1999 MX5 gearbox

Hi, My 1999 Mazda 1.8 roadster 6 speed - 65,000 miles (grey import from
Japan to UK) has in the last few thousand miles developed a notchy 3rd gear.

When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens

as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
this have bought the problem on?

Is it cheap to sort out - I had a main dealer service and they changed the
gearbox oil (as well as differential/brake/clutch/coolant) and the other
gears are easier to get into but tyhe 3rd gear issue remains

the dealer did't want to know about the problem - a gearbox "place" would
have to deal with it

If fluid change helped some and it was 'organic' oil (non-synthetic), then
I'd say you've gat a chance that with a good synthetic, you might be ok. If
you don't know which was used, check your recpt or call the shop. Usually if
you don't specifically ask for it, they don't use it because it's expensive.

Worth a try!
Chris
99BBB (5spd)

"Toommy" > wrote in message
...
> Hi, My 1999 Mazda 1.8 roadster 6 speed - 65,000 miles (grey import from
> Japan to UK) has in the last few thousand miles developed a notchy 3rd
> gear.
>
> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>
> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
> this have bought the problem on?
>
> Is it cheap to sort out - I had a main dealer service and they changed the
> gearbox oil (as well as differential/brake/clutch/coolant) and the other
> gears are easier to get into but tyhe 3rd gear issue remains
>
> the dealer did't want to know about the problem - a gearbox "place"
> would have to deal with it
>

It sounds like the lubricant is too "heavy". Next, the 99 5spd is very
similar or identical to late model year NA 5spd boxes.
The changes were an added weight in the shift mechanism and the number of
teeth in the syncros. And, the changes may or may not be in a 99 tranny.
It sounds like the lubricant is not helping the syncro "cones" match speed
as much as it should.
You should also chsck the rubber boots, and possibly re lubricate the
shifter mechanism.


When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens

"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote in message
...
> If fluid change helped some and it was 'organic' oil (non-synthetic), then
> I'd say you've gat a chance that with a good synthetic, you might be ok.
> If you don't know which was used, check your recpt or call the shop.
> Usually if you don't specifically ask for it, they don't use it because
> it's expensive.
>
> Worth a try!
> Chris
> 99BBB (5spd)
>
> "Toommy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi, My 1999 Mazda 1.8 roadster 6 speed - 65,000 miles (grey import from
>> Japan to UK) has in the last few thousand miles developed a notchy 3rd
>> gear.
>>
>> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
>> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
>> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>>
>> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
>> this have bought the problem on?
>>
>> Is it cheap to sort out - I had a main dealer service and they changed
>> the gearbox oil (as well as differential/brake/clutch/coolant) and the
>> other gears are easier to get into but tyhe 3rd gear issue remains
>>
>> the dealer did't want to know about the problem - a gearbox "place" would
>> have to deal with it
>>
>

In article >,
"Toommy" > wrote:

> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>
> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
> this have bought the problem on?

Sounds like a leaking slave cylinder to me, not a gearbox problem. Cheap
and easy to fix.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Toommy, let us know what you find out. You have several valid (and cheap)
angles of attack on the problem. I would only add that Chucks' mention of
the 'turret oil' is a good one because some transmission places would only
change the fluid in the gearbox and not 'bother' with the turret oil which
can get quite bad (or dried up) in all these years. Synthetic here's a very
good idea also. These are all do-it-yourself type of things if you're handy
with tools. Tons of help / documentation on miata.net

Chris
99BBB

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Toommy" > wrote:
>
>> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
>> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing on"
>> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>>
>> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
>> this have bought the problem on?
>
> Sounds like a leaking slave cylinder to me, not a gearbox problem. Cheap
> and easy to fix.
>
> --
> Lanny Chambers
> St. Louis, MO
> '94C

thanks for the help guys, I liked the last line of Larrys reply - cheap and
easy (reminds me of myself

I'm glad its (hopefully) not the new gearbox scenario as I've promised
myself a new soft top this year

Cheers


"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote in message
...
> Toommy, let us know what you find out. You have several valid (and cheap)
> angles of attack on the problem. I would only add that Chucks' mention of
> the 'turret oil' is a good one because some transmission places would only
> change the fluid in the gearbox and not 'bother' with the turret oil which
> can get quite bad (or dried up) in all these years. Synthetic here's a
> very good idea also. These are all do-it-yourself type of things if you're
> handy with tools. Tons of help / documentation on miata.net
>
> Chris
> 99BBB
>
> "Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >,
>> "Toommy" > wrote:
>>
>>> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
>>> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing
>>> on"
>>> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>>>
>>> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd - could
>>> this have bought the problem on?
>>
>> Sounds like a leaking slave cylinder to me, not a gearbox problem. Cheap
>> and easy to fix.
>>
>> --
>> Lanny Chambers
>> St. Louis, MO
>> '94C
>

(sorry LaNNy)
"Tooommy" > wrote in message
...
> thanks for the help guys, I liked the last line of Larrys reply - cheap
> and easy (reminds me of myself
>
> I'm glad its (hopefully) not the new gearbox scenario as I've promised
> myself a new soft top this year
>
> Cheers
>
>
> "Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Toommy, let us know what you find out. You have several valid (and cheap)
>> angles of attack on the problem. I would only add that Chucks' mention of
>> the 'turret oil' is a good one because some transmission places would
>> only change the fluid in the gearbox and not 'bother' with the turret oil
>> which can get quite bad (or dried up) in all these years. Synthetic
>> here's a very good idea also. These are all do-it-yourself type of things
>> if you're handy with tools. Tons of help / documentation on miata.net
>>
>> Chris
>> 99BBB
>>
>> "Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> In article >,
>>> "Toommy" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> When cold especially It can be really difficult to push it into 3rd,
>>>> occasionally its Ok and sometimes the gear crunches - when "pressing
>>>> on"
>>>> when the cars warmed up the problem hardly ever happens
>>>>
>>>> as 2nd gear was very hard to get into i often changed 1st to 3rd -
>>>> could
>>>> this have bought the problem on?
>>>
>>> Sounds like a leaking slave cylinder to me, not a gearbox problem. Cheap
>>> and easy to fix.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Lanny Chambers
>>> St. Louis, MO
>>> '94C
>>
>