DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

so after much searching on the forum, it appears that i need a new tranny.

i've got severe notchy engagement into 1st, 2nd and a lil in 3rd and reverse...real bad bearing noise when in gear - specifically while in 1st...the only thing that isn't a problem is clutch engagement and that puppy just turned over 210K miles!!!

so my drawn out question is what years are compatible with my 90?
i just changed my axles otherwise i'd be up for the conversion to an lsd...
from what i've read, it seems i can go from an 89 to a 91 and not have any other drivetrain compatibility issues. is this correct?

Cliff Clavin

iTrader: (11)

I am pretty sure you nailed down the right years (89-91). Unless you can find one pretty cheap, you might want to call around and see how much it is to have your rebuilt.

On a side note, I read your sig. I have an 01 Infiniti QX4 (basically the same as a Pathy) and my freaking 6-disc HU conked out. Well, the disc changer part did. I can still listen to the radio/play tapes Those things suck. Bose sucks, but I can't really afford a totally new aftermarket setup.

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

I bought a head unit from Best Best (listed in my sig), and I use it with my Bose, and it works and sounds great.

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

As a last ditch effort, you may wanna try Redline MT90 gear oil....I had some bad synchro noise that went all but went away when I switched to this stuff.

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

did you have any shifting problems or just noise?

subs1000w

i dont think any maricle oil will fix the problem

i would recomend rebiulding it because all the used trans ive put in maxs have had bad input bearings which will fail the same way yours is possibly soon after install your trans problobly just needs to be completly diasembled cleaned and new bearings because when the bearings started to "desolve/eat themselves" all the little metal particles clog everything up and make it hard to shift

if you get a used trans i would replace the input bearing just for good measure

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

I had a rattle at low RPM in first and second gear, and reverse...I had scratching while shifting from 1-2 and from 3-4. All this went away...I still get the 1-2 scratch when shifting at VERY high RPMs, but the the rattling is gone.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

I just swapped my tranny out with a good one because of the same thing{input shaft bearing}..
I the past 6 months/1 yr. i had the same issues you are having ,and my clutch was also original at [286,600 miles]
I also put a new clutch kit in, along with rear main seal and some low mileage driveshafts.....
I had forgotten what a true pleasure these cars are to drive..
The shifting is smooth as silk now,not to mention no more clicking cv joints..
Get it fixed, you will not regret it.....

505max94se

iTrader: (15)

I have the exact same problem right now. Bearing noise (rattling) mostly in 1st, notchy shifting(never missed a shift while racing until recently, very embarassing; sts makes it worse), bell housing leaking very small amount of mtf. It just started doing this about 2 months ago.

How much does it cost to rebuild tranny? What's the best way to make it stronger? Cryo treated? Shotpeen? How much does it cost? Is it worth it?

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

so i took it to my new "local guy" and he most confidently said it was the clutch. he's got the whole 3rd generation mechanic thing going on so i kinda trust him but at the same time i'd like some corroboration from the board.

maybe i'm not describing the symptoms correctly.
what's NOT wrong with the tranny is that once you're in gear - any gear - it's rides/drive perfectly. no popping, grinding or anything.
getting it into gear is the challenge. this is most pronounced in 1st. first thing in the morning ESPECIALLY during or after a good rain, after i start her up and put it into first, there's the most aweful rattling that almost sounds like valve noise. the noise is slightly deadened when the clutch pedal is released. also, getting it into first requires that u really really put your shoulder into it. again there's no noise, just resistance. i have noticed that if i'm coasting down, the 2 - 1 shift is a helluva lot easier. there rest of the gears are not nearly as difficult to get into but almost all still do have noticebale resistance.

if this is the clutch then the next drawn out question is do i bite the bullet and go for the ACT and fidanza set up? recommendations on dealers?

Wiking

My guess: u OIL. Its not oil but TAR.

When clutch is worn, it starts to slip. No way but change. This has NO effect on changing gears... Slip check: See that work cyl moves full in as pedal comes up.

If clutch does not disengage, then u have diffilulty to change gear (grindin). 'Nothin' to do with clutch mileage or how worn it is. Change fluid, bleed, see that work cyl moves out enough as pedal is floored.

Worn sycnhro and/or bad lubrication cause grinding... When was your last gearbox oil change? Seek how much the oil manufacturers promise, and compare. For A/T that is 20-20kmiles... or 18mths. Also tst snake oil additives before taking it apart, I suppose u have nothin to loose.

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

your clutch isn't going to give you the problems you're describing.. if you rebuild it, it will go.

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=Wiking]My guess: u OIL. Its not oil but TAR.


If clutch does not disengage, then u have diffilulty to change gear (grindin). 'Nothin' to do with clutch mileage or how worn it is. Change fluid, bleed, see that work cyl moves out enough as pedal is floored.
QUOTE]


so you're saying it's not my clutch OR my tranny...it's my master/slave cylinders...

Wiking

Nobody cannot really tell whats a problem exactly, online: I am just trying to picture you the possibilities based on my kilometers... you pick up the syndrome what fits from all answers on this forum. Do the cheap ones first: checkup, change oil before swap.

- for clutch to "work" =connect, it has to be free [from release mech] to engage.
- for clutch to release, its release mech has to be functional to dis-engage.
- for changing gears normally, clutch has to release fully, otherwise spinnin gears will grind
- as the gears spin anyways, special synchro gears fit the speeds of the connecting gears. When this is succesful, no grinding. Here lubrication has to work. OLD TAR does not do that...

check out [btw. non maxima box]:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/sequential-gearbox1.htm

Cliff Clavin

iTrader: (11)

I would say Exedy Stage 1 instead of ACT, unless you are mostly going to race it. Mine is pretty stiff and a PITA in town or any kind of stop-and-go driving. Jeff called me a whiner on this before, but it really isn't much fun. The good thing for me is I only drive like that a few times a year. Mostly out here is it open road and no traffic.

The Fidanza is kind of a toss up, too. Your engine revs quicker, but it is more difficult to launch and since it is so light, there is not much of a "sweet spot" so you either spin the tires or bog down.

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

ok...so so far it might be the tranny, the clutch or the master/slave cylinders.

ugh...i suppose i'll have to take this guys word for it and pray to the nissan dieties that he's right

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

I have the Exedy Stage 1, and it grips MUCH better than OEM. It does requires a little more patience in traffic, but it is MINOR IMO, compared to the benefits of OEM.

IMO:

An Aluminum Flywheel is the BEST bolt on modification that you can do. Your engine revs MUCH MUCH quicker...I'd trade that for launching anyday...in addition:

1. It lowers the wear and tear on your engine component seeing as how there's about 20 less lbs. to turn on EVERY engine RPM.

2. It lowers the wear in brakes, because not only does it speed up quicker, downshifting/engine braking is much more effective.

3. GAS MILEAGE improvements are HUGE....I had the flywheel, the crank PULLEY, a CAI, and I ROUTINELY can get 25-30 MPG on my HWY trips with a full load of passengers and their luggage.

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

I would say that it is NOT the clutch, it could be the hydraulic AND and internal tranny problem that (as I said COULD be helped with MT90), which IMO, is worth a try before doing a rebuild

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

did i mention that i hate front wheel drives?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

If it was the clutch it would most likely give you trouble in all gears.....

Wiking

Ok. Now this explains THE problem.

Solution: Buy BMW, LOTS of OIL in the trunk, swap forum.

Re-sult: Try focusin on my 1.2L opel rearlights as they disappear into the blizzard. U sit & wait for the summer, wheel whining. Explicitly: RH rear wheel on the ice spot... (btw. need some oil? I've always got extra gallon in the Opel trunk...)

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

i'm glad u mentioned this because this is exactly what i was thinking...i kinda mentioned in my first post that i've had problems with most of the gears...but it's really hit or miss...nothing really consistent....aw f it...i guess it's time to stop being such a and start tearing into it...

damn it i hate front wheel drives

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

You can test the clutch master/slave cylinder by having a helper push the clutch in several time and then hold it in for a minute while you are looking at the slave cylinder to see if it is pushing the fork in out all the way and not slipping back while the helper is holding the clutch in....

Rear wheel drive cars experience all the same problems you are currently having.....

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

lol..i just read your post after i tried exactly what u suggested...and yep there's about 3/4"!!!!!! of travel that the slave cylinder doesn't push the fork through (everything is bled and no leaks). i just replaced the master and slave in late winter / early spring....POS aftermaket...gonna go back to OEM.
pinnacle nissan is by far the cheapest out there for OEM stuff.

it's not that i think rear wheel drives have less problems. i just made the comment when the prospect of pulling the trans came into play. i'd much rather pull the behemoth tranny outta my bronco than the max.

thanks so much peeps for the input...i know i still have a throwout bearing issue but at least now i've got some borrowed time.

Wiking

...as said: " - for changing gears normally, clutch has to release fully, otherwise spinnin gears will grind"
...Greenmax did dress the issue more concretely.


"a throwout bearing issue":
- What is it like?
- Always -or- Only when u push pedal? ...if latter, just enjoy for years, but dont fall asleep while foot on the clutch.

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

well see, now that's the peculiar part. i'd think that if i had a clutch dis/engagement issue that i would experience the hard shift symptom in all gears. it's most pronounced in 1st, 2nd and reverse and only slightly (relatively) in the other gears. the same thing with the throwout bearing noise. the only possible covariant i could think of here is that at the higher speeds the bearing noise gets drowned out more and I might just be shifting at better matched speeds and rpms for the higher gears.

i'll let yall know how the cylinder replacement goes. i also ordered a SS clutch line from matt that i'll try before and after the cylinder replacement.

clutch feel w/ aftermarket cylinders and stock line
clutch feel w/ aftermarket cylinders and SS line
clutch feel w/ new OEM cylinders and stock line
clutch feel w/ new OEM cylinders and SS line

thanks again guys

Wiking

Once upon a time, std vehicles 1st gear used to come w/o any synchro. Just because of the issue u mention: it is more demanding because of speed diffrences, and possibly then those materials & constructions were too expensive from sales point of view.

What I mean, every gear has slightly different charasteristics.

Enlargening the work cyl attachment holes to adjust clucth travel is often enough. Better still as u get new...

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

[QUOTE=Wiking]Once upon a time, std vehicles 1st gear used to come w/o any synchro. Just because of the issue u mention: it is more demanding because of speed diffrences, and possibly then those materials & constructions were too expensive from sales point of view.
QUOTE]

actually, having worked in the truck transmission remanufacturing industry for some time, one of the reasons why companies like Eaton Fuller, Mack, Rockwell and so on when to sync'd 1st gears was because of drivers' complaints. everytime u wanted to start into first, u had to be at a dead stop. they way rigs are driven, that's just not practical. there's even been talk of sync-ing reverse. but that rumor has been around forever. there's been plenty of times i wished reverse on my max was sync'd - talk about embarassing

Wiking

Only if u do not know u rig, cannot doubleclucth, and use gas to get meeting gears to spin at same rate. Most drivers cannot. I once had to drive my 9tonner w/o clutch; 'life' becomes suddendly interesting... The trucks in fifties all had gearboxes with straight teeth and w/o synchro, man, that must have been pedalin. For motobikeracers its everyday life.

With my max, drivin w/o clutch is easy as silk. Long live A/T!

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

my wife doesn't need a clutch either when she drives the max...man do i have alot to learn

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

so i bled the clutch hydraulics again!! WOW!! what a difference!!!

the hard to shift issue with 3rd, 4th and 5th is effectively gone. the 1 - 2 shift is dramatically improved though still problematic and only shifting into reverse and first remain to be the only real concerns at this time and even they have improved noticebly. u can still hear the tinny rattle of the throwout bearing when the tranny is in gear but hopefully i have some time with that one.

the oem parts should have shipped yesterday so i'm hoping to have them installed by the end of the week along with Matt's SS clutch line

thanks again peeps

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

If your release[throwout] bearing is bad you will hear a grinding/squeeling sound when the the clutch is pushed in....not when the clutch is let out and the the car is in gear...

The only time the realease bearing is being used[spinning] is when you push the clutch in.....

If you have a grinding/whining sound coming from the tranny when the car is in gear going down the road then i would suspect the input shaft bearing in the tranny is going out...

DaWifey's90

iTrader: (3)

i misspoke yet again...what u described is what i meant to say regarding the noise occuring when the clutch is pushed in. but i'm sure the i/s bearing ain't too far behind

blackandwhite

iTrader: (3)

WHen mine went out, I had to shut the engine off to get it to go into 1st. And I had the rattle sound as well....

You can inspect the TO bearing by removing the starter, and pushing on the clutch fork to see how much it moves.

Poor Boy

well hot damn

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

DON'T EFFIN' POST JUST TO GET YOUR COUNT UP. OR IT'S VACATION TIME.