ZOSicks

I have jsut over 200 miles on my Z & 3 times now when accelerating in 3rd (around 4500-5000 rpm's) the tranny pops out of gear. Anybody else experiencing this?

Hoonose

No, but my brand new '79 Chevy Citation 4 speed did this the very first mile, and the tranny went back to Detroit for 2 weeks!

Pio

Something is wrong with the tranny, take it back to the dealer. I had that problem with my 2001 M5 because I missed a powershift and bent something inside. The "pop" sounded horrible!!! Would scare the crap out of me everytime it happened.

Ranger

Almost always caused by NOT fully seating the shifter into the gear. On the shift you should feel it (1) enter the gate and then (2) fully seat at the end of travel. Two discrete feedback queues.

Two other points....

Many new C6Z owners have some trouble shifting this 6-speed.

A central reason often is the hand position on the shifter.

My advice is alway keep your thumb OFF the shifter.

Pull the shifter with cupped fingers (no thumb).

Push the shifter with the heel of the hand, no fingers.

To go 1-2, pull the shifter straight back (remember cupped fingers and no thumb.)

To go 2-3, push the shifter toward the radio (remember heel of the hand and NO thumb). This will allow the strong centering springs to find the 3d gear shift gate.

Also worth keeping in mind that the rev limiter will protect you from over-reving the engine on an upshift. But if you wrongly get 2d when you want 4th, the rev-limiter will not keep you from badly over-reving and perhaps breaking something in the valve train.

Ranger

Zred06

You have a transmission with a birth defect, I had the same with my C6 Z51 but it was 1st gear instead of 3rd. It would pop out of gear even if you tried to hold it into first 9 times out of 10. It had 600 miles on it when the problem developed, the service department took it apart and found the syncronizer looked like it had 150,000 miles on it. They called it a birth defect because there was something wrong with it when it came off the assembly line. They ordered a new transmission from the factory in Mi. and had the new tranny in it a week later. Drives great now and no tranny problems.

outnumbered

Mine has popped out of second about 3 times.I learned to let go of the shifter before letting out the clutch.

Zred06

I would get that fixed under warrantee, it will only get worse.

Ranger

There is a long established history with the M6/M12 Tremec trannies.

Unless the tranny has been subjected to a fair number of missed shifts under strong power (not necessarily powershifts) and the shift forks or synchronizers damaged, then:

Once owners learn to fully seat the shifter all the way to the rear of the shift gate, the "popping out of gear" generally ceases. This is particularly true in the first couple thousand miles of ownership.

Just about the last thing I'd suggest doing is dropping the car at the dealer with a description of "sometimes it pop out of gear." The next thing that will happen is the tech's test drive trying to duplicate the problem.

So the first step ought to be...making certain that on every shift you hit the rear of the gate. If you do that and it still pops out, then take the Tech for a ride and make it happen again.

Just a thought. My C6Z tranny has NEVER popped out of gear, but then...I hit the back of the gate every time.

Ranger

vegasdude

I talked with ZOsicks and the dealership is replacing the tranny with a new one. The syncro was out in third................

outnumbered

Ranger I think you may be right.I believe since the shifter is so smooth
and takes very little effort to shift therefore some(including me)may not
shift in to the slot firmly enough.Each time it happened to me I was not driving aggressive and the tranny temp was not at full operating temp.usually just leaving the house.The Viper I believe has the same tranny and it has never done this but the shifter is very firm and it is either in or it is out.

ZOSicks

Ranger - I appreciate your advice and your knowledge on Shifting, but this is my 4th corvette and 2nd ZO6. (I have had 2c5 & 2 c6). I took your advice and tried the shifting you described and it still slid out of 3rd. I took it to Fairway Chevrolet here in Las Vegas and had the Service Manager drive it. 1st time out he got it to pop out of gear. They pulled the tranny apart and found that it looked like it had "about100,000 miles on it". They are treating me 1st class over there. Calling and explaining EVERYTHING to me. Long story short they are replacing the entire transmission with a new one coming in from Lansing MI. I should have the car back early next week. As far as power shifts and all that, I would not do that unless i was racing and I wouldn't do that until at least 1000 miles on the car.

Ranger

You followed a sound procedure...by making sure the shifter is fully seated at the rear of the gate but still pops out. Hope others do the same.

Good luck with your car.

Ranger

outnumbered

I am glad for you that they are taking care of it to your satisfaction.I don't think mine is what you guys are describing but I will keep an eye on it.Good luck

Zred06

Yeah, you had the same type of birth defect I had in my tranny, I thought that was the problem. Seems like this could be a QC problem with the tranny.

Ruf-Racer

I was told I didn't know how to shift when I mentioned my Z06 popped out of third gear.Bottom line was GM replaced the tranny, after it popped out again and locked!


Cheers

R

ZOSicks

I'm glad to know this not an isolated incident

Zred06

It is funny how people assume that it is operator error if they haven't encountered a similar mechanical failure. I have only been driving a stick for 27 years ( not to mention my 3rd vette) so most people assume I don't know how to shift when I start explaining the problem of popping out of gear. When the service manager tried to shift and it popped out then all of a sudden, "there is clearly a mechnical problem here".

Ruf-Racer

Yea,I currently own three 6 speed equipped vehicles and have had more practice than I care to talk about.


Cheers

R

Still lovin my Z06.

Mike Z06

Excellent advice!

Z Fast

I don't think Ranger or anyone else is trying to say the cause is operator error. I think they are just suggesting steps to diagnos the problem starting with the simplest before moving on to the more complex ones(ex. removing the tranny). I am glad they found your problem quickly and even happier to hear that they are giving you a new tranny rather than repairing the old one.