Gear box issues, advice anyone?

[Melbastina]

First of all I have an 03 Astina..

Today I got my baby back from mazda today as I am having a few gear box/clutch issues....

Lately, my changes have been getting more and more on the notchy side of things and for quite a while now (this makes the 5-6th time I have complained about it to mazda) I have been having issues with the clutch feeling 'gritty,' just not smooth when I push the pedal in and out with the occasional clunking noise.... Not sure what has brought this on as I don't tend to drive the car hard, yes I love a fang through the hills so i'll admit I am rough on suspension and tyres....

A while ago I had the gear box oil changed as it was suggested to me that the factory oil could be cooked, this didnt help in any great amount.

Anyway, the exact words on the receipt are 'check for gear changes notchy. Road tested several times, found when depressing clutch slowly clutch is binding. Req gear box to be removed and input shaft to be inspected. Poss thrust bearing may req replacing.'

Has anybody had this happen to them, or can anyone give me some more info as to WTF they are on about, I get the general gist of the issue but I'd like a bit more detail if poss.

Any info is appreciated.

[twilightprotege]

gav's clutch sounds exactly light that. i suggested looking at the clutch pedal itself first incase that needs lube. far cheaper than removing the box!

[Rupewrecht]

agreed. usually when the thrust bearing is gone, you get a (usually) irregular whirring sound.

check your brake fluid too, as clutch and brake share same fluid reservoir.

[Melbastina]

Yeah, city mazda apparently checked and lubed all the pedal and obvious park that cause this, they also lubed some fork thing 3-4 times (every 4-5,000ks)?

I probably sounds really stupid, but yeah, that solved it for a while, now it's back so they think it's more than that...

Hope warranty covers all this crap cause I have a feeling pulling the gear box out is not a small job...

[boostedbatman]

Its a bugger of a job I ended up finding it easier for the v6 to pull the whole motor with the box attached, but I had other dramas with the removal and I needed the engine out at some time also
But for someone else to do the job means you will want a bit more than a band aid to hold your wallet closed

[Rupewrecht]

lol no it's not easier to pull both out - too much to unplug on the motor

but gearbox is a bitch of a job, one i've become too familiar with

[chicaboo]

Originally Posted by twilightprotege

gav's clutch sounds exactly light that. i suggested looking at the clutch pedal itself first incase that needs lube. far cheaper than removing the box!

I get by sort of knowing that some time next year I am going to mill and counter my flywheel with a Daiken clutch of some description. If it lasts that long, then I'm any issues can be resolved then. Unfortnately I'm a little too sturdy to reach the clutch area without removing the drivers seat, so I haven't bothered looking at the pedal yet...
Scott: My car is a Jan 03, what build date is yours?

Gav.

[Melbastina]

I'll have to look it up but later than that....

As I have said before this should be covered by warranty...

[Mr MX6]

Get some redline fully synthetic oil.. I don’t know about the i4 box but for the v6 the mt 90 is amazing on tired boxes.. Makes them shift like new..
Basically get one thicker than the book says 4 your box.. but make sure it is fully synth..

[Melbastina]

Hmm, maybe I'll give that a go, has anyone tried it in the same gear box as mine?

[Melbastina]

Well today is the day, mazda are pulling the gear box out to do the work they said they would do, really crossing my fingers that they find it and do it under warranty...

[Melbastina]

Well for the last week or so my baby has been as smooth as, now the problem is rearing it's ugly head again....

My clutch is no longer smooth....

[Laser the Amazer]

I had a similar problem with a customer's Honda Jazz 2003 Model with about 50,000kms on it.

There was a shudder at take off, I had driven the car a few times before and knew it wasn't the owner or myself because of it being normal before, anyway I left the customers house drove home then the next morning took it to work. I de-toured and found several places to do Hill Starts. I was getting the shuddering how she had explained it.

took it to work the next day and it was doing it on the way to work. They Serviced the car, road tested it, couldn't find the shudder. I went off at the mechanics saying yes there is a problem. Went for a drive with the road tester doing hill starts, I had a go as well and we both failed in getting it to do the problem.

Cars know what is going on and can hide the problem when they want. The hardest bit with an on and off problem is taking it to Mazda when it doing it, or going for a drive with a technican and trying to re-produce the problem to them.

Rob

[woofy]

actually in the SP20s before the BjII J48 model there was a known issue with the clutch shuddering when the car was cold, we got ours fixed and the clutch replaced with the the BJII J48 clutch which doesn't have that problem. Maybe it also occurred in "
normal" 323s.

[Melbastina]

The saga continues.

After the last efforts of mazda (lube the input drive shaft and thrust bearing) my car was a bit better for the space of about a day or two then the problem returned.

Took my car back yet again, they did their usual inspection trick and have now decide to replace the brushes....

I think mazda are just replacing random parts in the hope that this will go away....

[ssman]

or you go away, be persistent make them fix the problem..shane

Originally Posted by Melbastina

The saga continues.

After the last efforts of mazda (lube the input drive shaft and thrust bearing) my car was a bit better for the space of about a day or two then the problem returned.

Took my car back yet again, they did their usual inspection trick and have now decide to replace the brushes....

I think mazda are just replacing random parts in the hope that this will go away....

[andrewgrazier]

what a bummer
especially in a 03 car too :S

[ezin]

Hmm, I Know that problem, its not just one thing, its 3, thats why u may be hating the guys at mazda. The first is the sticking thrust bearing/clutch fork, which mazda have now lubed (if they actually did pull the box out) Then number 2 is inside the cabin, the bush in the clutch mechanism wears into an oval quite easily and is prone to drying out (no Lube) this in turn makes the pedal feel rough and on the odd occasion will create a clunk through the pedal. The 3rd is the syncros inside the gearbox (notchy shifting) Its normally 3rd gear thats the worst since it allways gets drilled when u change down at 80-100 to overtake other cars. All of these problems can be put into the normal wear and tear box and only at the descretion of the manufacuter will they be covered under warrenty and if they are U are dam lucky, because most manufactures dont cover wear and tear items.