My car is hard to shift when it is this cold out until the car warms up. Just wondering if there is transmission fluid that doesn't have this problem or if that is the problem. Also my car makes a high pitch, non belt squeal for a second when I start it when it's super cold. Any ideas? And yes, I know I should let it warm up before I drive it anyway but sometimes I oversleep and that's not an option
when i had redline lightweight shockproof in my car (not uncle scotty's mix), I also had a little bit of penzoil synchromesh in there too it was more easier to shift than the regular stuff.
If the car is an auto, the hard shift is normal, Ive never driven a subaru that didnt do it when it was this cold, even the 5eat. If its a manual, yes, the fluid is very thick when its this cold out, i run 80-90 in my 5mt and its very hard to shift when cold..... The squeal could be a number of things, loose belt slipping on a ps pum, or even alt.
Well thanks for the help guys. It is a manual and I was just curious if it there was better transmission fluid. I have no idea what is in it because I have only had it a few months and walser did all of my fluids. The squeal isn't a belt but it doesn't continue to do it after that split second and it only does it when it is frigid cold so I will just go with mnstilynwrx's comment for that
your squeal is your car yelling it hates you for being lazy and over sleeping, then forcing it to drive around without warming it up.
All normal stuff. My car shifted like a box of rocks on the stock fluid in the cold, and with my amsoil fluid, it's a little better. Regardless, all MT cars are going to be hard to shift when the fluid is cold.
I push the clutch in a row through the gears a couple times in the morning - that helps a little. And I mean little. Not much.
Redline tranny fluids are great even in these ultra-cold temps. I'm running a MT-90/MTL mix in my Evo, but for a Subaru MT I believe you'll need 4 quarts of Redline 75W90 NS (for a WRX at least).
Letting a car sit and idle will not warm up the transmission fluid (or the rest of the drivetrain for that matter).
Well, I assume it does just a little, little bit. The clutch is out - the input shaft is spinning, at least. It must be getting the fluid moving a bit, or no?
Mines stiff and makes funky noises when its cold. But I let it warm up every morning for about 30 minutes before I drive it. Then it all seems ok.
Yeah, within 5 blocks of driving mine it all warms up and starts shifting fine. And when I let it warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before I leave it makes quite a difference.
