New Car with manual hard shifting

[awpe]

Bought new M1 with manual. Engaging gears is not easy almost always. I have to apply quite some unusual force to finish engagement. Especially first 2 gears and reverse. I had manuals in the past, and when synchro discs are dead you need to press clutch, shift to neutral, rev it up and then engage whatever gear you need. This approach helps here but in a less way it did on previous dead manuals. I wonder if anyone had this problem or maybe everyone faces it while gearbox is new and not "broken in"?

It seems to be not an issue in higher gears. I just found it unusual (giving my personal experience with manuals) that with new gearbox I have to push stick harder to finish shift (last 5% of movement), I would imagine I feel gears contacting each other with my fingers through the stick...

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[E=MC2]

Bought new M1 with manual. Engaging gears is not easy almost always. I have to apply quite some unusual force to finish engagement. Especially first 2 gears and reverse. I had manuals in the past, and when synchro discs are dead you need to press clutch, shift to neutral, rev it up and then engage whatever gear you need. This approach helps here but in a less way it did on previous dead manuals. I wonder if anyone had this problem or maybe everyone faces it while gearbox is new and not "broken in"?

It seems to be not an issue in higher gears. I just found it unusual (giving my personal experience with manuals) that with new gearbox I have to push stick harder to finish shift (last 5% of movement), I would imagine I feel gears contacting each other with my fingers through the stick...

It's American, it's brute force, I have tremec on my dodge. It's not some stupid light touch European gear box. You got to Slam it into gears, - your get used to it, it's a nicer experience not so notchy when it's fully broken in around either Think its around 1700-1800 miles for the gear box break in

 

[phsc84]

It was absolutely the same for me. I was quite irritated by the force it was needed to get in the gears 1 and 2 and reverse.
After a few hundred kilometers it got massively better. Now it is only a bit hard, when the engine / transmission is cold. When warm it is as easy as with other cars.

 

[Ragamuffin]

I've owned two Mach 1s. The first didn't really have that problem, though shifting did get smooth after 100 miles or so

The second mach 1 though it almost wouldn't go into first. I had to drive off in second several times. This also went away largely around 100 miles. It would still feel a little rough and sometimes "clunk" into first, but now that I am over 1k miles this is also far rarer.

Long story short, I would continue to drive it normally, but if it is not cleared up around several hundred miles it could be a different issue.

 

[sakman84]

I think its safe to say at this point the consensus is the Tremec unit is not buttery smooth out of the box. It takes some miles to break in. I hit 600 and it was like someone threw a light switch and it was all of a sudden THAT much better. I experienced more of that around 1300-1500 miles.. I'm at 4,000ish and it is much better than when brand new.

Keep in mind, no matter the miles, it likes to be fully warmed up before feeling like it should. If you are doing 10- 15 min drives all the time, it would be very annoying as the trans will never warm up.

 

[joepro]

Needs some break in and this trans(most Tremecs) hates shifting cold. Mine got better at 2K miles, but still felt clunky. I changed the trans fluid to D4, feels like it should now, while I get this fluid was speced probably for emissions purposes, the LV has no business in this gearbox IMO.

 

[sakman84]

Needs some break in and this trans(most Tremecs) hates shifting cold. Mine got better at 2K miles, but still felt clunky. I changed the trans fluid to D4, feels like it should now, while I get this fluid was speced probably for emissions purposes, the LV has no business in this gearbox IMO.

Redline D4? I plan to look into this, I track a few times a year so their is no way I'm adhering to scheduled change in the manual, it will be done far earlier.

 

[joepro]

Redline D4? I plan to look into this, I track a few times a year so their is no way I'm adhering to scheduled change in the manual, it will be done far earlier.

Yes, its what I ran in my built T56 with much success.

 

[JetGray_Mach1]

It's American, it's brute force, I have tremec on my dodge. It's not some stupid light touch European gear box. You got to Slam it into gears, - your get used to it, it's a nicer experience not so notchy when it's fully broken in around either Think its around 1700-1800 miles for the gear box break in

I have been hitting the gym hard, I am not afraid to slam her hard. I hate the soft European shifters, feels like you driving with a thong on.

Joking aside, OP it will get better everyone says. Just let her break in some.

 

[sakman84]

Thanks Joepro for recommendation.

For those interested in comparing alternative fills, again I would wait a few thousand miles before I would do this, that is just my humble opinion... but here are the viscosity ratings of Mercon LV compared to Redline D4 & other info


Motorcraft manual transmission fluid fill chart
https://www.motorcraft.com/content/dam/ford-motorcraft/en_us/motorcraft_global/products/lubricants/quick_reference_charts/manual transmission fluid chart.pdf

More recomendations from Ford on ATF fluids specifically. I couldn't find a 2021+ brochure, only a 2017 version
https://www.flsheriffs.org/uploads/docs/Automatic_Transmission_Fluid_Sales_Brochure_2017.pdf

Notice for all, *Mercon LV IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER MERCON SPECIFICATIONS




Motorcraft Mercon LV
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/additionalinfo/Product Data Sheet MERCON LV.pdf

MERCON® LV
license number MLV070701
Specific Gravity @ 60°F (15.6°C) 0.842
Density, lb/gal 7.01
Flash Point, COC, °C (°F) 216 (421)
Viscosity
cSt @100°C 6.0
cSt @ 40°C 29.6
cSt @ -40°C 10200
Viscosity Index 155
Pour Point, °C (°F) < -48 (< -54)


Redline D4 & other Redline Products
https://www.redlineoil.com/content/files/tech/ATF PDS 1-10.pdf
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 7.5
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 34.0
Viscosity Index 198
Brookfield Vis@-40°C, 52
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Flash Point, °C 225
Flash Point, °F 437


I think D6 ATF might be an acceptable alternative also. It is thinner viscosity more towards LV spec than D4. Those with more specified knowledge please chime in

D6 ATF
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 6.4
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 30.7
Viscosity Index 166
Brookfield Vis@-40°C, 45
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Flash Point, °C 249
Flash Point, °F 480



Tremec now offers their own MTF
https://www.tremec.com/anexos/Literature/HP-MTF Condensed Specs Product Info_19Feb2018.pdf
Tremec HP MTF
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 12.1
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 71.6
Viscosity Index 167
Brookfield Vis@-40°C, 65,000
Pour Point, °F -70
Flash Point, °F 338
API GL-4
SAE Viscosity 75W85

 

[awpe]

So car passed 2000km, and all of hard shift problems have gone, shifts like a charm. No-lift shift works smoothly as well. Maybe I will change fuel in the future but for now will leave it like it came from factory.

 

[young at heart]

My experience mirrors all those who have chimed in so far. Almost required two hands to shift at first but got a lot better after 100 miles. And yes, it demands to be warmed up. Not a bad thing really because it forces you to warm up the motor before you get on it. I’m sure it will continue to improve but I have a feeling it’s always gonna put the “man” in manual. To me, this car is altogether different from a regular GT. It wants to be driven and seems to like knowing a real driver is in control.

I personally like the feel very much as long as a fast 2-3 upshift is positive, unlike my recent ‘22 GT.

 

[codemanstang]

Thanks Joepro for recommendation.

For those interested in comparing alternative fills, again I would wait a few thousand miles before I would do this, that is just my humble opinion... but here are the viscosity ratings of Mercon LV compared to Redline D4 & other info


Motorcraft manual transmission fluid fill chart
https://www.motorcraft.com/content/dam/ford-motorcraft/en_us/motorcraft_global/products/lubricants/quick_reference_charts/manual transmission fluid chart.pdf

More recomendations from Ford on ATF fluids specifically. I couldn't find a 2021+ brochure, only a 2017 version
https://www.flsheriffs.org/uploads/docs/Automatic_Transmission_Fluid_Sales_Brochure_2017.pdf

Notice for all, *Mercon LV IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER MERCON SPECIFICATIONS




Motorcraft Mercon LV
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/additionalinfo/Product Data Sheet MERCON LV.pdf

MERCON® LV
license number MLV070701
Specific Gravity @ 60°F (15.6°C) 0.842
Density, lb/gal 7.01
Flash Point, COC, °C (°F) 216 (421)
Viscosity
cSt @100°C 6.0
cSt @ 40°C 29.6
cSt @ -40°C 10200
Viscosity Index 155
Pour Point, °C (°F) < -48 (< -54)


Redline D4 & other Redline Products
https://www.redlineoil.com/content/files/tech/ATF PDS 1-10.pdf
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 7.5
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 34.0
Viscosity Index 198
Brookfield Vis@-40°C, 52
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Flash Point, °C 225
Flash Point, °F 437


I think D6 ATF might be an acceptable alternative also. It is thinner viscosity more towards LV spec than D4. Those with more specified knowledge please chime in

D6 ATF
Vis @ 100°C, cSt 6.4
Vis @ 40°C, cSt 30.7
Viscosity Index 166
Brookfield Vis@-40°C, 45
Pour Point, °C -60
Pour Point, °F -76
Flash Point, °C 249
Flash Point, °F 480

don’t forget Tremec makes their own fluid!

 

[sakman84]

don’t forget Tremec makes their own fluid!

Tremec fluid added to my above post comparing fills.

Tremec can be found here:
https://www.tremec.com/anexos/Literature/HP-MTF Condensed Specs Product Info_19Feb2018.pdf

 

[awpe]

UPD: car is after 5500km and gear shifting is much easier now, after warm up drive even first gear is way much lighter to engage than it was while car was new.

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