rexpontius

Dear All,

The gearbox in my 86.5 just started to behave different from what it has done in the past 2 years.
Since yesterday it seems to be much more sensitive to the bowden cable input.

Normally when driving about 80-90 km/h, it would stay in 4th gear and require the throttle about 75% pressed to shift back to 3rd.

Yesterday I noticed that I only have to apply light throttle pressure, and it would downshift to 3rd rapidly.
Also slowing down before the stop-lights in the last few inches of roll before stopping, I felt the box shift back to 1st ?!

I thried to accelerate with a bit more throtlle, and voila I got a nice 1st gear start!
I was so happy so I took the car for a longer drive, and the behaviour remained the same.

This morning, I took the car to work, and still the 1st gear starts and more lively response remains!

I am puzzled as to what caused this sudden change.
In the past months I changed the transmission oil 3(!) times; first time I wanted to change the filter and oil, but Had the wrong (old style) gasket which started to leak after one week.

So the second time I had to drain the tranny and fill it up with new oil to replace the wrong gasket.
Finally, last month I replaced both the transmission oil as well as the (LSD) diff oil.

Also last month I cleaned all the contacts of the relais and fuses in the CE panel as prevenative maintenance.
After that the car sat for about 4 weeks.

I did notice the transmission still leaked a bit when the car sat for four weeks, but nothing dramatic.

Could it be that I over-filled the transmission, resulting in no-1st gear start, and perhaps the lower oil-level improved things?

Or maybe the newer oil loosend/cleaned some bits in the tranny?

I don't know if the cleaning of the kickdown relais can have any effect?

Just hope, the changed behaviour is not an announcement of something which is about to break inside the tranny :-)

cheers

rexpontius

Just a quick update;

I am back from work and I had 1st gear starts all the time !

The car feels much more lively, without being nervous (it doesnt hold gears too long).

Really hope this is just a piece of "Self Healing German Technology"

depami

As far as I know all 86.5 should start in 1st. Mine does.

I would guess that something in the cable adjustment changed.

I'm sure someone "in the know" will have an explanation for you.

In the mean time, enjoy.

rexpontius

Cable adjustment definitvely did not change. I have been trying to get 1st gear starts for the past 1,5 years now, without any luck.

I tried a lot of things, with bowden very tight, kickdown bypass, etc. all to no avail.

And now, all of a sudden it works ?!

Landseer

Some debris cleaned itself out of the hydraulic circuitry?

WallyP

Any possibility that the kickdown system is stuck on?

Get in a quiet spot, with a wall or curb next to the car to reflect sound. Ignition switch on, engine off, windows down - push the throttle pedal to the floor. There should be a quiet "click" from the transmission when the kickdown switch is operated.

depami

Wouldn't that cause it to shift at max RPM?

But then if you're like me, how would you know anyway.

rexpontius

Of course kick down is not constantly on, that would make it super nervous. The car really feels like it should have all along.

Cheers

SMTCapeCod

Bump.

WallyP

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...kie-trial.html

rexpontius

Wally, my kickdown is not bypassed, kickdown works as it should.

Drove the car today for about 100 miles, no issues at all AND 1st gear starts :-)

It really seems like some debris or something stuck has come loose and resolved the 1st gear start issue.

Cheers

WallyP

Its really too bad that you don't know what happened - you could charge $25 for the answer and get rich...

rexpontius

Yes, it is really frustrating I don't know what made the box change its behavior.

Is it possible that overfilling the transmission could have caused the no-first gear start issue? I will check tomorrow if I can see the fluid level with running engine.

Cheers

rexpontius

Well today I checked the tranny fluid with hot transmission and it was about 0.5 inch low.
I will fill it up next weekend and see what happens, hopefully it will not eliminate my 1st gear starts.

Will keep u posted

Cheers

rexpontius

Short update, I filled the tranny and it still starts in 1st gear!!

I'm really happy, it makes it a much livelier drive :-)