Just how many people have had transmission issues?
#1
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Just how many people have had transmission issues?
So I noticed that Coding Paradox mentioned in his for sale thread that his '06 was currently at U Mazda having the transmission rebuilt. Most of us are familiar with the issues Baghead had with 2nd gear on his '05. My '04 has had a transmission rebuild due to a bad 2nd gear synchro. Another local B Stock RX-8 had transmission issues at a local event earlier in the summer (transmission would move from gear to gear, but only very reluctantly and with a lot of force).
Just curious who else has had transmission issues and what they were? I've posted this in this section of the forum because I'm primarily concerned with failures that have occurred to cars that are heavily autocrossed or used for track days.
Ironically, I don't know a single person who has gotten a new engine in an RX-8, even with the recall. But I can think of four people off the top of my head who have had major transmission problems.
Just curious who else has had transmission issues and what they were? I've posted this in this section of the forum because I'm primarily concerned with failures that have occurred to cars that are heavily autocrossed or used for track days.
Ironically, I don't know a single person who has gotten a new engine in an RX-8, even with the recall. But I can think of four people off the top of my head who have had major transmission problems.
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Yeah, the Team Bannana Boat (Wagner/Foley) '04 has over 80k miles on the original transmission (and probably the original transmission fluid, knowing Jon
), and that car has always shifted better than mine. However, he did have to replace the clutch pedal assembly.
For the record, my '04 has 42k miles. The transmission was rebuilt earlier this year at 36k miles.
![Wink](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/wink.gif)
For the record, my '04 has 42k miles. The transmission was rebuilt earlier this year at 36k miles.
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On a related note, how often should I be changing my transmission fluid, assuming regular autocross duty? Is any particular type well-suited for autocross?
#8
My '06 lost 2nd gear at around 6-7000 miles...Mazda fixed it under warranty, actually replacing the trans as the metal shavings had taken out, materially, the rest of the transmission.
Given the frequency, but randomness, of transmission failures, I'm betting that there was a problem with one of the gear/synchro manufacturers. I have to imagine Mazda sources the hardware from more than one foundry and there probably has been a foundry with subpar production?? That's my best guess...
Given the frequency, but randomness, of transmission failures, I'm betting that there was a problem with one of the gear/synchro manufacturers. I have to imagine Mazda sources the hardware from more than one foundry and there probably has been a foundry with subpar production?? That's my best guess...
#9
It depends on the track.
Sebring's shiftpoints raise no issues (having only one 2nd gear turn at the hairpin) as I'm only going from 3rd to 4th and back to 3rd for 16 of the 17 turns.
@ Homestead, with dragrace type front, mid and backstraights, I have issues with quick 2nd-3rd-4th shifts with 3rd or 4th grinding if I am aggressive. Issue goes away if I delicately grannyshift.
For the most part, I simply can't upshishift this tranny quickly and aggressively. I can't bang through the gears like I can in a Tremec T-56 equipped Camaro or GTO. I can't ever do an aggressive 1st to 2nd shift at redline with this car without 2nd gear grinding and not accepting the input shaft.
No streetability issues ever though. Any issues only show up at the track on upshifts.
'06 here.
Sebring's shiftpoints raise no issues (having only one 2nd gear turn at the hairpin) as I'm only going from 3rd to 4th and back to 3rd for 16 of the 17 turns.
@ Homestead, with dragrace type front, mid and backstraights, I have issues with quick 2nd-3rd-4th shifts with 3rd or 4th grinding if I am aggressive. Issue goes away if I delicately grannyshift.
For the most part, I simply can't upshishift this tranny quickly and aggressively. I can't bang through the gears like I can in a Tremec T-56 equipped Camaro or GTO. I can't ever do an aggressive 1st to 2nd shift at redline with this car without 2nd gear grinding and not accepting the input shaft.
No streetability issues ever though. Any issues only show up at the track on upshifts.
'06 here.
Last edited by SouthFL; 09-29-2008 at 06:13 PM.
#10
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2004 w/63000 miles. Engine replaced at 59900. Brought it in for a compression check... their comment was, "We're surprised it even started".
Our clutch pedal bracket was found to be tearing/breaking a month or so ago, which made finding 2nd gear more difficult.
Our clutch pedal bracket was found to be tearing/breaking a month or so ago, which made finding 2nd gear more difficult.
#16
Seems like the transmissions have problems in the first year or so, or not at all...and the problem is not year specific...and occurs often enough to rule out just user error...definitely sounds like a quality control problem isolated to certain batches of internal hardware, not a design issue.
#17
I have a 50%/50% Redline MT-90 / 75W90 batch in the garage for the next fluid change.
#18
Also, for those that are truly having the "problem" with the transmission, all the fluid changes and combos in the world aren't gonna fix it...maybe mask it, a little and for a little while, but not "fix" it. That's not to say that going to higher quality synthetics isn't a great idea.
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#19
^
Yes, it was new.
I was able to do a decent 1-2 chirp the tires redline shift in this car once- during the test drive. None since.
FWIW, I just grannyshift at the track now. It's for the best. Smoother is better.
Yes, it was new.
I was able to do a decent 1-2 chirp the tires redline shift in this car once- during the test drive. None since.
FWIW, I just grannyshift at the track now. It's for the best. Smoother is better.
Last edited by SouthFL; 09-30-2008 at 12:57 AM.
#20
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i have an 04 with 68,300 miles and for the past week my tranny has felt kinda notchy. i bought my car used with 43k miles and i dont know if it was the original tranny fluid in there or not
but today i was driving to work and in first gear there is a loud whine coming from the engine bay im pretty damn sure it is the tranny or atleast the old fluid causing the noise. also it popped out of first gear twice as i was taking off from a light. so i changed the fluid with some generic valvoline gear oil and the old oil that came out was pretty dark and the drain plug had a very thick layer of metal shavings on it.
so i drove it afterwards and it felt less notchy but i was having a hard time getting it to go into reverse and first still, it seemed it would go in like half way then it would pop out as you let the clutch out. it felt as if you didnt put the gear in all the way. i have an extended so i made an appointment for wednesday to have them look at it, i think i will be getting a new tranny i really dont see it being anything else.
p.s anyone have an unistalled clutch kit they wanna sell me for cheap?
but today i was driving to work and in first gear there is a loud whine coming from the engine bay im pretty damn sure it is the tranny or atleast the old fluid causing the noise. also it popped out of first gear twice as i was taking off from a light. so i changed the fluid with some generic valvoline gear oil and the old oil that came out was pretty dark and the drain plug had a very thick layer of metal shavings on it.
so i drove it afterwards and it felt less notchy but i was having a hard time getting it to go into reverse and first still, it seemed it would go in like half way then it would pop out as you let the clutch out. it felt as if you didnt put the gear in all the way. i have an extended so i made an appointment for wednesday to have them look at it, i think i will be getting a new tranny i really dont see it being anything else.
p.s anyone have an unistalled clutch kit they wanna sell me for cheap?
Last edited by Rx8urZ; 09-30-2008 at 12:43 AM.
#21
Tony says, RX8s are GREAT
I have an 04 and I have grinding issues everytime I shift at the top of 3rd into 4th. Now it's starting doing it while going into 2nd. Oh the car has only 25,100 miles.
#22
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Did you buy your car new? Just curious, as I've autocrossed at least a half dozen RX8's and have been able to shift 1-2 at redline, with very little lift, with no problems, in all of them...except for mine, when the 2nd gear synchro started to go away...
Also, for those that are truly having the "problem" with the transmission, all the fluid changes and combos in the world aren't gonna fix it...maybe mask it, a little and for a little while, but not "fix" it. That's not to say that going to higher quality synthetics isn't a great idea.![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Also, for those that are truly having the "problem" with the transmission, all the fluid changes and combos in the world aren't gonna fix it...maybe mask it, a little and for a little while, but not "fix" it. That's not to say that going to higher quality synthetics isn't a great idea.
![Smilie](https://www.rx8club.com/images/smilies/smile.gif)
It finally became bad enough at a track day this spring that I could make it happen consistently on 1-2 upshifts above 9k rpm, and it would grind during 3-2 downshifts. Took it to the dealer, took the service manager for a test drive, demonstrated the problem, and drove home with a rebuilt transmission four days later.
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Transmission problems? Oh we have 23 transmissions. Plus 4 of the '09 transmissions. And we are constantly rebuilding the ones we have.
It's interesting that the majority of you guys have problems with second gear. We always have problems with 4th gear. It starts out as a grind but quickly deteriorates into either getting stuck in fourth, or won't go into 4th.
What we discovered is that for 4th gear, the gear selector can actually slide too far, and that allows the D-temp ***** to fall out of place.
On rare occasions we have had other problems.
It's interesting that the majority of you guys have problems with second gear. We always have problems with 4th gear. It starts out as a grind but quickly deteriorates into either getting stuck in fourth, or won't go into 4th.
What we discovered is that for 4th gear, the gear selector can actually slide too far, and that allows the D-temp ***** to fall out of place.
On rare occasions we have had other problems.
#25
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Transmission problems? Oh we have 23 transmissions. Plus 4 of the '09 transmissions. And we are constantly rebuilding the ones we have.
It's interesting that the majority of you guys have problems with second gear. We always have problems with 4th gear. It starts out as a grind but quickly deteriorates into either getting stuck in fourth, or won't go into 4th.
What we discovered is that for 4th gear, the gear selector can actually slide too far, and that allows the D-temp ***** to fall out of place.
On rare occasions we have had other problems.
It's interesting that the majority of you guys have problems with second gear. We always have problems with 4th gear. It starts out as a grind but quickly deteriorates into either getting stuck in fourth, or won't go into 4th.
What we discovered is that for 4th gear, the gear selector can actually slide too far, and that allows the D-temp ***** to fall out of place.
On rare occasions we have had other problems.
Good luck this weekend----