Grinding shifts.

[miztigerszou52]

Noticing that shifting while the transmission is cold seems to be making a grinding sound along with having to apply more force to get it into the gears. Temps have been around 30 degrees lately and I was wondering if anyone else is having this issue?

[danems6]

switch out your tranny fluid is what im told for you cold weather guys.
sorry but im a socal guy so i wouldnt know for sure.

[speed23]

Get some synthetic tranny fluid that should help. It helped me.

[mr_mazda329]

Get the Ford Motorcraft syn tans oil. Member 08cosmic can testify

[miztigerszou52]

Thanks for the replies, I'll check the Motorcraft stuff out.

[Design]

Originally Posted by miztigerszou52 Noticing that shifting while the transmission is cold seems to be making a grinding sound along with having to apply more force to get it into the gears. Temps have been around 30 degrees lately and I was wondering if anyone else is having this issue?

Grinding trannys and cold temps are nothing out of the ordinary. Takes a good 5-7 minutes for the fluid to warm up and lubricate the gears. Even some of Honda's best transmissions (i.e. S2K) suffer from this problem. I guess the bigger question is... does the issue still occur when the transmission case is warm?

[mr_mazda329]

Originally Posted by Design Grinding trannys and cold temps are nothing out of the ordinary. Takes a good 5-7 minutes for the fluid to warm up and lubricate the gears. Even some of Honda's best transmissions (i.e. S2K) suffer from this problem. I guess the bigger question is... does the issue still occur when the transmission case is warm?

Correct sir. Even my Miatas gearbox is a little rough when cold. but is butter when it warms up. If your getting grinding while cold, you may be shifting to fast, not letting the synchros do their job. Its cold and take your time shifting. Don't be forceful while doing it. Slight pressure will get the job done.

[SnoXRacer183]

If it gets any colder you'll notice the clutch is stuck to the floor boards. It was -5 here last week and I felt like the clutch fluid had turned to molasses until the car warmed up.

[NYShooterGuy]

When I first stated driving mine in August '09 I found I was grinding gear 2nd into 3rd quite often. I have been driving a Manual Transmission for 18 years and was annoyed I kept grinding. As the weather got colder I cant remember the grinding getting worse or better. Now 9 months later, I cant remember the last time I ground any gear. Either I got to know my vehicle, or I ground off the edges! Ha!

[miztigerszou52]

Originally Posted by NYShooterGuy When I first stated driving mine in August '09 I found I was grinding gear 2nd into 3rd quite often. I have been driving a Manual Transmission for 18 years and was annoyed I kept grinding. As the weather got colder I cant remember the grinding getting worse or better. Now 9 months later, I cant remember the last time I ground any gear. Either I got to know my vehicle, or I ground off the edges! Ha!

Same resolution with mine finally. Had an '03 Mach 1 prior to the MS3 and the transmission had a total different feel to it. Once I got used to the new gearbox, all roughness I had experienced was gone. I still hope to go with the Motorcraft fluid whenever I have the time to change it.

[speedyspeed]

Indeed the synthetic fluid should help. I had an Evox before the Speed3, and the transmission feel is horrible stock. A common mod for us EVO guys was to switch out the tranny fluid and use aftermarket short shifters and bushings. I had a TWM setup in my car and I loved it. Solved 90% of my grinding issues before I changed my fluids.

[deyomatic]

Just curious, do we know for sure if that Ford stuff is good in the 2010s? For whatever reason, Mazda changed the fluid recommendation from 75w90 for the Gen1 to 75W80 in the Gen2s. That Ford stuff is 75W90 and someone mentioned the possiblitly that maybe Mazda might have found that something in the tranny would like the lighter oil, hence the change. The manual also specifies GL4...not sure if all we need is a GL4 or if the 75W80 is also important.

Just curious.

[HutcHJC]

Originally Posted by deyomatic Just curious, do we know for sure if that Ford stuff is good in the 2010s? For whatever reason, Mazda changed the fluid recommendation from 75w90 for the Gen1 to 75W80 in the Gen2s. That Ford stuff is 75W90 and someone mentioned the possiblitly that maybe Mazda might have found that something in the tranny would like the lighter oil, hence the change. The manual also specifies GL4...not sure if all we need is a GL4 or if the 75W80 is also important. Just curious.

I'm finding it damn near impossible to find ANY 75w80 Synthetic Gear Oil. Royal Purple, Redline, Mobil1, AMSOIL, Pennzoil, Motorcraft, none of them make a 75w80 Gear Oil.

Anyone find some?

[deyomatic]

The Red Line 70W80 website says that the 70W meets the specs of (among others) 75W, so it sounds like that stuff is what we'd need. I emailed Mazda the other day asking what they suggest because it seems like such a rare fluid, as well as pointing out that the fluid recommendation changed from Gen 1 to Gen 2, wondering if there was a change with the transmission internals or if they'd just reevaluated what is needed based on everyone hating the fluid from the Gen 1. I also asked if they recommend we use a friction modifier, like clutch style limited slip diffs use, just to put that to rest.

I'll post back when (or if) I hear back from them.

[HutcHJC]

Originally Posted by deyomatic The Red Line 70W80 website says that the 70W meets the specs of (among others) 75W, so it sounds like that stuff is what we'd need. ... I'll post back when (or if) I hear back from them.

I'm posted some Viscosity numbers of 75w90 and 75w80 oils in another thread. I saw the above info and added those #'s, too. They are very close to the only "true" 75w80 that I could find specs on.

I know #'s don't mean everything but these are based on Industry Testing Standards so should be some kind of indication.

The Redline 70w80 is very close to the 75w80 oil that I could find.

[deyomatic]

Well, both the email and hotline are USELESS for this info. After waiting a week with no reply to my email I called them this morning. I asked for a tech line or someone who could tell me the differences between the '06-'09 MS3 transmissions and the 2010s, and the rep just said that I'd need to call my local dealer. I'm pretty sure I know what a dealer will say,
"Use the fluid that your owner's manual recommends," and when you ask why it changed I'd be surprised if they know. I was hoping the email I sent would have made its way to their engineering Dept. somehow. Oh well. Maybe Redline MTL (70W80) it is.

[HutcHJC]

Originally Posted by deyomatic Oh well. Maybe Redline MTL (70W80) it is.

Keep us posted on whether this works for you. I'll be very interested in about 16,000 miles.

[deyomatic]

Well I just got off the phone with a technician at Redline. I told him that I have a 2010 MS3 and that the manual calls for 75W80- he was shocked because Mazda has always called for a 75W90. It was refreshing that he knew what he was talking about. I told him that we have no answers as to WHY it's different for 2010 but he confirmed what the website says, that their MTL 70W80 would be a good replacement for this oil.

I also asked him, since he was familiar with the vehicle, if it requires a friction modifier like clutch style diffs do, since there was an argument elsewhere on this board about it. He said that it would not, that making the fluid more slippery would only result in poorer shift quality. I just wanted confirmation- the manual says nothing about it, so I'm sure it isn't needed.

I still don't know how Mazda USA thinks that the technician or the service manager working in Hartford, CT or Manchester, NH or anywhere else is going to know that in May of 2009, for the 2010 models, the engineers in Hiroshima, Japan decided to use gears or synchronizers made from a different material or of a different shape requiring a lighter oil... Maybe I'm vastly underestimating the training that service techs get, but I imagine they know to look up the procedure to perform services and replace fluids, not necessarily WHY certain fluids are required and not others. Like I said, I may be wrong.

[HutcHJC]

Originally Posted by deyomatic ... I still don't know how Mazda USA thinks that the technician or the service manager working in Hartford, CT or Manchester, NH or anywhere else is going to know that in May of 2009, for the 2010 models, the engineers in Hiroshima, Japan decided to use gears or synchronizers made from a different material or of a different shape requiring a lighter oil... Maybe I'm vastly underestimating the training that service techs get, but I imagine they know to look up the procedure to perform services and replace fluids, not necessarily WHY certain fluids are required and not others. Like I said, I may be wrong.

Well, I've been trying to buy the 2010 MS3 Factory Service Manual and have been unsuccessful. I've been told that it's not available yet. Even their MazdaSpeed trained techs don't have them yet. This sounds like a lie to me but how the hell would I know? However, if the FSM isn't available to "anyone" how would they know unless TSBs were released to discuss the differences?

[deyomatic]

Technical Service Bulletin?...That's just crazy enough to work! Maybe the DO know.

[HutcHJC]

Originally Posted by deyomatic Technical Service Bulletin?...That's just crazy enough to work! Maybe the DO know.

Well, they do have to read them to do any good. Osmosis doesn't work for this shit. I know, it never worked for me either.

[bmfms3]

wow these forums are really helpful , canti magine asking the dealer for help