[iufan993]

Hello,

I am relatively new to the forum and I just wanted to revisit the issue of shifting the GT. I have a 2002 with under 8K miles and a couple of things perplex me.

I understand that the car should be difficult to shift when fluid is cold, but 2nd gear is actually impossible to engage without a short "grind" unless I have been driving for at least 5 minutes. It doesn't matter how long the car has been idling. I can get out of the car for less than an hour, and when I return the same problem will occur (again for at least 5 minutes).

After it does warm up, I still find 2nd very difficult to engage, especially when trying to shift quickly under accelleration. If I shift from 1 to 2 under 4000 rpm it is much better, but I cannot shift quickly when rpm is over 6000 rpm. It's like the syncros wont sink. It is much easier to downshift from 3rd to 2nd.

The previous owner of my car had reported this same problem to the Maserati dealer, and the response from the dealership was that he shouldn't try to "force" it into gear.

I have only driven about 500 miles now, but this continues to be my only beef about the car. Even when it is warmed up, it will "grind" occasionally from 1st to 2nd with the clutch fully depressed for no reason at all.

I find myself starting off in 2nd just so I won't embarrass myself. Unfortunately, this just resulted in an SL Mercedes leaving me at a red light and I embarrassed myself anyway.

Wondering if there is any good information about these problems, any updates, or any advice? I did put the car on my lift and check the linkage. All of the aircraft-type ball joints are in excellent shape and move easily.

:?:

 

[McNab]

I have had this problem with Ferrari gearboxes, but I don't know if they're the same as the ones fitted to Maseratis. Either way, when the box is thoroughly warm the change should be normal, so perhaps you have a problem?

I don't honestly think it's worth holding first to 6,000 rpm - better to change early and let the torque do the work in second (second has the advantage of being a 'longer' gear).

In a racing situation, yes, max revs in first and then hammer it through, but gearboxes get stripped down after every race in serious racing, and the 'traffic light grand prix' just isn't worth the expense of potential damage!

Not much help I'm afraid, but the alternative is gearbox out and strip it down.

 

[scott]

Grinding with clutch fully depressed definitely does not seem right and would think a tech would find something. Have you bugged the dealer to have somebody from Maserati NA take a look at it? Have not heard of anyone else here with a 2002 GT maybe you could try
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/maserati/messages/
and see if anyone there has one. I find the shifting on my 2004 GT to be very good and about the only thing I had to get use to was when shifting from 1st to 2nd to make sure about halfway back I pull shifter towards me

 

[iufan993]

I haven't bugged the dealer yet, but the service was done in Ohio just before I bought it. They supposedly looked at it, and didn't find anything wrong. My biggest problem is that the closest dealers are more than 200 miles away. My choices are Atlanta, or Greensboro, NC. If one is better than the other, someone out there let me know.

 

[v12gte]

My 6 speed does not grind as long as I make a consious effort to hug the left most wall of the gate. You actually have to pull the lever towards your knee, or it will resist. Once I learned this, no problems.
There is of course...the clunk....At low speeds, particularly when disengaging, I can hear a clunk from the gearbox. I am told that 04s and later (or was it 03s?) added more sound insulation because people complained of unrefined noises, particularly with the CC.
Also, if you turn of the traction contrlol, you can achieve smoother starts. The engagement in 1st is much more crisp and "binary".

Once you have driven around in a Miata, they all su&k

 

[scott]

My 6 speed does not grind as long as I make a consious effort to hug the left most wall of the gate. You actually have to pull the lever towards your knee, or it will resist. Once I learned this, no problems.

Once you have driven around in a Miata, they all su&k

My salesman must have assumed I knew golf from the way he described it to me, Said the shift from 1st to 2nd has a dog leg, I just said ok but had no idea what he meant. Then as I started driving I realized what he was saying and like you learned to pull towards my knee about half way thru shift. I liked the fact I had to learn the intricacies of shifting this car, After being bored with my SMG. Never drove a Miata but did have a S2000 and I think I know what you mean about ease of shifting, But like they say "The Maserati is so Italian"

 

[Sunburn]

I bought a 2002 Spyder about a month ago and noticed the same thing. It is not even close to the grief I used to experience with my 348 or Testarossa (couldn't even use 2nd until the tranny was warm), but when the Maser is cold I get a small grind between 1st and 2nd, only on the upshift not on the downshift. Once warmed up . . . no problem.
I haven't tried to move the shifter towards my knee during the 1st to 2nd transition but, if this does stop the grind it means an adjustment to the linkage should stop the problem.
I'll try to check it out today.

 

[iufan993]

Thanks for the advice. I had learned quickly that you have to pull it left a little, but I did do a bit better today stopping for a hitch in the "neutral" position before pulling it in and down. If I don't "hitch" a little, then it just doesn't work well.

I drove a Mazda RX8 for a week and this would be my definition of shifting nirvana. Of course, I burned a half-quart of oil that week...

 

[DJ4200GT]

I had the same exact problem and I took the service manager of my dealer for a ride, and he quickly said this SHOULD NOT HAPPEN cold, warm, never! I was just like you, I lived with it for a while, dont do this. Take it in, the problem was the a cable they needed to adjust. Hope this was helpful.

 

[Boxer]

I have had this problem with Ferrari gearboxes, but I don't know if they're the same as the ones fitted to Maseratis. Either way, when the box is thoroughly warm the change should be normal, so perhaps you have a problem?

This was definitely part of the charm of early Ferrari gearboxes but is not an issue as of the late 90's. It definitely would not be a Ferrari to Maserati tech transfer on an 02 car.

 

[Nathan]

Hi I just got a 02 GT had it for about a week and I have had no problems changing even from a cold start in the morning with the tempatures minus degrees.

I did have the problem on the 911 turbo I had but never found out what it was so sorry can't help, but I would get to the dealer to sort it out.