How should a 71 240 4 speed feel?

[yakhopper]

I hadn't noticed anything wrong, but just had another person drive my car and he seems to think the gearbox is horible. This came as a shock to me, I have had the Trans gone through and have been driving it for 1500 miles, feels fine to me. So I'm asking you with way more experience than I, how would know if the trans is incorrect or if this individual just not used to driving these cars?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[Patcon]

Is this critic only driving newer cars? Newer cars are much smoother between the gears. 

[SteveJ]

A worn/missing bushing on the shifter will make it sloppy. Of course, the term "horrible" doesn't lend itself to an accurate description of the shifting. Frankly, I am very comfortable with the action of the shifter in my 260Z.

[Hodgimus-maximus]

Every manual car I have ever driven has felt different to me, some I have loved and others I hated. It's really down to personal preference as long as nothing is broken. Though that being said your clutch peddle adjustment can make a big difference on how the gearbox feels.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[yakhopper]

I'm sorry,

I should have had more details. The motor, trans, clutch, clutch master, slave, hard and soft line are all new

I have adjusted the pedal according to the FSM and can drive the vehicle all day without issue.

The individual who drove the vehicle said he has driven Z,s (not sure of vintage) before, but mostly referenced English imports.

This individual was test driving for poss purchase, and I'm wondering if this was just his way of bargining for a lower price or if this is a ligit issue.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Edited June 23, 2015 by yakhopper

[Chickenman]

Could be negotiating for price. What did he say was " horrible " about it. Sloppy feeling, crunching gears between shifts. If he can't be specific it sound like a negotiating tactic. British cars are not exactly known for their precision gearboxes.. .

 

Loose bushings in the shifter will make it sloppy. That is pretty " Normal " with the early Trannies and monkey motion gearboxes.

 

The " Legs "  on the bottom of the trans shift lever tend to spread apart with age. Heat the " Legs " and straighten them in a vice. Then throw away the old retaining pin and cir-clip and replace it with a Double nutted bolt. That prevents the " Legs "  from spreading apart in the future. You may want to add a couple of thin washers on the inside to adjust final clearance.

 

Edit: Just as an FYI, or if your car does have any slightly " notchy " shifting:

 

One thing that will make an enormous difference to shift quality is brand of gear box oil. By far the best fluid in these boxes ( and others ) is the GM " Friction Modified " Syncromesh fluid. This is a Semi-Synthetic manual Transmission fluid that is absolutely incredible. Not to be confused with " Regular " GM Synchromesh fluid. You have to buy the stuff that says " Friction Modified". Available as both GM and AC Delco part. Same stuff. Part numbers swap around all the time so dealers may have mixed stock. Sometimes in a Black bottle, sometimes in a White bottle.

 

I'll provide a link with the Various USA and Canadian Part numbers later... but I'm heading out for dinner right now.

 

Our local Honda, BMW, Audi, Nissan and Toyota dealers use it as an " undocumented " Warranty fix for baulky shifting transmissions. The stuff is really amazing. Better than Redline MTL.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Chickenman

[Chickenman]

Part numbers for GM and AC Delco " Friction Modified " Syncromseh Transmission Fluid.

 

 

BTW. The GM Fluid and AC DELCO are the exact same part. Just different labels. Lordco seems to have one of the best prices. $12.75 CDN per liter wholesale. AC DELCO CDN part number : 10953509.

For USA members the AC DELCO USA part number is: 88900399. GM USA part number is: 12377916

Edit: All of these part numbers are the same fluid. For some reason GM/AC Delco keeps changing the packaging and part numbers. I've just found out this morning that some Canadian GM dealers have this fluid under both the old numbers and the newer ones.

 

Friction Modified Synchromesh Fluid on left ( The Magic Elixar ) . Regular GM Synchomesh Fluid on the right. Notice difference in Part numbers and Labeling. The good stuff always says " Friction Modified ":

 

 

GM Packaging of the good stuff:

 

 

 

AC Delco packaging of the good stuff. Can be White or Black bottle depending on alignment of Planets. Go by Part # and description.  

c

Edited June 23, 2015 by Chickenman

[Patcon]

Are these safe for yellow metals?

[Chickenman]

Are these safe for yellow metals?

Yes..100%. You've got GM's guarantee on that. And all the empirical data from use in Honda's, Nissan's Toyota's, BMW's, Audi etc. This stuff isn't something new. It's been around for over 10 years and used in the field on manual transmissions with brass synchros for literally millions of miles. .

 

Actually all Fluids specified for Manual transmissions are safe for yellow metals if you think about it, since all manual transmissions usually contain Bronze or other Yellow metals as Thrust washers, Synchros or fork shifter pads.

 

Only GL5 Differential oils have the high Sulfur content that is required for Hypoid cut gears. Hypoid cut is in a Salisbury type differential where the Pinion center line offset from the crown gear center line. This creates a lot of shear forces and requires a GL5 oil with extreme pressure additives ( Mainly high Sulfur and Phosphorous compounds )

 

FWD Transmissions use bevel gears, not Hypoid cut, so that is why FWD diffs can get away with using a ( edit ) GL-4 fluid as Dual duty for both the transmission gear lubrication and diff gear lubrication. GL-4 has some pressure additives, but not nearly as much as GL-5.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Chickenman

[Chickenman]

Personally I've been using it for over 80,000 km in my 1998 Audi A4. It had a " crunchy " 2nd gear Synchro due to a clutch issue. Was formally using Amsoil manual Trans fluid. Switched to the GM fluid at 164,000 km. Within 100 km transmission started to shift smoother. Within a week all notchy shifting in 2nd gear ( and all gears ) was gone. Car now has 245,000 km on it and shifts like butter.

 

I have actually tried switching to Redline MTL at various points. Shift quality always deteriorated. Soon as I put the GM FMSM fluid back in, the tranny shifted smooth as butter.

 

Same on my 280z and I've had the GM fluid in it for over a year. A friend of mine switched to the GM FMSM fluid in his G35 and it's never shifted so smooth... even with new factory Nissan fluid in it. He's got over 30,000 km on it now and it literally " falls " into gear.

 

Nothing but good reports from anyone who's tried it. This stuff is danged good!!

Edited June 24, 2015 by Chickenman

[Chickenman]

This question is often asked. Is the GM FMSM fluid GL-4? The answer technically is NO. It is GLS... which stands for " Gear Lubricant Special ". This designation is reserved for special formulation oils, generally only available from Car Manufactures.

 

GM appears to keep the information proprietary on this fluid...which is fine. But it is fully Yellow metal compatible being specified for their Synchromesh manual transmissions ( including Gertrag ) that contain Yellow metals.

 

Some reports indicate that this oil is manufactured by Shell. I have no way of confirming that. 

 

GLS is apparently not an API standard, as it is can vary from Manufacturer and is a proprietary formulation. IE: BMW has there own GLS spec manual transmission oil. As does Audi, Mercedes, Honda, Volvo, VW, GM and Chrysler, What all these transmissions using GLS formulations have in common though, is that they do contain " Yellow " metals, so any oil formulated for them has to be Yellow metal compatible.

 

Honda forums are one of the most active with the Honda factory GLS factory oil being replaced with the GM GLS spec oil ( Friction Modified ). It seems to solve the majority of Honda synchro problems.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Chickenman

[yakhopper]

Thanks for the help guys, looks like I will be heading to the gym dealer.

Gearbox is a little crunchy, but so is all the Z cars that I have ever driven. I'll post back after the fluid change and see if anything changes ;0)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk