Well on Oct 4th I'm dropping my RA off at the dealer to see if they can smooth our my 1-2 shift. The mechanic seems to think it is streched out wires for the linkage and I honstley hope he is right. Personally I have this sinking feeling that it is the syncro and my car is going to be in the shop a long while. I tried syncroshif and it's a bit smoother but about every 10th 1-2 shift is a bit grindy and that isn't a encouraging feeling. Good part is that they have 4 tries or 30 days to fix it or I get a new car or a refund; got to love NY state lemon laws.

 

Search around the forums, the few other people who've had synchro problems on the RA were able to get them fixed relatively quickly.

 

The only time I have any trouble with shifting is when I'm trying to put it into first while still rolling. Most times, it goes right in, but sometimes it feels a little crunchy. I plan on putting in some GM Synchromesh, to see if it clears up.

Hope your dealer fixes you up.

 

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What is GM Synchromesh, where do you find this... and is it safe on the tranny?

I've got this 1st gear synchro prob. myself, so I'd like to try this...

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THERE IS NO SYNCRO ON 1ST GEAR.

Maybe that's the problem. Try double clutching with proper rev matching and you can get into first gear every time. It requires skill and attention. Some don't have it and would rather crunch gears and tear up the gear box and clutch.

BTW quantum, the culprit for your problem is very simple. Shifting quickly from 1st to 2nd will cause a dead syncro very quickly if you do this frequently. 1st and 2nd gear have the largest gap between each other than any of the other gears. Speed shifting that gear is not a good idea unless you are barreling down a 1/4 mile track you just paid to use. If that's not the case then I am mistaken. But now you know what not to do reguardless.

 

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So there is no synchro on 1st gear? I didn't know that... Why is that? And is this common to all manual trannys?

It's a quite bizarre engineering decision considering that 1st gear is just another gear you need to get into while the car (and gears) is (are) moving... so why not synch it too?

Well, that explains a lot about why I couldn't get the damn thing to engage at any speeds but almost completely stopped...


BTW: You do have a natural talent to make people feel like idiots... I know it worked on me anyway...

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It doesn't matter how fast I shift I've tried crawling through the shift and still it did it.

 

I must tell you that I've been through it all. Mitsu had to replace my synchro, collor and dog teeth for the second gear. As MITSURALLIART said, this tranny does not like to shift fast from 1st to 2nd. take your time or its your tranny. I've had mine rebuilt and now I know to take it easy. trust me, the parts are VERY hard to come buy so you might lose your car for a while.

 

how many miles to you guys have before the probs started up? I have about 3500 miles and havnt had any such probs.....and I learned to drive stick on this car! I drive pretty hard regularly, but try to meet a nice medium between aggressive and reserved shifting.

 

...read your manual. You shouldn't be in first unless you're stopped or VERY close to it - any type of rolling and you can still accelerate from 2nd without issue.

 

It sure feels like there's a synchro on it. My '93 Talon has a synchro on 1st gear, why would Mitsubishi make a tranny without a synchro on 1st gear, when every other gear but reverse has one? I suppose you took yours apart to find out just so you could roll your eyes at me?

That's what I do. I downshift into 1st just as I'm coming to a stop. Sometimes I'm already stopped, sometimes still (barely) rolling.

 

Well I brought it in a couple days ago and got it back the same as it was. the dealer said that they could barely feel anything and that I have to wait for it to get worse. I don't know how it could get any worse or why they would want it to. Anyway, I have a question for everybody about how they shift I have had the car in 3 times and they say they can't feel it and though I doubt it's my shifting I guess I'll ask here how everyone else shifts out of first and into second. Currently I push the clutch to the floor and take my foot off the gas, then I pull the shifter out of 1st and staying at approximatly the same angle I go into second, I'm guessing I take about a tenth of a sec to shift and the grind is just as I enter the gate. I not quite sure how to describe the grind, it's not like a full out "clutch isn't in, grinding the gears grind"; it's like I can feel the dog collar going into the gear through the shifter. Any ideas? I'm so ticked I almost feel like taking the loss and getting myself a 2.5rs (I know it's not as fast, but I'm getting maried next year and a nice safe awd subaru is looking better).

 

i have felt that two or three times in my car. is it happening when you put the stick into the 2nd gear position, not when you let the clutch out, right?

what if you try and slow down your shifting. does it still happen? I think our transmition shares the same synchro in 1st and 2nd gear (2 sides of the same synchro). but, since you only use 1st from a stop, you wouldnt notice any probs in 1st. you could have damaged the synchro collar barring. This would make the synchro kinda get 'stuck' while trying to engage 2nd. would be hard to have damaged this, but its happened to others.

EDIT: Woops, they cant 'share'; synchors, caus 1st doesnt have one. i am not sure how or why they used this design, but it makes things really confusing. either way, the synchro for 2nd may still be damaged. this makes the theory a bit more senseable, beucase u have no probs in 1st

take the techs from your dealership for a spin and show them. let them drive and see what they do to prevent it. if all else fails, go to a diff dealer. btw, how many miles do you have?

good luck!

 

yes it happens when i am putting it in gear. It still happens even when I move slow. I have had the dealer look at it 3 times, and I have 9000 miles.

 

OK, first I have about 6, 500 miles on my baby. I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO SHIFT in this car. I have no problem with it. I have had this car since Mid April 2004.

What I noticed is when I shift from 1st to 2nd, you have to give it some good gas and clutch off. I revv to about 1500-1800 and clutch off, thus I get a nice and smooth take off.

For you that doesn't know or knew already, our 1st gear is not synch'ed. So if you're moving do not try to put it in first gear. I did it a couple of times (7), but who's counting? I did not run into any grindings.

What I also noticed too is shifting. Our ralliart is sensitive. I am not the best shifter but I can shift without my passengers bobbing their head so hard. The secret is real easy, I literally have to step into the clutch all the way, put it into gear and ease off the clutch.