My 2004 saturn ion is really giving me fits. The engine and everything else rus perfect but attempting to put it in gear is becoming more of a challenge every day. 1st thru 4th gear it takes a lot of force (met with a lot of resistance). When I bought the car with 106,000 miles it had the same problem and I treated her to amsoil atf fluid which made everything better. She started acting up again about 10,000 miles ago and I changed the fluid agin which did not really help. I am hoping that a fluid change will do the trick again, but I am also realistic that it may be a real problem. Please suggest fluids that I should try before I dive in deeper.
really hard shifting 5spd
- Thread starter Barkleymut
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Fluid won't do the trick after only 10k. Are you sure it is not leaking? What about the clutch?
Btw I now have 155,500 miles on her and the problem is intermittent, but almost a constant now
If its like my '05 Vue - its the shift cables.
PITA to replace, but wasn't a technically hard job.
PITA to replace, but wasn't a technically hard job.
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Does it's tranny spec atf? If so,you could try Amsoil MTF,RP Synchromax,or Pennzoil Synchromesh maybe? Wonder if a fluid like that would smooth out the tranny?
Does sound like a clutch issue.
Might just be showing similar symptoms to before.
As said, could need adjusted if a cable clutch or bled and the fluid changed if the clutch is hydraulic.
Does it get easier if you match engine speeds to road speed when you are changing?
As when matched correctly it should slide in easy enough even without the clutch.
Or the gearbox may never have been specced for ATF.
Might just be showing similar symptoms to before.
As said, could need adjusted if a cable clutch or bled and the fluid changed if the clutch is hydraulic.
Does it get easier if you match engine speeds to road speed when you are changing?
As when matched correctly it should slide in easy enough even without the clutch.
Or the gearbox may never have been specced for ATF.
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Originally Posted By: surfstar
If its like my '05 Vue - its the shift cables.
PITA to replace, but wasn't a technically hard job.
Is it equally hard with car on and off?
Seriously - look into these.
If its like my '05 Vue - its the shift cables.
PITA to replace, but wasn't a technically hard job.
Is it equally hard with car on and off?
Seriously - look into these.
I'm not familiar with Saturns, but it sounds like it could be the clutch slave cylinder. Check the level of the "clutch fluid" (brake fluid). If it's down, you may have a leaky slave cylinder which would make shifting very difficult.
If you idle the engine in gear for 5 minutes and then the clutch starts engaging before that, you have a failing clutch master cylinder, and it isn't disengaging the clutch as far as it is supposed to when shifting gears.
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