Just a quick question on a C5 6-speed tranny.
My car is a 2000 and the only reason I bring this up is that the blocker rings are suppose to be different in 2001 and later (Paper in 97-00 as opposed to CF?). What is a blocker ring and how does this affect the transmission fluid I wish to use? I heard that I should NOT run synthetic fluid with paper blocker rings. Any truth to that?

Secondly, I have a B&M shifter which may account for some of the following, but after I purchased my car, I noticed that first gear was loud, not really loud, but I could hear it more than the others, is this normal? Is it because I have an aftermarket shifter that the noise of the transmission is more easily transmitted to the cabin?

Thirdly, the throws are super short with the B&M (at least I think they are). I have had issues where I think I have the car in first, but it is only half way into first and when I go to take off, BANG, it pops out of gear. I can't tell you how much I LOVE when that happens. And other times it's a bit of a fight to get the car into second gear, not always, but just on occasion.
Are these products of the transmission or the shifter, that they are stiff? Does anyone else deal with this ever? Is my transmission looking to relieve itself of it's duties in the near future?
I know that some of it is just getting use to how the shifter feels and getting practice as the half way into first thing drops of significantly as I drive the car and know where first is as opposed to half into first.
BTW, I bought a white Hurst shift **** for my car because when I was a kid, my dad's '65 had a white Hurst **** in his car. I am very surprised that even though it is just a piece of plastic, the shifting feel is WAY better as it gets rid of the squishy numbing feel of the stock ****.
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I have a stock shifter, and I have similar problems with first and second. It takes a little extra push to pop it into first sometimes, and sometimes second doesn't quite want to go in either. Reverse can be that way as well. Mostly the first gear pop out happened when I first got the car and wasn't used to it. Now it hardly ever happens because I know to push hard when I put it in first.

I'm not an expert on the blocker ring thing, but I believe I heard that AMSoil was ok to use, and I think there were one or two more, perhaps Redline and Royal Purple? I went to AMSoil last year and have had no issues.

 

I have the same problem with first and second gear and have since I bought the car 20K miles ago. I have also changed from a stock shifter to an MGW. The problem is the 1-2 synchro and is because of the paper blocker ring. I find if I shift into 2nd and then put it in first I eliminate the popping out of first problem. Eventually I'll do a transmission rebuild.

 

I recently bought a 98 c5 mn6, and it too has a short shift kit in it.

I noticed right off the bat that it didn't like to go in first from a dead stop, and would often pop out. I'm only 21, and probably look younger, so you can imagine how much of an idiot I feel like when that happens.

The trick for me, and it was the same deal in my m3, is that if I let the clutch out just an inch or so, it'll go easier into first, without actually engaging anything.

In terms of second gear, I noticed that I feels like I'm not in gear, when I really am.

A few days of just driving around and playing with it will probably make you a lot more comfortable with it.

Sorry I don't have anymore insight into your questions though.

 

First gear locks me out frequently but I never have problems with 2nd gear.

It pisses me off when I'm at a stop light and ready to move forward and I go to push it into 1st and it won't budge. I'll step on the clutch a couple times and jiggle the stick left and right and then try again. Usually that happens but sometimes I'm FORCED to take off in 2nd.

Thank You, TORQUE Gods!

You guys may want to look into the devenom mod (put a washer into the detent, to make shifting easier and less notchy). I'm planning on doing a fluid flush and that mod too.

Oh, 02 mn6 coupe here.

 

I used Mobil 1 ATF in my 1998 for 50,000 miles, then it started grinding going into 6th gear. I knew the sycron could not be bad (who speed shifts into 6th?).

I changed to Amsoil ATD and the grinding stopped immediately ! Still good over 20,000 miles later.

 

Awesome! Thank you for the replies everyone!

 

The term synthetic has not been defined by the API and can include three main basestocks: Group III highly processed mineral oil, Group IV PAO or polyalphaolefins, and Group V others, primarily polyol esters. Each of these basestocks effects porous materials (like paper blocker rings) differently. AMSOIL advertises that they use a Group IV basestock. This basestock is known to shrink porous materials. To compensate for this, it is believed, but they don't release this info, that they use a small percentage of polyol esters which swell porous materials. The net effect is that the fluid should very slightly swell porous material. There are lots of 99-00 manual trannies that have switched to AMSOIL and I don't remember reading about any failures of the blocker rings.

 

Royal Purple Syncromax and Amsoil are OK! Check through the "sticky" at the top of "General Discussion" "weights&measurements" Its covered in there. Your shifting problems may well be relieved with a fluid change for the tranny,,and clutch master cylinder! Mine was much like yours,,and that took care of it for me!