NV5600 In Extreme Cold - Synchro Problem?

[rbattelle]

This morning it was 7 degrees farenheit. Whilst cold, the 2nd gear synchro didn't seem to be working. Every (or nearly every) shift to 2nd gear resulted in grinding. Once the transmission warmed up a bit, it worked fine. Only 2nd gear behaved this way.



I'm running Pennzoil Synchromesh (non-synthetic). Certainly switching to a synthetic lubricant would cure the problem, but I don't remember this being an issue last year even in temps below 0.



I'm wondering if it's the ghost of synchro problems to come?



Anyone else in cold climates experience anything similar? To avoid it, I started off in second gear.



-Ryan

P. S. - I know that 7 degrees is not "extreme" cold to many of you who live farther North than me...

 

[JOblenes]

My cold weather experience

I have never had the gears "grind", even down to -35 to -40 F. Over the weekend it was -4F here in Calgary and when it is that cold it is usually "stiff" going into second, more so than any other gear. On occasion (rarely) I have had to double clutch it to get it into second gear, simply didn't want to go the first time, but never any grinding. For me the most common sympton of the cold is because of the overall stiffer shifting I miss more 4th to 5th shifts than usual. I am running RP this winter but last winter it was the factory fluid. As I said in another thread I don't usually have the opportunity to plug mine in so everything is pretty cold in the mornings. Sorry I could not be of more help.



Jonathan

 

[JCleary]

On my truck, I get not a grind, but you can feel two or three teeth skip when shifting 1-2 or 2-3 occasionally when it's cold. Cold around here is 40° :-laf



I have Mopar fluid, and changed it at 15k and 30k. 34k on the clock now.



I think it's normal for this transmission to be a little notchy.

 

[Grizzly]

Two weeks ago we were down to 5 above. My truck had no problem shifting. I have not plugged it in yet and I noticed that it took a long time to get enough engine temp. to turn on the fan on the heater. The bun warmers are good though. In really cold mornings my 05 does worm up faster then the 95 did and the 05 has one more gallon of coolant.

 

[fkovalski]

Ryan-



I have been down to as cold as -18 this winter. I have not had a problem that seemed to be related to the cold. I did, however seem to have a hard time getting into gears when it was new- i. e. less that 3K miles back in the summer. It ssems much better now as they have been used (gotta' change that oil soon though!)

 

[rbattelle]

On my truck, I get not a grind, but you can feel two or three teeth skip when shifting 1-2 or 2-3 occasionally when it's cold.

That is EXACTLY what I'm experiencing. You worded it much better than me. There's not really any "grinding", per se, but that's the only word I could think of at the time.



-Ryan

 

[HOBrian]

I have the 2-3 shift. Every shift in cold weather I take my time.

I push it out of second

push towards third and hold

wait for a slight bump in the knob (it feels like it catches a gear)

push on up into third.



Every morning when I leave for work I dive in third until the grid heater turns off. (I keep it at about 1500 rpm) I do this to help warm up third gear. When it is real cold and I know I will be driving a lot in traffic I will let the truck idle with the transfer case in N and the transmission in third.

 

[Msilbernagel]

That is EXACTLY what I'm experiencing. You worded it much better than me. There's not really any "grinding", per se, but that's the only word I could think of at the time. -Ryan

Mine too. . I was in Klamath Falls this past weekend, and it got right around zero out by Dairy (~20 miles East). Started nicely though - little puff of smoke then it's off and running smoothly and without smoke.



Up near Portland OR, it's similar on cold starts (30s-40s) but not as much effort getting into second the first few times as when it's zero.



It seems more like a timing (mine - clutch . vs. movement w/stick) problem, because when I do a kind of speed-shift it doesn't to it at all. It's like the syncro's have too much time to get offspeed (and grind) if you press and hold the clutch too long, so I use a light touch and don't see the problem much any more.



Mark

 

[doppx006]

Second gear has always beena bad gear for me, I run Amsoil in transmission, it is not a grind but it seems to get hung up kind of and do a slight grind.

 

[MMeier]

My 2-3rd is rough at times also, I'm not going to worry about unless something happens. . like something falling out from underneath.

 

[RockinJ]

On my truck, I get not a grind, but you can feel two or three teeth skip when shifting 1-2 or 2-3 occasionally when it's cold. Cold around here is 40°

I acknowledge that this thread is about the NV5600, but if its any consolation, my G-56 does the EXACT same thing. Its been in the single digits to low-teens at night and mid-30's during the day. Yeah, its tough to get into 1st or 2nd until the drivetrain warms-up, but double clutching seems to help. Just my $. 02.

 

[GCordrey]

Ryan-

I 've had some grindage in my nv5600 recently, and took it to the dealer . Haven't gotten it back yet, but when I do, it'll have new sychs and new 3/4 gear in it. :{ Thank goodness for the extended warranty. P. S. I'm in around Kings Island, and I thought it was tiddily bit nipply this morn. too! Geoff

 

[WMoroni]

Mines has always been notchy when its cold out (below 30), but lately it's getting worse. Had the truck at the dealer last week for a powersteering pump replacement (try getting out of a parking space at a crowded mall with a bad pump, but anyway,) and the tech made a comment about mine being hard to shift. Said bring it back in if it worsens because he has been seeing a lot of synchro problems lately. 24000 on the truck.

 

[rbattelle]

This is no doubt temperature dependent. When the temp went above 20 today shifting was fine. This morning, it was "skipping" into 2nd again. Definetly not a grinding noise, but it feels like the dogs for 2nd gear are being "rejected" by the corresponding notches on the shaft it's trying to link with... know what I mean?



I've tried being careful and going slow, but so far have had little success. I'm beginning to think it's not actually synchros, but something else after the synchro has done it's job.



Since new, I typically feel two distinct "notches" on the way into a gear. The first one I assume is when the syncrho gets the gear up to speed. I've never figured out what the second one is. It's that second engagement that's "skipping" on me when cold. It's like the two gears are properly aligned and rotating at the same speed, but the dogs (teeth) are not quite lined up.



That's a stinky description, but anyone else with a notchy NV5600 might know what I'm talking about...



-Ryan

 

[scbroder]

On my truck, I get not a grind, but you can feel two or three teeth skip when shifting 1-2 or 2-3 occasionally when it's cold. Cold around here is 40° :-laf

My truck does this every morning when below 20, it has done this since new. I also run Pennzoil Synchromesh.

 

[DPKetchum]

Most EVERY manual trans I've deldt with eaither was notchy or had a griind in extreme cold. That is ones that didn't use ATF for the fliud. Muncies I owned years ago would NOT go into 2nd gear in cold for the first 1/2 mile or so or grind TERBBIBLY. I never give a notchy/stiff/grind in cold a second thought. Seems/sounds normal operation to me.

 

[amsoilman]

I rarely start in 1st gear! Mostly take off in 2nd or 3rd. MIne shifts very nice and smooth. The only time it baulks is if you try putting it in a gear that you shouldn't be putting it in. Example: If I roll up to a stop, and try putting it in 2nd, and the speed is to fast, it will be HARD to get it in 2nd. IF I slip it into 3rd, it will go right in without any hesitation.



I LOVE my 5600!





Wayne

amsoilman

 

[mberry]

I'm running Pennzoil Synchromesh (non-synthetic). Certainly switching to a synthetic lubricant would cure the problem, but I don't remember this being an issue last year even in temps below 0.



Anyone else in cold climates experience anything similar? To avoid it, I started off in second gear.

Ryan,



I do remember it being an issue last winter. I had no problems at all last winter, but my 3-4 or 4-3 shift exactly as you describe when cold (less than 30 degrees). I'm running RedLine MTL right now but I will be switching to Amsoil in the very near future. I had changed the gear oil right around October of last year to the MTL.



The gear oil in my trans has a little over 25K miles on it fyi. Time for a change.

 

[Diesel Nut]

notchiness got better after changing out the stock stuff for synthetic lube, and adding fast coolers didn't hurt on the warm days, but I have seen as low at 0 and no problems to date to do with temp.

 

[HOBrian]

Since new, I typically feel two distinct "notches" on the way into a gear. The first one I assume is when the syncrho gets the gear up to speed. I've never figured out what the second one is. It's that second engagement that's "skipping" on me when cold. It's like the two gears are properly aligned and rotating at the same speed, but the dogs (teeth) are not quite lined up.



That's a stinky description, but anyone else with a notchy NV5600 might know what I'm talking about...



-Ryan

Same here! I push her into gear after the first engagement. I always wait to make sure I feel the first engagement otherwise she gets mad and grinds a little.