janos

I had a S20 transmission on my 95 Civic EX manual (D16Z6) and the ISB was bad, so I purchased an S40 (40-50K miles) that I was told was a JDM. Are these S40's JDM's? from what I read these are transmissions from 96-2000.

The gears in my S20 were fine, but with this new transmission I am having issues with 3rd gear. The transmission was installed by an ASE Master Tech that I know who has done over a hundreds of these and I had him put a completely new clutch/hd flywheel, pressure plate, throwout release bearing and pilot bearing.

When I go from 1st to 2nd, I am fine, but from 2nd to 3rd, it just does not want to pop in. I have to shift to 2nd than 4th, than quickly into 3rd, than it is fine. This is seriously a pain in the ***.

What might be wrong?

Thanks!

jbpnoman

S40 transmissions are from 96-00 Civics. It might be JDM, it might not be - only way to tell is what the VIN stamp says, if it's there, but even if it is JDM, it's the same as a USDM, CDM, or EDM S40 transmission. There's nothing special about it.

As for your shifting problems, I'm just spitballing here, but 1/2 share an actuator arm, 3/4 share an actuator arm, and 5/R share an actuator arm. If your 3/4 actuator arm is slightly bent and out of spec, and your 3rd gear synchro is starting to fail, you might have a hard time going 2-3 without a problem going 4-3. Is your problem only at high RPM shifting? Are you rev matching?

janos

Thanks for your reply.

The problem is actually low RPM shifting.

After I get out of second gear and approach maybe around 20/25 mph and go into 3rd gear it just does not want to go into it and if I try it just grinds. So around 25 mph I have to go into 4th gear, which is silly, then down into 3rd and it is fine. I need 3rd gear to pull up a hill and it is starting to become a serious pain that I always have to go 2/4/3/4/5.

When I down shift from 5th to 4th and then 3rd, back to 4th. There is no issue, only when going from 2nd to 3rd. Sometimes I can pop into 3rd from 2nd, but out of 20 tries, it works maybe 2 or 3 times out of 20.

This was never a issue, only until this transmission was put it. I had it about 10 days so far and put on 500 miles. The whole reason I switched out the transmission was because the input shaft bearing was going in the old one. Now I go from one issue to another issue. It probably would of been best to just pay the extra $500 and get a completely rebuilt transmission.

I have the Mechanic put in new front axles as well and now I hear a weird clicking sound, I only hear the noise when I accelerate on the gas, but when I take my foot off the gas, it stops. Do you have any idea what that might be?

Thanks again!

jbpnoman

Clicking usually means a bad CV joint in one of your axles. Talk to the mechanic about it, s/he should be able to replace the culprit under warranty.

So is the shifting only a problem at low RPM? If you take second up to, say, 40, can you get into third without a problem? Have you checked your mounts (especially the rear T bracket mount)? Does your shifter feel sloppy?

janos

Okay, so I been driving a few days to try things out. The clicking only happens sometimes, not because of turning, just clicks for no odd reason. While on the express way today, going 65mph I felt a little shaking going on almost right under me. Seeing that I had the transmission replaced, I figured I'd go ahead and replace the CV Axles. I purchased Remanufactured Axle's by USA Industries. This is the Constant Velocity Axle Assembly, sold by Advance Auto Parts. I had them both replaced, before the trans swamp they were fine, but I figured why not replace them just so I do not have to later on... One of them must be bad.

I tried slow speeds and higher speeds with the gears. Whether I go from a high RPM or low RPM from 2nd to 3rd it has not made that much of a difference. If a slowly hold the clutch in, then I can get into 3rd gear more often, but this should not happen. I should be able to shift by pressing both the clutch and engaging the stick at the exact same time. I noticed it never happens when down shifting. If I go from 4th to 3rd, no problem. I drove 20 mph in 2nd gear, switched into 4th really fast than back into 3rd, this works the best. It just is a serious pain when I am at a red light, speed up a bit, then have to shift into 4th to move back into 3rd to start moving faster. Cars behind me start to pass.

The noise I hear from when it tries to get into 3rd, it sounds like a scrap, not a grind. What damage would that scraping noise do?

The shifter feels fine, like it did before.

Thanks again!

94EG8

You will destroy the engagement teeth on 3rd gear itself as well as the 3rd gear sleeve (and sometimes the hub)

If you take it apart I think you'll come to find the 3rd gear synchro spring missing (usually you'll find part of it stuck to the magnet)

janos

Maybe that is the problem with it all ready, when they took out the transmission from some ones car in Japan to resell it in the USA, who ever owned it damaged the 3rd gear synchro spring. Since I have been driving it now, it probably goes into 3rd gear from 2nd around 40% of the time without a problem. 1/2/4/5/R are perfectly fine.

BrakeExpert

I'll agree. you're 3rd gear hub and/or synchro is probably in need of replacement.