crunchy shifting - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Kingnod · 01-28-2005, 01:59 PM

i bought my MR2 about a month ago but its been crappy weahter so i havnet been able to really use her, but today i went out and noticed the 2nd and 3rd gear feel "crunchy or notchy" I was wondering if this is normal. If not should i throw in some redline, if so what kind. Thanks bros.

93 N/A 80k miles

JekylandHyde · 01-28-2005, 02:12 PM

Redline may help, but there are limits to everything.
The crunching from teh syncros wearing out and ultimately they will need to be replaced.

One of the biggest things you can do to lengthen the life of your synchros is do NOT touch your shifter except for the brief moment you shift! Resting your hand on the shifter wears the syncros ... I've gotten in the habit of resting my hand on the e-brake.

Kingnod · 01-28-2005, 02:20 PM

Well yeah i know they'd have to be replaced "eventually" but i had a 300ztt that had bad snychros, i mean they would grind every shift into 3rd, i threw redline in there and no more grinding, not even after 30k miles when the motor took a shit. I was just wondering if anyone uses redline in their 2s, if so what kind? The synchros aren't to the point of griding, yet, so id like to keep it that way since im still in college, full of debt! thanks again.

JekylandHyde · 01-28-2005, 03:13 PM

Redline MTL.

nato1012 · 01-29-2005, 11:53 AM

I have the same problem with going into 4rth. I am planning to use a synchro mesh tranny fluid..we'll see if it works..i read it somewhere that such a thing may help.

MitchB · 01-29-2005, 01:34 PM

Redline is merely OK. Synchromesh is IMMENSELY better (at fixing synchros). It fixes trannies that MT-90 won't (like my '91 N/A tranny). After Synchromesh replaced the MT-90, I could not crunch 3rd gear even when I slammed it into gear.

It takes time to do its job. Synchromesh apparently has to bond with the synchro metals before a full "healing" is achieved.

BTW, Pennzoil Synchromesh is half the price of GM Synchromesh.

Kingnod · 01-29-2005, 02:00 PM

Nice. Thanks for the info. Can i just go to a store and buy the synchromesh? Has anyone used it before?

MitchB · 01-29-2005, 03:32 PM

Autozone carries Pennzoil Synchromesh for $4.99/qt. USD.

If "anyone" doesn't already include myself, we've put the Pennzoil in at least three MR2 trannies with great success. Even the guy with the "horrible" problem had it get substantially better in a few hundred miles of driving. I could tell the difference in the first ride down the road.

Kingnod · 02-01-2005, 11:23 PM

MitchB,

Both the synchromesh products are for GM vehicles. Does this matter? Do you personally recommend one over the other?

Thanks

MitchB · 02-02-2005, 05:15 PM

All Synchromesh products should be the same, because years ago, GM put out a spec to numerous oil companies and five of them came back with products. The spec is proprietary, so it's not really obvious what the stuff is. Regardless, go with Pennzoil or Texaco or whatever you can get your hands on.

That said, my preference is only based on price.

As far as whether it "matters", many, many racers and mechanics swear by the stuff and they have been putting in trannies (even Porsche racers) and had excellent results.