# Stiff Manual Gear Shift

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions, civic, honda\
**Created:** [January 5, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915 "2010-01-05T17:40:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ekentish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@ekentish](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ekentish)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915/1 "2010-01-05T17:40:51Z")

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In recent weeks the gear shift lever has become stiff. Side to side is still loose, forward and back, into and out of gears is stiff.  
  
  
  
 I changed the oil last fall, using genuine Honda Manual Transmission Oil.  
  
  
  
 Any thoughts? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915/2 "2010-01-05T19:24:02Z")

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Is it the same with the engine running vs. not running?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915/3 "2010-01-05T19:55:20Z")

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What’s the temperature been where you are?

Manual tranny fluid can get really thick in cold weather. When I lived in North Dakota it would get so thick in the winter I could not even feel the gates. It felt like dragging a paddle through cold molasses.

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915/4 "2010-01-05T20:11:23Z")

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I had the same problem with my 1955 Pontiac manual transmission and my 1954 Buick with a manual transmission. I would idle these cars for about 5 minutes in neutral with the clutch out. That seemed to help. I guess some things never change.

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**Author:** ![ekentish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@ekentish](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ekentish)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stiff-manual-gear-shift/41915/5 "2010-01-05T22:49:21Z")

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It is the same, running or not running.  
Honda uses 5W-30 oil in the gearbox, so it’s not a temperature issue.