Possible Nissan OEM clutch system issue - Everyone Read

Mandingo

Strangely, I have always had a thud when shifting into reverse. Going into first is sometimes very difficult (embarrassing at stop lights) and I have to go back to neutral, clutch out, clutch in, then back into first and it usually works fine. I'm pretty used to that though b/c my old mazda3 and 330ci did this too. There isn't any lurch forward that I can detect but I'll try on a more level surface.

This is a bit off topic but the idea about realigning the shift gate got me thinking. My upshifts into 2nd were always very notchy and sometimes downright gritty for the first 4k miles. The only reason it got better was because I learned by accident that if I move the shifter closer towards the drivers side as I'm engaging 2nd the notchyness is almost eliminated.

Before, I would engage 2nd with more of a diagonal motion towards the rear and away from me. Now I pull the shifter almost straight back at first then, a sort of jog to the right to seat it in gear. Sounds ridiculous I know but it works. It seems like that particular issue could be related to the shift linkage and gate and not so much the transmission itself. OT rant over.

__________________
some mods