Hard shifting when cold

[satyr36]

When i first start the truck, even if its in nuetral it seems to "pull" slightly like it is in first.

When i drive, its pretty difficult to get into 2nd gear, and pretty hard to get into 4x4 (UNTIL MOTOR WARMS)

 

Low on differential fluid? (if so, what/where to add more? its a 5speed)

Low clutch fluid?

What would you check?

[Puritan21]

That's the beauty of a Peugot 5-speed transmission. Mine does not like second gear either.

 

Check your tranny, make sure it's topped off. Is your slave cylinder leaking?

 

Good idea to start looking for a AX-15. I just bought a donor cherokee, a 90, for the 5-speed and to swap the 4wd in.

 

Good Luck!

[jimoshel]

It's normal for machinery to be be stiff when it's cold. However I would suggest going to a thinner viscosity lube.

[Dave Stark]

My XJ had the AX15 & my MJ has it as well, they both did the same thing (MJ is worse). 2nd & 3rd are both hard & if i shift too fast it grinds. Everyone raves about the AX15, but of the two that I've had two have been total crap. :headpop:

[A_Town_MJ]

Mine won't shift into second when its cold...let it warm up for like tewn mins about the time the heat is actuallly hot, and all is fine.

[mjeff87]

while you're sitting there warming up the engine, pop the TC into neutral and throw the tranny into either second or third gear.....this gets the gear lube churning and warming up some.

 

Won't cure hard shifts completely, but it does help some even if it's only a minute or two.

 

Jeff

[Geonovast]

Being in gear doesn't get the lube moving that much more. All it does is allow the output shaft to be spinning as well. Even in neutral, all the gears are still meshed, and turning as long as the clutch is engaged.

[satyr36]

hmm thanks guys, atleast i know nothing is broke - well.... :D

[comanche09]

My Pukegoat stubbornly goes into 2nd when cold too. Can't wait to swap in the AX-15.

 

The pull in neutral when first started up could be the throwout bearing?

[Geonovast]

Pull in neutral sounds like a bad gear main bearing.

 

Throwout bearing couldn't have anything to do with that.

[Eagle]

That's the beauty of a Peugot 5-speed transmission. Mine does not like second gear either.

I have a couple of Peugeots, an AX-15, and a 3550. NONE of them want to shift from first to second when cold. And the 3550 uses some new, super-duper uber lube that was specicially formulated for that tranny and the 4500.

 

It's the nature of the beast. Using synthetic gear lube helps, but be sure if you have an AX-15 that you get one that doesn't have sulfur-bearing compounds in it -- they attack the synchros. Redline has been reported to work well.

[jimoshel]

When it's cold enough out the lube in the tranny is thick enough to make the tranny act like an automatic.Even in nuetral. Just pushing in the clutch will help a cold engine start just by taking the load of turning the trans off the starter.Try it. Hit the starter and after the engine starts spinning push in the clutch. You will hear the engine, starter go faster. Also after it's started, let the clutch out. You will hear a drop in RPM's. That is a cold thick lube load on the engine.

[comanche09]

Ya know now that you mention pushing in the clutch when starting... That's something I've always done since I learned how to drive stick about 15 yrs ago. And in all the manual vehicles I've driven since, the clutch had to be fully depressed in order for the starter to engage.

 

My MJ will start without the clutch engaged at all (I did it in gear by accident once :oops: ) Is the MJ supposed to have a clutch safety switch?

 

It's the nature of the beast. Using synthetic gear lube helps, but be sure if you have an AX-15 that you get one that doesn't have sulfur-bearing compounds in it -- they attack the synchros. Redline has been reported to work well.

 

GL-3 rated oil is safe to run with the AX-15 brass synchros, but I don't think GL-3 is easily available anymore. IIRC, Chryco switched the spec'd oil for the AX-15 to 10w-30 motor oil because the newer gear oils attack the brass.

[Geonovast]

My MJ will start without the clutch engaged at all (I did it in gear by accident once :oops: ) Is the MJ supposed to have a clutch safety switch

 

Nope, that wasn't added until IIRC 97.

[satyr36]

while you're sitting there warming up the engine, pop the TC into neutral and throw the tranny into either second or third gear.....this gets the gear lube churning and warming up some.

 

Won't cure hard shifts completely, but it does help some even if it's only a minute or two.

 

Jeff

 

hey this worked great, still a little (stUbborness) - but nothing like it was~ ty

[mjeff87]

:thumbsup:

[JeepinSoldier]

That's the beauty of a Peugot 5-speed transmission. Mine does not like second gear either.

I have a couple of Peugeots, an AX-15, and a 3550. NONE of them want to shift from first to second when cold. And the 3550 uses some new, super-duper uber lube that was specicially formulated for that tranny and the 4500.

 

It's the nature of the beast. Using synthetic gear lube helps, but be sure if you have an AX-15 that you get one that doesn't have sulfur-bearing compounds in it -- they attack the synchros. Redline has been reported to work well.

 

I asked the same question here a short time ago when it started to get cold. My AX 15 either did not want to shift into second or made grinding noises on fast shifts. Sometimes hard to shift into first or reverse as well. On recommendation of this board I drained the trans and refilled with Redline MTF. Transmission shifts MUCH better now. Still just a little cranky when its really cold but much diffrent than before.

[stangmanva]

I have a 87 w/4.0/5sp. it has allways shifted hard from 1st. to 2nd. in cold weather untill it warms up. I got it new and now have 200000 miles on it. Still does the same thing.