I have a relatively new USDM ITR trans with about 40K miles on it. It was a brand new tranny purchased from the dealer so no one has been in it. I have been running GM Synchromesh since the day I put it in. Everything has been fine, I changed the fluid a few hundred miles after install and again at 20K miles. I wanted to try Torco MTF because I had read good reviews on it and I had about 15K on the fluid so why not change it. Well with the Torco fluid the tranny felt different but it started getting hard to go into first and then I got a grind on 3rd one day so I took it out and replaced with GM Synchromesh again. I only had the Torco fluid in for about 500 miles. I've put about close to 4K miles on the Synchromesh and the tranny feels smooth again but 1st gear still sucks. When the tranny is cold, I have to select reverse before going into first or else it will not go in. This clears up a good bit after about 10 miles of driving. Once its warmed up, it goes in but has a very slight "bump" before it engages. Before I tried the Torco fluid, the tranny was like butter in every gear all the time.

What do you guys think the problem is? I can't really pull the trans to diagnose it because I can't have down time. I'm hoping for someone to say "I had the same thing happen and it was____" but I know thats not going to happen.

Thank you,
Frankie

 

Go back to torco, seems the weight might be too thick? The trans has probably been opened, and fiddled with. My reverse acts dumb. I have to attempt reverse like 10 times, go into different gears, pray lol. But thats user installation error.. Maybe a worn syncho is showing its head. I have 10/40 motor oil(i think) and i have no probs shifting in 100 degree weather, or 10. Something inside is fudged.. I have a video of my trans open, showing my reverse gear if youd like to see? It may be what you are experiencing.

 

The tranny is factory sealed, I helped the previous owner install it and he bought it from Acura. Why would I go back to Torco? The transmission was perfect BEFORE I put Torco in it and now it sucks in comparison. All of the gears are smooth but not as smooth as they were before I put Torco in it. The entire transmission feels worse than it did prior to Torco. First gear is the only thing actually giving me trouble, the rest of the tranny is shifting ok but isn't as smooth as it was.

 

Yea i read the torco part again, and i never deleted it from my post, disregard that.. Why did you put torco in it? Im almost sure you dont change oils after so long, kind of like not changing your motor oil, and finally doing so, snd the sludge holding rings together comes out? When i got my swap, i just put motor oil in, and that was 2-3 years ago. If its only an oil issue, you probably taken out all the **** that kept it all together? Purely speculation.. That torco is a thicker weight, and you may have tranny issues. Run the gm again, and see what happens, if its the same after awhile, open it up.

 

Are you saying that once trans fluid is "x amount" of miles old you don't have to replace it? Please clarify.

Transmissions don't have combustion like the inside of an engine does, there is no particulate, fuel residue or burned carbon to contaminate tranny fluid. Tranny fluid does degrade (albeit at a very slow pace) but what you're saying is very speculative.

 

I'm only passing on what I heard. not saying I'm completely right, I'm just bringing it to the table, as no one else tried helping the man. its like people who auto tranny flushes after so many miles, the transmission starts messing up. I know this first hand, as it has happened to my mom, and a friend of mine. not Hondas, but she had a coupon for a transmission flush, and after like 70k, she did the flush, and the trans wouldn't shift right, holding the gear, all kinds of nonsense. she had to get another transmission.

 

not saying you don't have to replace it, its more along the lines of, you shouldn't?like I said, not saying I'm right, butjust what I heard and seen. take it as you wil.. OP did you encounter this issue as soon as you changed fluids?

 

Fluid should be changed every 7,000 miles if its only a driver driver. The trans has no filter, the fluid gets hotter than engine oil and there is wear every time you shift gears.

Synchromesh is really good at masking problems. If a problem presented itself after you changed to another fluid, then the Synchromesh was likely acting as a bandaid.

Are there any leaks from the master or slave cylinders?

 

So are you thinking I developed a problem but because I had the Synchromesh in there, it was hidden? The hydraulic system is newer and does not leak.

 

Yes.