MSP Tranny Blues

[Maestrokneer]

So here I am the proud new owner of a MazdaSpeed Protege (no more than 7 days old) and what am I doing on a Saturday night? Cruising in my new Black Mica Turbo Charged Chariot? No....I'm perusing the Protege forums trying to get my fix. You see, less than a week after I bought my car it's back at the dealership getting FIXED!!!!!

My transmission absolutely died on me. I couldn't get it out of 3rd gear. So instead of hugging corners, I'm hugging a pint of Hagen Daaz and searching for solace. Has anyone else had transmission problems with their new MPS??????

If this is what happens to the car at 700 miles what about 70,000? Damn, I guess I should purchase that extended warranty. I guess that's what I get for purchasing a Ford product.

Please help an enthusiast sleep at night and share your experiences with a downtrodden brother in cars. As they say, "Misery loves company".

[kcbhiw]

I guess that's what I get for purchasing a Ford product.

Honestly, I think you just picked the short straw. The Protege is absolutely non-Ford (maybe except the computer). Just because Ford has a 33.xx% share in Mazda doesn't mean that all of the cars are Ford.

It's impossible to build a transmission (or anything mechanical) to operate perfectly 100% of the time. Luck of the draw.....

[MikeBlueP5]

actually ford uses mazda parts, not mazda using fords parts. Well not the big mechanical parts anyway. The 94 model or so probes had a mazda v6, and my 94 ranger has a mazda tranny also. they share i guess you could say.

[Maestrokneer]

I really meant the Ford thing light-heartedly. I'm not bashing anyone.

I really just wanted to find out if anyone else has had problems with their MSP's tranny. (And poke a little fun at Ford in the process)

So how bout it? Anyone else had any major problems with their new MSP's?

[carlos]

The MSP tranny is the same as the MP3, Protege and P5 tranny. Just from reading around the forums, it seems this tranny doesnt like being manhandled too much because shift forks tend to break. The problem is, people probably manhandle them because they are not necessarily the quickest transmissions.

My experience is that it is slow to shift, especially 1st to 2nd. It likes to be at a dead stop to shift back into 1st. It also tends to grind into 2nd when the engine is cold, more so when it is cold outside. I've just learned to shift into 2nd real slow while the car warms up. Also, I only shift as quickly as it will let me with gentle pull on the stick (usually takes a 1-2 count). I have had no probs with 3rd, 4th or 5th.

Coming from a Honda, the Mazda gearbox took some getting used to. I had mitsubishi and honda boxes in the past, and I haven't had to think so much before about how I'm going to shift.

[soundbombing]

My major problem is trying not to modify it. I already blew that extended warranty I freakin bought long time ago. Dammit, and I thought I was going to keep it stock.

Don't worry it'll be back and you'll be happy again.

[LinuxRacr]

Originally posted by soundbombing
...I already blew that extended warranty I freakin bought long time ago. Dammit, and I thought I was going to keep it stock.

Don't worry it'll be back and you'll be happy again.

I hope you asked to cash in your exteded warranty.

[unwrittenLaw]

I have the extended warranty too, so that makes me think twice about doing any major mods...I didn't know you could cash it in though..

[Dexter]

....can you really? lol, id like to do that! (about the warenty)

anyways, i really hate the 1 -> 2 shift. its so damn notchy and not smooth at all. its like i have to really get on it to get it to go....i dont really like that. i drove my friends Civic SI for like a block and was just damn amazed at how smooth it was.

[MI MSP]

Ok.. Mazda uses a lot of Ford parts.. however, almost all of those parts go into SUV's, everything from the Engine and trans down to nuts and bolts come from Ford.. How do I know?? I am responsible for all the financial stuff related to those parts :)

In relation to this thread, I haven't heard anything going around on the trannys.. Ill check the TSB's when I get into work on Friday to see if I can see anything.

[stepson]

I must be the only one, I don't think the MSP tranny is that bad! Mine hasn't given me any problems since i got it, and I don't think it shifts too bad at all. No problems when the engine is cold, but I only got it in March, and its been (mostly) warm since then. Although there was that one snow day last month .. (I stayed home!).

However my emergency break is another story, it seems it only works when its all the way pulled up, higher than it feels like it should. Anyone else notice this? The car will roll if its not all the way up (I don't like leaving the car in gear when its parked). Maybe I'm just not used to it ...

[BluMp3Turbo]

Hey dont feel bad my tranny did the same thing the gear slider or the gear shifter for 3 and 4 gear broke and it didnt want to come out of 3 gear. The piece costs 32.10 but your in luck you have warranty. The material that it is made of is really shitty.

[ForceFed]

Well I must have the worst MSP on earth !I have already been through a motor at 3800 mi. and now my tranny is giving me hell too!They said they looked at it and couldn't find anything wrong bt I find that hard to beleive?I am having serious 1-2 shift problems.It feels like its in gear when you shift but as soon as you release the clutch you fell it start to drop into gear but by that time it's too late and you guessed it GRIND!It is really getting on my nerves.And now this morning my damn alarm is tripping out ,It souds like it's shorting out or something !:wtf:

[soundbombing]

that would be nice to cash in the warranty. i never thought it could be done. i'll have to check into it more soon or if you have more info. thanks

[LinuxRacr]

Originally posted by ForceFed
Well I must have the worst MSP on earth !I have already been through a motor at 3800 mi. and now my tranny is giving me hell too!They said they looked at it and couldn't find anything wrong bt I find that hard to beleive?I am having serious 1-2 shift problems.It feels like its in gear when you shift but as soon as you release the clutch you fell it start to drop into gear but by that time it's too late and you guessed it GRIND!It is really getting on my nerves.And now this morning my damn alarm is tripping out ,It souds like it's shorting out or something !:wtf:

My advice to you is to go get a gallon of Redline Light Weight Shock Proof Gear oil. I looks yellow in the bottle like popcorn butter. I use to have some similar issues. When I changed to Redline stuff, the problems were drastically reduced if not eliminated. It costs like $30, but is worth every penny. Make sure you get a little long-beaked pump to pump the fluid into the transmission. If you need info on how to change your own transmission fluid, look here: http://www.msprotege.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8254&perpage=15&highlight=Redline%20Shock&pagenumber=2

[laptopheaven]

First off, I am getting my 2003 MS Protege today at lunch. I cannot wait.

I have run Redline MTL in my current car (Infiniti G20t) since i owned it. The Redline Line of products really do improve the longevity and the peformance of your transmission.

I was wonder if the new Protege needs the LSD additive. The new Proteges have the "Torque Sensing Limited-Slip Differential - Tochigi Fuji Sangyo." So, do we need the LSD additive or not.

Thanks.

Can't wait to blow off work tommorrow tomorrow afternoon and cruise around in my new ride.

[funnylittlman]

What is this LSD Additive?

[chwood]

Hmmm, I was having zero issues until this morning. On the drive to work, I suddenly found 5th gear a real pain in the @ss to get into. I couldn't get into it at all unless I was just barely on the far side of the shift slot, if you get my meaning. Otherwise up against a brick wall. Strangely, this didn't show up while I was sitting on the stop light or in the parkinglot when I arrived, but only while driving.
?????

Going out to lunch, so we'll see if it shows up again.

[ping]

I sometimes have a tough time going from 5th to 4th at speed, seems the reverse lockout isn't all that strong. Combine that with an arm that has shifted VW's for the last umpteen years... not great. Anyone else get that?

[funnylittlman]

Getting out of reverse sometimes is a little hard :D

[I-Am-Chris]

Originally posted by Maestrokneer
So here I am the proud new owner of a MazdaSpeed Protege (no more than 7 days old) and what am I doing on a Saturday night? Cruising in my new Black Mica Turbo Charged Chariot? No....I'm perusing the Protege forums trying to get my fix. You see, less than a week after I bought my car it's back at the dealership getting FIXED!!!!!

My transmission absolutely died on me. I couldn't get it out of 3rd gear. So instead of hugging corners, I'm hugging a pint of Hagen Daaz and searching for solace. Has anyone else had transmission problems with their new MPS??????

If this is what happens to the car at 700 miles what about 70,000? Damn, I guess I should purchase that extended warranty. I guess that's what I get for purchasing a Ford product.

Please help an enthusiast sleep at night and share your experiences with a downtrodden brother in cars. As they say, "Misery loves company".

No major problems for me and i have 10,123 miles on my car.

[Vicocola]

my reverse is getting harder and harder to get into as my mileage goes up... and emergency brake need to be high up too.. but that's all the problems i have so far

[LinuxRacr]

I notice with every manual tansmission car I've driven, to get into revers sometimes requires that you press the clutch, put it in 1st, and then go back to reverse.

[I-Am-Chris]

Originally posted by LinuxRacr
I notice with every manual tansmission car I've driven, to get into revers sometimes requires that you press the clutch, put it in 1st, and then go back to reverse.

yeah me too sometimes you have to roll a litlle foward and then put it in reverse

[PA_MP3_Man]

Yeah reverse is a little hard for me to get into. But I drove my dad's old Chevy truck for so long and to get that into reverse you had to try to put it in gear, put it back in neutral, release the clutch, press the clutch and then it goes right in. That's what I do for my car and it goes in pretty easy every time. I used to have the grind from 1st to 2nd but since I changed to redline MT-90 I haven't had that problem. I've never had problems going into any of the other forward gears. Even downshifting I never had problems. Are you guys pushing the clutch in the whole way when you downshift?

When I first got my car I grinded 2nd a couple of times cause I would try to shift and just mildly push in the clutch but would release before I had it in gear, oops.. But i've trained myself out of that problem. Another thing someone else said somewhere that I think would have some relevance is are you slamming it into gear? I shift just enough till it pops in, I don't yank the shifter back until it stops, I think that puts some really bad stress on a lot of parts. Well there my input. Sorry to hear about your tranny though.

I bought the extended warranty with my car too but have been modding it. Hopefully it doesn't hurt my warranty. Atleast I'll still have it if the AC or any electrical part goes.