While flushing my transmission fluid today, I found this stuck to the magnetic plug. Any idea what it could be? The car drives fine. 155k on the odometer, clutch was replaced 20k ago my my mechanic.

 

Looks like part of a gear tooth. How often do you change transmission fluid?

 

I try and flush my transmission and diff every 15k-20k

 

aftermarket magnetic plug?

 

That looks very similar to what I found in my transmission. Mine ended up being teeth from second gear.

 

Yes, a Spoon plug.

My 2nd gear grinds, albeit rarely. I'm guessing this is it. Did you replace the gear?

 

OUCH!

 

Isn't gear grind the syncros, not the gear teeth? I wouldn't expect grind into 2nd to be associated with bad 2nd gear teeth.

Gears don't mesh and unmesh, they stay engaged all the time. Its the syncros that mesh and unmesh, so any grinding felt during shifting is from syncros engaging at different speeds.

 

I'd imagine if it's a gear tooth, you would feel a rythmic, consistent thumping in whichever gear it came from.

The transmission has a large internal magnet with an attached metal collection tray, it is only accessible by splitting the transmission case. There are likely other pieces sitting in the collection tray.

I have on many occasions, opened up the trans and replaced only second gear and the mainshaft, and there was no other damage. The collection tray does a fantastic job in collecting the pile of teeth from the gears, preventing further damage.

 

What leads to second gear failure?