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Shifter issues

  • 11/21/2022 11:25 AM
    Message # 12997495

    '19 ND2 6-speed. Hit 30,000 miles and had tranny & diff fluids changed. Since then the shifter is really notchy, and even locked me out of 1,3 &4 when I was rolling down the road in 6th the other day. Came back to normal next start, but still notchy in 1st & 2nd.

    Anybody got any thoughts? I can't imagine what the fluid change could possibly have to do with it, but it did start immediately after that service.

  • 11/22/2022 7:56 PM
    Reply # 12999364 on 12997495
    Sean McGriff (Administrator)

    I wish I could tell you. I know on the earlier NA version, you could refresh the shifter coupling and fluid, but I don't know about the ND. I recommend talking with Bill Cooper of Coop's Miata. He could help you out. The timing does suggest the trans service had something to do with it.  

    Coop's Miata

  • 11/23/2022 6:30 AM
    Reply # 12999751 on 12997495

    Thanks Sean,

    I've discovered the shop used 80/90 gear lube rather than Mazda's recommended "special" tranny lube.  I'm going to ask why they did that, and have them look at the linkage to make sure nothing's wrong there.  The notchy shifting is almost certainly the lube, but I can't imagine what happened to lock out the "top row" of gears.  That almost had to be a linkage issue.

  • 12/01/2022 7:21 AM
    Reply # 13009456 on 12997495

    Final report, after the shop replaced the 80/90 gear lube with the Miata proprietary tranny lube, which turns out to be a 35w/90 syn product.  Never knew such a thing existed...

    I drove it quite a bit yesterday, and the problem of notchy shifting in 1st & second is definitely gone.  Getting "locked out" of 1, 3 & 5 was a one-time event that never recurred, but I'd bet it too was related to the too-heavy oil impeding the function of the synchros.  

    So: if driving an ND, be sure the get the "real stuff" from Miata if you're refreshing the tranny lube...


  • 12/02/2022 7:58 AM
    Reply # 13010781 on 12997495
    Sean McGriff (Administrator)

    Glad to hear! And thanks for the follow up. I didn't realize the ND requires a different transmission oil.

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