Hard time shifting at high rpms

**Lunatikgixxer** · 09-23-2011, 10:13 PM

Ok ive done some research on the site and cant really narrow it down too well but my car has a hard time shifting in high RPMs mainly in 2nd, 3rd. It feels like i hit a wall and i grandma shift basically.. I raced a turboed bmw and i barely beat him because when i shifted to 2nd to 3rd it took me about a full second to shift. I read it could have something to do with the clutch or, bent shift forks. How can i go about investigating this?

**Lunatikgixxer** · 09-24-2011, 05:40 PM

Here is the fastest i can shift to third, If i try any faster ill miss it.

**Cutlass** · 09-29-2011, 03:43 AM

Typical things that fix this are: Fresh/clean clutch hydraulic fluid, the drill mod, Tick master cylinder, pilot bearing, and sometimes the clutch itself. It also has the small potential to be a synchro problem.
The issue is that the synchro isn't able to match the speed of the gear to the input shaft and which doesn't allow the dog teeth to line up and the shift to be completed. So usually that means the input shaft is still engaged to the the engine and not free wheeling like it should with the clutch pedal down. The little sychro can't overpower the engine to match the speeds of the gear to the input shaft.
So why isn't the input shaft free wheeling? Usually the crappy hydraulics are to blame. Sometimes the pilot bearing is bad and it kinda grabs the input shaft. Also if the front input shaft bearing has some wear wobble, that could also cause the pilot to wear out. and sometimes the clutch itself messed up.

**Knight** · 09-29-2011, 03:52 AM

That pretty much covers it.

**Spikito** · 09-29-2011, 05:17 AM

yeah..youve run into a VERY common LS1 problem...Tick master cylinder fixed it for me

**tatertot91** · 09-29-2011, 05:22 AM

Yep ever since my tick install 1st to 2nd is much faster, 3rd takes a while but its definitely an improvement. I suggest changing the fluid first.

**Spikito** · 09-29-2011, 06:31 AM

along with the pro 5.0 2-3 is just as fast as 1-2

**INMY01TA** · 10-01-2011, 03:56 PM

I'm gonna go with air in the hydraulics.

**Spikito** · 10-01-2011, 11:12 PM

thatll usually cause a dead pedal, im not sure if hes experiencing that

**INMY01TA** · 10-02-2011, 03:33 AM

Not necesarily.

**Lunatikgixxer** · 10-05-2011, 10:26 AM

i dont have a dead pedal i just have trouble shifting from 2-3 3-4... My fluid is very dark i am going to change it this weekend and see how it goes.. Other than that the clutch is pretty new so i dont think its the clutch..

**Cutlass** · 10-05-2011, 11:47 AM

What kind of clutch is it?

**Firebirdjones** · 10-05-2011, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

So why isn't the input shaft free wheeling? Usually the crappy hydraulics are to blame. Sometimes the pilot bearing is bad and it kinda grabs the input shaft. Also if the front input shaft bearing has some wear wobble, that could also cause the pilot to wear out. and sometimes the clutch itself messed up.

Cutlass is right on the money. What I have found with ours (2 different 6 speed cars) is the clutch not releasing far enough, which is causing the input shaft to turn. Makes shifting very sticky at high rpms.

I prefer my clutches in all our stick cars to grab/release up towards the top or very near the top of pedal travel, so that when I'm getting after it, I can be sure the clutch releases all the way, because most times when I'm power shifting I don't like to push the clutch completely to the floor, I breath it.

What made this better for me on our 4th gens is an adjustable master cylinder. Whether you go with Tick, or Ram etc...just getting that adjustability in the clutch system is a huge factor. GM should have made these clutches manually adjustable from the factory.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 10-05-2011, 12:36 PM

I know Tick has great reviews, but anyone have anything to say about the RAM unit?

**Firebirdjones** · 10-05-2011, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

I know Tick has great reviews, but anyone have anything to say about the RAM unit?

I use the Ram and it works fine for me. I simply wanted adjustability and the Ram gives me that.

I might try a Tick at some point down the road, if I ever need to replace the Ram unit.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 10-05-2011, 01:12 PM

I've heard good things about it from one other so it's nice to see more people that like it as well as it's considerably less than the Tick unit

**Firebirdjones** · 10-05-2011, 03:27 PM

I only mentioned trying the Tick just because it's available as another option. I like to experiment.

I didn't mean there was anything wrong with the Ram I'm currently using. It works great for me. It's basically similar to a stock master cylinder but has an adjustable sleeve so I can dial in my clutch engagement to my liking. I also had a friend of mine that ran a local speed shop modify it internally as I was buying it.

There was a drill mod trick that he did right in front of me that took about 30 seconds. He pulled it apart removing the snap rings, drilled a larger hole inside, and put it all back together. I'm guessing so it moved more fluid. Said he does it to all the Ram master cylinders.
All I know at this point (that was 4 years ago) is that it works perfectly.

**INMY01TA** · 10-05-2011, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by Lunatikgixxer

i dont have a dead pedal i just have trouble shifting from 2-3 3-4... My fluid is very dark i am going to change it this weekend and see how it goes.. Other than that the clutch is pretty new so i dont think its the clutch..

You may not have a dead pedal but can still have some air in it causing your symptoms at high rpms.

**Spikito** · 10-05-2011, 07:41 PM

I have the tick adjustable, I love it, my engagment point is pretty high. it may jsut be me, but it feels like my engagement point is higher once its warm, but I was just noticing today that when im just cruising around, I barely have to push the clutch to shift, but there could be a little RPM matchnig going on there, lol

I've heard the RAM and stock slaves are about the same, havent heard much about their master though

**reaper ws6** · 10-05-2011, 08:14 PM

i have the same problem with my clutch. i change my shifter to a b&m from a hursh and some how it got better but still it could use a lil more work, im also going to try the ram master to see how it does.