You're experiencing 3rd gear grind because you're used to the shifter gates of your Audi. Remember that the S2000 shifter is very short, even shorter than a short shift kit for your Audi.
Sorry to say this but you'll soon discover that all Audi shifters feel rubbery, long, and imprecise compared to your S2000.

 

Congratulations,

The third gear grind is a new one to me as well. Try floating through neutral.

I have had the car since October 99 and have not had any issues regarding the HID lights on the unfriendly streets of Boston.

See you around town!

 

Some answers:

Yes, that's a prominent Commonwealth sticker on my trunk lid. I'll go out to the garage with a hair drier and some floss before noon.

The HIDs on this car seem to throw a beam further and higher then those on the S4. Maybe it's just an illusion of height, but the S4 has a completely different beam pattern. It's not as wide, it's shorter and it's angeled more toward the road. At the same distance, let's say 20 yards, the S2K lights up the trunk of a car in front of me, while the S4's beam would only reach so far as the road behind the rear tires. As the lights are OEM, they automaticaly become SEP; I just feel bad that it's an issue at all.

SilverSurfer: It's definately a killer combo One has oodles of torque, space and comfort, the other you need to rev high, has space for 2 bags and rides stiff. Even though they're so different, I love both of them. Also, you let your gf/wife drive the S4? You should be banished from Audiworld - we don't like whipped drivers like you (just kidding) She was actualy in her own car and I was following her down the road.

As for the 3rd gear grind, maybe I'm releasing the clutch too early or something, but it definately doesn't feel like it. I get the stick into the gate without a problem or hesitation, it just sometimes grinds when I do it. I'll try to pick out the exact timing when it happens as hopefully it's only me.

 

S4 Mike,

Congrats on getting the S2K.

As far as the 3rd gear grind, some of us feel a little kick back occasionaly when going into third gear, but none of us have a grind. When I go into 3rd gear, my shifter sometimes kicks back a little before going in. I think the grind might be because your letting go of the clutch too early.

 

I went driving some more today during my lunch brake (man is this car addictive) and tried to focus on my shifts. The gear grind I thought I was hearing before is more of a "stick" grind, where putting the car into 3rd is very notchy and something grinds, but not the transmission. So does this "kickback" get better with time or is this how my car was built and it'll always be there?

Actualy I have another question. I noticed the carpet on the driver side near the door sill is cut, about a rectangular piece 1" wide, 2" long, right before the floor mat. Is this normal? Seems like a shoddy piece of engineering in my mind.

 

Yes she does drive the S4. In fact she calls it her baby, even though she didnt want me to get it in the first place. Oh well. I prefer driving the S2K. But like you I love driving both cars. and yes i am whipped...sorry I have been over to audiworld and have a hard time with the format over there.

 

I've got about 5,000 miles on my 2000 S2000 and I have always had a little notch or
click feeling when shifting into third. Didn't have the 1-2 grind. I don't think the notch thing is a problem. It goes into third fine and fast when needed just feels funny. If I double clutch
when passing through neutral there is no notch feel. Doesn't do it when down shifting.

 

Mike,

The 3rd gear notchiness goes away after a while, but never completely. I still get it on accasion, but it's not as bad as when I first had the car.

The carpet might be cut for the post used by the floormat. If you look at the stock floormats, you'll norice a grommet in it. A post is put underneath the carpet. The carpet has to be cut so the post can fit. The floormat grommet is then placed over this post to keep it from moving around. I've heard that the carpet comes pre-cut from the factory. I haven't checked my car for this yet, but I think others have.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by S4 Mike
[B]I went driving some more today during my lunch brake (man is this car addictive) and tried to focus on my shifts. The gear grind I thought I was hearing before is more of a "stick" grind, where putting the car into 3rd is very notchy and something grinds, but not the transmission.

 

I guess you may as well classify me as "whipped" too then

 

I found 3rd to be a tad difficult as well. I've not experienced any grinding but I do experience resistance (at times and at slower speeds) as if the syncs aren't in alignment. My solution was to move the seat on notch to ensure I don't do a lazy clutch and instead fully engage it to the floor; and secondly, a tad slower hand shift. Seems to work for me.