Mystiqueskillz

I recently purchased a 2007 GPW S2000 two days ago with 41 miles, and I noticed something about the transmission that doesn't seem right. Well when I shift, it's really notchy and it feels like it's grinding when I shift into any of the gears. Also when driving in gear, I noticed that the gear shifter vibrates and sometimes if feels like it's going to fall back into neutral while in my Prelude, the stick lever is smooth and doesn't vibrate. And when I reverse and then press the clutch, it makes this clunking noise.

This is the first and only S2000 I've driven so I'm not sure if it's normal or not. I'm worried that something might be wrong because I read and heard a lot about the S2000's transmission and how it's suppose to be silky smooth and flawless, but to me it seems not like what I expected. Maybe something is wrong with the clutch though because when I did go buy the car, another sales man was showing a customer the new Civic SI, he was revving the hell out of the car and it had like 20 miles. And then he told the customer wait until you see the white S2000, it's a beast. Maybe the salesman didn't properly break int he clutch and messed it up? I don't know, but help me out!!

daktruckie99

It does not sound right at all, get it checked out on the dealers dollar.

snakeeater

With the proper technique and finesse, most S2000 gearboxes are great. Make sure you push the clutch lever to the floor before shifting.

Timing is critical to getting the revs matched between shifts so that the new gear won't grind. Try pausing a split second after clutch is down before shifting. Try softly moving the shifter with your fingertips, using a light touch as if the shift knob were an egg. Don't grab it in your fist like a live grenade. And don't yank with all your might like the first time pleasuring yourself.

You will get a feel for the proper technique with experience. Feel for feedback from the shifter to let you know when you are forcing the syncro's and whewhere the gates are. This isn't the easiest box to learn on, since the throws are short and gates are really narrow.

The shift lever will vibrate some, its a sports car.

Mystiqueskillz

When I drive the S2000, I made sure I pressed the clutch all the way down waited until it drop back down to 1000 RPM's before I shift, but it's still the same. I'm going to get my car dropped off at Omega Tints today to get a clear bra and I'm going to ask Vincent to see what's up with my car...

snakeeater

Does the shifter work fine with the engine off? If not you may have shifter problems. If it works fine with engine off, but you have trouble with the engine running, you MIGHT have a clutch problem (not completely disengaging).

Do you normally grind the gears during the shift? THat's a loud crunching sound like two gears tearing the teeth off each other. If so its the synchronizers trying to overcome too much speed difference. The usual solution is rev matching.

Do a search for the gear calculator. This will show the rpm at different speeds for each gear. Say the gear ratio changes 40% between 1st and 2nd gear. Then that is about how much you should let the rpms drop during the 1-2 shift before re-engaging clutch. The difference between 2nd and 3rd is maybe 20%. Difference keeps dropping at each upshift..

trump26901

not to hijack the thread, but I bought a new 07 with 5 miles to its name when I drove it off. I"m experiance something similar and something different than you.

After reading this thread I think what I"ve been assuming as "normal" might not be.

To start, my car is 100% stock and now has about 6k miles on it. I broke it in properly and don't drive in the VTech range all that often. I would say at least 75% of my milage is Highway, but the rest is city driving.

I have heard on these threads how smooth the S's shifting is, but I"ve only found it to be "maybe" as smooth as BMW 330 I have in the family.

Since I can remember, the shifter has had a slight vibration while driving. It has not been anything I"ve been worried about, but I can feel the vibration of the engine through the shifter. Is this normal, or should the stick be completely still. As far as I remember (I"ll double-check on my drive home tonight) I think the vibration is independant of the clutch (same in/out). I can't remember if it makes a difference if it is in gear or not, but I"ll check on my next drive.


Now here comes my big concern. What I originally thought of as "funny, but maybe normal" is now giving me second thoughts. One day I was driving in the VTech range and decided I didn't feel like pushing my luck getting a ticket (I was close to the top of 3rd gear). I got to around 7k RPM and took my foot off the gas. The car slowed down and felt like the transmission was doing some resistance and suddenly as the RPMs hit around 4 or 5k, my car took itself out of gear!

I never hold my shifter tight, but it came out of gear with enough force to smack me hard in the palm (I typically only hold the stick by no more than the tips of my fingers.

I didn't know what to think about it and figured I must not have shifted fully into gear or something in my zeal to get off the light. Nothing seems wrong and the car keeps driving normally. Maybe a month goes bye and I don't see any repeat.

The next month, my job took me out down a long hill. The hill is long enough that I don't want to ride my brakes down the hill, but I'll be going too fast if I glide down the hill in neutral (I also prefer to stay in a gear at all times). I'm in 4th gear and decide that the transmission should keep my car in check for the hill. POP! Out agian!

I had to take this hill for a couple weeks so I had some time to experiment. It seems like I can consistently get my 07 S2k to drop out of gear any time I glide down a hill in gear and sometimes get it to pop out of gear if I drive the car to the top of the RPMs and then let it glide down without gas or brake (I"ve done it in 2,3,4, haven't tried 1st and don't want to get fast enough for 5,6 trials off of a track). I do find that if I use the brake either on the hill or just while decelerating, it almost always stops the car from going out of gear (but I assume that is because the transmission is no longer what is slowing down the car).

I would call and talk to the dealership, but I really don't trust how well they know the S. There are two dealerships in my area and niether of them have impressed me yet (I'm in philly). I feel like the S is rare enough even to the honda dealers, that they just don't know what they are talking about 1/2 the time.

Is this normal or should I go get this checked out. The car is new, but I would like to start taking it out on the track where I can really drive the car as it is meant to be driven.

iDomN8U

There should be NO need to wait for an RPM drop to switch gears.

The technique is crucial in getting ultra smooth shifts, ie have a slight hesitation when shifting; from 1st to 2nd, as you pull down on the shifter, when it hits the neutral area slow your pace when going into second for a split second.

Each slushbox is different

Do the same for 2-3. 4th, 5th, 6th don't seem to need it as much.

Search for Clutch adjustment as well and read up on the adjustment rod, if you are having serious issues engaging 1st then this might be a fix

Change out the transmission fluid on a consistant basis.

Trump: Gear popping out on it's own would be a serious event for me.. I know when you are decelerating it's easy to power shift out of gear since the drive train has no load on it and therefore you can pull the gear out without the clutch (someone can chime in technically)

If you are resting your hand or applying ANY weight to the shifter when decelerating in gear then it could pop out quiet easily, otherwise it shouldn't and you need to show this to your dealership

trump26901

I"m going to talk to the dealer. It does not happen often, but I know what causes it to happen and have just been avoiding the situations.

I do tend to rest with my hand around the stick. When not shifting, my hand is tpyically giving an "OK" with the ring around the base of the nob. IF I'm applying any pressure, it would be towards pushing the stick into gear. On the times when it pops out I suddenly feel the stick force its way out with significant pressure, it is not wiggling out by my hand.


How about the vibration? I've been in cars where the stick vibrates with the car and others where there is no movement at all. What should the S2000 stick feel like?

MikeyCB

My previous front wheel drive cars had little-to-no vibration in the shifter, and I was told that was as a result of the shifter not being directly connected to the gear box, but instead through linkages with bushings in various places that soften vibration. It's my understanding that on rear-drive cars such as ours, the shifter enters the tranny directly and that's why we see more vibration.

You shoulda seen my old 240sx, it looked like a damn truck shifter bouncing around and moving as the engine torqued over.

centralcoastbuc

Exactly. Our shifter is directly connected to the transmission, rather than by cables or rods used in FWD cars.