# Manual Trans Shifting



## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> This may have been discussed at some point on here so sorry in advance if I missed it, but what are all the ways to improve the shifting on the manual Trans? I seen people talk about a specific fluid might help. This car just confuses me. It’s like every gear change is different from the last and cannot get consistent smooth shifts. Any recommendations?


Can you explain what you mean when you say not consistent? Might be something odd with the synchros going on. I think this is pretty good stuff: Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> This may have been discussed at some point on here so sorry in advance if I missed it, but what are all the ways to improve the shifting on the manual Trans? I seen people talk about a specific fluid might help. This car just confuses me. It’s like every gear change is different from the last and cannot get consistent smooth shifts. Any recommendations?


Im about to order this and try it. Im sick of the way this car shifts ill remove the delay valve to.









2011-2016 Cruze Limited Clutch Accumulator Bypass-BNR-CRUZEC






store.badnewsracing.net


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> Im about to order this and try it. Im sick of the way this car shifts ill remove the delay valve to.
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The original poster has a 2018 Cruze 6MT. BNR could be in error about parts fitment, but that says for 2011-2016 models (so, 1st generation Cruze).


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Try switching your transmission fluid out to Amsoil 75W-90.









Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90


Shop Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 at AMSOIL. Find premium synthetic oil, filters and more online. Fast, free shipping available.




www.amsoil.com





My transmission wasn't shifting the best and at about 46,000 miles I changed the gearbox oil out because these manual transmissions need routine, regular service with very good oil to have a long life. They are not the best gearbox for a variety of reasons. The shifting was smoother.

Not long after that, my car ended up with the slave cylinder replaced under warranty. For that repair, the Chevy technician refilled the gearbox with AC Delco fluid. It's back to being notchy shifting and some slight grinding when it goes between 1-2 and 2-3 shifts.

Seems like a swap to Amsoil is the best to make it feel a lot better.


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

Barry Allen said:


> Try switching your transmission fluid out to Amsoil 75W-90.
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> ...


Ive never experianced the 1-2 grind. I had syncromesh in before my mechanic changed my clutch then he put the gm fluid back in and im not impressed with it the syncromesh is for shur better fluid.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> Ive never experianced the 1-2 grind.


I guess it's not much of a grind. Just more of a "notchy" feeling with hesitation where it won't immediately go into gear.

After the Amsoil fluid change, I'm a firm believer that the thicker gear oil definitely helps. That, and these transmissions are not the best and need frequent fluid changes.









M20 & M32 Gearbox: Chocolate Bearings - Still Running Strong


The ULTIMATE GUIDE to the infamous M32 gearbox. Learn everything about bearing failures in the M32 and M20 gearboxes - Causes, Symptoms & Repairs.




stillrunningstrong.com


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

Barry Allen said:


> I guess it's not much of a grind. Just more of a "notchy" feeling with hesitation where it won't immediately go into gear.
> 
> After the Amsoil fluid change, I'm a firm believer that the thicker gear oil definitely helps. That, and these transmissions are not the best and need frequent fluid changes.
> 
> ...


Very lengthy well written article I read the whole thing thanks a lot. Yea I think ill be switching back to the amsoil. Im also going to check to see if I have the updated bearing as I have a 2012


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> Very lengthy well written article I read the whole thing thanks a lot. Yea I think ill be switching back to the amsoil. Im also going to check to see if I have the updated bearing as I have a 2012


With my 2018 model, I obviously have the updated design. I intend to change my gear oil about every 40,000 miles because it is relatively easy to do and cheap insurance. Drain the gearbox and fill with 2.5 quarts of Amsoil or other high quality synthetic lube that is GL-4 rated.

Absolutely do not use any of the GL-5 rated oils on the shelf of your average auto parts store! The easiest to find is Mobil 1, and all of the oil companies try to say that the GL-5 oils are perfectly fine to use in GL-4 rated applications. It's not true as the GL-5 oil will corrode the brass syncros in a transmission. Stick with GL-4 oils even if you have to order it through the mail.


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

Barry Allen said:


> With my 2018 model, I obviously have the updated design. I intend to change my gear oil about every 40,000 miles because it is relatively easy to do and cheap insurance. Drain the gearbox and fill with 2.5 quarts of Amsoil or other high quality synthetic lube that is GL-4 rated.
> 
> Absolutely do not use any of the GL-5 rated oils on the shelf of your average auto parts store! The easiest to find is Mobil 1, and all of the oil companies try to say that the GL-5 oils are perfectly fine to use in GL-4 rated applications. It's not true as the GL-5 oil will corrode the brass syncros in a transmission. Stick with GL-4 oils even if you have to order it through the mail.


I'll put the amsoil synchromesh back in my mechanic told me it's not rated for the cruze but many other people on here are using it.


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## SilveradoWTRT (May 10, 2020)

So which Amsoil product is better to use? The transmission/transaxle lube or the synchromesh fluid


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> So which Amsoil product is better to use? The transmission/transaxle lube or the synchromesh fluid


Check in with @XtremeRevolution he also sells it


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> So which Amsoil product is better to use? The transmission/transaxle lube or the synchromesh fluid


The manual trans is syncromesh but its not rated for my cruze so you have to search the fluid on the website. The only fluid thats rated for my cruze is the automatic fluid ? So idk


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

Thebigzeus said:


> Check in with @XtremeRevolution he also sells it


I made an amsoil account the other day and used him as a referral. It came next day shipping as it was sent from a dealer a little over an hour away from me.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> So which Amsoil product is better to use? The transmission/transaxle lube or the synchromesh fluid


Purely my opinion: the GL-4 rated 75W-90 gear oil is better. I have not used the syncromesh fluid, but if it's similar to the AC Delco fluid (which is decent as a synthetic oil) it's not giving the same "cushion" as the thicker gear oil provides.


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## SilveradoWTRT (May 10, 2020)

Barry Allen said:


> Purely my opinion: the GL-4 rated 75W-90 gear oil is better. I have not used the syncromesh fluid, but if it's similar to the AC Delco fluid (which is decent as a synthetic oil) it's not giving the same "cushion" as the thicker gear oil provides.


What do you mean by cushion? Will the thicker fluid be a problem in the cold? I live in Michigan.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

SilveradoWTRT said:


> What do you mean by cushion? Will the thicker fluid be a problem in the cold? I live in Michigan.


It's cold here in Illinois. The oil works just fine in my car.


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

I've never really seen any posts on here before of people that had to rebuild there manual transmissions I just heard they last longer then the automatics and should last the lifetime of the car


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> I've never really seen any posts on here before of people that had to rebuild there manual transmissions I just heard they last longer then the automatics and should last the lifetime of the car


"Here" being the United States, with very limited sales of manual transmissions. The UK and the EU has a far wider variety of cars using this gearbox as it was a shared powertrain development between Chevy and the European brands (Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Lotus). There are lots of reported failures in the UK and the EU, to the point that the gearbox had a minor redesign in 2012 for more lubrication to the bearings.

The transmissions can last the lifetime of the car... if you change the oil regularly. Lots of people have this weird belief that they can ignore the gearbox oil and let it be a "lifetime" fluid fill. This isn't your grandpa's tractor which maybe had 40 horsepower, huge gear teeth mesh area (resistant to wear), and never built up heat like a automobile gearbox does.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Recently, owners have been trying a blend of the two; usually 1.5 quarts Synchromesh to 1 quart 75W-90. This idea originally came from the Mustang community, where Calimer Performance Transmissions recommended the blend. Owners have been messaging me to order the "Calimer Cocktail" for years. I tried it in my 124 Spider and was blown away by the difference. It seems the two fiction modifier packages work very well together. Going in my Cruze next. 

Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk


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## Diamond193 (Jul 28, 2019)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Recently, owners have been trying a blend of the two; usually 1.5 quarts Synchromesh to 1 quart 75W-90. This idea originally came from the Mustang community, where Calimer Performance Transmissions recommended the blend. Owners have been messaging me to order the "Calimer Cocktail" for years. I tried it in my 124 Spider and was blown away by the difference. It seems the two fiction modifier packages work very well together. Going in my Cruze next.
> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry Key2 using Tapatalk


Let us know how it does in your cruze


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## Thebigzeus (Dec 2, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> Let us know how it does in your cruze


I am also interested, wonder if it can be added to an automatic?


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Diamond193 said:


> I've never really seen any posts on here before of people that had to rebuild there manual transmissions I just heard they last longer then the automatics and should last the lifetime of the car


The failure rate in the UK and EU is notable, and that's where a huge number of these gearboxes were used/sold.


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