99 Cavalier Z24 5 speed (isuzu) tranny, 320 000 km, with a fresh GM synchromesh fluid change still making noises.
It's making noises like I am not using the clutch to access 3rd gear, when in fact I am using the clutch. The noise is absent when I allow the RPM's to drop before shifting into 3rd gear or when I double clutch for 3rd gear. It sometimes does the same for second gear.
Any reasonable suggestions as to what the problem could be?
Thank you.
Maybe the synchro is worn? Do you "feel" a notchy effect vibration on the shifter when this happens?
------------------------------------
We all drive in a yellow Cavalier...
I would say yes to that question.
For some reason inbetween shifts my car likes to take it's time to drop the rpm's and that is when I am getting the noise from 3rd gear. When I take an extra second in between gears and allow the rpm's to decrease below 2000, the problem rarely occurs. It seems kind of strange because my driving habits have been the same for the last 5 years with this car and I started getting the noise a few weeks ago. I suppose I will have to adjust my habbits for my worn tranny rather than shell out some serious cash for repairs.
Should anyone else have other reasonable suggestions as to what I can check to resolve the problem, please let me know.
To follow-up, when stopped in my driveway, the shifter works great in and out of all gears. It is when my car is in motion, and with the criteria mentioned earlier, that the problem occurs. That should eliminate the potential for the shifter/linkage to be the problem.
Synchro wear is cumulative. You were probably wearing on that synchro for the last five years and it's got nothing left. Do you often downshift to 3rd to slow the car down (without double clutching)?
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
The only time I downshift to 3rd is to pass a vehicle, and that is rare. I usually use the brakes to slow the car down, unless I am on a very steep decline (rarely).
It is on the upshift that I started noticing the problem.
My car does the same thing, and has gotton pretty bad over time.
As far as what caused it.... it could be a lot of things, but the only way to fix it is to have the tranny rebuilt. Your snycros are stripped and grinding. Putting thicker oil in the gearbox can help, but the only way to fix it is to replace the syncros.
I've learned to drive my car that way until I can get it fixed (shiffting by RPM), it runs around $1200 to have my tranny rebuilt where I live.
Manual trannys are pretty simple, thats definatly what is wrong with yours, it really cant be anything else.
I put 80W90 GL-5 in my tranny and it helped a lot. You can also check and make sure your shift cables arn't loose, but it's a long shot.
I lubed the linkage (shift cables) under the center console and it seems to be better. I will keep you posted.
Andrew Gillan wrote:I lubed the linkage (shift cables) under the center console and it seems to be better. I will keep you posted.
And I lubed the base of the shifter as well.
I put 1500 km on my car since Friday, I am driving the car as I have been for the past 5 years, and there is no noise. I am thankful that I did not rush out and get the transmission repaired or replaced. The problem is RESOLVED.
