enguyen7292

I purchased a 2001 S2000 with ~8000 miles on it last week and haven't had any problems with it until recently. I'm noticing notchy shifts from 1-2 as well as 2-3. The 2-3 occur less frequently however I can definitely feel the gears kick back prior to fully shifting to 3rd. The 1-2 shifts feel more notchy than grinding.

It seems that the notchy shifting is fairly common, however my concern is whether there is a fix from Honda and if this will cause damage if not addressed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.....

marcucci

Based on what you report (which sounds "normal") I would say it would NOT cause damage. Be careful not to grind to bad or forcibly shift if the tranny hesitates- not only does it grind teeth on the synchros and block rings, it also can bend the shift forks. That's where the major "damage" comes in that makes shifting more and more difficult.

You may want to take it in, especially before the warranty goes out- just to register it as a claim, so you could possibly covered out of warranty for any real damage later.

MarkS2K

I have the notchy 1-2 and 2-3 shift on my car. It is a MY2000. The notchiness on the 2-3 shifts don't occur as often, but it feels like the shifter is being kicked back before going onto 3rd.

As long as you are not grinding, you're not causing any problems. If you don't grind, there really isn't a fix for the notchiness. It's just a characteristic of the gear box.

naishou

When I changed to Castrol synthetic transmission fluid the notchiness got better, but mainly I have found that driving technique can mitigate it. I find the notchiness worst at low revs on upshifts. Downshifts (which I always double clutch and heel/toe) are always smooth. Revs above about 5k lead to smooth upshifts. I have found that keeping your foot on the throttle for an instant after depressing the clutch will keep the revs up more and paradoxically leads to a smoother shift. I can't work this out because the revs should drop for the next gear to be synchronised but that's what I find. I'm also learning to judge the exact time and speed at which to move the lever into the next gear based on various load and speed conditions. It's a subconscious thing that just comes with experience. You should make your normal shifts by keeping constant light pressure on the lever and letting it decide when to drop in. It will teach you what kind of timing it likes. This kind of challenge is all part of the fun of driving the car.

bryanlamb

I have this same problem... notchy shifting on low RPMs (below 5K). Most noticable going from 2nd to 3rd. Lesser (or no) problem when I shift at a higher RPM. When trying to gently slide from 2nd to 3rd I can basically feel the gear splines protesting and trying to kick the shifter back into my palm.

My question is:

Does anyone here have a 2003 with NO NOTCHY shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears as described?

My dealer also said it's "normal" during a recent service and there is no "fix"... but I'm wondering if there are ANY cars in my model year which don't have the problem. To me... if there are many cars which outright do NOT have the problem (i.e. it's possible to always have smooth shifting), then I assert that notchy shifting, while prevalent, is NOT normal and can be rectified.

I'm on my 3rd Spa S2000. I had a 2000, a 2002, and now a 2003. This 2003 is the first time I've ever experienced notchiness from 2nd to 3rd... or at all for that matter. Up until now I was a proud believer that the S2000 transmission was nearly a gold standard in the auto industry.

cenix

only time my car is a little 'notchy' is when the car is cold and that is normal. after the car gets warmed up, it's not tough to shift at all. if you're not grinding, you're fine.

spook

Get used to it

bryanlamb

But why?

If an S2000 CAN be created without notchy shifting... why is everyone so willing & eager to accept a notchy shifting S2000... like it's some kind of beloved idiosyncracy or secret handshake?

3rd gear feels like it's trying to kick the shifter back into my palm at low RPMs. That's acceptable to some people? Would a Honda engineer proudly step back and say "YES... that is my vision".

Perplexified.

armos2k

You have to give it time to warm up, maybe 10-15 min of driving. Dont shift super fast or hard until it warmed up.

zeroptzero

try changing the tranny fluid with fresh Honda MTF, sometimes just getting the old crud out of there helps. I also adjusted my clutch with success to get the clutch to engage better for my shifting habits and it seems to have helped.

The s2k tranny feels a bit notchy due to it being so direct without the use of cables and isolators, you feel alot more than you would in say a fwd compact car. Pretty much every manual tranny is notchy when cold , it is a common complaint in the industry from BMW to Nissan and even Hondas.

I suggest changing the fluid , if the clutch doesn't suit your shifting pattern you might consider adjusting it a bit higher or lower to suit your needs. Alot of the notchiness can be solved by adjusting your shifting patterns as well, this car prefers higher rpms shifts rather than slow lazy granny shifting.