And yes, I did a search and read all I could. I have '02 that feels like it "grinds" some goin into second, its the only gear it does it in goin from 1-2. Its a quick "grind" but could this be notching (whatever the hell that is?)

Im actually waiting for a call from Dealership I jus got car from to talk to them. I read about the GM syncromesh fluid that I may change. At first I thought it may be driver error til I read the posts and drove the car to be conscience of how I drive. I know its not me. Oh well. Jus wondering.

 

Notchy is where you feel the mechanical aspect of moving the shifter and the gears, Grinding is where there is a mismatch in the gears and the 2 moving parts don't mesh properly so they grind against each other until the go into gear.

Notchy is tactile and nothing is hurt. Grinding leaves little metal pieces in your gears.

The GM FRICTION MODIFIED stuff is truly amazing. I have always swapped fluids as a precautionary act but never really felt a difference. The GM stuff is the first time I could ever feel an improvement.

Hardtop guy is the cheapest on the GM stuff

 

To get a better idea of "grinding" ............................
Go to your workshop and get your saw - a wood saw or hack saw will do, make sure it's an old one you don't care much about. Hold the saw with teeth pointed upwards. Take another metal object and place it at one end of the saw blade teeth and rapidly draw it to the other end. Get the idea?

 

Notchy can also be described as 'crunchy' as well. It is a feeling a few inches down from where the shifter meets the leather, it is the syncros or bushings not working perfectly. Grinding is unmistakable, it can be quite starteling the first time you do it. It does permanent damage to the interals of the transmission, and is caused when the gears of the transmission aren't aligned properly, such as the clutch not fully depressed, engine speed and transmission speed not matching, etc.

On my old 300zx twin turbo, sometimes the shift from 3rd to 4th would scratch even if I shifted perfectly. That was 12 years of occasionally grinding from the PO's.

 

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