Grinding Noise going into 2nd Gear - help!

[lespaul]

Ok, so I'm thinking maybe I need a new clutch, however I'm mechanically uninclined, so I may not know what I'm talking about. Here's the issue:

I'm shifting through the gears, they all are very smooth, EXCEPT when I DOWNSHIFT into 2nd when I'm going above 3,000rpm, then it grinds. At first when this was going on, if I pulled it into second really hard it wouldn't grind, but now it's doing it even worse.

Any thoughts?

[Danny]

The same thing happens to me.

Free bump, I want to know as well.

[archemedes]

usually that would be synchronizers

[kway]

^ yup. Time to learn how to double-clutch.

[winfred]

change fluid to redline mtl if that doesn't fix it live with it or get another tranny, mtl got me another 60k crunch free miles outta the original box in my car after it started crunching going into 2nd, till i finally changed it due to case leaks and got tired of the lack of reverse light switch activation

[lespaul]

Ok, best way to double clutch? And is it possible to repair / replace the synchronizers?

[sl0ride]

1st, off gas + clutch in , neutral, off clutch, blip throttle, clutch in, 2nd

by engaging the clutch in neutral is spins up your syncros

[gearheadE30]

Double clutching means matching the RPMs of the tranny to the motor before shifting. For upshifting, there isn't usually much of a need. For downshifting, it is like heel and toe shifting, except you rev twice-once with the car in neutral and the clutch in, and the other in gear with the clutch out and coming up to engagement. It is tough to explain; there are a few good videos on youtube.

[Danny]

Ok, So I can double clutch and everything, but if my tranny is going more than 3k rpms when I try to downshift. It grinds, could it maybe be the gears themselves?

[SamE30e]

Ok, So I can double clutch and everything, but if my tranny is going more than 3k rpms when I try to downshift. It grinds, could it maybe be the gears themselves?

Not likely, if the gears we're fucked it would possibly pop out of gear and grind on upshift.

Sounds like syncro.

[Danny]

So when it gets to the point that it seriously bugs me, should I replace the whole tranny or is it possible to just replace the syncros?

Also would it be a good excuse for a motor swap?

[SamE30e]

It would be easier to swap trannys then syncros.

And anything is a good excuse... lol

[lespaul]

This is deeply upsetting. My car has approx 120k on the engine, is this normal for an m42 engine? Damn, what does a trans swap cost approx, if I were to get it done by a skilled mechanic?

It would be easier to swap trannys then syncros.

And anything is a good excuse... lol

[BDSax]

if its only grinding when down shifting, then dont downshift! the more you make it grind the faster its going to go bad. to do it right you need to change the tranny or replace the syncros

[euroshark]

Replacing syncros is so much more involved than swapping a transmission, it makes it not even worth the effort.

lespaul, if your car is grinding into 2nd with only 120k, it's pretty safe to assume that someone abused that transmission, slamming it into gear, running it without ever checking the oil, etc. Try pausing for a second between 1st and 2nd gear. Alfas have the worst syncros ever, they had crunchy syncros since day one so you have to take your time shifting. If you can learn to give the transmission that little pause between gears it may not give you any more trouble for quite a while.