Manual trans: Very Stiff Shift when HOT.

Rjhdog

Hey gang.

When my trans gets hot (in hot ambient temps after 30 min of highway driving) my shifting sequences becomes quite stiff. I would go so far to say that it's So unsettling stiff that I feel like it has to be forced into gears. I happens in all gears

What would be the cause?

I thought that as the trans warms up the shifting should become easier ?

Any culprit to check in the shift linkage or bushings???

Thanks in advance for the insight.

Rjhdog · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 3:58 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention its stiff when on as well as when engine is off. Clutch engaged or not.

Once things cool down it shifts much easier.

dobryan · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:01 pm Post subject:

Do this test. Drive it long enough for the shifting to be stiff. Park it, turn engine off, go under the bus and try to shift at the trans with your hand, still stiff? If so then disconnect the shift linkage from the trans by unbolting the plate that holds the linkage to the trans and dropping the cup off of the ball. Now shift at the trans by hand. Still stiff? If so then it is in the trans, if not then it is in the linkage. Try to isolate the systems....
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seventyfo · Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:09 pm Post subject:

Try synthetic gear oil worked for me same issue on a new/rebuild from Rancho
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Rjhdog · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:39 am Post subject:

Thanks all.

I run swepco 210 in a recently rebuilt trans. I thought since 210 is thicker that I would experience hard shifts when cold. Not hot. Are there any trans related issues you know of that would relate to hard shifts when hot?

I didn't have the issue before and ran 210.

insyncro · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:54 am Post subject:

Rjhdog · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:49 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the information here Dylan.

210 was what I have used and quite can't remember exactly what i pulled the trigger on it vs. 201 when i did my research.
Its great to know you are running 201 with your H6 rigs. I love that you have 100K + miles on it.

In addition to difficult shifting when hot, I also have experienced a clunking sound going into 2nd and 3rd. Thought it's likely my shift rod bushings/ shift alignment, etc. The thicker oil may be contributing to this as well. Is that a possibility?

Looks like I should change my OIL and see if that remedies my issues...

Have you or anyone ever tried TORCO RTF Oil - GL-6 ??? It's a 90WT Synthetic Oil that looks comparable to Swepco 201. Weddle Industries carries it...

http://www.torcousa.com/torco_product/rtf.html

davevickery · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:58 pm Post subject:

I didn't see if someone already mentioned it, but if the oil is filled up to the fill hole it can cause hard hot shifts. Later recommendations were to fill 1/2" below the hole. People say for sythetics to just fill it to the hole.

I'm a fan of synthetics anyway. I just switched from Redline to Amsoil synthetic and am having the same harder warm shifting. The trans was out and just reinstalled so I am going to check shift linkage first, but I expect I'll add something to it to ease the shifting. I am surprised a synthetic would do that but I guess they are all a bit different even though the specs are the same.


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