help! 1997 Hyundai Accent, gear grinding

Someone from rec.autos.driving sent me here - so this is crossposted:

I just bought a 1997 Hyundai Accent (5 speed/manual trans, 136k miles) and it's got a few kinks (as I expected, with that many miles). I'd like to have a better idea of what's going on before heading to the mechanic, although that's coming up soon.

First, third gear grinds, going in and out. There are some exceptions - at slower speeds you can ease it into gear, and completely letting off of the gas seems to make shifting smoother (no tachometer, I'm assuming this lowers the rpm). This only happens with third gear.

Second, the first time we took the car out and drove it hard, when we got on the interstate, hitting 55-65 mph, there was a lot of bluish smoke. Haven't noticed any since that time. Doesn't seem to burn oil, but we haven't really been driving it enough (have had a spot of bad weather) to notice a minor oil leak.

Third, after driving for a bit, there is usually a weird smell from the front/driver's side area of the engine - haven't noticed it anywhere else but you can't miss it, either, when you step out of the driver's side. I don't think it smells like oil burning but I could be wrong, boyfriend thought it smelled like clutch (possibly caused by the grinding/third gear?).

I've been told that the grinding gear is a sign of bad synchronizing rings in the transmission - if this is true, is the only option a new trans or to rebuild?

Any advice/help would be appreciated. Thanks!

ok.. .sounds like if you just bought it, you will need to take it back there and have them fix it. Unless you bought it from a private party. If this is the case, if you have proper fluid level in the slave cylinder, and you have correct pressure, then the synchro is shot in that gear.... As far as the bluish smoke.... well it may not have gotten alot of highway driving and may just needed that to open things up a bit... on the other hand, you may be in need of a valve/ring job soon... As far as the third problem.. that is kind hard to tell.... you might want to get under the car to see if it is leaking anything.... and whatever it is, may be getting hot or on the exhaust and causing that smell...

As far as advise.... hmmmmmmmm... well all i can say is that you might have wanted to bring your boyfriend along when you bought this car.... it sounds like it is in need of alot of work.. more than it will ever be worth......if you go in and repair the synchro... you might as well rebuild the tranny while you are there... its a one time cost, the job will be done well enough to where you will not have to keep giong back to fix it....then there is the blue smoke... if it continues... then you are looking at a valve/ring job...in fact i would check the compression in your cylinders to see if it is in fact that or not....thats another costly repair job.... Soooooo..... is this a car you want to keep or just have for transportation for a while?? if yo uwanna keep it.. then get the work done... but you may be headed for a cacth 22 where you are dumping money in the thing and not getting your moneys worth out of it... You may also want to consider buying another car.. i know that sounds crazy, but give it some thought... you may be spending 2 grand in repair... and you would have ths same car (with the 136,000) miles on it... I am sure you can find a different car for that kind of money with less miles on it and in better condition.... Then there are the little things that are wrong with it that you haven't mentioned.... hmmmmmmm

Good Luck..

Fwed