Second gear grinding

From Honda S2000 Wiki


Description of the problem

When changing the gear from 1st to 2nd a grinding will be felt and heard. It is similar to the sound/feeling when shifting without fully pressing the clutch.

Fixing the second gear grinding

Transmission oil

Several users reported that using the "Castrol Syntrans FE 75W" instead of the "Honda MTF" oil fixes the 2nd gear grinding.
It is recommended to flush the gearbox three times in a row with the new oil in order to get completely rid of the old Honda MTF.
This seems to be the best and most noticeable fix for the second gear grinding

Clutch free play adjustment

It is possible that the clutch is not fully engaging when pressing the clutch pedal.
By adjusting the clutch free play you will make sure that you fully engage the clutch when pressing the clutch pedal.

Changing clutch fluid

Some people noticed and improvement once they changed the clutch fluid.