Hey guys,

New here and been reading up on info but I still have a question.

Seems that I experience some hard shifting into second when cold. Yes, I know this is common for AX15 around here and I've read the threads but hang with me.

What happens, is that it's not just hard to get into the gear, but once it warms up a bit, upon gate entry the shifter will basically "punch back" fairly rapidly against my hand until it goes into gear. Now, it's not popping out of gear and I don't hear the typical high-pitched grind either.

Also, ambient temps are low 20s here currently. In the morning when it's like 6 out, I can't get into second at all. No grinds, nothing. When the gear oil warms up, it shifts fine for 8/10 times or more.

I'm thinking this may be shift fork related but haven't seen anything substantial about it. Any ideas?

I'll be swapping to MT90 this Saturday as I hear that this is the best lube to go with for the AX15 trans. Not sure if this will help my case, but might as well try.

 

Try going to 10W-30 first. It's an old hot-rodder's trick for wringing out power - it's got a lower viscosity than gear oil - and it's a little tip for difficult shifting in cold climates.

You can also try 10W-40 (probably work a bit better year-round,) but I wouldn't go any heavier than that (nor any lighter than 5W-30, 5W-20 maybe and only if it's cold year-round...)

 

yea mine NEVER does that, 75w-90w synthetic Amalie Elixir gear oil.

switched over when I figured out the 10w-30 wears out the syncro cones faster because of no pressure additive.

 

Synchronizing rings are probably worn. To restore shifting you can switch to a gear oil with a higher static friction coefficient. Red Line MT-85, MT-90 or MTL should help the trans to cooperate with you a bit longer before needing a rebuild.

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=140&pcid=7
http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46&pcid=7
http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=45&pcid=7

The synchros rely on sliding contact to function and the Red Line oils linked have a higher friction coefficient than your normal parts store gear oils. The parts stores tend to carry gear oils with a GL-5 rating, which is a spec for REDUCED friction on sliding contact; really intended for final drives. Parts stores carry ‘em because parts store oils may end up in transaxles, which have the transmission gears and final drive sharing the same oil supply. Most consumers won’t know the difference, and using a GL-5 in a trans is a lot less damaging than using an MTL in a differential.

 

I'm running Amsoil 75w-90 GL-4 in mine and it shifts excellent. I wouldn't stray away from the 75w-90

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtg.aspx

although I will say one thing about the AX-15, its pretty tough considering when I bought my XJ it had less than a quart in it and I've never had a transmission problem.

 

my xj has been haveing the same problem with the gears. it use to only be second, now first and thrid do it sometimes. its mostly second that gives the punch ( both hot outside and cold ) feeling. ive been trying to figure this out and ive never been able to. you guys say changeing fluid will help?

 

Mine does the same thing you described during cold MI winters, I just let it warm up before i drive it and usually short shift 2nd. Or just run up 1st then go to 3rd. Never really bothered me cause every AX15 jeep i drove is alittle picky/clunky to get into 2nd

Oil changes do help

 

the only annoying symptom my AX-15 has is that if I want to just dive into reverse, I must first go to first then back to reverse or it will grind... BUT ever since I swapped over to that Amsoil, it doesn't do that anymore.

I run that same Amsoil in every one of my car and back when I had my Unimog it CURED some terrible transmission problems. Damn thing used to refuse to go into ANY gear if it was too cold.

 

to fix the reverse problem i believe there is a "lock" against reverse that wont allow you to put it in reverse with out being in first, first. but. to get around that. put the shifter ALMOST into reverse and let go of the clutch a bit and push it down again. if it grinds your pushing to hard into reverse but after you should be able to just freely move in and out. i dont think the reverse gear syncs up with the speed of the tranny so sometimes the gears are missaligned. * that being the so called lock* but shifting into first allignes the gear.
even after shifting into first i still have trouble sometimes so i just use the trick all the time now.

 

Yeah I've just always gone to first but like I said the symptom is pretty much gone since I've got that Amsoil in there. If you're getting close to a change, I'm telling you man, go Amsoil, you'll be so happy.

 

what is Amsoil? i might be interested in useing this.

 

Scroll up, the link is in my first post. You can also search the Amsoil website by vehicle and see what products apply to your vehicle; XJ in this case.

 

AX15 shuffle? I shift into 3rd then into reverse so it doesnt grind. Reverse isnt sync'ed so sometimes the gears hit each other and it wont go so you have to let the clutch out and try again.

 

^ Yeah and its not like I'm fighting my transmission or anything. It seems all manual's have their quirks. I do it so automatically now I don't even think about it. I never try to ****** it in there or anything.

 

Problem becomes that the typical EP additives used in GL-4 and GL-5 are sulphur-based, and sulphur is antagonistic to yellow metals (which were used because you /didn't/ need EP additives for them then.)

Performance Synthetic GL-5 is "usually" safe for use with yellow metals - check the label to be sure.

However, I do not suggest using regular GL-4 or GL-5 in any transmission with bronze synchroniser rings, including the AX-4/5/15. You'll be draining your synchro rings out with your oil changes, until you run out of synchro rings...