Why are gears shifting poorly?

Despite the fact that poor gear shifting is a major problem for many cyclists, few people pay enough attention to it. Many people don’t know what to do and are afraid of ruining everything, or they save money on repairs from a qualified mechanic.

Of course, identifying the cause of poor shifting requires some understanding of how switches work, but if you don't mind words like "jacket," "adjuster screw," or "free play," you'll be able to handle the task with ease.

Cable tension and switch limit position adjustment

The most obvious and common causes of poor shifting and switch failures come down to poor settings. Index switches (when you switch to 1st gear with one press of the shift lever) are very demanding on the correct cable tension and the internal cleanliness of the jacket. Over time, the jackets and cables deteriorate, dirt and dust get inside and this inevitably leads to a deterioration in the quality of switching.

If the shifter is reluctant to throw the chain into a higher gear, then most likely you should check and tighten the cable. If this happens when switching to a lower gear, then the cable needs to be released.

Also, very often problems with switching to the highest and lowest sprocket can be caused by incorrect settings of the extreme position adjusting screws.

If all the gears shift somehow strangely and with varying success, then perhaps your distance from the switch to the stars is incorrectly set.

We have already discussed how to eliminate these 3 problems in the article about setting up the rear derailleur.

Answer

Posts: 11 • Page 1 of 2 • 1 ,

Automatic transmission shifts hard

vlb.anton » 27 Feb 2015, 14:01
Hello.
Has anyone come across this? .. The automatic transmission selector began to move slowly .. a couple of days ago .. + apparently .. the selector is in P (parking) .. but the automatic transmission itself does not .. does not want to start in this mode .. until you put neutral vlb.anton Alien Posts: 18 Registered: Feb 20, 2015, 12:39 pm Karma: 0
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Automatic transmission shifts hard

Max PXT » 27 Feb 2015, 14:52
There is a problem with the automatic transmission selector, which is located on the left side of the automatic transmission. Takes it apart, cleans it, lubricates it and off you go.

There are many of us and we are on Pyzhiki

Max PXT PXT
Messages: 3914 Registered: 04 Aug 2009, 11:47 From: Vladivostok Awards: 2 Karma: 29
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vlb.anton » 27 Feb 2015, 16:09

Thank you very much for the quick answer.. then I’ll allow myself the next question.. take it apart at a service station.. crawl under the car.. or just remove the panel from the passenger compartment.. and then depending on the circumstances?
vlb.anton Alien Posts: 18 Registered: Feb 20, 2015, 12:39 pm Karma: 0
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Automatic transmission shifts hard

Max PXT » 27 Feb 2015, 20:01
Dive under the car and there depending on the circumstances

There are many of us and we are on Pyzhiki

Max PXT PXT
Messages: 3914 Registered: 04 Aug 2009, 11:47 From: Vladivostok Awards: 2 Karma: 29
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vlb.anton » Mar 02, 2015, 01:29 pm

So far this jamb seems to have disappeared.. so I’m thinking of bothering and figuring it out.. or there’s no point yet vlb.anton Alien
Messages: 18 Registered: Feb 20, 2015, 12:39 Karma: 0
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Electronics » Mar 02, 2015, 11:18 pm

Of course you have to bother. Otherwise, at the most inopportune moment it will jam again. Do not use grease to prevent water from getting in.

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ElektroniK Thousander
Messages: 1688 Registered: 05 Nov 2012, 23:19 Awards: 3 Karma: 53
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Automatic transmission shifts hard

pastr74 » April 28, 2015, 6:45 pm
Hello, forum members, I periodically have the same parsley, but the point is that I installed a new switch on the box and it’s still buggy.
Either it switches gears gently, or it takes serious effort when switching, I can’t even determine the pattern. Well, in winter I thought it was due to snow or frozen, but now it’s warm, but it still doesn’t work normally pastr74 Active participant Messages: 189 Registered: Jan 05, 2015, 04 :05 Karma: 0
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Electronics » April 28, 2015, 07:23 pm

The switch is new, but the rod on which it sits is old and possibly rusty. So he gets stuck.

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ElektroniK Thousander
Messages: 1688 Registered: 05 Nov 2012, 23:19 Awards: 3 Karma: 53
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Automatic transmission shifts hard

pastr74 » Jul 15, 2015, 01:46
Thank you, ElektroniK, for the info on the stock, I climbed under the car, washed it with VDshka and lubricated it.
it switches chiki chiki, I think that the problem of starting the engine (the bendix did not engage) was due to this, since the automatic transmission brains did not react adequately because of this pastr74 Active participant Messages: 189 Registered: 05 Jan 2015, 04:05 Karma: 0
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Automatic transmission shifts hard

vlb.anton » July 15, 2015, 12:43
I’ll support Elektronika, they put the car on a lift, removed the “inhibitor” or whatever it’s called correctly, but the shaft itself was rusty and jammed, they lubricated it with VDshka, stuffed it with some kind of lubricant, twisted it.. and the problem disappeared Added after 9 minutes 24 seconds: Here's the problem with the picture again Added after 1 minute 44 seconds: * then the main thing is to assemble everything correctly.. the shaft rotates and each of its positions corresponds to a certain position of the automatic transmission, i.e.
if you removed it in the extreme right position, then we put it in exactly the same way. vlb.anton Alien Posts: 18 Registered: Feb 20, 2015, 12:39 pm Karma: 0
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Replacing the cable and jacket

Gear shifting depends on the condition of the cables and jackets. If the cables are old and dirty, have excessive kinks, are rusty, or are simply of poor quality, then they are most likely preventing you from shifting smoothly and accurately. Replacing them would be the best solution. Shimano's Di2 type electronic transmissions are free of these problems as there are no cables or jackets.

If your switch is set up correctly but is still not working satisfactorily, you most likely just need to replace the jacket and cable. It is also worth noting that the more “breaks” the shift cable jacket has on your bike, the faster the jacket and cable become dirty, and the more often they need to be changed. If possible, always try to tuck the shift cable into one piece.

Cables with different coatings (usually gold or black) are often advertised as a panacea for all ills, we do not recommend using them, since this coating periodically falls off and only clogs the jacket, thereby worsening shifting. High-quality stainless steel cables without any coating will not only help you save money, but will also extend the interval until the next replacement.

Evenness of the "rooster"

If the cock on your frame, to which the switch is usually attached, is damaged or bent, then this also negatively affects the quality of gear shifting. You can try to straighten the “cock” with pliers, but aluminum cocks often burst from this procedure. There are special tools from Park Tool or X-Tools that allow you to straighten cockpits, but the amount you'll pay for them will allow you to replace your cage *eleven times, so leave those tools to professional mechanics in the shops.

Chain wear, cleanliness and proper lubrication

How often do you monitor your chain wear? Chain wear also affects the quality of shifting, so a timely replaced chain will not only protect your cassette and sprockets from premature replacement, but will also improve the quality of gear shifting!

Even if your chain isn't worn out, you may have damaged it while riding. Is there any visible damage or misalignment of the links? Turn the pedal slowly by hand and watch the chain. If some link has been damaged and now rotates poorly or the chain is skewed, then in this place it will begin to jump on the cassette sprockets.

Don't let dirt build up on your shifters; a clean transmission will always perform better. In addition, a dirty transmission not only wears out faster, but also shifts worse. An unlubricated chain also impairs the performance of the transmission, watch out for this! We have already written about proper maintenance, measuring wear, and replacing the chain; don’t be lazy to read these articles.

Gears engage with effort: gearbox malfunctions

In cars with a manual transmission, gear shifting is done by the driver himself. Using a lever from the interior, it acts on the rocker and then on the entire gearbox mechanism. Simply put, the driver moves the gears on the shafts.

The clutch also takes part in this process, since to change gears it is necessary to stop the interaction of the gearbox input shaft with the engine flywheel. Failures in the clutch are also the reasons for difficult gear shifting.

Since the shafts rotate at high speeds, cooling is required. This is done using special gear oil. Oil also protects the surfaces of rubbing parts from premature wear. The lubricant must be changed on time. On average, this is done after every 40-50 thousand kilometers.

We also recommend reading the article about why gears do not engage when the engine is running. From this article you will learn about the reasons for the difficulty of switching gears after starting the internal combustion engine.

As for the reasons for tight gear engagement, there may be several of them. However, most often they are associated with problems in the clutch or the gearbox itself. If you study the list of the most common breakdowns, then you can highlight the following:

• the link is poorly adjusted. In particularly difficult cases, it may be necessary to replace the plastic bushings. This procedure, like adjustment, can be done on your own;
• hydraulic drive failure. If it leaks, you may not be able to engage the gear at all, since it is impossible to disengage the clutch;
• the clutch cable has broken or fallen off (in a cable clutch);
• The clutch basket has failed.
  To be more precise, the problem is in the petals of the basket. Over time, they lose elasticity, bend, or even break. In this case, the basket will need to be replaced. You can do this yourself too

  ;

• in the most extreme case, problems may be associated with defects in the shafts and bearings on which these shafts rotate. When a bearing fails, the shaft either does not rotate at all, or rotation is very difficult. As a result, changing gear will also be impossible or problematic;
• synchronizer failure. As a rule, failure of synchronizers is additionally accompanied by a metallic grinding sound when trying to engage a gear;

The exception is reverse gear, since it does not have synchronizers; By the way, when the reverse gear is difficult to engage, extraneous noises, clanging, and crunching often occur. Such phenomena directly indicate wear of the gear teeth.

Shirt length and chain length

A shirt that is too long will only worsen shift quality due to additional friction. And because the shirt is too short, the cable tension may change while turning the steering wheel or operating the suspension.

A chain that is too short will cause unnecessary tension on the rear derailleur and difficulty operating the largest chainrings. This has a bad effect not only on shifting, but also on the service life of the transmission. And if you have a suspension, then when the suspension is activated, a chain that is too short can break and damage the transmission. A long chain will rub against the derailleur on the smallest sprockets, causing additional wear on the chain, possibly damaging the derailleur, and affecting shift quality.

Reasons for long switching

The automatic transmission delays changing gears for several reasons:

• insufficient tension of the throttle cable;
• damage to the rubber adapter of the modulator;
• incorrect modulator adjustment;
• overheating of the automatic transmission due to worn-out transmission oil;
• accumulation of metal shavings in the working chambers of the automatic transmission;
• oil filter clogged;
• improper operation of a vehicle with an automatic transmission (slipping off-road, transporting heavy loads, trailers, towing other vehicles;
• failure of the solenoids responsible for changing automatic transmission gears;
• failure of electronic sensors.

Shifting from 1st to 2nd gear

The movement of a car with an automatic transmission begins with depressing the brake pedal. At first speed, the car moves only for the first few meters of the path, then the stage changes. Often there is a prolonged switching from 1st to 2nd speed due to insufficient heating of the unit, in particular the transmission oil.

If there is a lack of transmission, there is also a disturbance in the smooth operation of the automatic transmission. To correctly measure the oil level, you need to check the dipstick twice: with a cold engine and once with a warm one.

Read

Purpose of the Shift Lock release button on an automatic transmission

Shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear

The reasons why the automatic transmission delays the shift between the second and third stages may be due to severe wear of the internal mechanisms or damage to the rubber adapters. The rubber adapter fits the modulator. It may dry out and crack. As a result, the pressure on the modulator decreases, and a stream of air emerges from the crack, which can be felt by hand. As a result, the automatic transmission delays shifting.

The pressure in the modulator itself may be too high. It is recommended to turn the regulator knob a few degrees counterclockwise in the direction of decreasing pressure. Another reason for prolonged transmission operation may be that the cable running from the automatic transmission to the engine is too loose. It is located on the right side of the driver's seat.

Shifting from 3rd to 4th gear

In most cases, why there are delays in shifting gears on an automatic transmission with mileage, the reason is wear of the internal mechanisms. Metal parts wear off on adjacent surfaces and the friction force changes. The engagement between the clutches becomes less efficient and the gear does not increase at the right time.

Wear of parts responsible for changing automatic transmission speeds often affects tightening and untimely switching between 3rd and 4th stages. At this moment, the transmission behaves as if it had been switched to neutral for a couple of seconds.

To troubleshoot problems, in particular shift delays, you first need to check for chips on the automatic transmission pan magnet. If there is a lot of it, this is a sign of severe damage to internal parts. After washing the pan, changing the oil, washing the internal and replacing the external filter of the automatic transmission, you need to carefully monitor the operation of the car. If the situation repeats, when the transmission delays the transition, you should contact a specialist.

Read

Shifting the automatic transmission gear selector on the go

Shifting from 4th to 5th gear

For automatic transmissions, as well as for manual transmissions, in an urban environment a typical operating mode is when second or third speeds are most often selected. On the first one there is always movement from a place. The mechanisms responsible for changing the 4th and 5th stages are subject to less wear.

Despite this fact, automatic transmissions are delaying the transition for several reasons:

• failure of the hydraulic unit;

• malfunction of the throttle position sensor (TPS) or the English version of the name Throttle position sensor (TPS);

• errors in the functioning of the electronic unit.

Problems with the control unit can be resolved by car service specialists using the on-board computer. In case of some minor failures, it is enough to reset all settings to factory defaults, which will update the system and cause it to work correctly.

Front derailleur position

For many, adjusting the front derailleur is even more magical than adjusting the rear. The most common problem is the incorrect height of the front derailleur. We have also already written about how to properly configure the front derailleur. Check it out here.

Shirt kinks

Due to the design of the frame, you may have extra flex in the frame, which creates additional friction and degrades shift quality. Also, due to the bends of the shirts and cables in these places, they wear out faster and have to be replaced more often.

So try to lay the shirts so that there are a minimum of bends in their path and they are not caught by the frame while the suspension is operating.

What you can do with your own hands

There are a number of simple actions that can prevent the automatic transmission from stalling.

Servicing a car when the automatic transmission is delayed in transmission does not always mean many problems. Some automatic transmissions are capable of exceeding the 500 thousand km mark without major repairs. To check the transmission for gear drag, it is recommended to turn on the kickdown mode. Its name describes the moment itself: push down.

If, while driving a car with automatic transmission, you sharply press the gas pedal, the car goes to a lower gear so that the speed increases as quickly as possible. If this moment passes quickly and without interruptions, then the box does not delay transitions and is in good working order.

Read

Is it possible to start an automatic transmission from a pusher: consequences for automatic transmission

The simplest actions that any car enthusiast can perform for his favorite iron horse when tightening is to change the oil filter and the “transmission” itself in the automatic transmission. But you need to buy consumables in trusted places so as not to stumble upon a fake.

Chainline

An outlandish foreign word that scares many and is an excellent topic for debate among marketers. In short, chainline is the arrangement of the front sprockets relative to the rear ones. For example, if your cassette has 9 sprockets, then the smaller the offset of the 5th sprocket relative to the plane of the drive sprocket on the connecting rods, the less the chain will bend in extreme positions and the better the gears will shift.

The chainline depends on the design features of the frame and connecting rods. Some crank models offer minimal chainline adjustment via spacers that fit onto the crank axle, but often you'll just have to accept that your chainline isn't perfect.

Maybe you're just switching incorrectly

After all, even if everything is set up perfectly, there is a possibility that you are shifting incorrectly. Manufacturers do not recommend shifting gears under load. So learn to ease up on the pedals a little while shifting and your transmission will thank you.

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Symptoms of delayed gear shifting

Like any complex mechanism, an automatic transmission can have malfunctions. There are often cases when the automatic transmission changes gears with a delay, delaying them for 2-3 seconds. At this moment, a “failure” of power occurs, and the car sharply loses speed.

Read

How to and how not to slip an automatic transmission

In order for the shift transition to take place, the oil pressure increases. The pump wheel transmits torque to the turbine wheel. When they reach a certain acceleration, the clutches brake the lower gear, and the oil through the valve accelerates the next stage. This is how automatic transmission speeds change without “failure”.

During tightening, the speeds do not switch on time, although the torque increases to a dangerous 3.5 - 4 thousand. After this, there is a delay in switching for a couple of seconds. The car then loses power and shifts into overdrive. The presence of such failures during automatic transmission operation is a serious flaw and a reason to start diagnosing the unit.