possible collapsing hydraulic lines?

[misspebbles71]

I own a 1994 Subaru Legacy Turbo w/blow off valve. Just bought it this year. Never drove standard before, so I had to learn and ..... yes, I had to replace the clutch already.

 

Now, I am a good driver when it comes to my lil Suby BUT > I've noticed that after I have been driving for a while, whenever I go to shift into 2nd gear, it grinds. It seems to only do it when the transmission is really warmed up. Someone who works on Suby's told me I probably need a new transmission, and then some one else told me ...nah, it's just the Hydraulic lines collapsing. (It's not just my driving either, other family members who have driven my Suby have noticed the same thing).

 

Has anyone had this problem The car runs great other than this one little problem. It's seems to only happen when shifting into or down to 2nd gear and only after the car has been driven constantly for a while.

 

I also have grindage when putting it into reverse but if I let the car sit a few seconds in 1st gear and wind down, and then shift into reverse, it goes in alot easier without grinding. Again, this too seems to happen mostly after I have been driving it awhile.

 

I would like to find specs on how to change the lines out and put new on, but so far I'm coming up with nothing.

 

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[Platinum_Racing]

If it were the clutch hydraulic lines, the pressure inside them would cause them to expand, not collapse. They would burst or crack from rust long before they ever collapsed. Tell your friend he's an idiot.

 

If it were the lines it would happen while shifting in every gear. Since it's only while shifting to 2nd, it's the 2nd gear syncromesh. The gears inside a manual transmission spin at different speeds when you're driving, so when you need to shift those gears need to change speed or else they will grind. The syncromesh (syncro for short) is made to change the speed of the gear you're trying to select. It works by friction, thus it is prone to wear just like your clutch or brakes.

 

You have several ways to diagnose this. One would be to "Double Clutch".

 

Driving in first gear with the clutch engaged, put your foot on the clutch. Put the shifter in neutral. Let out the clutch. Give the car a little gas, enough to simulate driving in the next gear. Push the clutch in again and put the shifter in second. If it goes in, or goes in easier you've diagnosed the syncro. Before syncros were in widespread automotive use, this was the only way to drive a car. Some big rig trucks with many gears still have non-syncro transmissions.

 

Another option is simpler, but stresses the second gear syncro. In third gear, push in the clutch and put to the 1st gear location, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY into 1st. Move the shifter all the way to the left, then press it upalmost gently towards first, stopping when you feel a little resistance. Then quickly shift into second gear and let out the clutch. This is forcing the car to use the first gear syncro for second gear to downshift. I had to do this to my Cummins diesel pickup, but it was easier since the shifter was a lot larger and clunkier.

 

The easiest way to fix this problem is a new transmission. You could have your transmission rebuilt, or have a rebuilt one installed, but all in all, you're going to have to get a new transmission.

 

[jamal]

just a slightly worn syncro. fresh trans fluid may help. People have all sorts of different mixes of stuff and suggestions as to what to put in so I won't go there.

 

You probably don't need to worry about double clutching, and using the 1st gear syncro to get into 2nd is a terrible idea. I'd suggest trying to time the shift into 2nd a little better so things are moving at closer to the same speed.

[Platinum_Racing]

Using the first gear synchro is a bad idea if you do it all the time, I was merely suggesting ideas to help him diagnose the problem. I agree that he shouldn't do it all the time. I did on my Cummins diesel, but that was a Getrag 5 speed, much sturdier transmission made for high torque towing applications, so I wasn't too worried about it.