Justin Jones

So I bought a Civic VX, all was good with this car except the tranny wouldn't go into reverse at all. I assumed the worst and replaced the transmission with a spare Z6 transmission and installed an OBX diff while I was at it. Well, actually I didn't install the obx diff, I had a local tranny guy/honda guy (who also works at a Honda dealer) install it for me and check out/clean/inspect the transmission while he was at it. He told me the transmission was in good shape. (I bought it from someone who claimed it worked great and the only reason he sold it was because he went B series.)

So I threw the new tranny in, with a different linkage than before, and energy suspension shift bushings, and a new short shifter (since the stock shifter's bushing was really worn out.) Filled 'er up with Honda MTF, and what do ya know... new tranny won't go into reverse... Even when I get underneath it and try to push the linkage in by hand...

I tried driving forward a little in first gear and then quickly pushing in the clutch and putting it in reverse real quick and it still won't work... I tried going through the gears with the clutch in like 1-2-3-reverse and 1-2-3-4-5-reverse and that doesn't really help either...

I got so desperate that I was under the car (up on jackstands) with the engine running and I made the tires rotate in reverse for two seconds by pushing the linkage into the tranny but it was grinding like crazy of course with no clutch.

Usually when I shift into reverse it's like there's nothing there... but some times if you try enough, you can kinda get it in reverse, it's like it's halfway in reverse and halfway in neutral. In that situation, when I release the clutch you can hear something spinning inside the transmission but the car doesn't move at all. Then I push the clutch back in and try to push it further into reverse the tranny grinds like crazy.

This doesn't make any sense to me...

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like the Z6 trans wasn't assembled correctly. A lot of short shifters are crap, but that shouldn't keep you from getting into reverse.

Justin Jones

Yeah I agree it seems he didn't put the tranny back together properly, but what a strange coincidence... it's like the exact same symptoms with two different transmissions... what are the chances?

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

First trans was bad. Second trans was assembled incorrectly, or he has a low standard for good parts.

Justin Jones

Okay, so let's say he did put it together wrong... What did he put together wrong? It feels like there's something blocking me from getting into reverse.

Again, 5th gear engages nicely so you'd think it's not the 5th/reverse shift piece. Could it be the reverse lock cam, or the reverse shift holder (aka reverse shift fork assy.)

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

Honestly I'd have to see it. I've never had one with that problem before.

Evs-One

Reverse idler gear is upside down.


Seen it happen before

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Evs-One &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Reverse idler gear is upside down.


Seen it happen before </TD></TR></TABLE>

I was going to say that, but wanted to go play with one first to see if it would travel enough to allow the grind.

Evs-One

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aquafina &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I was going to say that, but wanted to go play with one first to see if it would travel enough to allow the grind. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Nope

Good friend of mine(C-Speed) did this one time....got all new trans setup, fluids in, buttoned up...goes to Reverse out of garage....F^*$!!! I just LOL'd

Edit- Another reason why it is SO important it ALWAYS bench shift a transmission before and after (dis)assembly.

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

I've too done the won't reverse out of garage. Wasn't the idler gear though.

I thought bench racing was bad.

Justin Jones

wow, small world. I bought a fidanza flywheel off of another local D series guy tonight and noticed he was also selling a Z6 tranny with an OBX diff. I started chatting about my problem with reverse and coincidentally he had the exact same guy install his obx diff last year... and he didn't have reverse at first either! they had to rip the tranny out all over again and fix whatever was wrong with it (guy couldn't remember exactly what was assembled incorrectly, but it sounds like it was the reverse idler gear to me.)

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

So the moral of the story is this guy doesn't follow up with his work and should be avoided until he starts to do so?

JDM_EK3

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aquafina &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So the moral of the story is this guy doesn't follow up with his work and should be avoided until he starts to do so?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I guess he should then be fired from Winnipeg Honda as well.... considering he's one of there service technicians.

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

Should probably be evaluated at least.

Justin Jones

Well in his defense he has offered to fix it for free so that's cool. We'll see how this all turns out.

Evs-One

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_EK3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I guess he should then be fired from Winnipeg Honda as well.... considering he's one of there service technicians. </TD></TR></TABLE>

In his defense...many Honda techs never touch MT internals. I was the guy most people came to for MT work...

Aquafina

iTrader: (3)

True. Core trannys are about impossible to get as all the dealerships here use reman'd trannys versus repairing.

Justin Jones

Tranny was repaired last night, it was indeed the reverse idler gear installed upside down. It's all good now! (fixed for free and speedy service)