Both transmissions seemed to find a spot between 3rd and 5th that feels like an egagement until you get back on it.

1st trans had about 175,000 miles on it and it stuck itself in 5th gear during a hard shift to 3rd. This one would go into that spot between 3rd and 5th alot, even if I wasnt shifting it aggressively. I got the car with this condition.

This replacement trasmission is a 99+ as it had an electronic speed sensor in it (assuming it wasnt changed before). This one is now starting to "find" that spot as well. Trans was loaded with redline at install and doesnt make any odd noises.

I'm not seeing this happen often or it's not being discussed by other folk here or M.net. Since the replacement transmission went in, the car is basically a 4-7 psi setup, depending on what that sorry wastegate actuator feels like. The car is autocrossed and drifted. I suspect I'm being too forceful in engagement. Just as a measure of my experience, I've been legally driving for 26 years (yup I'm old) and racing for about half of those.

Anybody else having this issue?

 

If you're having issues with the shifter, I can't imagine it would be anything but the driver actions. The non-driver induced failures from power are usually the gears (probably bearings starting to fail and producing excessive tolerance). If it's hard to shift, then there's already a problem - like clutch issues or shifter issues.

 

thanks. I assumed it was just me being too rough with it.

 

I think autoXing has the potential to be more brutal on a transmission than drag racing, especially if the course is tight. It's a lot more difficult for the driver to be easy on the transmission too since primary focus is on vehicle dynamics (vs. driving straight to the finish line). I ran CS waaaay back in a 91 and wound up having first gear synchro issues which I'm sure came from me doing a lot of second to first gear downshifts (and forcing it in when it didn't want to go). But what else are you gonna do with super tight turns in a stock Miata?

 

I'm not looking forward to buying the quaife box.

 

More hp. Less torque.

 

I dont think that will do anything to help op.....his problem is driver abuse, not too much tq

 

I just thought of something.. does anyone make "handcuffs" for the Miata like are available to the Honda drag community?

 

I was referring to hustler.

 

I'm confused. lol, just call me stephen hawking.

 

I have never heard of these...care to explain?

 

they don't stretch or twist...and no, no one makes a god damn thing for miata transmissions.

 

Never seen that before, but if I had to guess, it ties the two main shafts together that the gears are mounted on so that the gears can not cam away from each other as much.

 

main and pinion.

 

Bingo. Replaces a gear though.

 

Figured. Sucks. You know, you could move second gear to 1st gears place, then do away with 2nd gears spot to put the handcuffs there and then in thirds place you would have 3rd, 4th in 4th's, 5th in 5th's. Might be a cheap solution for 5 speed owners that are willing to give up first gear for strength.

 

That's what the front case does on the Miata transmission - which really isn't a bellhousing, more like a bellhousing and front section integrated. And since I just went through this, I've got pics!

You can see the bearings buried in the "bell". What's that you ask? A ghetto case splitter/separator.


Yes it works.


Here's the back side of the front section with top bearing still seated:


And here's the trans with the lower bearing on the shaft:

 

oh boy could my wrx have used one of those

 

I was in such horrible, dire straights with my VW that i had to charge spur gears like these:


then a few months later the car was stolen. They held up to a 19-year old drag racing with slicks though. The 6-speed kit was $1800 from quaife, $1200 from SQS...and FM charges how much?

It was horribly loud too, lol.



I wish we had a cost-effective option.

 

Would the Miata trans even need one? I don't know how the Honda trans is set up but the Miata trans already has 7. Front, center and rear on the countershaft. Rear and center on the mainshaft.One in the middle of the input shaft and a small one inside the input shaft that the nose of the mainshaft slips into so the two can spin independent of one another.

Both rear and center are supported by the trans case, as are the front but the input shaft being separate from the mainshaft is supported basically in the middle with the small bearing holding up the end of the input shaft and front of the mainshaft.

This, IMO would be the weakest area.Reason being if the two shafts thrusted away from each other it would probably be in the small bearing where it could pivot.Other than that I think everything else is supported by the trans case.

The only place "handcuffs" would be any use would be the front of the mainshaft which would require a custom countershaft anyway because it's one piece.IMHO

Still a pretty cool idea though!