my 96 SE 5spd has a whine in 1st gear and it is really annoying. i know its probably on its last leg but is there any way to quiet it down or stop it? whats wrong w/ it?

 

The gears are heavily worn or damaged. Not much to do. If you want it to last longer, don't hammer first gear and it will be less likely to go kaboom.

Dave

 

your transmission needs repair. bearings are gone... keep driving like that and say bye bye to your synchros.

 

On the trannys I've torn down, bearing damage results in gear damage and sometimes housing damage. The sychros are unaffected.

As well, bearing noise is heard in all gears.

 

Bad bearings won't affect synchros in any way, shape, or form.

 

yeah I wondering about that conclusion..

 

how bad is the whine? consider that all of our trannies RS5F50A and RS5F50V have whine in 1st gear....it's the way 1st is cut....case and point, I have a 15K miles 01 ae 5spd tranny that whine's in 1st...but is silent in every other gear and the diff bearings are immaculate...

when you have to start worrying is when it starts traveling through other gears...

 

I see no difference in cut. 1st is a helical cut gear just like 2nd/3rd/4th/5th. Only reverse is not helical, and that's why reverse is loud.

Dave

 

+1 to every stupid reply by members who THINK they are automotive technicians now.

 

The whine is normal if its only in 1st gear.