Manual Tranny Question

[Spapster]

I have been meaning to ask but i keep forgeting. When it is really cold outside like in the single digits my shifter barely moves until the car is warmed up. I have had manuals before but i have never had one in such cold weather before so i don't know if it's ok that fluid thickens up like that. Thanks

 

[Mike R]

I have been meaning to ask but i keep forgeting. When it is really cold outside like in the single digits my shifter barely moves until the car is warmed up. I have had manuals before but i have never had one in such cold weather before so i don't know if it's ok that fluid thickens up like that. Thanks

I don't know how good it is for the tranny, but with the fluid they use it's not surprising. I have Mobil 1 synthetic 75-90 gear oil and mine still needs to be warmed up. Always feels like 3 is grinding when it's cold. Might try redline mt-90.

 

[Spapster]

Cool. It's weird 'cuz i had my clutch changed for that TSB right before winter and i don't remember it doing it last winter with the old clutch. Yeah mine feels like it grinds in second and it's sometimes impossible to get it into reverse.

 

[Mike R]

If it's really cold, mine is almost impossible to shift. I have to warm it up for at least 5 minutes.

 

[acidbug]

Same here..It's best to let the car warm up..before doing any drving..especailly when dealling w/ single digit weather!

Hey even my clutch gets tough when it's really cold outside!

Chas

 

[elfhearse]

Most FWD trannies use the Redline MTL or MT90... 75/90 gear oil would be pretty thick and do nasty things in the long run.

 

[biglarr420]

we don't have that problem in Florida (laugh)

 

[Spapster]

we don't have that problem in Florida (laugh)

That's funny 'cuz when i was in Florida two weeks ago it was like 60F out and people were complaining about the winter weather!!

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Hey Spapster. Its just the single digit weather mine does the same thing. If you notice event he brakes feel kinda stiff for a moment, till the car warms up.

 

[RiceWagon25]

I had the same problems as Spapster, got so bad I had to let my car idle for an hour one morning before I could move the shifter, it was -34C and the shifter was frozen in place! Anyways I discovered that the fluid was toast after 62000km's the car has only been raced at the track once, and the clutch was replaced as per the TSB almost a year ago, so I was quite surprised taht the fluid ha gone bad already. I just recently replaced it with Redline MT-90, and the problem is solved. I can't believe I lived with my tranny being so bad for so long!

 

[charles]

Yeah I even have this problem in "cold" California where it doesn't want to slip into 1st, even at low speeds, both in the WRX and Protege.

Get Redline, or check your manual to see if you can use ATF.

 

[Mike R]

Most FWD trannies use the Redline MTL or MT90... 75/90 gear oil would be pretty thick and do nasty things in the long run.

75/90 is equivalent to MT-90, at least that's what was on the bottle...

 

[elfhearse]

75/90 is equivalent to MT-90, at least that's what was on the bottle

You are correcto, I misread the first post.... 75/90 GEAR oil would be bad. (I use the Redline 75/90 Gear oil in the rear diff of my "other" car)

MT-90 is 75/90 manual transmission oil, GL-4

MP5 manual requires API GL4 or GL-5 75W/90 - 2.83 US qts.

 

[Mike R]

Woohoo, I actually was right..LOL.

Nice "other" car elf.

 

[03 P5]

Yeah I even have this problem in "cold" California where it doesn't want to slip into 1st, even at low speeds, both in the WRX and Protege.

Get Redline, or check your manual to see if you can use ATF.

Sometimes my car dont even want to go into first at all!! (strike)

 

[mcstark]

Same problem here...although now that it's a little warmer it shifts like when I test drove it. Very slick with just a hint of notchiness and very little effort to move.

I'm definitely going synthetic in everything come the Spring.

 

[elfhearse]

I plan on changing to Redline MT-90 soon, should eliminate most of the "notchiness". Check out the Performance forum thread on it...