# 5th gear popping out fix **URL:** \ **Category:** The Show\ **Created:** [January 5, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/5th-gear-popping-out-fix/82982 "2014-01-05T02:36:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vlad\_V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bcef8e/32.png) [@Vlad\_V](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vlad_V)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/5th-gear-popping-out-fix/82982/1 "2014-01-05T02:36:17Z")
Just overheard the story on the show, where some lady’s car (apparently, Honda with manual transmission) is unable to hold 5th gear. I completely agree with car guys conclusion, that synchro is bad. However, years ago I was able to contain the problem without ever taking the transmission out on my 1987 Accord, on which 5th gear was immediately popping out literally 9 times out of 10, and still not holding well on that 10th try. On that car, transaxle can use regular engine oil. What I did, was draining older conventional oil and filling it with the best quality synthetic engine oil of the same grade, and that completely reversed the situation - now, 9 times out of 10, 5th gear held for as long as it was in, for at least a year - until that car’s body finally rusted to the point when I had to get rid of it… if hers (or anybody else’s, for the matter) car uses specialty transmission fluid, she still can try using synthetic MTF from well-known aftermarket brands like RedLine (that’s what I use now) - easy fix, and if it still doesn’t work, it’s a relatively cheap try, compared to outright tranny replacement. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/5th-gear-popping-out-fix/82982/2 "2014-01-05T03:00:15Z")
Good advice. I had a friend who even went so far as to use AFT, automatic transmission fluid to “smooth out” the shifting. I had my doubts but the car lasted as long as the time I new him many years later. He had a doctorate in chemistry and assured me it was OK. I never question him on matters like this. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/5th-gear-popping-out-fix/82982/3 "2014-01-05T08:34:43Z")
A worn out transmission is a worn out transmission and it’s going to take more than a fluid change to fix it…If you can get it into a gear (any gear) and then it pops out, it’s not the syncro, it’s usually a worn mainshaft bearing allowing the shaft to run out of alignment…On some designs it can be a worn or broken detent on the shift mechanism or a bent shift fork…