When I don't drive my 2006 manual for a few days - even in the warm weather - sometimes my shifter seems a little stiff. Is there any maintenance that I should have done to help free up my shifting? Thanks.

 

I just know somebody will suggest more shifting....

 

How many miles are on the car?

 

Did you buy it new? Sounds like an aftermarket short throw shifter. One thing you can't accuse the stock shifter of is being stiff.

 

Might be time to pull the shifter to clean/polish and relube the shifter box, and maybe even the shifter linkage itself since stiff shifter is screaming after marker short shift shifter.


Videos to help you get to shifter and even pulling it/the box so clean and relube the parts if needed.

http://www.mgwltd.com/corvette_short...allation.shtml

When you reinstall the shifter and box, make sure to index is correctly.


From there, change the oil in the trans to a great synthetic oil, and maybe even the anti venom shim mod to the transmission indexer if the problem is more of a notchy problem instead.


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...id-change.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...procedure.html

 

Fluid change , night and day difference on most cars .

 

It helped mine.

 

Wasn't aware our shifters required fluid changes...

 

You didn't give "Viagra" to your shifter did you ??.

 

Sounds like you haven't had a stiff shifter in a long time .

 

OK, had my clutch fluid changed at 43,000 miles - currently at about 58,000. Didn't know the manual transmissions had fluid to change??? Also, original equipment completely - NO after market anything.

 

Some original trans fluid had modifiers to thicken the oil to lube / slow syncro wear . Now not used with some fluids , basically thinner . Shifting is better ,,, the same hot or cold .

 

On the stock shifter, pull the shifter, and the shifter box.

The craptasitic sloppy shifter is a pressure bushed to the cover, and lubing the parts with superlube will help the shifter move more freely.

On the lower box once you have it out (two large torque bolts on the right hand side, and remove the linkage bolt to the trans shaft behind it), remove the front two screws on plastic front cover, pull the linkage shaft out of the box, Clean all the parts, check the shaft for burs that may need to be polished, and replace the shifter end ball bushing (will take some of the slop out of the shifter), and before reinstalling the shifter rod and box back together, lube all the parts (including the end ball bushing inside and out) with superlube grease. Also to point out, if the shifter box side bushings are cracked and broken, replace them as well.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...sing-bushings/

To reinstall the shifter and box once back together, push the front pin down in the front shifter box plasitic piece to lock the shifter in neutral. Insert the box, shifter forward, slip the trans shaft into the rear coupling, start the coupling bolt, start the two large side bolts, move the shifter box so the side bolts are about centered, tighten the back coupling bolt to 11ftlb, tighten the side bolts to 11ft lbs, then pull the front indexing pin back up to free the shaft.

On to the trans, and you want to drain and replace the fluid in it. Also to point out, if the diff fluid has not been changed, now if is a good time for it as well. The locking diff pads wear, and this contamination in the diff causes the diff to make a clunking noise since the locker parts are not moving smoothly.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...-specific.html


For the trans, royal purple synchromax seems best to solve the cold trans shifting problems.

For the diff, either new DEXRON® LS gear oil, P/N 88862624, or you can use royal purple max gear or redline. All off these have the needed limited slip diff additive already in the fluid.

To sum it up, need clean/ the right fluid in the trans so the gears will sync correctly. In the diff, clean/right fluid as well to the locking diff parts more cleanly too (to lock and unlock without making a clunking noise).


To add, unless you are happy with the long throws/sloppiness of the stock shifter, might be a good time to change the shifter out to a MGW unit. Its not that the throws are that much shorter (about 1/3 shorter) , but it just makes gates/movements of the shifter that much cleaner instead. With the stock shifter, felt as sloppy as a tracker shifter with million on miles on the linkage. With the MGW, shifter now feels like it is true gate'd and you are not second guessing if you have the shifter in the correct position or not each shift.

 

Heat from the tunnel will not only dry the stock lube on the shifter/linkage parts, but you can end up with dirt in the shifter box since the front/ back seal/swipes love to wear out as well.


In regards to lube parts (super lube grease),
shifter shaft center pressure bushing under the top rubber cap.
Front and back seals to the housing linkage shaft
Shaft end ball rubber cup (note, most of the time is worn out/under sized, and needs to be replaced, then lubed instead).

As for other parts to check, large rubber center cap, since its the return spring and if cracked, will cause return to neutral problems.
The housing side rubber bushing, and since its just a mater of time before they crack, best to just replace then with superlube'd poly bushing.


Note, z06 solid mounted shift box housing that does not use the mounting shim bushing, but most will convert it back to poly bushing to prevent shifter rattle.

 

So......first of all, I don't do my own maintenance and I'm not looking to spend a ton on some maintenance that's unnecessary. However, it sounds like (maybe) the best thing for me to do - to realize some smoother shifting - will be to have my manual transmission fluid changed and use Royal Purple Synchromax. How many quarts do I need? Is it likely that a GM dealer will do it, if I don't use Dexron III? I believe the RPS is compatible - correct? Thanks!

 

As posted by Dano523 -
For the trans, royal purple synchromax seems best to solve the cold trans shifting problems.

A fellow form member installed the eforce on my vert and sheeted the fluid change. One I got the car back I could tell the difference in shifting especially when cold.

Royal purple Viagra I guess

 

*****, being that you don't plan on wrenching on the car yourself (not the best move since it will get labor spendy really quick), reach out to the corvette clubs in your area to find a good repair shop that everyone trusts. Even for even basic oil changes, stay clean of places like Grease monkey/Jiffy lubes, since they have been known to use the wrong oil, and screw items up so they can charge you for extra services replacing the items they screwed up on purpose.

As for fluid changes, any repair shop can change the fluid, and if they can not get the fluids you want to use, then just take it with the car to have them use it instead of what they have.

On the trans, will need 4 quarts of RPS (get 5 just in case, and return what is not used)

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...-specific.html

And on the diff, will take 2 quarts (get three just in case).

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...s-for-faq.html

 

This thread is....

 

Yup. Show me which "fluid" on my shifter needs to be changed and I send you a $100 bill.

 

So, why is it funny? I'm just a senior guy who like many - years and years ago - used to change my own oil, spark plugs, brakes, etc., but gave all that up when; 1) cars got complicated with all the electronics, and 2) I got older. No, I don't have unlimited funds, but I still want to keep my Corvette running well because I intend to keep it. Now, I am going to use RPS as my transmission fluid as soon as I decide who to trust to change it. How about a suggestion for the differential fluid - I heard Dex 6? And, I'll have someone reputable look under my shifter boot. Thanks.