SEASILVER02S2K

every time i drive around for a while.i notice that my trans makes a thuking noise when i put it in to gear sometimes it does it sometimes it dosent.does anybody else have this problem

xviper

Let me guess. When it "thunks", you have had it in neutral with the engine running and the clutch out. Then you push in the clutch and immediately throw it into gear. Am I close? On those occasions when you do this and it doesn't "thunk", you push in the clutch and hesitate for about 2 to 3 seconds. On other ocassions when there is no "thunk", your stick is in another gear to begin with (other than first), with the clutch already on the floor and you shift directly into first while the clutch is still on the floor. Am I still on track?

SEASILVER02S2K

dude your dead on so im guesing yours does the same.

xviper

All manual transmissions will do this to some extent or another. On the S2000, because of its design, it does it more evidently than on other cars. When you are idling in neutral with the clutch up, the engine is spinning all the cogs and gears and shafts inside the tranny. If you suddenly put it into first, because the rear tires are not moving, you are imparting the momentum of the spinning parts all the way back to the rear diff when you stop the spinning. This force slams all the little spaces between the gears and cogs together to make this noise. If you wait a little longer (2 - 3 seconds), you give the tranny fluid time to impart its resistance to the spinning mass to slow down or stop the spinning. Even if you were to put the tranny into a higher gear (like 2nd), because of the different ratio involved, the tranny is better able to absorb the spinning inertia and won't create such a big "thunk", if any at all. I routingly throw it immediately into 2nd and then immediately into 1st to eliminate that noise (if I'm in a hurry).