Grinding manual ?

[kam]

car: 2012 vw polo 77 tsi 6 speed manual, 1600km's

problem: every now and then, when i go to engage either first gear or reverse, it grinds the gear in, basically sounding like im not pushing the clutch in all the way. but every single time, the clutch has been all the way in

someone said it might be the synchro's working harder to engage the gear, but this doesnt sound or feel right

should i book it in with vw ?

its embarrising going to put the car into reverse, and looking like a n00b, having it grind in

[alexaescht]

Grinding manual ?

Hey kam,
Last time you brought this up I assumed it was just the clutch and gearbox continuing to spin and so the syncro's had to work harder and reverse would grind. But seeming it must happen often enough for a new thread, maybe taking it to VW wouldn't be a bad idea.

As I said before, my sister's Polo grinds into reverse if you don't hold the clutch in for long enough, so I'd say that VW would just pass it off as 'a characteristic of the car' and tell you to leave.
Anyway, if you're worried just take it to VW and see what they say.

[kam]

Hey kam,
Last time you brought this up I assumed it was just the clutch and gearbox continuing to spin and so the syncro's had to work harder and reverse would grind. But seeming it must happen often enough for a new thread, maybe taking it to VW wouldn't be a bad idea.

As I said before, my sister's Polo grinds into reverse if you don't hold the clutch in for long enough, so I'd say that VW would just pass it off as 'a characteristic of the car' and tell you to leave.
Anyway, if you're worried just take it to VW and see what they say.

thanks mate, appreciate that

sometimes you cant hold the clutch in for ages, eg: doing a 3 point turn, you want to go from 1st gear > reverse > 1st as quick as possible

having said that, each time the car has done this, its been completely stationary

[ecks]

I don't believe reverse is synchronised on these bad boys (Well, it doesn't feel like it anyway)... If you are throwing it into reverse in a hurry, just use a little extra pressure so it doesn't grind for too long

[alexaescht]

Grinding manual ?

thanks mate, appreciate that

sometimes you cant hold the clutch in for ages, eg: doing a 3 point turn, you want to go from 1st gear > reverse > 1st as quick as possible

having said that, each time the car has done this, its been completely stationary

That's ok

I know what you mean about holding the clutch for a while, it's not exactly practical.

How quickly do you shove it into gears - Do you let it sit for half a sec where the syncro's engage, or do you forcefully push it straight in? If you just push it straight in it might skip the syncro's and grind. I don't know if I'm right but it's a thought.

[alexaescht]

Grinding manual ?

I don't believe reverse is synchronised on these bad boys

Yeah it's definitely not.

[kam]

How quickly do you shove it into gears - Do you let it sit for half a sec where the syncro's engage, or do you forcefully push it straight in? If you just push it straight in it might skip the syncro's and grind. I don't know if I'm right but it's a thought.

a bit of both, depends on how awake/how much of a rush im in.

been in quite a few manuals and i dont recall them doing this ?

ill try 'easing' it into reverse, and letting the shifter get 'sucked' into gear, see if that makes a difference

[alexaescht]

Grinding manual ?

ill try 'easing' it into reverse, and letting the shifter get 'sucked' into gear, see if that makes a difference

Yeah I'm not sure if that will work with reverse but you can try. I meant to do that with 1st-6th as they're synchronised and reverse isn't.
Sorry for not being clear

[mythik]

MY11 polo tsi manual owner here.

If you are moving at all and engage reverse as they are straight cut gears for reverse it makes a charming crunch noise.

First gear engagement is always smooth as butter. That said I always come to a stop before engaging it or reverse.

[ecks]

Yeah I'm not sure if that will work with reverse but you can try. I meant to do that with 1st-6th as they're synchronised and reverse isn't.
Sorry for not being clear

As is said, if you're in a hurry to get it into reverse, just bang it in - minimize the time spent grinding the gears...

[kam]

MY11 polo tsi manual owner here.

If you are moving at all and engage reverse as they are straight cut gears for reverse it makes a charming crunch noise.

First gear engagement is always smooth as butter. That said I always come to a stop before engaging it or reverse.

well this post makes me think there is something wrong with mine:

. my first gear engagement is not as smooth as butter, about 70% of the time, it goes in rough, no grinding noise, but i have to push it with much more effort than other gears
. i am completely still when engaging reverse, eg: car is parked, go to engage reverse...crunch/grind etc etc

[ecks]

Sounds like your clutch isn't fully disengaging, if you're totally stopped, mind you, if you have sat idling, clutch in then right away into reverse, it could just be that you're not letting the input shaft fully stop.
Try something:
Car off, in neutral, clutch to floor, handbrake on.
Start car, keep clutch to floor.
Keep clutch to floor.
Keep clutch to floor! : P
Ever so gently, butterfly it into reverse.
There shouldn't be the slightest hint of crunch. A little click as the three gears line up is ok, but no "frozen dog through a bandsaw" meooooow.

[mythik]

well this post makes me think there is something wrong with mine:

. my first gear engagement is not as smooth as butter, about 70% of the time, it goes in rough, no grinding noise, but i have to push it with much more effort than other gears
. i am completely still when engaging reverse, eg: car is parked, go to engage reverse...crunch/grind etc etc

If you have some time over the weekend, I'd be happy to take a look at it and if it has an issue, you can head on in to BurwinVW to have them advise next steps if it has an issue.

[kam]

If you have some time over the weekend, I'd be happy to take a look at it and if it has an issue, you can head on in to BurwinVW to have them advise next steps if it has an issue.

hey thanks for that, appreciate it! im in ferntree gully, pm me your details ill see if we can meet up

after some random googling, i think it may just be the design of the gearbox, eg:

Manual Transmission - Grinding Shifting into Reverse - TalkBass Forums

"Sometimes when I go to shift into reverse, I get a grinding sound, even if I have the clutch pressed all the way to the floor. It only does it with reverse, no other gears, and it only happens about 30% of the time."

"Many manual transmissions use the same gear for first and reverse, but engage an additional idler gear for reverse. SO - to avoid grinding, try shifting into first gear momentarily - THEN into reverse. In some trannies this aligns the reverse gear and stops it from spinning at idle. You might be pleasantly surprised"

"Reverse(and often 1st) are not usually synchronized"
"Actually, first is a sync gear in all modern trannies."

"Try this. Shift into first before you shift into reverse. Worked every time for me."

"Many times reverse gears are straight cut and the forward gears are angle cut.
Straight cut gears are a little harder to get to mesh so the minor grind will often result.
I wouldn't worry about it too much."

"I've been driving around and trying putting it into neutral, then first, then reverse, and so far so good!"

"The shifting into first gear before engaging reverse is not a new technique. It's just like "double-clutching" downshifts - Downshift from a higher gear, shift into neutral (foot off clutch), then shift normally again into a lower gear. It's the old school way before modern synchros."

[Katina]

My brand new Polo GTI 2012 auto grinds in 3rd gear. they told me there were no recorded errors (I don't even think they look at the engine at all), quoted TPI and told me to go away.

I wish I never bought a VW.