BULL3TPR00F

Ok guys hopefully you can help me out here, this is my problem.

I have a H23A in my civic (bought the car with the motor and a blown tranny). A friend of mine had an F-series tranny laying around that he got with a perfectly good swap but used his original tranny and left the other one sitting, so he gave it to me.

So i finally get around to putting the tranny in (after swapping the gear housings cuz the tranny mounts were different), and im having issues with shifting 2nd, 4th, and 5th. Heres a quick rundown.

1st Gear = Perfectly fine, no issues at all
2nd Gear = goes into gear fine, works ok, BUT sometimes pops out under deceleration (notice it when im turning mainly)
3rd Gear = Perfectly fine, no issues at all.
4th Gear = MAIN PROBLEM. DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. It goes into gear fine but as i let off the clutch, it pops out and grinds (like its only half engaged). Even trying to hold it in 4th doesn't really work.
5th Gear = Kind of the same problem as 4th, but not that bad, it goes in and drives in 5th, but can sometimes pop out, if i hold it there its perfectly fine.
Reverse = perfectly fine, no issues at all.

So im HOPING that its possibly a bent shift cable since its mainly the lower gears that have issues (1st, 3rd, 5th (kinda), and reverse are fine).

Worst case scenario would be the transmision itself? Is it possible a detent could be causing the issues?

What are your guys input on the situation, any help is appreciated.

PS. I used genuine honda MTF when filling the tranny for the first time but the bottles i had were sitting in my garage for 6+ months (never opened though, but there only seal these bottles have is the cap + ring). Dont think that could be an issue but im covering all bases.

Libertariat

Moved to the Hybrid forum.

BULL3TPR00F

My bad didn't even see the hybrid section (or maybe i thought it was for electric cars LOL)

Also to add to the OP, when the car is off or running (standing), I can shift through every gear perfectly fine, it feels like every gear is going in fully and smoothly (for the most part).

However, Ive also noticed that with the lower gears im having problems with, i can move the shifter down about an inch without connecting that gear before i have to clutch and move it the remaining half inch.. i dont know if that sounds ****ed up but i dont know how to explain it.

If it helps ill make a video of the shifter movement im talking about (but i cant make a video of the main problem with the gears cuz the battery is dead and dont have a boost vehicle right now lol)

UPDATE: I've uploaded a video of the shifter play, maybe this can shed some light on any suggestions.

http://youtu.be/pv40MzQ8cH0?hd=1

But even though the shifter can move before engaging the gear, i had a friend look at the shift arm under to hood while i did the same thing i did in the video, and he said the shift arm moved with every motion (no delays or anything)

SteelcityLude

My guess is the one shifter cable is bad, or a tranny issue. I had a lot of problems with my h22 tranny, mainly 4th, 5th, and reverse, I blew my h22 twice thanks to my f'd 4th gear. After that I absolutely hate cable linkage trannys and went h2b, do yourself a favor and do the same

EJ-1

idk if your problem would be the same but when i went straight h22 it was my cables that was gettin caught up with the t bracket...i switched the cables an went fine an problem came again, i said eff it an went h2b

hondasdohc

I don't know what it is with the cable thing but my f20b swap on my 4dr shifts perfect with the cable assuming you guys did it right. mine goes through every gear perfect and i'm using an f22 m2l5 trans with probably more miles than the previous f22 in my prelude i got from some guy 4 years ago. It has to be positioned a certain way to shift right or the cable crimp and don't shift to certain gears. I cut a hole eight inches in front of where the shifter mounts and it is perfect but maybe you need some trans fluid also.

SteelcityLude

I had my problems in my fourth gen lude with a complete jdm h22 "40k mile" swap if I had the option to go h2b in that I would have in a heart beat, sometimes miles don't matter as much as driving habits and those h/f trannys just don't really take well to a beating, sure you may beat on yours now but it won't last long, or your just granny shifting

BULL3TPR00F

If the tranny itself is at fault, then what would be the internal failure? synchros? the tranny looked perfectly fine when i took it apart.

could a missing detent cause this? At one point when i had the car on jackstands still i ran the car through all the gears and everything worked fine no problems (only load was the tires spinning tho)

EJ-1

look at your cables, is it damage any where? is it bending any where as in gettin stuck to something, causing you to kinda force it into gear..

BULL3TPR00F

thats the thing, i dont need to force it into any gear, each gear goes in smooth, its just that 2nd pops out lightly under decell, and 4th gear pops out when letting off the clutch

hondasdohc

I don't know its probably the trans about to go when it starts to pop out of gears like that usually something goes wrong. Oh steelcitylude i don't granny shift and i've been beating the shiz out of this f22a1 trans at 9k revs for years so you tell me cause i would not granny shift at 9k, you either power shift or shift quick the choice is yours. It never grinds at 9k either, gear for gear bang for bang