Hi guys,

I'm a somewhat nervous soon to be FG XR6T driver... I just bought my first XR, coming from Jap cars (most recently 03 STi). My car is due to be delivered in approx 2 weeks, it's a manual in Ego

I noticed when I drove the demo model at the dealer that there was a lot of gearbox clunking when backing off or accelerating (resonably quickly) at low rpm. I also noticed that there was a fair bit of backlash (seemingly from clutch/gearbox area) when depressing the clutch in 1st, changing from 1st to 2nd and also 2nd to 3rd.

The dealer told me that this particular car may have a bit of an issue and that the backlash issue has been all but eradicated in the FG (in comparison to the BA/BF).

I am concerned because I am seeing quite a few people complaining about these exact issues in the FG manuals. Some people have had new gearboxes installed.... Has this fixed the problem?

Is it really most, if not all FG drivers that are experiencing this, and if so, has somebody uncovered a fix for this?

Does changing the gearbox oil help? Has anyone changed a clutch yet and did this help?

I cant believe this is still an issue, this was the main reason I sold my BA 6sp man turbo......

No problems here in 8 weeks of ownership.

have the backlash.. mainly when accelerating hard.

ok, that's interesting.

So you don't have any clunking when depressing the clutch between 1st and 3rd gears?

Yep - but you learn to drive around it. you just have to time your throttle /clutch movments better to avoid loading up the drive line and then suddenly releasing it.

I hardly noice mine any more.

I would have to say that it present in most m6 FG's from what I have seen (still better than an Auto though hehehehe .

Stupid poll won't let me tick multiple boxes.......

I have the first three issues listed in the poll.

However, as rockafellqeinstien, you learn to drive around it and deal with it.

I had a rear diff bush fail on me and decided to check the diff and tailshaft backlash while I was under the car.

The diff backlash was fine as was the tailshaft. I did, however, discover both drive shaft inner CV's had what I would call 'excess' backlash.

The gearbox has, what I would call, a normal amount of backlash.

There are multiple drive train noises that can be mistaken for excess backlash though.

The rollover noise in the gearbox and clutch rattle have both been called 'backlash noise' by various people but isn't quite the case.

Rollover noise, I found, has been all but eliminated in my car by the use of Penrite SIN ATF oil and using the whole 4L out of the bottle instead of the 3.8L recommended in the owners manual.

The clutch rattle isn't as easy to remedy. I think it's due to the design more than anything and to get rid of it would more than likely entail a clutch assembly upgrade.

The calibration of the drive by wire system is something that amplifies the drivetrain shunt noise also.

If the dealer has told you the noise has all but been eradicated from the FG then he might be looking for a sale or he hasn't been in many manual equipped FG's.

If you're on the ball with gear changes you can eliminate the noise upshifting and downshifting, but it takes practice.

I use the heel/toe method when downshifting to give the throttle a small 'blip' and it helps me.

If you just get in your car when you get it and spend time practicing the gear changes you should be ok.

The clutch take up point is something else that may give you the sh!ts as it's not where you'd expect it to be.

Good luck.

Forgot to post kms before.

I replaced the rear diff bush at 16000kms.

I've done 24000kms so far and the shunt hasn't got better or worse.

I had the gearbox oil changed at 959kms, after my run in, then I put the Penrite oil in just last week at 23500kms.

Stupid poll won't let me tick multiple boxes.......

I selected the option in the poll to tick multiple boxes???

However, as rockafellqeinstien, you learn to drive around it and deal with it.

I hope I don't get it at all

mine mostly when cold and backing off.....had my rear bush done at about 16000km as well.....not to bad otherwise....