Clunking noise when downshifting to 1st

[scottyegen]

Just bought a 2008 TC and was wondering if anyone has heard of experienced a clunking noise when downshifting to 1st? It happens when I have the clutch pedal pushed in and I'm rolling slowly to a stop. At that point I'm moving the shifter into 1st gear and that's when the noise happens. It sounds more towards the middle of the car. Also, the car has a lot of howling road noise inside the car. I'm thinking it's the tires because it does change a little when driving on asphalt as opposed to concrete. The highways in Chicago are all concrete so the noise is really annoying. The tires are 17" Bridgestones Turanzas. Thanks.

[criminaltc]

Our first gears are super super tall and do not allow you to engage first when rolling even a little bit, so what you are doing is jamming it in when it doesn't want to engage, that's where the noise comes into play. YOu shouldn't be downshifting anyhow, you should be rolling to a stop in neutral, and if you are even rolling a tad, you should throw in second, it has plenty of power, even stock, to continue you on. I know people who don't even use first even from a stop, but you don't have to go that crazy. Anyways, you aren't hearing anything unusual, it's just your fault that you are hearing that noise. Avoid the noise by not putting it in first when moving at all. Also, you aren't hearing the clunk noise correctly if you hearing it in the middle of the car because there is no transmission movement going on anywhere except under the hood. For the road noise, yeah, I noticed that our stock bridgestone tires are kinda loud, when it's time to replace them, you'll find something with a little quieter sound.

[o TaGGeD o]

Originally Posted by criminaltc

Our first gears are super super tall and do not allow you to engage first when rolling even a little bit, so what you are doing is jamming it in when it doesn't want to engage, that's where the noise comes into play. YOu shouldn't be downshifting anyhow, you should be rolling to a stop in neutral, and if you are even rolling a tad, you should throw in second, it has plenty of power, even stock, to continue you on. I know people who don't even use first even from a stop, but you don't have to go that crazy. Anyways, you aren't hearing anything unusual, it's just your fault that you are hearing that noise. Avoid the noise by not putting it in first when moving at all. Also, you aren't hearing the clunk noise correctly if you hearing it in the middle of the car because there is no transmission movement going on anywhere except under the hood. For the road noise, yeah, I noticed that our stock bridgestone tires are kinda loud, when it's time to replace them, you'll find something with a little quieter sound.

Agree 100% ^ 1st is near useless only put in first when stopped or when going less than 1mph you can actually start in 2nd if you want

[scottyegen]

Thanks so much for the information but I want to be clear in that the noise is a clunking one and not grinding which is what you sound like you're describing. I've driven stick shifts forever and never really hear the noise I'm hearing. In fact when I do hear the noise under the conditions I described I can shift to 2nd (with the clutch disengaged) and hear the same noise. Kind of weird.

Regarding the noisy tires, can you recommend a quieter one. Not opposed to spending money on tires prematurely if it solves the problem. The tires I have are the Bridgestones Turanza EL400.

Thanks,s
Scot

[criminaltc]

Originally Posted by scottyegen

Thanks so much for the information but I want to be clear in that the noise is a clunking one and not grinding which is what you sound like you're describing.

Then tear your transmission apart because if you knew what was going on inside a transmission, then you'd know there is nothing that would make a clunk, so I have nothing else for you. The shifter ball sliding into the first gear slot is the only thing that could make a clunk, the grind is referring to the two gears meeting up. Either way you should not be downshifting to first ever.

And about the tires, I know what tires you have, we all have them from the get-go. Any tires are good. I would recommend any Hancook. Great tire, lasts forever and not noisy. The model that I have and that is fantastic are the Ventus. They are very cost effective too, not expensive at all. But any tire will be quieter as I said earlier.

[scottyegen]

Hey CriminalTC, sounds like I've upset you which was not my intention at all. I guess my response came off as sounding cocky. Sorry but I was only trying to point out what I've experienced in the past. The ball in the shifter sounds more likely to be the noise. Thanks again.

Also, thanks for the tire recommendation. In fact I was just looking at Hankooks last night on line but is this the way to go instead of buying more of a snow tire for the winter and living with these until they are shot? Don't really mind having two sets of rims for summer and winter if I have to go that route. Can you clue me in on the tire pressure sensors? I read a little in the manual about registering and resetting them under different conditions.

Thanks.

[TheQuietThings]

Oh those poor triple coned synchros :-( you are probably hearing them cry shifting into first. Seriously though, first gear and second gear have triple coned synchros and will make noise if you work hard against them.

[criminaltc]

Yeah Scott, not upset, just replying to your some-what-what-seemed "cocky", as you said, response, my bad. But yeah, I know you are worrying about hearing something that you shouldn't be, trust me, I get that, and we all get that, and we don't want anything to go wrong with your car as much as our own, and with that in mind, we all will tell you, you are fine.

About the tires, I live in the heart of Wisconsin, worse winters in the nation. I have the Ventus. They are frickin awesome. Seriously, if you put a winter on those Bridgestons, you'll feel like you are on ice all the time even if there isn't snow. Then switch to the Hancook Ventus, you'll feel like you are on the male version of velcrow while your tires are the female version, and that's after it snowed three feet. It's awesome. It's all "all season" tire so you won't go wrong. About the TPMS, you are good. You do not need to get new ones. The stock ones that you have work as they should with the Ventus. There is no problem there and no codes and they read the pressure as if the stock tires were on. Trust me, that was an issue I thought I would run into, but no, they are perfect.

[Jan06xB]

If the tc is like the 1st gen xb it uses cables to shift with ... you might crawl under the car and see if anything can move and hit the underbody, even check the exhaust pipes for movement.
Shifting into first gear should not be a problem but you may actually hear a little bit of drive shaft play make a clunking sound, you might change it by Reving the engine a little before shifting into first gear.

[scottyegen]

CriminalTC,

Yeah, didn't want to start off as a new member with sh---y attitude. I'm in Chicago and so we are like brothers when it comes to winters I guess. I'll take your seasoned (get it) advice and pursue the Hankooks but what model do you recommend? The Ventus V4 FS H105 is carried by Tire Rack and cost $99.00 each. And they claim it has a 50,000 mile life which is good by me.

[scottyegen]

Thanks Jan06xB

[criminaltc]

Yes, we use cables. And yes the V4's are them. Fantastic tire. Very glad I could help.