[hugh75]

Has anyone try heat shielding your master cylinder? I'm thinking of this as when my car heats up, I have problem shifting to 1st and when shifting to reverse I get a grind! I'm suspecting the master cylinder gets a bit less efficient when it heats up. Btw, the master cylinder is new, and I've just rebuild my gbox.

Hugh

 

[Gubi]

I doubt heat at the MC is your problem as nobody else has found the need to insulate the MC. If your clutch is not fully releasing it may be something in the hydraulics. Did you bleed the clutch properly with the bleed screw in the slave at the 12 o'clock position?

Perhaps describing the problem better would help. What are the exact symptoms? Did it happen before you replaced the MC and gearbox?

Reverse is unsynchronized and will grind if you shift quickly before the gears spin down. You need to either hold down the clutch for a few seconds or shift into another gear and then shift into reverse.

 

[oz3litre]

Your slave cylinder might be on the way out by the sound of it. I had one that would crunch occasionally and it gradually got worse.

 

[hugh75]

Well, I did not perform the clutch bleed myself, as I got my mechanic to do it for me.

Ever since I got her, I have always has this problem with my gbox and clutch where when it heats up, I'll have problem getting to first (even if the car is standing still). I'll would also have problem going to reverse, and if I force it in a bit, it will go in with a grind. I know the rule where I need to wait couple of seconds before shifting down to reverse, in fact most of the time it took me more then 10 secs and many attempts before I succeed in getting it to reverse (and sometimes it still grind!).

I have change everything I can change on my drive train. I have manage gone through 2 new set of clutches (plates, cover, ball bearing), 2 master cylinder, 1 slave cylinder, gbox mounts, 1 set of performatek monkey shifter kit, and even rebuild my entire gearbox (fitted with new synchro). I have also gone through a couple of mechanics. All in a short time span of 1 year. However, my problem is still there!

In fact, ever since I had new the synchro fitted a couple of months back, I could easily grind from down shifting from 3rd to 2nd or 4th to 3rd. To avoid grinding I usually need to slow down the car significantly (shifting 4th to 3rd, I need to slow down to 20 kph!). But this is a new issue, different than the first one where I'm having problem shifting to first / reverse.

You can imagine how hard is to drive without shifting down, especially when you leave in a hilly urban area!

Hugh

I doubt heat at the MC is your problem as nobody else has found the need to insulate the MC. If your clutch is not fully releasing it may be something in the hydraulics. Did you bleed the clutch properly with the bleed screw in the slave at the 12 o'clock position?

Perhaps describing the problem better would help. What are the exact symptoms? Did it happen before you replaced the MC and gearbox?

Reverse is unsynchronized and will grind if you shift quickly before the gears spin down. You need to either hold down the clutch for a few seconds or shift into another gear and then shift into reverse.

 

[hugh75]

Your slave cylinder might be on the way out by the sound of it. I had one that would crunch occasionally and it gradually got worse.

That's one of the many parts that we suspected and replaced. The problem still persist.

 

[Yeti]

Have you tried to replace both clutch flex hose and hard line?
And replaced all brake fluid in the system?

 

[jazig.k]

what oil are you using?
people recomend redline 75w90, which iv got right now. while its ok, its not great and with a fresh gearbox i still got a little grinding.
the valvoline gear oil i used in my gtv is better stuff i think.

maybe youve got the wrong oil all together? i couldnt think it would be anything else going by your info.

 

[hugh75]

Have you tried to replace both clutch flex hose and hard line?
And replaced all brake fluid in the system?

Sorry, when it comes to auto mechanism, I'm a noob .

Which one is the flex hose and hard line? Not too sure if I've replace any of this. Could be something I can look into. Then again, could this be the source of the problem?

Yes, I have gone through tins of brake/clutch fluid (they are sharing right?).

 

[hugh75]

At the moment I'm on redline 75w90 NS, recommended over the standard redline 75w90, as it is not as slippery and more suited for our transaxle. At least that is what most people said.

Here's the full story behind my gbox rebuild that leads me to use RedLine 75w90 NS:-

Originally, I have my gbox rebuild to fix my mysterious issues with the 1st gear not going in as well as grinding reverse gear problem. Well rebuild here is mainly taking the box apart and replacing them with new synchro.

After rebuild, problem still persist! My mechanic decide to add some sort of addictive to improve the slippery of the gear oil. This is a bad choice as it turn out, the extra slipperiness render the synchro ineffective, and I end up grinding when I shift in any gear at high speed (yes, including shifting up). This as I describe was my second issue!

After some googling, I learn that everyone recommends me to switch to Redline. That is what I did. The shift has gotten better, but still grind if I down shift at speed above 20-30 kph from 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd. One important note is that, my mechanic did not completely flush and clean up (is there such a way) of the existing oil before swapping to Redline. Not sure if this is the issue, as he have tainted the Redline oil with some old problematic oil that still sticks to the metal. I'm now in a dilemma for my next gbox oil change to either switch back to what is recommended originally for our transaxle (possible valvoline) or get a new batch of Redline and cross my finger!

Since we at it, let me explain why I suspected that my first problem (cant shift to 1st and grind when reverse) some what got to do with master cylinder. When I first got the car, I can at most drive like half an hour, before
the problem appears. That is how I associate it with heat.

I did plenty of things to the gbox and stuff, nothing fix the problem. Problem still persist, and after half an hour of so, I have no first gear and risk losing my reverse gear! Couple of months ago, my MC failed, and got myself a new one from ebspare. Now, on a hot day, I can last at least an hour before the problems creep up again. You see where I'm coming from?

what oil are you using?
people recomend redline 75w90, which iv got right now. while its ok, its not great and with a fresh gearbox i still got a little grinding.
the valvoline gear oil i used in my gtv is better stuff i think.

maybe youve got the wrong oil all together? i couldnt think it would be anything else going by your info.

 

[oz3litre]

I wonder if your trans has been damaged by the additive your mechanic put in there? It might need looking at again. Is your mechanic experienced with these gearboxes and Alfas in general? There are guys who say they can do these things but don't really know what they are doing. My Potenziata suffered from the engine and steering rack being rebuilt by idiots before I bought it and I have had to have them both rebuilt by the experts, which has cost me a lot of money. At least I know it has now been done by the best in the business. What exactly did he do when he rebuilt your gearbox? If you look after these boxes they work fine for years. Also, as someone else said, you can't go straight into reverse from a standstill without putting it into another gear first. I use 3rd.

 

[hugh75]

Well, over the years, I have gone to almost every alfa expert in this part of the world (Malaysia). He is one of the more old school and knowledgeable one. He himself is puzzled on what could be wrong.

The rebuilding process involve mainly replacing synchros. At least that is all I know. I too suffer from leaking steering racks and stuff. It costs me a fortune to fix. I have spend so much on my car, and much more will come, and that it is more economical to just get a impreza or something.

I wonder if your trans has been damaged by the additive your mechanic put in there? It might need looking at again. Is your mechanic experienced with these gearboxes and Alfas in general? There are guys who say they can do these things but don't really know what they are doing. My Potenziata suffered from the engine and steering rack being rebuilt by idiots before I bought it and I have had to have them both rebuilt by the experts, which has cost me a lot of money. At least I know it has now been done by the best in the business. What exactly did he do when he rebuilt your gearbox? If you look after these boxes they work fine for years. Also, as someone else said, you can't go straight into reverse from a standstill without putting it into another gear first. I use 3rd.

 

[oz3litre]

I have spend so much on my car, and much more will come, and that it is more economical to just get a impreza or something.

Yes it does make mathematical sense to buy something like that but it won't have the character, feel and sound of a 75. I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not to get a newer Alfa when I found out that my engine had been reconditioned by monkeys. I decided that nothing else would be as special as a 3 litre Potenziata and having one with a brand new, tweaked up engine is really special. I got the rack rebuilt last week and with my Koni yellows and stuff, the car is just awesome to drive. I try not to think too much about how much it has cost. It is easy to forget that as soon as I get in and drive it though. I hope you get to the bottom of your problem. Don't give up.

 

[jazig.k]

yeah, good to see you picked up on me mistake to leave out the "NS", id forgotten to put that in there.

maybe putting somthing in the box to flush it out would be the way to go?
im not happy with redline oil to begin with, and will be going back to the valvoline shortly.

 

[oz3litre]

What about Castrol Multitrax? That's what my Alfa mechanic uses and it seems to work very well. Some people say it improves crunchy gearboxes.

 

[hugh75]

I think its really nice car to drive. I have stock suspension bits and everything, it rolls dramatically in the corner, yet the steering feels perfect! Of course, I kind of biased towards my 75 since I've spent so much on it. Also because I've spent so darn much on it (and still its in a sorry state) I can't just walk away from it!

Yes it does make mathematical sense to buy something like that but it won't have the character, feel and sound of a 75. I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not to get a newer Alfa when I found out that my engine had been reconditioned by monkeys. I decided that nothing else would be as special as a 3 litre Potenziata and having one with a brand new, tweaked up engine is really special. I got the rack rebuilt last week and with my Koni yellows and stuff, the car is just awesome to drive. I try not to think too much about how much it has cost. It is easy to forget that as soon as I get in and drive it though. I hope you get to the bottom of your problem. Don't give up.

 

[hugh75]

How do you actually really flush a gbox? What my mechanic did is, release the existing oil from the box, when it stop dripping put in the new oil.

I not too sure if I can get valvoline here, or even castrol multitrax as recommended by oz3litre. But I definitely thinking of moving away from Redline. Its expensive too!

yeah, good to see you picked up on me mistake to leave out the "NS", id forgotten to put that in there.

maybe putting somthing in the box to flush it out would be the way to go?
im not happy with redline oil to begin with, and will be going back to the valvoline shortly.

 

[slyalfa]

has the clutch master been replaced? if so most of the replacements have a adjustable rod.
That rod might not be adjusted right. Also a new master is cheap if needed. I would swap out the flex hose from the body to the tranaxel if not done. They wear out and need to be changed every so often.
As for the oil. just changed it again. The 2nd time seems to be much better as most of the bad old will be gone by the 2nd time.

I find the redline NS to work better then anything else.
But I think it does need to be changed every once in a while.
it does not last for ever.

If all that does not work you might have a bad clutch disk.
some times a clutch disk will crack or make a blister that will drag even with the pedal pushed.

 

[hugh75]

Yes it is a new one. There are some adjustment perform by my mechanics to adjust the point the clutch pedal bite in. Not sure if its the same thing.

I see what you mean by the flex hose, yes something I did not change. I'll look into that.

I have just only done about 1000 KM on the Redline, so soon?

And I'm on my 3rd set of clutch plates (if you count the one that come with the car), in 2 years. The last time we checked, there are no cracks or blister.

It seems like most agree that the first gear and reverse gear issue is related to that the engine still some what connected to the gears. So when I move from neutral to reverse I get a grind since there are no synchro. My question is that, shouldn't it stall the engine (which it doesn't in my case)?

has the clutch master been replaced? if so most of the replacements have a adjustable rod.
That rod might not be adjusted right. Also a new master is cheap if needed. I would swap out the flex hose from the body to the tranaxel if not done. They wear out and need to be changed every so often.
As for the oil. just changed it again. The 2nd time seems to be much better as most of the bad old will be gone by the 2nd time.

I find the redline NS to work better then anything else.
But I think it does need to be changed every once in a while.
it does not last for ever.

If all that does not work you might have a bad clutch disk.
some times a clutch disk will crack or make a blister that will drag even with the pedal pushed.

 

[oz3litre]

When shifting into reverse from a standstill with the engine running, put your foot on the clutch, move into third gear and back out into neutral, then go into reverse and it should not crunch. Even conventional old Borg Warner four speeders were like that. Sometimes you have to do that a couple of times because it might not go into reverse but does not crunch, due to the slack in the shift mechanism or something. This is completely normal. When changing gears in a transaxle car like these, don't do 'fast and furious' gear changes but give it a little pause. This is because there is a small delay between when the gear stick moves and things happen at the trans end due to the length of the shift rod, leading to you perhaps lifting off the clutch a bit too soon for the synchros. This is also normal for transaxle cars, including Porsches and old VWs. The gearbox will last longer if you treat it with respect. How well does your car change up and down through 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th? If it is good then your box may be fine.

 

[hugh75]

Yes, that is what I do all the time when shifting to reverse from a standstill. Downshifting or upshifting to me about 2-3 seconds in this car. That's as gentle as it gets.

I have no problem shifting up most of the time (except for the default slight grinding on 2nd gear that come with all 75), only down shifting from 4th to 3rd/2nd or 3rd to 2nd would loud crunch if I'm going faster than 20 KPH.

Then my second problem is when it gets heated up, on a standstill I have problem shifting into 1st and reverse. It means that the gear wont go in. And sometimes reverse go in but results in a big crunch.

When shifting into reverse from a standstill with the engine running, put your foot on the clutch, move into third gear and back out into neutral, then go into reverse and it should not crunch. Even conventional old Borg Warner four speeders were like that. Sometimes you have to do that a couple of times because it might not go into reverse but does not crunch, due to the slack in the shift mechanism or something. This is completely normal. When changing gears in a transaxle car like these, don't do 'fast and furious' gear changes but give it a little pause. This is because there is a small delay between when the gear stick moves and things happen at the trans end due to the length of the shift rod, leading to you perhaps lifting off the clutch a bit too soon for the synchros. This is also normal for transaxle cars, including Porsches and old VWs. The gearbox will last longer if you treat it with respect. How well does your car change up and down through 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th? If it is good then your box may be fine.