[mgreen]

I bought my STI new. I put some mileage on it, and with ~300 miles on it, I experienced a small grind on the 3-4 shift. Wrote it off as driver error.

Since then (now have ~600 miles), I've experienced the grind a few times, and now it happens on a day to day basis, and let me stress that this is NOT during spirited driving.

If I upshift from 3-4 between 35 & 40mph, it grinds to the point sometimes that it doesn't let it in gear.

After ~45mph, it'll drop into 4th just like any other gear. . .
Going to ~70mph in 3rd, and shift to 4th is perfect. Downshifting from 5th or 6th into 4th is perfect.

Up shifting from 2nd to 4th is perfect (assuming I come up to 35mph+ in 2nd).

Is this just part of the tranny breaking in, or is this something to be concerned about? Anyone else experience it?

Mike

[fullerton]

Are you rev matching?

[mgreen]

Rev matching on a 3-4 upshift at part throttle??

No. Never heard of such a thing.

Rev matching, IMO, is for down shifting.

On up shifts, especially a 1 gear upshift, the natural fall of the engine RPMs is enough of a rev match.

mike

[halfbr3d]

When you say grind, does it actually make a grinding sound, or is it something you feel when you shift to 3rd?

I've had a slight metallic "nick" when I shift to 3rd since the day I've brought my car home. It's intermittent, and very hard to replicate. I've brought it into the dealer, and they did replicate the problem. They ripped the tranny apart and replaced the 3rd gear synchro... but there was no change.

I wouldn't say it's normal (although there are people on here that have it too), but it hasn't gotten worse after 20k miles. I've just learned to live with it.

[mgreen]

Definitely not a "nick". This is a grind, that in some situations has not allowed it to go into 4th.

I've actually let off pressure, let the RPMS fall to idle, and then pull it into 4th with little to no effort.

Mike

[fullerton]

Originally Posted by mgreen

Rev matching on a 3-4 upshift at part throttle??

No. Never heard of such a thing.

Rev matching, IMO, is for down shifting.

On up shifts, especially a 1 gear upshift, the natural fall of the engine RPMs is enough of a rev match.

mike

i would always make sure your revs are matched to your speed, when up or downshifting.

i try and make the syncros do as little work as possible.

however, this sounds like you might have a problem with that syncro.

have you checked your tranny fluid? some come low from the factory.

[WRX4ME LE 482]

I was also thinking fluid. Take it to the dealership under warranty. I guarantee they will change the fluid and ask you to come back if there's any more probs.

If they change the fluid and the problem comes back, sounds to me like a syncro. I dont see why a syncro would go out at such low mileage though. And no, this is not normal. Ive never had any shifting problems whatsoever, and cannot remember hearing of any similar problems in brand new 07's.

Should shift fine when the revs fall to that range in an upshift. Should shift good even out of range for a brand new transmission, but that's not the way you need to treat it. Good luck. Let us know.

[mgreen]

Low tranny fluid from the factory sounds like it could be a culprite.

I'll check when I get a chance.

If it's fluid, how much does it cost, and what should I be buying from Subaru?

Mike

[mgreen]

I meant to ask, since I don't have the car or the manual in front of me, how can I check the trans fluid level?

From underneathe, or the top?

Mike

[fullerton]

there is a dipstick under the intercooler. hard to see. go from the passenger side and look for a metal eye hole that attaches to a yellow plug.

[sti-liger]

^^check from up top there is a dipstick right down to the right of the turbo on top of the tranny, godd luck
*fullerton beat me too it *

[eXstasy]

Originally Posted by mgreen

Rev matching, IMO, is for down shifting.

On up shifts, especially a 1 gear upshift, the natural fall of the engine RPMs is enough of a rev match.

I agree.

Definitely check the fluid level. You sound like you know the difference between a notchy tranny and a grinding one, so this should not be happening.

You can buy it from Subaru but I believe they only sell it in large quantities. People usually pick up Valvoline 75W-90 GL-5, which would be the closest to stock fluid.

[seta311]

i used to have this problem when i first got my 06. after driving around in stop and go traffic for a month or two, my transmission stopped doing that. It oculd be a little hard to shift into gear if the car isnt at operating temps. after i drive it a little and warms up, the gears dont feel as difficult.

[mgreen]

It's not notchy!

It doesn't have to do with the temp warming up. . .

This is after driving for ~20+ minutes!

[eXstasy]

^^Yes, I know, I said that you knew the difference so I believed you when you said it is grinding. How was the fluid level looking? Check it yet?