my gears are really stiff

[Jezz]

i have a 92 NH pajero and it is really hard to change gears when it is cold. but now it is getting worse, third and forth are getting hard too. i have vmx 80 oil in the box and it is taking longer for the gears to become loose and free to shift. it feels like the clutch hasn't been completely pushed in but i have just had a new clutch installed. i seem to be getting screwed by everyone, no one seems to have a clue. is there anything i can do or try before i have to result to pulling out the box and stripping it down.

[-Scott-]

Mine isn't as bad as you describe, but I'm getting frustrated with my shift - sometimes it changes gear easily and smoothly, other times you can feel it crunch into gear. It doesn't appear to be temperature dependent.

I refilled the box with a GL-5 Valvoline synthetic blend, which didn't seem to help, so I decided to use the factory recommended oil - Castrol VMX-M (M for Mitsubishi) which isn't stocked in too many places. Castrol recommend Syntrans synthetic (the GL-4 stuff, not the GL-5 Syntrax) for better cold shift performance, and the bottle states suitable for all applications recommending VMX-M. At $22/litre I took a deep breath and bought some, and shouldn't have bothered. If there's a difference in the shift quality I can't detect it. But others have tried it and loved the results, and I think somebody got a better price than I did - but I was in a hurry, and took what I could find at short notice.

Good luck,

Scott

[awbeattie381]

try adjusting the clutch. my shifts were also pretty dodgy even with a new clutch. The clutch has since been adjusted about 4 times and the gear change is ok now its just that you have to pull the clutch out a long way before it does anything.

[JohnySWB]

try adjusting the clutch. my shifts were also pretty dodgy even with a new clutch. The clutch has since been adjusted about 4 times and the gear change is ok now its just that you have to pull the clutch out a long way before it does anything.

How do you adjust a hydraulic clutch.As far as I'm aware you can reco the slave and master cylinders and get the best stroke possible but after that the adjustment is automatic. Or have I missed something.

I have the same bother with my gearbox especialy when the clutch gets hot ,what little free play I have is taken up with the heat and makes the gears even harder to change. Its had hydraulics done, its always been this whey since Ive had the clutch and gearbox reco'd 18 months ago,has never got any better with age. I sometimes wonder weather the proper clutch has been fitted?

The best oil to use I found is as Scott say's , and yes they charge like wounded bulls for the suff. And like Scott I found little to no differance in shift quality, maybe a little better when in winter but thats about it.

I but this all down to that, the Mitsi manual gearbox is frankly shite.
Very slow gearbox to move around, worst gear change is 2nd to 3rd gear. It takes real effort to get it smooth , and gets even harder when you rev the V6 up. Dam pitty really I like the pleasure of changing my own gears.

I allways wanted a manual Paj but after three years of ownership I would not recomend the manual gear box to any body

[J Top]

I fight to find reverse quickly after a "failed" hill climb,usually find 4th.
The only adjustment is clearance at the pedal to M/C push rod.
J Top

[assasin]

Jezz had exactly the same problem in my 3.5 NK for about 15 months. Then I started to notice a bit of clutch slip so I replaced the clutch & machined the flywheel, problem fixed. Did the place machine your flywheel? Did you get the old parts? Failing this check that the slave cylinder bolts are tight, you may have to overhaul the slave cylinder.

[Bitsamissin]

Most likely slave cylinder related.
I would check that it was bled properly (no air in the system) and then check the pedal free play. This can be adjusted quite easily.
Grab yourself a Gregory's manual which describes these procedures quite well.

[Adomw]

Use the Castrol syntrans oil - it totally fixed my cold shift problems

Fully Synthetic stuff worth $22 a litre

Ado

[JohnySWB]

Most likely slave cylinder related.
I would check that it was bled properly (no air in the system) and then check the pedal free play. This can be adjusted quite easily.
Grab yourself a Gregory's manual which describes these procedures quite well.

Thanks Bitsmissin you are of course right ,I found the information about the adjustment but never got around to do it and consurquently forgot about it. Thanks for reminder.It mite of been the fact its alittle hard to get to under the dash . Nah is more likely because I'm a fat bastard and can't get in the area good enough.

Cheers for info will attempt to adjust in the weekend.

John

[awbeattie381]

try adjusting the clutch. my shifts were also pretty dodgy even with a new clutch. The clutch has since been adjusted about 4 times and the gear change is ok now its just that you have to pull the clutch out a long way before it does anything.

How do you adjust a hydraulic clutch.As far as I'm aware you can reco the slave and master cylinders and get the best stroke possible but after that the adjustment is automatic. Or have I missed something.

I have the same bother with my gearbox especialy when the clutch gets hot ,what little free play I have is taken up with the heat and makes the gears even harder to change. Its had hydraulics done, its always been this whey since Ive had the clutch and gearbox reco'd 18 months ago,has never got any better with age. I sometimes wonder weather the proper clutch has been fitted?

The best oil to use I found is as Scott say's , and yes they charge like wounded bulls for the suff. And like Scott I found little to no differance in shift quality, maybe a little better when in winter but thats about it.

I but this all down to that, the Mitsi manual gearbox is frankly shite.
Very slow gearbox to move around, worst gear change is 2nd to 3rd gear. It takes real effort to get it smooth , and gets even harder when you rev the V6 up. Dam pitty really I like the pleasure of changing my own gears.

I allways wanted a manual Paj but after three years of ownership I would not recomend the manual gear box to any body

There is an adjustor near the carpet (at the end of the clutch pedal). It adjusts the freeplay. The 4wd store who installed my clutch kept adjusting it every time i brought it back complaining.

[Jezz]

i have herd from a 4wd place that they put engine oil in their gearboxes instead of the proper oil. they said it is like magic because it thins out quicker than the 75 - 90 oil. do you guys think i should have a go at engine oil.

[Adomw]

Jees,

I used to put engine oil with and extreme pressure additive into the box in my rally car, it allowed the synchos to spin up quicker and there for alow me to change gears quicker without the crunch

...., not sure i would do it in a 2 tonne 4WD though

Ado

[J Top]

Auto Trans Fluid used to be the "Cold Baulk" fix before the 5 speed oils came out.
It worked but was rumoured to break down so needed changing more often than G/Box oils.
J Top

[-Scott-]

Bump.

I was chatting to a friend recently, and his experience seemed worth adding.

He has a NH shorty with the Tri-Pack (ABS, rear diff lock and adjustable shocks.) He was having all sorts of problems with bad shift on 1st - 2nd, and eventually had the box rebuilt. He discovered that this was a known problem with NH 5speeds, due to poor synchro rings. The replacement ring came with a different part number and different shaped teeth - from memory, he said the taper was different?

He also said that this problem was fixed for the NJ - but only on the 1-2 shift. He told me that in the NJ my shift problem would be with 2-3 - and he's right.

So, does anybody else's experience match with this? Anybody know a good place to have a 5speed overhauled in Brissie?

Cheers,

Scott

[pickle]

Also put the VMX-M in my box and it did help initially ,although now somedays are really good with gearchanges and other days are crap. No problems from 2nd to 3rd but 1st to 2nd can be a real bitch. I really feel you have to find the right revs to change smoothly once these boxes get on a bit.
Dave

[JohnySWB]

Bump.

I was chatting to a friend recently, and his experience seemed worth adding.

He has a NH shorty with the Tri-Pack (ABS, rear diff lock and adjustable shocks.) He was having all sorts of problems with bad shift on 1st - 2nd, and eventually had the box rebuilt. He discovered that this was a known problem with NH 5speeds, due to poor synchro rings. The replacement ring came with a different part number and different shaped teeth - from memory, he said the taper was different?

He also said that this problem was fixed for the NJ - but only on the 1-2 shift. He told me that in the NJ my shift problem would be with 2-3 - and he's right.

So, does anybody else's experience match with this? Anybody know a good place to have a 5speed overhauled in Brissie?

Cheers,

Scott

Yes I have the very same specMitsi , and I got my gear box repared to try and get a better shift out of it, I needed a clutch anyway.
I had all the bearings replaced and all the forward gear syncro's replaced
(did ya know they have syncro on reverse)The gearbox repairer gave me the old syncro's in a plastic bag ,on inspection I found they were in excellent contion.He also told me they rarely replaced them all they do is give them a roughen up on a wire wheel on a bench grinder,
The box was very sweet for about 6 weeks until the syncro rings tops got taken off so to speak. And from there on its been crap ever since.
I believe there was two different types of syncro ring fitted to the boxs.
The type had in my box (original) was a double syncro type fitted to the 1st and 2nd gears the rest were single type. Double syncro are used to get a faster shifts I thought but not so with this box. In reflection I don't now what the repairer used for replacement.
I have also been told by a Mitsi repairer that they don't use the double type in repairing the boxs they do because they were supposedly no good.

I'll be honest I'm buggered if I know what to think!!

And yes the 1st to 2nd is ok( still slow ) and the 2nd to 3rd shift is poor.
The rest of the box is just plain old slow.
Oh and the bearings like making them self herd too

Seems to confirm exactly what you say NJ.

Thanks John.

[South]

Hey Fellas,

Ive recently filled the 'box and t'case with Castrol EPX 80W90 and Bi-Tron 2-4-6 Metal Treatment. Well the cold shifts have definately improved, 1-2 used to be real stiff in the morning, and 3rd used to be slightly notchy. Now 3rd is pretty smooth and 1-2 is slightly notchy, but easy to live with.

The t'case used to whine a bit (driving on bitumen in 4H) but is now pretty quiet. Given more time im sure the Bi-Tron will work its way into the gears a bit more and smoothen things up even more. This by the way is an NJ 3.5

The differentials got Castrol LSX90 front n rear.

However what works for me, may not work for anyone else. Until tonight, I didnt even know Castrol had a specific Mitsubishi oil...

[JohnySWB]

To Quote South:
Ive recently filled the 'box and t'case with Castrol EPX 80W90 and Bi-Tron 2-4-6 Metal Treatment. Well the cold shifts have definately improved, 1-2 used to be real stiff in the morning, and 3rd used to be slightly notchy. Now 3rd is pretty smooth and 1-2 is slightly notchy, but easy to live with.

The thing I cant work out is adding friction improver's to a gearbox surely must make the syncro rings work even more poorly. Due to the fact the synros must contact its mating surface to speed or slow down the gear prior to ingagement.

What's this Bi- tron product about then South , Im keen to hear more about it.

Thanks John.

[South]

Hey, heres a link to the Bi-Tron website.

http://www.bitron-liquidgold.com/

All the information on their products is there.

[ca18escort]

You have to love the syntrans stuff. The price sucks........but we need it for work and buy it in 20lt drums som no one missed a couple of litres. Made a big difference to mine. I run it in the zook also. Good stuff. We pay around $180 for a 20 lt drum and I have 4 at work.

Paul

[awbeattie381]

the worst shift in my box is 1st - 2nd. Does the NG have the same gearbox as the NH?

That oil sounds interesting!!

[Fatpaj]

I too had this problem in a NJ tried all the oils but it was the bushings in the box for the rails that have the selector forks on them had them replaced and all fine hot or cold was about $600.00

[Fatpaj]

I too had this problem in a NJ tried all the oils but it was the bushings in the box for the rails that have the selector forks on them had them replaced and all fine hot or cold was about $600.00

[NHV6]

If it helps, I have test driven a few NH V6 Pajeros before I bought mine and every one of them had a terrible shift, with 3rd gear grinding at the slightest hint of spirited driving. Mine, unfortunately is the same and is now worse since I had to change the T/Case. It seems that the selector rods run in bushes in the T/Case and the ones in my replacement were worn worse than the original. 5th gear is a delicate dance to get right, and at first I thought I had put it together wrong... Apparently not. On the advice of the local gearbox shop, I am about to rip the whole lot out and go the rebuild, which I will do myself. Replacing the bearings, and the 3rd gear synchro with one with a different part number (unsure of that part yet) should get some good results, but it is the 3 bushings in the T/Case that cause all the notchy shift problems. Should be simple enough (famous last words), and I will post the results once completed.

[Shorti]

I had this problem (minus the change in quality due to temp), it was most evident in my 1st to 2nd shift. My master and slave cylinders kicked the bucket shortly after this, got them replaced and its heaps better now.