changing mine. Also, do you hold the clutch in or do you put the truck in neutral and let the clutch out while it warms up? Putting in neutral will let the guts of the tranny spin with the engine and warm it up quicker by at least getting fluid moving around.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Aurora
Sounds like your syncros are gummed up. When she warms up, the gum softens. It's probably been a while since it's been changed as Zach suggested. Have you owned it since new or how long, and have you ever changed it. It's a rugged little gear box and I've heard people who've described the old fluid comming out like lumpy tar. This after they complained about a little difficult shifting. After flushing, they seemed just fine. Someone on the board may be able to suggest a detergent or it may just be as simple as changing it a couple of time over the next few thousand miles to clean her up.
Good luck
Fred
Good luck
Fred
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Originally Posted by fflintstone
Sounds like your syncros are gummed up. When she warms up, the gum softens. It's probably been a while since it's been changed as Zach suggested. Have you owned it since new or how long, and have you ever changed it. It's a rugged little gear box and I've heard people who've described the old fluid comming out like lumpy tar. This after they complained about a little difficult shifting. After flushing, they seemed just fine. Someone on the board may be able to suggest a detergent or it may just be as simple as changing it a couple of time over the next few thousand miles to clean her up.
Good luck
Fred
Good luck
Fred
I have a 2000 3.0L 5spd stick, and I have the hard to shift problem when cold too?
I changed the trany fluid about two weeks ago and I didn't notice any improvement, now when truck it's warm I have no complaints shifts just fine and smooth, I don't think cold fluid got nothing to do with the hard shifting
in my side of town it's only in the low 60s at night that's not a freezing temp!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
You can check to see if the synchros are "gummy" as Fred said. Remove the fill plug and you can look straight in it at one of the gears and clearly see it and the synchro. It will either be nicely metallic or obviously dirty. Check your fluid while you're there, check if it smells burnt and is still maroon.
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Originally Posted by RangerPilot
You can check to see if the synchros are "gummy" as Fred said. Remove the fill plug and you can look straight in it at one of the gears and clearly see it and the synchro. It will either be nicely metallic or obviously dirty. Check your fluid while you're there, check if it smells burnt and is still maroon.
I just changed the fluid, it shouldn't be brown right?
The gummy thing I'll check within a few months when I change it again.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
No. It shouldn't be. It should go in that real pure maroon color and come out at least reddish or maroonish, not brown.
JeremyJ, I'd say it's nothing to worry about unless it's to the point of not shifting, then you do have a problem.
JeremyJ, I'd say it's nothing to worry about unless it's to the point of not shifting, then you do have a problem.
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Senior User
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Hard shifting
I still have a hard shifting, and sometimes a slight grind from 2nd to 3rd when shifting fast in a high throttle?
I had changed the fluid about 800 miles ago and when drained it looked old dark, can't really remember its color but it wasn't reddish more like red dark almost black, can someone recommend a cleaner or a better fluid?
Last time I filled the trany with Valvoline Max Life Decron/Mercon3,the grinding only happens when shifting fast from 2nd to 3rd, it's like if I didn't depress the clutch fully ol the way, when shifting easy I don't feel the grinding, strange that slow shifting doesn't grind at all?
I bleed the slave, so for some reason the clutch isn't moving fast enough when I depress the clutch it needs more time holding the clutch pedal down to obtain a smother shifting?
I had changed the fluid about 800 miles ago and when drained it looked old dark, can't really remember its color but it wasn't reddish more like red dark almost black, can someone recommend a cleaner or a better fluid?
Last time I filled the trany with Valvoline Max Life Decron/Mercon3,the grinding only happens when shifting fast from 2nd to 3rd, it's like if I didn't depress the clutch fully ol the way, when shifting easy I don't feel the grinding, strange that slow shifting doesn't grind at all?
I bleed the slave, so for some reason the clutch isn't moving fast enough when I depress the clutch it needs more time holding the clutch pedal down to obtain a smother shifting?
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Aurora
I keep reading that the slave can be a pain. Sounds like the clutch isn't fully disenguaging Cadriver. May still be some air in there or the slave needs replacing. Hopefully, somebody with more experiense with bleeding the clutch will chime in soon. Sorry I can't be more help
Fred
Fred
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My local mechanic told me to run the truck for another 1000 miles or so and replace the trany fluid one more time to clean all the crap from the trany, and he also said the problem is common in the Mazdas trany when grinds only in the same gear in my case from 2nd to 3rd gear, he said no big deal just drive the truck it's just an small problem that isn't gonna brake anytime soon, so if you guys have a similar problem and don't want to waste in unnecessary trany repairs, just get used to it, isn't too bad mine grinds once an a wile not every time, I guess a trany rebuild must be very expensive, I had a weird noise in my other 2.3l ranger trany and my shop also told me not to worry, they said the trany can last many many more miles, and he was right I still have the same noise in the trany after 60k more miles and still running with a total of 165k miles on the 94 Ranger 2.3l. in these Ranger trucks If you keep looking for tiny problems you will find them.
BTW, how can I know when the water pump it's going bad? What kind of sound does it make, try explain it to me the best you can. Thanks.
BTW, how can I know when the water pump it's going bad? What kind of sound does it make, try explain it to me the best you can. Thanks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Won't make much of a sound. If you hear a squeeling it's a bearing going out normally, you can teast that out by using an old school mechanic's stethoscope...a screwdriver near each of the pulleys when the engine is running. Touch it on the block near a pulley and it'll amplify the noise quite nicely (don't believe me...touch it to an injector...man those things are loud).
There is a weeping hole on the water pump that will leak fluid if it's going bad, check it out. The other form of water pump failure, which would be a worn out impeller, wouldn't produce a noise, which leads me to believe your bearing is going out on one of your accessories or your idler.
There is a weeping hole on the water pump that will leak fluid if it's going bad, check it out. The other form of water pump failure, which would be a worn out impeller, wouldn't produce a noise, which leads me to believe your bearing is going out on one of your accessories or your idler.