Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

VF2 Redline - Manual Gearbox / Diff Issues

Jimunj

New Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Messages
17
Reaction score
1
Points
1
Location
Southbank
Members Ride
VF2 Redline
Afternoon all, just wanted to run this past some members as you will have more technical knowledge than I. Car is a VF2 Redline, manual trans, 1500km on the clock.

1 - When shifting hard from 1st to 2nd (manual trans) over 5k RPM, I seem to have a slight grind of the gears. Yes my foot is to the floor on the clutch. Has anyone else had this? Is this the syncro not lining up fast enough?? It's done it a few times and I'm very worried about leaving the transmission behind me on the on ramp.

2 - When under load in 1st (as in I've backed off and am letting the revs drop without my foot on the brake), as I depress the clutch the car thumps. It's very similar to what my 10 year old XR6T used to do. I am thinking this is not normal for a car with 1500 km's on it.

Brought it up with the dealership this morning as I was there for my first service, but didn't have time to take it for a test drive with the service manager. Service manager advised a small 'thump' is normal as the whole drivetrain tends to move. I said it only does it sometimes when it seems to be in the 'sweet spot'.

Either way I'm pretty unimpressed that a new car has these issues. I know it's not a high end Benz so I can't expect 'hand made' workmanship, but I do expect better than this from a spanking new car with a pricetag in excess of $50k.

Would love to hear others experiences and if these are normal for others.

Cheers,
Jim
 

Chookah

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Messages
124
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Age
40
Location
Brisbane
Members Ride
VFII SSV Redline Wagon
I'm going to be that guy.

WTF are you winding it out to 5k RPM for if it's only had 1500km's on it?
 

OzTurtle

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2015
Messages
214
Reaction score
31
Points
28
Age
50
Location
Seaford; VIC
Members Ride
VF II Redline
Best way to run in a new engine (the LS3's are extremely tight for the first 5000k's) is to run them all the way through the rev range, and then decelerate naturally. This will ensure the rings bed properly and don't score the cylinder bores. No lighting the tyres on take off, or bounce off the limiter, and no constant speed/revs for extended periods of time for the first 3000k's. So changing over 5k rpm is no problem, but you shouldn't be experiencing that kind of thud! I've tinkered with cars for the last 20+ years, and although I'm no mechanic sounds like a clutch issue. Ask the dealer to change the fluid and see how that goes.
 

426Cuda

SUBLIME!
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
4,181
Reaction score
3,015
Points
113
Location
Wagga Wagga
Members Ride
VF Redline Sedan - A6 Spitfire MSE...
It may well be two symptoms both related to the same root cause. The root cause sound s clutch related as Turtle said. How the clutch is operating i.e disengaging slow, or late, causing the grind and engaging too suddenly (grippy) under WOT causing the thud. Whether this is due to a mechanical fault e.g. fluid needs a bleed, clutch not adjusted properly etc or driver error remains to be seen. Don't take offence, I'm not having a crack at your driving. But I reckon it's possible to cause any driveline to thud if you release the clutch like a side step at full throttle, at speed and on a grippy surface. I have experienced this in everything from my highly modified 360 cube Charger four speed that had enough grunt to lift the front wheels, to my modified VY SS, VE SS's and more. All of these cars would change no problem at peak RPM, but if you abused them through the timing of your left and right feet, then the drivetrain would let you know about it with a big thud.
Try changing at high revs, only a little slower i.e. push the clutch all the way in before you pull second, and let the clutch out, rather than just dropping it and see if it still happens. I don't mean nurse it like a grandad. The above would add a few hundredths to your gear changes at most. It's all about timing. I'm not saying there's not a mechanical fault. But I reckon it's more likely how you're changing gear, with a very tourquey motor.
 

OzTurtle

Active Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2015
Messages
214
Reaction score
31
Points
28
Age
50
Location
Seaford; VIC
Members Ride
VF II Redline
Hopefully a fluid change and bleed sorts it out, as they use a hydraulic clutch that can't be adjusted, makes you miss the good old days :undead: Either way it needs to be sorted, driveline shunt should be a thing of the past, and getting used to a new/clutch feel can take a while.
 

EternityDre

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Messages
730
Reaction score
800
Points
93
Age
39
Location
Melbourne, Victoria
Members Ride
MSE #385
Given driver input is a possible contributing factor here, I'm hoping you guys with manual VF2 can shed some light on how you've learnt to shift smoothly.

I have a MY12 VE and have put a deposit down on a MY17 Redline. When I test drove a demo Redline, I found changing gears smoothly way harder than my VE. I stalled the heavy, pick up straight off the floor clutch several times before I got used to it, and it was generally way harder to drive in the hour or so I had the car and distracted me from actually enjoying the rest of the car. I'm sure you get used to it, but I felt like the gearbox out was of a truck.

Not trying to derail this thread, but based on my experience I think it could be party OPs driving, and am just wondering with a new manual VF2, how should they be driven? Are they expected to be rough out of the box so to speak?
 

Jimunj

New Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Messages
17
Reaction score
1
Points
1
Location
Southbank
Members Ride
VF2 Redline
Thanks for the replies to date gents.

To answer a few questions, and to clarify;

- Dealer told me on delivery not to baby it. But did tell me not to light the tyres up on launch (which I haven't been doing), and to not go on long highway drives (which I also haven't been doing).
- Regarding the thud; this is only happening at very low speeds, ie. under 30 km/h. And only in first gear. Usually happens when I'm putting the clutch in just before I stop if that makes sense? It's not doing it under WOT or when I'm accelerating and changing into second. Only just before I stop. I hope that makes more sense?

EternityDre - it takes a week to get used to it. I've had the car a month and still have sloppy changes when I'm not really thinking about what I'm doing.

As much as I would like to say I'm a poor driver and it is driver error, I've been driving manuals for over 10 years and am fairly comfortable I know how to shift. Having said that, I will take your feedback on board and slightly slow down my 1st to 2nd shifts to see if that makes a difference (which I'm sure it will), however, it also kind of takes the enjoyment out of the freeway on ramps.

When the car is due for it's next service, I'll mention to change the clutch fluid. I also didn't get the chance to take the service manager out this morning as I had to get to work, but I would like to be able to give them a demo when I'm in next.

Thanks again gents,

Jim
 

dgp

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
1,462
Reaction score
571
Points
113
Location
Victoria
Members Ride
VF II SSV Redline
Jim you could be changing too fast, the boxes have improved but they are still pretty agricultural. What other manual cars have you owned? If they were Japanese or sv6 with Japanese box the T56 will not be as slick as you are used to.
 

Smashfist

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
841
Reaction score
263
Points
63
Age
44
Location
SE QLD
Members Ride
440rwhp Cammed VF Ute
The boxes do get better. Mine was very tight when new but with ~6500km on it it feels fine apart from the 1-2 shift when cold, which isn't going to change. They revised some parts between VE and VF boxes with the end result being the VF ones are near bullet proof (triple cone synchros on first and second, double cone synchros for all other gears except reverse). It's notchy when cold on first and second because the oil isn't up to temp, and Holden have issued a bulletin to dealers to say that it's a characteristic and can't be changed.

End result: It will get better but don't go full retard on it when it's cold and you'll never break it. I haven't seen a warranty claim for an SS 6 speed in yonks.

Go a bit easy on it and put some more k's on before worrying about the gearbox/clutch. It doesn't really sound like you're having any real problems with it, just that it needs a bit of wearing in and driving style adjustment.

The best way I could describe a good run-in is to not go easy on it, but show some mechanical sympathy.
 

panhead

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Messages
3,143
Reaction score
4,461
Points
113
Location
NSW Central Coast
Members Ride
Cars
Getting the occasional bit of a clonk when changing down from 2nd to 1st has always been a feature of the Holden setup and for most other manufacturers as well.

Take a little care to know what revs it happens at and adjust your driving to suit.

If you still find it annoying then learn to rev match as you change down and the problem is solved. :driving:
 
Top