So I literally just purchased an Evo X, a 2014. I went to throw it in reverse when I got home, and apparently it was not engaged all the way, so when I went to give it revs I heard the infamous buzz/grind. I quickly popped it out of gear and tried it again, thankfully getting it in this time (that's what she said).

I understand that the evo x gsr 5 spd tranny has existing notchiness issues, so I suppose I'll just have to learn the transmission, but I'm wondering as to its resiliency. Did I damage anything in the gear box with that grind? A little bummed cause I just bought this thing and I already ****ing grinded the damn box. Im reading that there is no true reverse gear in our cars, but rather a combination of 1st and 3rd gear.

Any advice on how to prevent this in the future? Should I use specific gear oil to make engagements better?

 

nah, it happened to both of my evo x when they were brand new, both gsr btw. i remember parallel parking into a spot next to my church and grrrrrr as i eased off the clutch in reverse. unfortunately its "normal" at very low mileage from my experiences and other friends who got new evos. just ease into gear as much as you can til everything fully breaks in. your tranny needs to break in also just like your engine.

 

as far as transmission oil, you should change it after the first 5k. it will help with the notchiness problem. if you ever find reverse hard to get into, put it into 1st, then reverse.

 

I'm sure you're fine...I taught a 20 year old girl how to drive stick on my X once (I've made better decisions in my lifetime for sure), and she grinded the hell out of it more than a few times. 15k miles later everything's still all good...

I've gotten into the habit of going through all the gears (1st through 5th) at least twice right after I start my car and it's been idling for a few seconds. Just put the clutch in while you're parked and its warming up and shift through all the gears a couple times. Seems to help with the notchiness once you get on the road, and it won't fight you so hard when you go for reverse.

 

Still breaking it in. But dang even a '14 still has this issue? Like others said you're definitely better off putting it in a forward gear before reverse. I have a '05 and I find myself doing this more than often.

Sometimes I don't and either it's stiff or grinds and people give you the stare, the"just get your license?" stare.

 

Totally normal, damn reverse does that, i've done it a few times too, it does help to put it into 1st like endgame said, or just do it twice to reverse, usually the second time works

 

Did the same thing on my 13'. Wasn't all the way in gear (reverse), let out clutch, gave gas..... sounded like a bunch of marbles in a metal bucket.

 

It happened again this morning! Shiet. Im not a newbie to manual transmissions, I've been driving them for over 10 years now. Hell, my old 240sx had more confident engagement than this gear box! Only 80 miles on the ***** and already grinded reverse twice.

Whats this redline cocktail people speak of? Any recommendations I can do NOW to prevent further damage to the tranny? I'm mainly concerned about eating these syncrhos and ****ing up the teeth on the gears so early in the break in process.

I'm not used to the engagement so when I think I'm in, I'm not really in, so it's hard to know when you're truly in (thats what she said).

 

ive seen many many cars and trucks grind reverse and or have a hard time getting into reverse without going into another gear first. if you don't think its in all the way simply go to first then reverse or hold it in reverse and keep pressure on it while very slowly letting the clutch out and the it will slide it.

 

Reverse is just a seperate gear on the third shaft, because of this, that shaft never lines up if you are trying to get into reverse when either the car is sitting still or moving at a different speed than the engine, like rolling back down a driveway.

I typically hold the shifter in the reverse slot, then lightly let the clutch out til i feel it fully engage, then proceed to add gas. I typically have to do this 50% of the time and especially in the morning when the car is cold.

This will save those reverse synchros.

another note- the reverse shift fork has plastic guides on them, and they give it a mushy feel- so does 5th gear. that's why they never feel as crisp as 1-4 gear shifts.