I have had problems throwing 3rd gear. At high RPM/heavy load, throwing it in 3rd I get a metal touching metal sound, although it doesn't sound like a grind and it does it SOMETIMES, I stopped worrying about it because a few people drove the car and couldn't duplicate it, so I thought it was driver error on my part both physically and mentally because of a mis-shift a few weeks back..

I can duplicate the sound by being in 2nd gear, rolling around 5-6 RPM's, pressing and holding the clutch in and throwing the gear fast (without letting go of the clutch) it still makes the sound. The gear goes in fine, and in normal driving I don't get any noises..

I'm hoping it's not the syncro but maybe something in the shifter? Either way I have to change the clutch soon so I might as well get syncros replaced =/

 

sorry to tell you...it is. mine is doing the exact same thing. I have read numerous threads wonder also, and you almost, word for word, described exactly what we described. so unless all of us don't know how to pus the clutch all the way in going to 3rd...we all have bad synchros.

 

It sure sounds like a Synchro...

The signs of a Synchro going are:

High RPM gear changes (usually 7K and up) then as it gets worse it will happpen at lower RPM until it does it all the time.

Try redlining 3rd and listen for it, then do it again, but change gears at only 5K..

A friend had luck just changing the tranny fluid, that took care of it (the fluid was really old and abused).

note: it also will do it in 4th, because they share the same Synchro. (I do not condone testing 4th gear redline, unless on a closed track...hehe)

 

i had the same problem with my car. it got so bad that it would even grind at really low rpm. so i had to get a new trannie. all i can say is that u need a new trannie to get rid of this problem

 

NO. You need new SYNCHROS.

 

True, True. I don't understand why guys always say "Hey, just get a new tranny". New sychnros shouldn't cost more than $300 for the whole set and you know that you have a good solid tranny then. You never know what you are going to get with a used tranny.
But, yea definately change the fluid first. That should fix your problem at least temporarily. The correct fluid may not have been in there in the first place. My brother's Integra had ATF in there when he got it and it was grinding really bad. Now with the correct 10-30w its been fine for at least 20k .

 

Please use HONDA MTF on newer transmissions..

10-30 on older Hondas.

 

if you dont have the money to replace your synchros just do this. When you are shifting to third. 1) push in the clutch and take it out of second 2) let off the clutch 3) then push the clutch back in and go into third (Some people call this double clutching) . By doing this it wont grind going into third. My third used to grind and I just did that till i got the money to replace my synchro...

 

Thanks for the responses. I guess it's something I didn't want to hear but at least I know it's a semi-common problem in our cars.

Chris - It does it when I redline 2nd gear, not 3rd - going into 3rd causes the "grind" - When I redline 3rd and goto 4th I don't grind - However, sometimes going into 5th(not redline of course ) I have felt a similar problem.

Typically, how much does it cost to replace syncros? It doesn't bother me that much, bothered me more that I thought it was driver error - I am going to change my tranny fluid seeing as I'm not even sure what is in there right now since I got the car a lil over 2 months ago - What is good fluid to put in?

 

i payed for the 3rd gear synchro set with the gear and eveyrthing. Plus all the seals and bearings for the tranny and the labor it costed me somewhere around 700-800....

 

Use NEW honda MTF.

I know what you are saying with the 2-3 shift, I made a mistake, I meant *Going into 3rd, from 2nd*.
Funny thing is... the 3-4 Synchros are the same, and Reverse shares with 5th...