I have a 95 Eclipse GST, when I first got this car I could not get the transmission to stay in 1st gear, or maybe I should say it would not even attempt to grab and would start grinding. The warmer it seemed to get the easier the transmission would let me put it in 1st more frequently, good enough to roast the tires, my question is since it seemed to do better when warm, maybe thinning the oil, could I put in ATF fluid instead of the 80w or whatever they tell me to put in. I did change the oil with what the book calls for but after I did that it doesn't matter how much I drive the car it wont do anything in first gear. 2nd through 5th fine, reverse also fine, I understand that the syncros in first are probably shot but was wandering what would it do if I put in ATF.

 

It might make things a little better. but it wont make it any different. Bottom line that tranny needs a patch up

 

have you tried adjusting your cable to compensate to see if that helps?

 

Sebba thanks for the reply, I do have another trans to put in this summer I was just wandering if ATF would help. Sounds like I'll just wait till summer and tear into it.

tj I have tried unhooking the cable at the trans and had a friend try to put it in 1st and that did not help a bit so I know its not cable related, but thanks for the thought.

 

It may not help, but try using GM Syncromesh, Redline MTL, or another one that has left my thoughts. The factory gear oils just don't seem to help when you talk about old trannys. It seems to me that (aside from a worn first gear) the oil just isn't supplying enough lube to first. When it's warmed up, it will thin out and supply more lubing mass, because the oil has expanded. Another thought is the amount of oil you have (or don't have) in the tranny.

If you want, you can also get the other tranny set up with a taller first gear. The important thing is to make sure the tranny is in better shape than the old one before you replace the old one with it. I suggest to go ahead and get it rebuilt now, so that you don't have to deal with it again later (that's if you don't already have that planned). You may want to double syn first and second while you're at it. It sounds to me that the previous owner dropped it into first without rev matching a lot. To get back into first, you have to have the revs at, what, idle speed? But, you can force it (grind it) into first at or around 900 RPMs.