Saturn Ion Redline grinding gears for the past 7 years....

[Delta1]

2006 Saturn Ion Redline w/ 5 speed manual trans with a Quaife LSD. 190 k km.

Since I got the car at 115 k km, it has always grinded it gears a bit, esp when hot going from 3-4, at 60 KPH, and it likes to pop out of 5th under light load at around 110 KPH. I have learned to live with the symptoms by shifting to 4 at higher speeds, and holding the shift lever in 5th at lower speeds.

Recently when cold, the trans now grinds when going into 5th, and becomes smooth once warmed up, opposite of the other issues which only happen when hot. What could be causing this new development?
I recently put in new GMC manual trans fluid for my car, and it made no difference at all. Of course the old oil came out full of sparkles and glitter.

Edit: I have a brand new trans + clutch for this car waiting for when it stops working or the clutch goes.
Just trying to get every last km out of the existing unit.

 

[SatinSilver]

Is the new AC Delco mtf FM(friction modified)? If not get that in there asap. It will say FM in the title.

 

[Saturnguy]

Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF, 112980, black label bottle, has run excellent in my SL2…

Also consider a TES-295, now TES-668, a synthetic Dexron III…

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants...s/our-products/products/mobil-1-synthetic-atf

https://www.rockauto.com/en/partsearch/?partnum=112980

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/mobil,122062,transmission+fluid,11387

 

[IndyIan]

My buddy had an ill manual transmission lock up on the freeway. No steering, just a long slide with the front tires locked and then a nervous wait to see if he got rear ended, before the traffic slowed! Doesn't sound like yours is that bad yet, but I don't think any fluid is going to help it rebuild itself.

 

[nascarnation]

My buddy had an ill manual transmission lock up on the freeway. No steering, just a long slide with the front tires locked and then a nervous wait to see if he got rear ended, before the traffic slowed! Doesn't sound like yours is that bad yet, but I don't think any fluid is going to help it rebuild itself.

Scary scenario. Would be interesting to know the failure mode.

 

[IndyIan]

Scary scenario. Would be interesting to know the failure mode.

I believe it ran low on fluid in combination with a few other problems like popping out of gear... Although ignoring that much leaking seems unlikely, but we were young and dumb back then! I wasn't in the car at the time.

 

[Saturnguy]

I suggest getting a Slippery Pete fluid pump from Amazon.
Makes life much easier…

Slippery Pete Fluid Pump for Gallon Bottles and Wide Mouth Quart Bottles (Not for Standard Quart Bottles) - Transfer Gear Oil, Transmission and Differential Fluid, Antifreeze with This 30cc Hand Pump https://a.co/d/4gZqmug