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3rd gear ?

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Old 10-22-2009, 08:01 PM
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3rd gear ?

i have a 2003 Max ME 6 speed, i searched the forums and cant find out what this is all i found was the 3rd gear crunch. Well my problem is, i was racing my brother (2004 Acura Tl ASPEC 6 Speed) and my shifts are perfect but when i go into 3rd gear it doesnt go? i hurt my wrist trying to put it in lol. but when i drive normal it goes into 3rd no problem? any help? nd for people who care the Tl was dead even with me.. lol

Last edited by 20Max03; 10-22-2009 at 08:06 PM.
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Old 10-22-2009, 08:35 PM
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It's a known problem with the 5.5 gen. The synchros are crap. Nothing you can do. Using redline MT-90 may help abate the condition, but it's not going to go away.

You have more TQ and weigh less. You should win, imo. Unless you went from a dig, then I suspect it would be identical (1/4 mi).

Last edited by Child_uv_KoRn; 10-22-2009 at 08:40 PM.
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Old 10-22-2009, 08:39 PM
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Ive tried both Redline and Amsoil gear oil and prefer the cheaper Redline a tiny bit more.
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Old 10-22-2009, 10:28 PM
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oh ok cool thanks for the info. i appreciate it..
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Old 10-22-2009, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
It's a known problem with the 5.5 gen. The synchros are crap. Nothing you can do. Using redline MT-90 may help abate the condition, but it's not going to go away.

You have more TQ and weigh less. You should win, imo. Unless you went from a dig, then I suspect it would be identical (1/4 mi).


yea it was a roll from 30mph but i had my girlfriend in the car and buncha other crap i figured i shoulda pulled with more TQ
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Old 10-22-2009, 11:41 PM
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Originally Posted by 20Max03
yea it was a roll from 30mph but i had my girlfriend in the car and buncha other crap i figured i shoulda pulled with more TQ
Yeah, that would put you at the same weight as him. Idk, maybe yours isn't running optimally (ie stock exhaust )
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Old 10-24-2009, 12:15 PM
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ur just a bad driver and probably power shifted into third
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Old 10-24-2009, 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by maxon2s
ur just a bad driver and probably power shifted into third
You don't power shift every gear?
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Old 10-24-2009, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
You don't power shift every gear?
I stopped power shifting after my shifter bracket snapped from 1-2nd. When I ordered a new one to my surprise they feel like aluminum. They drop and they seem like they could snap. EXTREMELY easy to break imo. So take the extra .5 and take it easy shifting. Saying from experience.
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Old 10-24-2009, 05:32 PM
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It's all part of the crunch. High rev shifts into 3rd become increasingly more difficult the higher the revs. If you're red-lining second gear, more likely than not you'll hit a brick wall when reaching for 3rd. It's very frustrating. It can be embarrassing, too.

Try going for 3rd @6000 rpm or less.

Related to this, I just commented elsewhere that after installing the ES bushings underneath the shifter assembly, the lower-rev crunch was noticeably reduced. I don't understand it, but I swear that's what I'm experiencing. (On the other hand, that brick wall at 2nd gear red-line... yeah, that's not going to magically go away because of a few rubber bushings.)
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Old 10-24-2009, 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
Using redline MT-90 may help abate the condition, but it's not going to go away.
I swapped in MT-90 this summer. It made the crunch different. Not necessarily better or worse, but subtly different. I don't remember exactly what the difference was. Anyway, KoRn is right that new tranny fluid can't fix a mechanical problem.
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Old 10-24-2009, 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Rochester
I swapped in MT-90 this summer. It made the crunch different. Not necessarily better or worse, but subtly different. I don't remember exactly what the difference was. Anyway, KoRn is right that new tranny fluid can't fix a mechanical problem.
I just remember people saying it helped a little and it didn't get worse, so yeah...

On my old car I had the crunch and after driving the **** out of her (power shifting), it actually got better It makes no sense, but w/e.

On the new one it's starting to pop out of 1st gear randomly when the tires start to break up top around 5-6k. I'm not sure what that means. Although, power shifting into 3rd is as easy as shifting into 6th. Really weird. I wonder if something has been done to this tranny before haha.

Last edited by Child_uv_KoRn; 10-24-2009 at 08:14 PM.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
On the new one it's starting to pop out of 1st gear randomly when the tires start to break up top around 5-6k. I'm not sure what that means.
When my car is cold, 1st gear has a hair-line trigger that will pop out very quickly when pulling down to 2nd. It's a little disconcerting, but the behavior goes away soon as the car warms up.

Conversely, going into 1st at neutral is seriously stiff when cold. (But with the STS, I've got slightly less leverage.)

I don't know what any of that means. I don't lose sleep over it, either.
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Old 10-25-2009, 07:19 AM
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I noticed if I beat on my car a bit, like do some power shifts, it actually becomes easier to shift into 3rd gear for a little while after.

Its weird. Maybe it heats up something and makes it work better haha idk
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Old 10-25-2009, 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Rochester
When my car is cold, 1st gear has a hair-line trigger that will pop out very quickly when pulling down to 2nd. It's a little disconcerting, but the behavior goes away soon as the car warms up.
Same here. I actually think a tranny 'heater' would be a good idea for the 6spd.
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Old 10-25-2009, 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by maxon2s
ur just a bad driver and probably power shifted into third
your comments on this forum are so useful Mr. OEM>aftermarket all day.
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Old 10-25-2009, 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by DrunkieTheBear
your comments on this forum are so useful Mr. OEM>aftermarket all day.
Apparently, he's a just a little kid, Drunkie. Which doesn't always mean any particular predisposition or excuse. But he does have clown-wheels on his ride, and that speaks loud and clear.
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Old 10-25-2009, 03:27 PM
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Old 10-25-2009, 04:47 PM
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I know it's super expensive, and hard to find, but the best oil in our 6mt tranny's is Motul 75w85. I have used them all and the motul works the best hands down. Even in the colder weather it performed flawlessly for me.
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Old 10-25-2009, 07:42 PM
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+1

Motul works the best from what i've tried
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