Transmision Problems

[iscopa]

I have a 1978 280 Z when cold i'm having problems putting it in second gear,when its warm there is no problem, to solve this problem i was told by a mechanic to change the gear oil and use automatic trans oil, Anyone else have the same problem?

[travlnman]

Pennzoil synchromesh solved my cold trans problems. Thinner than gear oil, but thicker than ATF. Safe for "yellow metals" contained in some synchronizers . Since you are in a really cold climate, you could cut it 50/50 with ATF, thin it out some more. Try it straight first, it should show improvement.

[Arne]

Redline MTL (manual transmission lubricant). A synthetic that is a bit thinner than their MT-90 (which is what I use here in my mild climate). A cure for stiff shifting that's well known in many enthusiast circles.

[ZCurves]

I have a 1978 280 Z when cold i'm having problems putting it in second gear,when its warm there is no problem, to solve this problem i was told by a mechanic to change the gear oil and use automatic trans oil, Anyone else have the same problem?

The mechanic is a MORON. He would like to get your business when your tranny fails. Whether your live in Canada or in Texas, if you place ATF in your manual tranny, you will be rebuilding it. You could try the Pennzoil synchromesh it is a good product, Lucas Oil Stabilizer is another one. I would cut the gear oil with the Lucas or Pennzoil. Regardless you are only going to postpone a rebuild. Perhaps you could buy some time to find a suitable replacement.

[travlnman]

ATF is a valid option, but it was not originally recommended by the factory. Many manual trans use ATF. Most modern ones do , and I've put nearly 500,000 miles on 3 different vehicles using ATF, but they were designed for ATF and it is recommended by the OEM. Redline stuff is good too, even better if you can find it locally without ordering online, which is not my favorite thing to do. Not sure how our old 4 and 5 speeds would react to pure ATF, maybe somebody will chime in that knows. Good luck.

[sblake01]

Based on his two posts, the OP is has all of the underpinnings of an automated web script (spambot) so there's no real need to keep answering him.

[tlorber]

I put redline in my roadster tranny, and I originally put ATF in a T5 tranny in my pickup. This definitely made the roadster shift easier, and chemically there were no problems, but in both cases I had seepage around the seals due to the thinner viscosity.

If you are not replacing seals, I can pretty much guarantee that you will be putting some cardboard down on your garage floor.

[sblake01]

The Tremec 6 speed in my GTO uses Dexron III ATF. It was desinged for it. The 1970s Nissan 4/5 speeds were not. Moot point. I still believe what I said in my previous post.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

That may be true sblake, but the advice and experiences may be relevant to somebody in the future. That is the beauty of this board. Good information just flows like a set of triple mikunis.