Road Rage

This was much easier than anticipated, given the general tone of the posts here. You just have to look at it as a simple engineering problem, and do some out of the box thinking.

I did JackSprat 01's car on Sunday.

Parts used:
1 - 1/2" drive ratchet
1 - 6" 1/2" drive extension
1 - 1/2" to 3/8" converter
1 - 6" 3/8" drive extension
1 - 3/8" universal

also:
1 telescoping magnetic part grabber (optional)
1 small flat blade screwdriver
1 1/4" drive with short xtension and a 10mm socket

Remove the battery shroud.

Attach the 3/8" drive parts - the universal goes on the bottom, then the extension, then the converter - this allows you to guide it into the square drive, and angle it up to you so you can access it. Then, attach the 1/2" drive parts and break the bolt - loosen it a few turns, then pull the whole apparatus out.

I loosed the fill bolt by hand - you do not want to lose this part! Once it was good and loose, I used my magnetic tool to carefully lift it clear - then I put it somewhere safe (In JS 01's hand).

Underneath, the splash shield needs to be pulled. There are 2 10mm hex bolts to loosen - the rest are plastic retainers - these are removed by inserting the flat blade in the slot, and popping up the retainer grip, then just pulling them out. Keep them secret - keep them safe. They are expensive to replace, and not available at Pep Boys.

The drain bolt is easily removed with a 3/8" ratchet - the washer was stuck to the tranny housing (galvanic reaction?) so we just let it drain until a steady drip occured, then I bolted back the drain plug. We poured in the 2 quarts of GMS FM, I carefully reseated the fill bolt making sure not to cross-thread it, and used my Rube Goldberg lash-up to tighten it securely. Then we re-attached the splash shield. It could not have taken more than an hour from the moment I popped the hood to reconnoiter.


************************************************** *************

We were amazed at how the fluid looked - golden. There was so much metal flake in it, that we laughed because it looked like we were 49'ers, panning for gold at Sutter's Mill!!! In the bright sunlight of this magnificent Virginia day, the metal flakes were quite noticeable. I think it was wise to do an initial fill on this tranny, hardened gears or not - synchros are not hardened.

JS01 seemed quite happy with the results, claiming he could feel them improvement in shift quality immediately. Being the cool-headed scientist that I am, I can only take his word for it, but it sure aligns with my experiences in the S2000's box. I drove the car after he did, and it was a sweet ride - much better clutch engagement than the Accord Coupe I drove with the 6MT. He really has a nice looking car. Except the floor mats - get the berbers, Shawn!!!

deandorsey

i told (and showed) everybody it was easy! lol

mine was quite shiny as well...i plan to change again soon...

JackSprat01

Shiny isn't the word though....mine looked like brass mercury, if there was such a thing! It actually made me catch my breath because I immediately thought "OH SHIT, where in the HELL did all that metal come from?" Plus, it was even surprising to RR and of course he's seen EVERYTHING. But, at the end of the day the car shifts great and I'm glad to have caught it when I did. It was great to watch RR in action, even if I could only perform rudimentary wrench-monkey tasks. The man is as helpful in person as he is on this forum. He won't accept money, but he'll accept cold beer if it's up to his standards.

I can also confirm that the car shifts better when cold as well although the real test will be in the fall when it frosts...mornings just aren't cool enough right now in Virginia. While we wait to test that, I'm thoroughly enjoying the new slick feel to my 6MT and I'd never go back. THANKS RoadRage!!!!!

ndx2

how many miles do you have on your car, jacksprat01?

RR, thanks for the write up.

JackSprat01

3,800 miles.

ndx2

wow, 3800 miles and the trans fluid was that bad? did you have trouble getting used to the TL's 6MT (like i did/still do)? i'm asking 'cause if you didn't have much problem getting used to the 6mt, then my trans fluid is probably in a worse condition... since i learned to drive manual trans on this car.

how big of a difference was there between the new trans fluid and the old?

JackSprat01

NO, i had no trouble getting used to the tranny at all. The CLUTCH is a different story, but that wouldn't affect the tranny wear. My wife has driven it only VERY SELDOM so we've ground gears (lightly) about 6 times total.

Change it, release the brass mercury!

ndx2

so no jerky 1st to 2nd shifts at all?

JackSprat01

Let's be clear. The jerky 1-2 shift that most people experience is due to the unusaul clutch uptake/throttle-by-wire phenomenon in the TL, not the transmission. The Friction Modified fluid RR put in my tranny only affects the smoothness of the shifter snicking through the gears. Yes, the 1-2 shift is not notchy at all anymore that I can tell, if that's what you mean. Again, I suspect it will come back again (albeit to a lesser degree than with the factory fill) when the temperatures dive south. I'll report as soon as I know.

ndx2

yeah, jerky shift is mostly from controlling the clutch, but i was asking the question in regards to rev-matching, really. because in my mind, when the rpm is mismatched, it puts strain on the gears as well as the clutch.

but like i said, i learned to drive manual trans on this car, and am fairly new to it & still learning - about mt in general.

JackSprat01

Well, just to update everyone, the GMS-FM just gets better and better. As the tranny breaks in it's just plain sweet: slicker than goose shit on a KY coated hot tin roof! For anyone pouring over all the recommendations "of the day" on what to use for your 6MT...just stop it, save your time, don't simper over a couple extra dollars and just get this stuff NOW! Why are you still reading this??? GO!!!!

Now, it's actually improved the quality of my WIFE'S driving! I KNOW!!! She hadn't driven the TL since the tranny fluid change (yes, it's been months) and we did a road trip last weekend to NJ.

On the way home she drove the last leg to Richmond and the FIRST thing she mentioned was "wow, this DOES shift better!" Not only did she NOT (for once) bitch about how touchy it is to shift and drive, she actually enjoyed a little spirited highway fun.

Gentlemen: this is yet another example of the many great services RR provides to the forum. Moral of the story: If your wife isn't enjoying your stick as much as you'd like, just consult RR and she'll be driving fast and hard in no time!

foot3ch

Hi Jacksprat or RR,

Do you think I can use this GSM-FM for my 1994 Integra GSR that has 220,xxx on it? Thanks.

SodaLuvr

While you have your RX handy, add 2 or 3 oz to the MT first to clean it out and take care of the seals, before switching.

Cleaning out the MT may sometimes improve shifting, but in this case, its to minimize the possibility of any leaks.

Michael