Issue shifting from 1st --> 2nd when cold.

Hi,
Is this something I should be concerned about, and does anyone know what
it might be?

I have a 2000 SL1 with 30,000 miles on it.

In cold weather when I go to shift from 1st to 2nd gear I feel as though
I have to exert more pressure then normal to get it to go into gear...
further there is a "catching" feeling as though something is getting
caught, then uncaught, and then moving finally into second.

If I shift from 1st to 3rd, then into 2nd (not leaving the clutch out
between the whole deal).. it goes into 2nd just fine... Any ideas?

 

Have you checked the transmission fluid?

 

On a stick shift???

 

The manual transmissions in S-series Saturns are filled with
automatic transmission fluid (ATF) instead of gear oil. (I'm not
actually sure why, but clearly it works fine.) That reminds me that I'm
overdue for my 100k mile ATF change in my 1998 SW2 (also a stick shift).
The Saturn manuals seem to be very solid, but Saturn clearly doesn't want
to sell them much any more. When I needed a new AWD or 4WD vehicle, I
gave Saturn's Vue first shot but they wouldn't sell me one with a manual
transmission so I paid more to buy a vehicle from another manufacturer.

-DanD

 

hey matt, ive been playing around with my SL's taransmission / linkage /
anything to do with the cursed thing, but anyway i think i have your
answer. all the other answers you got about the trany fluid is not wrong,
that should be the first thing you check, but heres a little more info on
the car itself. to begin with, not to discourrage you, but the shifting
mechanism for saturn is... well to put it short, not the best. your
problem may have something to do with the gear lockout, it is something
that alot of cars have to keep you from shifting back into first gear when
you are attempting to shift from 2nd to 3rd, which would explain how you
were saying how it workis fine if you put it in 3rd then 2nd. for the
most part i will tell you that it is nothing to really worry about, its
just annoying, and it usually only happens in cold weather, as it does to
my car. the best advice i can give you is to let the car COMPLETELY warm
up the next time you are going out to your car after its been sitting for
a long time. if this doesnt work, try reposting, i could fill up this
entire site with the things ive had to deal with concerning the
transmission in my saturn.

keep it real.

 

The clutches sure are. At 238,000+ miles, I actually blew up the tranny
in mine though. When it comes out later this week, I'll know why, but
I'm _not_ happy that it blew up. And it went bad - fluid everywhere and
a good amount of crunch/lockup. Popular theory is the diff blew up.

$350 for a used one at the junker yard. Oh well, at least I can pull
the old one and do a post mortem.

I hope it didn't blow the clutch up, though I probbably should replace
that, too (yeah - origional)

I'm not sure what the failure sequence was. At first, we thought the
case cracked/shattered, but we've not gotten the thing out yet.

It's a '93 and I really don't want to replace the tranny in it, but I
don't have the time/money to get another car, so I've got no choice

 

Have you checked the clutch fluid? If the clutch is low on brake fluid
you will get similiar symptoms. The reservoir is buried deep against
the firewall but you can find it if you look.

 

Thanks for the insight.... how exactly does one check the fluid in a
manual transmission?

 

Look on the top of the transmission. There is a dipstick that has a
handle that folds over. If you look down between the battery and the
brake master cylinder you should see it.

Ken

 

And that takes brake fluid.... correct? But the fluid for the tranny
does not interconnect with the brake fluid.. is that correct also?

 

It uses automatic transmission fluid. Dexron.

 

Well at any rate.. the clutch fluid is full to where it says to have it
filled.

 

That's good. Now what is the level of the fluid in the transmission?