Hi,
It seems like my 2nd and 3rd gear grinds a little when i shift the car a lil bit quicker than a normal shit. I heard that his is normal for the S2000, did i hear right ? It seems like I have to press the clutch all the way down and count to 1 before shifting in order to get a smooth shift, if i try to do it quicker its like i'm trying to jam the gear into my synchros. I drive this car the same as how I drive my RSX Type S, but the RSX does not do it. I was told that his is normal for an S2000, thats how the car is, it feels like its grinding, but thats just a feeling. I'm kinda not liking how it shifts. Anyone got some input in this ? Should i take it back to the dealership just in case this is some defect ?

 

It's not normal for MY02....at least not for mine. The only times I've ever had grinding was when I tried to get too cute and let the clutch out too soon. But I'm sure you'll hear from lots of others who maintain it's chronic.

You need to either give the synchros time to do their thing, or else keep the revs up a little when you're going into gear -- especially when the car is cold. If it's that bothersome, then go ahead and have the dealer look at it -- assuming that it happens often enough that you can demonstrate it to them.

Do you notice any difference whether the car is warm or cold?

 

hmmmm....take her back to the dealship

 

Although it may still be a possibility that there is something abnormal about your car, I'm thinking that it may just be that you need to get more used to the way this tranny works. Since we don't know what your overall shifting skills are, it is quite difficult over the internet to declare that there is something wrong with your car based on what you have said.
I am of the contention that it's not how fast you shift. It's how you shift fast. If you "ram" your shifter into gear with this car, it is more likely to grind or be more notchy. If you shift in a "2 phase" motion, you might find that the shifting becomes more precise. By this, I mean to move your shifter to the point where the synchros begin to do their work. Pause momentarily to "introduce" yourself to them before continuing on into the next gear. This is not a long, drawn out affair like it might sound. It can be done in a split second.
If you search out an earlier thread by "woodwork", he explains this whole thing about that slight "pause" to help your shifting this car. Woodwork is one of the main mechanic dudes with Honda America and he sometimes graces us with his knowledge on all sorts of things.
Also, shifting is a fine balance between clutch, throttle and shifter action. You must coordinate all of it. You have to also learn to instinctively know where the shift gates are and how to use the shifter's detent springs to find those gates.

 

I do not understand if this is a new behavior for the car at 1600 miles or one that is still there at this point. If it's new, is it possibly related to cold weather?

My '03 has about 1200 miles on it. The shift to third gear was never smooth for the first 300 miles, going up or down. From 300 to 1000 miles, it was usually pretty smooth once the transmission warmed up a bit. Now it's usually smooth even driving off from being parked overnight. I have just assumed that this is a matter of things wearing in a little. However, all other five gears have been smooth from day one. Do I have a problem?

I am confused about whether the transmission design changed in '02 to include a triple synchro cone on third as well as second. I have heard it both ways. Can anyone clear this up, please?

 

Crabby Guy, this tranny is not like most others out there. This is the 3rd 6-speed tranny I've owned and the previous two were nothing like this one nor were they like each other. The S's tranny is a very closely spaced (gated) design. This can take a bit of getting used to. It may be in fact, that things are wearing in a bit. After all, it's a machine and this would not be out of the ordinary. I could also be that you are getting used to it and getting better at working it. From your description, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I don't think you have a problem.
It can definately be related to cold temps but then, you live in California. How cold can it get?
On the synchro thing - don't know.

ps. So far on this board, you haven't sounded like much of a "crabby guy". What gives?

 

 

My S doesn't make noise, but I can feel the bumping on the shifter if I don't use the 2 phase shift mentioned earlier. For some reason, only 2nd needs this added attention....also downshifting into 1st.

It may be in my head, but I really think the car shifts easier in weather above 40 or 50.

I have had my car for 6 months now and would rate myself a '4' in terms of S driving capability. This car is unlike 99% of the other sportscars on the road. I think it take a lot of getting used to.

 

Downshifting into 1st is a whole other scenario. The 1st gear "blocker ring" is there on purpose to make shifting into 1st "hard" above a certain speed (safety feature). I'm sure you have (or will) discover that as the car gets more miles that you will be able to do this downshift from a higher and higher speed with the same amount of effort. Don't force this shift but rather apply constant, not too firm pressure on the stick as the car slows down. It will "let" you shift into 1st when it's good and ready. However, if you need to shift it into 1st before it's good and ready, a "double clutch rev matching" downshift will do the trick. Just make sure that the rpm's you end up at is NOT going to go over redline! So know what your top speed is in 1st and don't do this downshift till your speed is below this (OR YOU'LL BE SOOOORRY).
In general, I don't bother with putting the car into 1st till it has almost come to a complete stop.

 

I have a 02' as well and thought I have the grind, but it came out to be my driving style. Get used to the clutch and the tranny, more practice should get rid of the grind.

gary