[Klink]

Yikes. I have to believe this was an anomaly. I own the A8 myself, but I've driven a couple of M6s with stick and the Tremec was very smooth and easy to engage. It was a lot of fun.

 

[UsetawannaMustang]

I have a Scat Pack Shaker with M6 in production right now. I test drove one about 4 years ago ( new vehicle) and was ok with it. I honestly think the 6 forward speeds is overkill, because when I’m driving my Mustang GT (with less power and torque) around town, I’ll frequently skip gears on the way up. I remember the 392 would pull from a near stop in 3rd with no lugging.

I think there is often a lot of variation in linkages from car to car, especially on used. I owned a Fox Mustang and that 5 speed linkage was almost universally hated. I loved it. I also had a Honda CRX Si, and unlike most drivers, I found it sloppy and rubbery.

if I don’t like this linkage, I guess I’ll bite the bullet and buy the Barton.

 

[OregonScat]

Clutch delay valve is probably part of what you were feeling.

It’s extremely obvious to long time manual drivers. I took mine out shortly after buying my car.

 

[dodChalTaSctPk392hmi4268V]

.....There was so much clunking going from 1st to 2nd it is hard to believe this is a modern day transmission. Should have been like cutting butter.

My wife and I have driven over 400k combined miles with sticks. This was by far the worse.

From the factory, a Clutch Delay Valve is installed, like on most modern manual transmission vehicles.

If you want your factory clutch to be better, you have to remove the plastick thingy. But its still a hydraulic clutch. I really enjoy the old days driving cars where all you've got is a fork and throwout bearing connected to your foot pedal, but the current Scat Pack is the next best thing after removing the plastick thingy.

 

[jangus]

I've driven a few stick cars from various manufactures over the years, and I'll say that I prefer the hydraulic units. The one in my Challenger is by far the best one as far as feel and feeback. The shifter, however, is pretty much el stinko.
As for 6 forward gears; 6th is pointless until you're on the interstate and cruising at 85mph and barely turning 2000rpms. That's when it's usefulness becomes crystal clear. When I do have to use the Challenger for my 100mile round trip commute, it's nice to know I can knock down 26mpg on the interstate (provided I behave).

 

[jmos4]

Hi,

I have a 2020 Scat Pack M6 and the shift linkage is not all that bad, removing the cdv and getting a skip shift eliminator is some of the first modifications any M6 owner should consider.

I have purchased a Barton shifter, but have yet to install, but by all reviews seems to help firm up the shifts.

Regards,
Jim

 

[2ndgen]

6th is still too short. A big hemi should be turning 1200 RPM cruising at 75-80mph--it still has plenty of torque down there. Turning 2k+ is just wasteful.

 

[ChallyTatum]

So not sure what you mean by "should be broken in by know"? If anything, I found the stock shifter assembly too loose for my taste, which is why I installed a barton OEM shifter which I paired with a Lou short shifter and a shift knob from Speeddawg. Now shift gates are super precise and throws are very short and crisp.

 

[SKT PK 9 Man]

Not all M6's are as you describe. Mine is extremely smooth and has been since I bought it brand new. Only change I made was to put a short throw lever on it and I'm happy as can be. Still has the CDV in it but that is coming out next time it's on a lift.

 

[Stay Thirsty My Friends]

So not sure what you mean by "should be broken in by know"?

As this is my first experience with a Challenger stick, I do not know what a "new" stick feels like. At 3k miles however, I think the stick is probably as broken in/would be about as fluid/smooth as one could expect.

There were some comments about the hydraulic clutch being responsible for clunking from 1st to 2nd.
To be clear, I was keeping the clutch fully disengaged and shifting back and forth from 1st to 2nd, back to 1st, back to 2nd, etc.
Engaging and disengaging clutch was not involved.

Perhaps the dealer junked up the transmission to keep people from ordering manuals in order to sell the auto transmission Challengers off of the lot. Not that any dealer would resort to such unscrupulous tactics.

 

[ChallyTatum]

What was the outside temp when you tested? I know my tremec does not like the early, cold morning shifts so I take it easy until I get a couple of miles in to get things warmed up. I don't drive in the winter so I usually don't have a problem but around 50F it gets a little finicky those first few miles....especially 1st to 2nd.

 

[SKT PK 9 Man]

As this is my first experience with a Challenger stick, I do not know what a "new" stick feels like. At 3k miles however, I think the stick is probably as broken in/would be about as fluid/smooth as one could expect.

There were some comments about the hydraulic clutch being responsible for clunking from 1st to 2nd.
To be clear, I was keeping the clutch fully disengaged and shifting back and forth from 1st to 2nd, back to 1st, back to 2nd, etc.
Engaging and disengaging clutch was not involved.

Perhaps the dealer junked up the transmission to keep people from ordering manuals in order to sell the auto transmission Challengers off of the lot. Not that any dealer would resort to such unscrupulous tactics.

"Not that any dealer would resort to such unscrupulous tactics"

Don't be so sure. My local dealer flat out refused to order my car with a manual. He said he only sold auto cars. When I asked why all I got was allot of mumbling. I had to go to another dealer in another city an hour away.

 

[Metalchewy]

Once in awhile my 90K mile M6 shift from first to second won't go into second unless I give it a little wiggle to finesse it in.

It has the Stock shifter. It isn't often maybe once or twice in 3 months month, but found when it's cold it happens more than when it's warm.

If the used one you drove at the dealer has been abused in the 3200 miles it has on it, there are better shifters you or the dealer can put on it.

I would never buy a 3200 mile vehicle at a new price. That is a used car. Probably returned after they f'd up the shifter.

 

[StepheK]

Let a couple of dozen people who don't know how to drive a stick crunch gears, try to yank it out of gear with the clutch engaged, miss a few power shifts etc and yeah I bet it does shift bad lol

Might was a little notchy when new, but shifts sweet now.

 

[UsetawannaMustang]

"Not that any dealer would resort to such unscrupulous tactics"

Don't be so sure. My local dealer flat out refused to order my car with a manual. He said he only sold auto cars. When I asked why all I got was allot of mumbling. I had to go to another dealer in another city an hour away.

Why? Probably a fear of getting stuck with a car a buyer bailed on at delivery.

 

[SKT PK 9 Man]

Why? Probably a fear of getting stuck with a car a buyer bailed on at delivery.

Yes, that's my best guess. That he ordered a M6 car for a customer that backed out. And then had trouble moving the car.

 

[Smokeshowchallenger]

We’re you in sport mode? The Manuel shifting is super smooth in my 5.7 but I believe it’s the same transmission. I always drive it in sport mode.

3200 is a lot of miles if it wasn’t driven properly. I ordered my car so I know exactly how it was driven.

 

[F8green420]

more like beware new car buyers of cars that get test driven period let alone be used as loaners...

at 3,200 miles that challenger was a loaner vehicle at some point and some mouth breathing lead footed buffoon broke the trans. and now the dealership is trying to pawn it off to some unsuspecting poor idiot without fixing it. which is just another one of the common scumbag practices stealerships use to fill their pockets full of middleman cash at the cost of the consumer of course becasue they have no souls apparently.

 

[SKT PK 9 Man]

more like beware new car buyers of cars that get test driven period let alone be used as loaners...

at 3,200 miles that challenger was a loaner vehicle at some point and some mouth breathing lead footed buffoon broke the trans. and now the dealership is trying to pawn it off to some unsuspecting poor idiot without fixing it. which is just another one of the common scumbag practices stealerships use to fill their pockets full of middleman cash at the cost of the consumer of course becasue they have no souls apparently.

While not wanting to paint with too broad a brush, these dealerships do exist. With too much frequency. However there are great dealerships out there (@stevewhite), for instance, the dealership where I ordered my Scat Pack, they were great.