DMB14

Sometimes when I shift from 1st to 2nd gear it will feel like I've done it right but it turns out it's caught like half way to 2nd. When I use the throttle it acts like it's in neutral and then when I try to put it in gear there's a lot of grinding. It doesn't grind if I let the revs fall to below 2K or so, and during all this I'm pissing off the people behind me.

What's the problem here? It's also ground into 1st a couple of times.

V2Rocket

Grinding into first from a stop? Or while moving? Once you get going over 10MPH it gets very difficult to put the car into 1st again...check your tranny fluid and your slave cylinder.

DMB14

I think it was at a stop sign or maybe a traffic light. Can't remember. I think I was rolling at a low speed when it happened.

cie_lab

Clutch. Or (and I'm still a 944 noob) could be a linkage problem. That sounds like clutch to me, though. Check the clutch master cylinder and make sure it's full.

Darryl92Cab

How many miles on your car? Many Porsche transmissions will develop syncro problems over time (translation: high mileage) from simply driving them like they should be driven. The first syncro to wear is the 2nd gear syncro since that gets the highest percentage of shifts. Do check your fluid levels as suggested above, but it sure sounds to me like the tell tale signs of the syncros starting to wear. Changing the tranny fluid can help and usually does. In the meantime, shift very delibrately and make sure the clutch is fully pressed in when shifting...don't try to "cheat" - at least not when going from 1st to 2nd. My car had the problem when I "inherited" it from my mechanic and I've learned to deal with it. It's my semi-daily driver and I only grind maybe once or twice a week at this point. I've got 232K on it and far as we know, it's the original tranny. Hopefully a rebuild or tranny swap is in the future. Naturally, the 2nd gear syncro is also hard to get to and therefore, more expensive to replace. Hope that helps.

- Darryl

Keithr726

Switch to a synthetic transmission fluid, it really helps. Redline makes good ones just you need to figure out if you have LSD or not.

redlineoil.com

DMB14

The car has 140k miles.

It never crunches if I shift to 2nd very deliberately. You have to do it firmly. I had my father drive it today and he thinks it's fine, you just have to be firmer with it.

dv8nxs944

Can't find it grind it lol. I kidd

moorepower

I had the exact same problem in my 924S. I changed tranny fluid to Redline MTL, and the grind disappeared (except when it's cold outside and the tranny is still cold). If your synchros aren't worn too bad, Redline will buy you some time. It doesn't "solve" the problem, but it's a great band-aid

alordofchaos

+1, the Redline synthetic really helped mine (which wasn't too bad). night and day difference in how it feels.

Swepco, Mobil, and Royal Purple are other good synthetic brands (everyone has a favorite - there's some disagreement on which one is "best", some people have had no improvement with each of the above, but improvement with another brand).

Change out the fluid and let us know how it goes

BTW, you should put your location and year of the car, either in the signature or in the post. sometimes it makes a difference - for example, when someone in northern Canada asks about whether they should drive the car in winter, and the CA, TX and FL guys say it's no different than summer driving

Lousailor

OK, I have been forced to take the next step. What is better in the long run: Cracking open the trans and fixing the broken synchro, or swapping a used trans in. Either way it looks like I'll have a long summer ahead of me. Thanks

V2Rocket

Swapping a used trans while you rebuild the original tranny is what I plan to do..

moorepower

Me too. Then you can resell the used one when you're done rebuilding the original. That is, assuming you didn't screw up the rebuild .

Lousailor

Thanks, that sounds like a plan. I just need to get the poor thing fixed cause I'm getting bored driving the F-150 (Ughh).

DMB14

Well I just drove it a bunch today with no problems.

I'll change the fluid eventually and see if it helps.