[OBX4x4]

Is anyone else having a problem with shifting the trans when cold?
First to second and second to third are the worst.
This didn't happen until the weather got colder. When the engine is at normal operating temp it shifts better. I replaced the trans oil with Royal Purple Max-Gear 75w-90 at the end of summer and had no problems then. Did I not use the right (best) type of oil?
Any help would be great, I just want this thing shifting smooth again.

 

[dumptruckRich]

That's normal on any car pretty much. Let it warm up.

 

[HowardJ]

same issue here

 

[OBX4x4]

That's normal on any car pretty much. Let it warm up.

Ive never had an issue like this on any of my other vehicles. I'm saying this thing fights to get into second gear until you've driven it around for about 3 or 4 miles. I usually let it warm up for a minute or two, I cant be letting it sit for 15+ minutes every time I want to go somewhere.
I was thinking about swapping out the oil for Redline MTL and some Redline Shockproof. I had that in my WRX and it shifted smooth as silk all the time.

 

[Fklein6768]

I had some issues w mine also and knock on wood put some redline in and its much better now.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

 

[badtux]

Is anyone else having a problem with shifting the trans when cold?
First to second and second to third are the worst.
This didn't happen until the weather got colder. When the engine is at normal operating temp it shifts better. I replaced the trans oil with Royal Purple Max-Gear 75w-90 at the end of summer and had no problems then. Did I not use the right (best) type of oil?

Uhm, the manual on the JK is spec'ed for Syncromesh, which is a bit thinner and has syncro friction modifiers. So yeah, you're running a thicker oil than the NSG370 is spec'ed for, and you're gonna have trouble shifting when cold, amongst other things (some additive packages in gear oils will also eat up your syncros, though hopefully that won't happen with the Royal Purple).

Try going to a Chrysler-approved Syncromesh fluid (Chrysler spec MS-9224 listed on the bottle) and that'll likely solve your cold clash problem, assuming you haven't ruined your syncros with the additives in the 75w-90, in which case you're looking at a $1500 rebuilt transmission swap problem :bawling:.

 

[badtux]

Oh one last thing. The NSG370 is a clunky transmission when cold. But you shouldn't have trouble getting it in gear if you're using an approved Syncromesh with the correct friction modifier package, which apparently is the difference between Syncromesh and just regular gear lube. Think of the syncros in your transmission as little limited slip differential clutches. Now, what do you have to put into your rear diff if you have a clutch-type LSD, in *addition* to the gear lube? Yep, a little tube of *friction modifier*! So anyhow, try changing back to the specified lubricant (Pennzoil Syncromesh) with the specified friction modifier (built in to the Pennzoil) and see if that helps your shifting.

 

[07unlimitedx]

I had an 07 6 spd... in cold weather is shifted hard till it warmed up. Tonight here we're at -27F.... everything is stiff... Fuck it is cold

 

[badtux]

-27F? Where do you live? Alaska? BRRRRR!!!!

Yeah, nothing really works well below -20F...

*edit* Oh. I see. You're in Canuckistan. Alrighty, then!

 

[OBX4x4]

Uhm, the manual on the JK is spec'ed for Syncromesh, which is a bit thinner and has syncro friction modifiers. So yeah, you're running a thicker oil than the NSG370 is spec'ed for, and you're gonna have trouble shifting when cold, amongst other things (some additive packages in gear oils will also eat up your syncros, though hopefully that won't happen with the Royal Purple).

Try going to a Chrysler-approved Syncromesh fluid (Chrysler spec MS-9224 listed on the bottle) and that'll likely solve your cold clash problem, assuming you haven't ruined your syncros with the additives in the 75w-90, in which case you're looking at a $1500 rebuilt transmission swap problem :bawling:.

Thanks for the input, I'll swap that out as soon as I can. If that doesnt fix it, then i might have to rebuild it :suicide: I would do it myself though, im not paying 1500 bucks, cant be that much different than gm transmissions ive rebuilt before. But like i said, it shifts fine after Ive driven it for a while. smoother than it did in the summer with whatever was in it then. the only problem i have is when its cold, like 30 degree or colder.

 

[badtux]

Thanks for the input, I'll swap that out as soon as I can. If that doesnt fix it, then i might have to rebuild it :suicide: .

Note that this is a Mercedes NSG370, not a Chrysler or GM transmission. It is an extremely rare transmission here in America, *only* sold in the Jeep Wrangler here in America, not in any other vehicle sold in America, and a) nobody knows how to rebuild it here, b) most of the parts to rebuild it like the 3-4 syncro built into the countershaft aren't available here, and c) the only place parts and people to rebuild it *are* available are in Germany. The net result is that basically the only way to get a rebuilt NSG370 is via a Chiseler dealer swapping it out with one previously sent to Germany for rebuild, someone on another forum did that recently and it came out to around $1650 just for the rebuilt transmission (he did the install himself).

Amongst other things, this is why when the '12 came out with the A580 automatic, I happily traded in my '06 with the NSG370 without a bit of hesitation about the possibility of the A580 being more expensive to maintain over the long run. Yes, automatics usually require more maintenance over the long run, but the A580 is used all over Chrysler's product line, is based on a Mercedes design but is built in America and all the parts to rebuild it are available here, and finding people capable of rebuilding it when the time comes is not going to be an issue.

But back on topic, all NSG370's are clunky shifters. That's just the nature of the beast -- this transmission was designed for European medium-duty delivery trucks (it's what's in the Sprinter in Europe), not for cars, and if you expect it to shift smoothly under all conditions your expectations are unrealistic. That said, mine shifted about as well in 30F weather as it did in 100F weather -- i.e., clunky, but livable. And no, changing out the syncromesh for fresh syncromesh at 50,000 miles didn't change that one bit.

 

[JK_iggy]

Mine still hasn't needed the trams fluid changed and it does the same thing. I brought it to the dealership for it and the only thing they told me was that the tree does t perfectly line up so it's normal..... Gotta love our jks, it seems like a lot of them were just thrown together

 

[OBX4x4]

Note that this is a Mercedes NSG370, not a Chrysler or GM transmission. It is an extremely rare transmission here in America, *only* sold in the Jeep Wrangler here in America, not in any other vehicle sold in America, and a) nobody knows how to rebuild it here, b) most of the parts to rebuild it like the 3-4 syncro built into the countershaft aren't available here, and c) the only place parts and people to rebuild it *are* available are in Germany. The net result is that basically the only way to get a rebuilt NSG370 is via a Chiseler dealer swapping it out with one previously sent to Germany for rebuild, someone on another forum did that recently and it came out to around $1650 just for the rebuilt transmission (he did the install himself).

Amongst other things, this is why when the '12 came out with the A580 automatic, I happily traded in my '06 with the NSG370 without a bit of hesitation about the possibility of the A580 being more expensive to maintain over the long run. Yes, automatics usually require more maintenance over the long run, but the A580 is used all over Chrysler's product line, is based on a Mercedes design but is built in America and all the parts to rebuild it are available here, and finding people capable of rebuilding it when the time comes is not going to be an issue.

But back on topic, all NSG370's are clunky shifters. That's just the nature of the beast -- this transmission was designed for European medium-duty delivery trucks (it's what's in the Sprinter in Europe), not for cars, and if you expect it to shift smoothly under all conditions your expectations are unrealistic. That said, mine shifted about as well in 30F weather as it did in 100F weather -- i.e., clunky, but livable. And no, changing out the syncromesh for fresh syncromesh at 50,000 miles didn't change that one bit.

Well, I guess then I will look for a used one from a hemi swap or something.
It hasnt gotten to that point yet though, its just an inconvenience for about 10 min of driving. My gf just got an 07 jku with 96k on it and it shifts perfectly smooth, it seems that no 2 jk's are the same. Idk, I'll swap out the gear oil and see what happens. if that doesnt work then i guess i will be forced to move to a warmer climate

 

[Chris85xlt]

wrong oil...

you need Syncromesh fuild which is like 5w-30

 

[badtux]

The 2012 Transmission is made and built in Germany! It states it right on the window sticker!

The NSG370 is made in Germany. The A580 is made in Chrysler's plant in Kokomo, Indiana. It is a Mercedes design but the Germans don't have the capability to build the hundreds of thousands of A580 transmissions that Chrysler ships every year. The NSG370, on the other hand, only ships in the Wrangler and only about 50,000 of them are imported every year (less than 1/3rd of Wranglers are shipped with manual transmissions).

 

[Ditch55]

Well who is correct? I just picked up my 2012 last week. It is W5A580 auto and states it is made in Germany!

 

[OBX4x4]

wrong oil...

you need Syncromesh fuild which is like 5w-30

Picked up some synchromesh today. hopefully get to swap it out tomorrow. didnt have any problems shifting it today, but it was almost 60 degrees out...

 

[badtux]

Well who is correct? I just picked up my 2012 last week. It is W5A580 auto and states it is made in Germany!

If you're talking about the legal boilerplate over on the bottom right of the ticket, that is legal fact to comply with the "Country of Origin" law, which has nothing to do with the sort of real factual reality that you can see and touch. It's like those warning labels you see that "this car contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer." No, you won't get cancer if you drive your car (not unless you lick your dipstick to check your oil, anyhow). So anyhow, it may be that there's enough parts in the A580 by value still made in Germany to trigger the "Country of Origin" law to define it as "German", but the transmission itself is still manufactured in Indiana, not Germany. If you don't believe me crawl underneath and look at the assembly tag.

Reminds me of a Honda car my mother bought right after this law took effect. The "Country of Origin" law said it was a Japanese car because it still had a lot of Japanese-manufactured parts, but it was actually made in Marysville, Ohio.

None of which has anything to do with anything, other than that I'll take a transmission that ships 500,000 a year over one that ships 50,000 a year any time of the day because the one that ships 500,000 a year will have much better support *regardless* of where major components are manufactured...

 

[Ditch55]

Picked up some synchromesh today. hopefully get to swap it out tomorrow. didnt have any problems shifting it today, but it was almost 60 degrees out...

Sorry if I made a dint in your thread? nice to know you like what you have.

 

[Ditch55]

If you're talking about the legal boilerplate over on the bottom right of the ticket, that is legal fact to comply with the "Country of Origin" law, which has nothing to do with the sort of real factual reality that you can see and touch. It's like those warning labels you see that "this car contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer." No, you won't get cancer if you drive your car (not unless you lick your dipstick to check your oil, anyhow). So anyhow, it may be that there's enough parts in the A580 by value still made in Germany to trigger the "Country of Origin" law to define it as "German", but the transmission itself is still manufactured in Indiana, not Germany. If you don't believe me crawl underneath and look at the assembly tag.

Reminds me of a Honda car my mother bought right after this law took effect. The "Country of Origin" law said it was a Japanese car because it still had a lot of Japanese-manufactured parts, but it was actually made in Marysville, Ohio.

None of which has anything to do with anything, other than that I'll take a transmission that ships 500,000 a year over one that ships 50,000 a year any time of the day because the one that ships 500,000 a year will have much better support *regardless* of where major components are manufactured...

Thanks for all that info. I will definitely check next time I feel like crawling around under the Jeep!