hccyong

After finally breaking in, I'm noticing some grinding going from 1st to 2nd when shifting around 7000 RPM after having reduced throttle slightly. Basically it happens when I'm not trying to do the fastest acceleration or shift but just something moderately aggressive yet smooth. The last portion of the shift into 2nd gets "crunchy" and has me a bit concerned. It hasn't happened too many times yet. The first time I thought maybe I was too relaxed (didn't depress the clutch all the way or didn't firmly follow through with the shift), but it's happened several more times since then. Of course, everytime I consciously think about it and try to observe exactly what is happening, it never happens. But when I'm just enjoying a moderately hard acceleration, it happens. It's never happened going through similar shift action at say 5000 or 6000 RPM, only near 7000 RPM. Also, this is happening when the engine and transmission are warm (I don't plan on trying this when cold). I've driven manuals since learning to drive, regularly heel-toe, etc., and I've never had a vehicle exhibit this. Originally I wondered if the clutch was not fully disengaging, but I don't have trouble shifting through other gears (up/down), only in this specific scenario. Anyone else had the same experience?

jphughan

Yes, someone created a thread about this a while ago and multiple owners including myself confirmed this behavior. It happened to me maybe 6 times ever, and now that I'm at 3600 miles it hasn't happened in a long time. I thought maybe my timing on clutch release compared to shifting was off for this car, and maybe it was considering that it's gone now, but whatever the cause it seems to have resolved itself.

ajw45

Yeah, hopefully it is a break-in issue. Happened a few times to me sub-2k miles but nothing on the last few thousand.

hccyong

Thanks for the responses. Glad to know that it's gone away for some people although I'm a bit surprised to see how common it is appearing to be. Does anyone have the original thread where this was discussed? I haven't found it yet. Thanks.

jphughan

https://rennlist.com/forums/gt4/9258...ear-grind.html

lumber

Yep
Have the grinding 1-2 issue occurring on my spyder, but haven't experienced on either of my gt4. Odd...

Jimmy-D

I think it is part of "break-in" . Clutch, gears ect all need some work in the beginning.

For those that have had a GT3 - that freaking car makes so many noises I only got concerned when it was quiet. Welcome to the "GT" experience

Alan C.

Yomi

It's happened to me quite a few times, but only once every hundred miles or so. Only 850 miles on the car so far. Car warmed up, shifting at 3-4k, driving through neighborhood so not driving sane and taking time. Can't repeat it. As far as I can tell I'm not doing anything different, but since it is always a surprise it's hard to tell. Didn't happen at any of the 14 autocross runs.

lumber

It's not part of break-in. And it's definitely not normal. When it happens to you in downtown lake geneva on a crowded summer day, you'll feel differently.
This isn't a "cool gt-motorsport" noise.
It's more like a "look at the guy learning how to drive a stick" noise.
I never grind a gear in any other manual car I own. Fwiw.

Yomi

^^ What lumber said.

Jimmy-D

^ Good info and you would know because you have had various Porsches before - would be interested in what you learn when you bring it in

GAZZ

Had a few problems as well...

Sounds to me the new clutch design in the GT4 is not disengaging properly under certain conditions.

Jimmy-D

^I had a similar issue with my R8 when car was not warmed up switching in the lower gear especially 1st to 2nd. They told me at Audi that not to worry. It would be grind and you would almost have to jam it. Never a problem when car was warmed but after a few thousand miles it stopped happening.

Never could figure it out

lumber

Odd. I've put 50k miles on 4 different r8 without a single trans issue.
My last 987 spyder had a 1-2 grind, and now this one does.
My first gt4 had 5000 grind free miles, and my second gt4 has yet to have this issue.
I'm at a loss on why it happens to some cars and not others...
But I promise you, if you've got it, you will cringe every time you go to shift 1-2.