first gear, it is a bitch sometimes Options

[johnpierre]

hey everyone

is it just me or does any one else have a difficult time selecting first gear when the car is at a stand still. if the stop permits, i.e. a stop sign, or a traffic light that is just about to go green and i am rolling i can put it in 1st no prob, but if i am at a stop light with other car and waiting a while, in neutral and try to engage 1st gear it does not seem to want to move in to place with any kind of ease. it is really bumming me out. makes me feel like a 16 year old just learning how to drive.
the trans and gear shifting is tight and without issue, so i don't thing there is a issue mechanically, but am i missing something or is this just a characteristic of this 914 transmission. i have already done to much "if (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif) you can't find it, grind it."

[Eric_Shea]

It wasn't as much fancy as it was what my supplier had in the 90 weight range. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

LubroMoly is a great brand though.

I'm thinking it might be too slippery as a synthetic. That and a tight synchro? Taking a stab in the dark.

[Richard Casto]

I'm thinking it might be too slippery as a synthetic. That and a tight synchro? Taking a stab in the dark.

Eric,

To add another opinion here, I also think you may be experiencing the effect of the brand new synchro rings plus lubricant issues. My suggestion is to swap from synthetic to regular dino oil. I also wouldn't use any particular "special" oil. Just get name brand GL5 80W90 at your FLAPS, then give it some miles to see if the ring relaxes some.

Now for the broader audience...

Assuming everything else is good (linkage, 1st/R slider, 1st synchro hub on the gear) I have seen the new synchro rings cause this type of behavior. I think that not only are they particularly stiff (resist compressing into a smaller ring), the friction material appears different than the older original rings (at least to me). It can be so pronounced that I tell people if they mix new and old rings they are likely to notice a difference between gears. That is not to warn people away from new rings, but rather that if you pay attention you can tell the difference. Examining the two (old vs. new) side by side really shows the difference. And as finicky as 1st can be, it seems to really bring slight differences in shift quality to the surface.

Then add to the mix the impact of different lubricants and that becomes another big factor. Regarding the "slippery" aspect, as long as there is a speed differential between the ring and the slider, "by design" the ring is very resistant to compression. And it must compress before it can engage and slip into the recess within the inside of the slider. So a particularly slippery lubricant will not allow the friction surface on the ring to do it's job and match speeds.

How all of this plays out is not 100% clear to me, but I think it results in situations where as you pull up to a stop, the ring just didn't compress enough as you try to engage 1st gear and the magic just doesn't happen. It also seems that a little bit of speed differential (even a slight bit) seems to help it all work just right. So that is why shifting at a standstill is hard, but if you put in neutral, release the clutch just a bit, clutch and then retry 1st, it seems to work on the second attempt.

There is also the question of the special nature of the 1st gear synchro system. It is slightly different than 2nd-5th. I have pretty much stopped rebuilding 1st just like 2nd through 5th (as a way to save a bit of money on the unique 1st gear synchro hub) as I think rebuilding 1st in this way can (but not always) aggravate rolling stop, or neutral to 1st shift quality. So if your 1st gear was not rebuilt using the special 1st gear synchro hub it "might" be part of the issue (jury is still out on that).

It CAN be made to work. Assuming everything is fine mechanically, a change of lubricant, some miles and maybe a slight change in style can result in a night and day difference in shift behavior. Also, expectations need to be set. These transmissions CAN AND DO shift nicely, but they do not shift as nice as a modern Honda or Toyota (for example) and I call BS to anyone who says they will. So don't have unrealistic expectations. I always get a real kick out of watching in-car 914 racing/trackday videos online and almost nobody comments about how slow the downshifts are. It is just part of having a vintage car/design.

To the OP question. As already mentioned there is a myriad of issues that can cause shift problems. It seems there is a new thread on here daily regarding this. As always linkage adjustment/worn parts and clutch adjustment issues seem to be the biggest culprits (and cause of internal damage). I also think that a vast majority of 914 owners are driving around with significantly worn 1st/R sliders, 1st synchro ring and 1st synchro hub. I think many have both adapted to the issue and have written it off 1st gear issues as a 901 "quirk". So assuming the usual suspects have been ruled out you may just have a worn 1st gear synchro system.

Richard