Gear Sellection
Author
Discussion

Hex

Original Poster:

568 posts

218 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Hi All, another question from a new guy.

When coming to a stop or just starting the car etc, selection of first/second gear can be a bit stiff.

Im assuming its normal, but would like a bit of reasurance.

Cheers guys

redbarron84

1,568 posts

231 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Yup, that sounds about right. The gearbox's are a bit tough on 'ro's. Suggest spending some money on a ripshifter like i'm going to do, million times better!

DevilYellowCV8

745 posts

246 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Yes, it's normal. Mine does it more when cold. Swordfishcoupe remarked on it as well and he's well versed on the gearshift on these things. I think his gear shift spends more time out of the car than in it biggrin

swordfishcoupe

503 posts

243 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Hello,

You cheeky little Devil Mr Yellow It is going to stay the factory length for a good few months now and the dynamat on the lower gear shaft has helped vibration etc. Just incase you are wondering, I have two top gear shafts, the factory CV8 size and a HSV size one both with gearknobs and gators - expensive but interesting experiment for me.

As the others have said, these boxes are a pain in particular when cold, they need a fair number of miles before warming up and behaving themselves. The ripshifter or the Billet one (as recommended by some Aus and US people) are mandatory upgrades. Some people have reverse, 1st and 2nd issues when cold also. For me I still hate second gear until warm, changing to the poly engine mounts helped a little as gearbox is not moving quite as much when shifting.

It is just one of the "features" of driving such a car.

Cheers
Steven

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
If you go into an easy gear like 2nd then back into 1st it makes it better. Its also easier if you are still at a slight roll.

DevilYellowCV8

745 posts

246 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Meant to add that a gearbox oil change does help a little but not as much as one would like.

It's not exactly the most refined of gearboxes anyway. As Swordfish 'Dyanamat' coupe said, it's just one of those features you grow to live with.

wolfracer

2,074 posts

229 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
I always think about the outback aussies when having trouble selecting first on a cold morning. would they be whinging about it or just give it a good push with a bit of muscle and crack on........???????
It's a big car, with a big engine that needs big muscles and heavy boots to make it move and stop. End of.

DevilYellowCV8

745 posts

246 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
Ahh, but it doesn't help when you have an arthritic shoulder like me in my old age! I don't know what makes more noise, the gear selecter or my shoulder.

zym

162 posts

236 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
I've found that reverse from cold is a complete non-starter, but a nice clunk into 4th first seems to smooth the path

Like others have said, I put this down as a quirk of the car, and given how fabulous the rest of it is, I can forgive it

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
If you dont like the manual you can always upgrade to a vxr8 auto smile

HSVGTSCoupe

2,535 posts

253 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
wolfracer said:
outback aussies..... cold morning.....
me thinks not wink

they have to bring the engines DOWN to operating temp
bandit

Island boy HSV

726 posts

262 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
I had the same issue when I got my car, changed the oil from the standard Holden oil to Redline oil. Then added a Ripshifter to get rid of the sloppy gear linkage that came as standard. Please remember that this gearbox is a very tough unit that has been used by Aston Martin in some of their cars.
For applications see below.

[url]www.ttcautomotive.com/English/products/T-56.asp[url]

Hex

Original Poster:

568 posts

218 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
Mind set at ease, thanks chaps smile

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
... and dodge viper behind their 8.3L engine!

Monkey's Uncle

5 posts

218 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
On my car (which has a rip shifter), when cold it's not so much a matter of using a bit of "muscle" to get 1st or Reverse. These gears are simply not available.

As has been said - it's easily remedied - a quick shift into 3rd or 4th and then 1st and reverse become immediately easily selected.

A bit worrying at first - but I'm used to it now.

Edited by Monkey's Uncle on Saturday 9th February 14:41

granada203028

1,500 posts

220 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
Don't forget there is a reverse lock out solenoid which defaults to locked out. Maybe you have a problem with this. With the ignition off you can't sellect reverse. Turn it on and it will let you. Turn it off and after a 10 second odd delay it locks you out again. You can here a faint click.

My replacement VXR type gearbox has a 2/3 rd lock out solenoid as well. Fortunately this defaults to off so is just left unconnected on my CV8. Don't know if when fitted as original to 6.0 VXRs whether this solenoid is present and connected and therefore could be spuriously operating. It is a USA gas guzzler tax work around.

Island boy HSV

726 posts

262 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
granada203028 said:
......My replacement VXR type gearbox has a 2/3 rd lock out solenoid as well. Fortunately this defaults to off so is just left unconnected on my CV8. Don't know if when fitted as original to 6.0 VXRs whether this solenoid is present and connected and therefore could be spuriously operating. It is a USA gas guzzler tax work around.


Sounds like you bought an American spec gearbox, I don't think the UK cars have CAGS fitted.

ringram

14,701 posts

271 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
Reverse solonoid is easy to overcome anyway, just push harder.
During my experimental days I flashed an auto tune into my Manual car and the lock out was on all the time. Doesnt stop you selecting revserse, just makes it take a fair bit more effort.