Howdy folks,

Just today on the way to work, I noticed it's almost impossible to shift at high rpms's. Recently it's been harder and harder to get into first gear at a stoplight too. I think they are related. Today I actually grinded a couple gears, obviously not willingly.

The transmission is a USDM ITR unit. It has a clutchmasters stg1 with less than 10k. Could it be my clutch master cylinder? Maybe? I don't know.

The tranny was flushed with Honda MTF when I did the clutch. The only thing I can think is either it's leaking fluid, has a bad clutch master cyl(they do go out), or Synchro's, but I doubt it's synchros b/c it does it for all gears!

First things first -> friction modified Synchromesh.

What do you think? Master/Slave cyl? HELP. My ITR tranny doesn't deserve this!


-Junior-

 

Updates:

Drove it at lunch and it's not bad, but still goes into 1st from a dead stop pretty rough.
I know I've heard of others with this problem, but not grinding.

I visually inspected the master and slave cylinders as well as fluid levels. All ok.

The tranny has like <20k on it!

My buddy had this these recommendations (others are welcome)

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I doubt it's the master or slave cylinder.
If it was, your clutch reservoir would more then likely be empty or low.
If it were the slave cylinder, you'd also be low on fluid.

You could try bleeding the clutch circuit just to eliminate them.
You could have air in the line causing the clutch to not disengage all the way.

Check your shift linkage stabilizer (piece that bolts to the tranny). Check the bushing where the linkage bolts under the shifter assembly (center console).

Worst-case scenario, the synchros are toast.

Could also be - clutch release fork, or one of the two gear selector forks in the tranny (but if it was, usually, 1-3-5 would be bad or 2-4-R).
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TTT

Junior

 

My guess is clutch friction disc and/or pressure plate problems. Hard to engage gears and/or rough engagement usually indicates that the clutch is not fully disengaging. I had the same problem at the end of my original clutch's life, and when pulling it out we found pieces broken off from around the springs in the friction disc. Sometimes a spring will actually become dislodged and cause the same symptoms.

 

Update:

Drive home: not good. Car would hardly go into gear. I had to match the RPM's when shifting, which went better than expected.

I've got some tranny pullin to do, I think. FYI I'm using a used clutchmastersI and a new 6 puck sprung disc, new fidanza flywheel, all replaced about 10k ago.

I thought it might be the clutch, so I checked engagement and disengagment while staying in the same gear. no problems, clutch seems strong.

Patrick, you may have a good point. Could be the pressure plate wasn't dissengaging fully, or maybe enough to disengage when driving (while remaining in the same gear), but may not be fully disengaging when transitioning between gears.

I don't know if that's true b/c when driving, it certainly lets go of the disc fine when I stay in one given gear and engage and disengage the clutch. Maybe that's the inertia of the car forcing it to let loose.

For arguments sake, maybe 75% of the plate was disengaging correctly but the other 1/4 dragging due to physical damage, etc.

I don't know. I'm just trying to tell myself it's not related to the tranny's internals, you know. optimistic


Junior


Update Had to turn off the car, put it into first, then start the car with clutch engaged in order to get going from a stop. Syncros? Pressure plate? bummer either way.


Modified by JUN1OR at 3:40 PM 12/29/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My guess is clutch friction disc and/or pressure plate problems. Hard to engage gears and/or rough engagement usually indicates that the clutch is not fully disengaging. I had the same problem at the end of my original clutch's life, and when pulling it out we found pieces broken off from around the springs in the friction disc. Sometimes a spring will actually become dislodged and cause the same symptoms.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My guess is clutch friction disc and/or pressure plate problems. Hard to engage gears and/or rough engagement usually indicates that the clutch is not fully disengaging. I had the same problem at the end of my original clutch's life, and when pulling it out we found pieces broken off from around the springs in the friction disc. Sometimes a spring will actually become dislodged and cause the same symptoms.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I third this notion. I've had it happen to me.

 

I seriously hope it's the clutch. That I can do. I can't fix a transmission.

 

same happened to me. i willing to bet its the pressure plate. maybe one of the little fingers on it broke

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b-power &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">same happened to me. i willing to bet its the pressure plate. maybe one of the little fingers on it broke</TD></TR></TABLE>

Maybe.

One more update:

When I start the car in neutral, I hear the small whirr from the tranny as usual. When I step on the clutch the whir usually would go away in 1-2 seconds, now it's 15-20 seconds to stop spinning. Maybe it is that pressure plate after all. Only one way to tell...

Thanks for your info guys, I really appreciate it.

Junior

 

the "whir" is probably the release bearing.

 

Try this, disengage the clutch and then put the car in reverse and see if it grinds. Try it again but this time wait until that whirring stops before putting in reverse. If it doesn't grind, then yeah that should be the throwout bearing. Did you change that when you installed the clutch and flywheel?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try this, disengage the clutch and then put the car in reverse and see if it grinds. Try it again but this time wait until that whirring stops before putting in reverse. If it doesn't grind, then yeah that should be the throwout bearing. Did you change that when you installed the clutch and flywheel?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The "whirrrr" in his tranny is the main counter shaft bearings...not the throw out bearing. If it was the throw out bearing, it would make noise with the clutch in, not out.

I know this because I sold him the tranny, and I know what it sounded like on my old teg (rest it's soul, hence my name "wreckedmyteg"...).

 

I'll give you as much help as you gave me on my last tranny removal.


Modified by wreckedmyteg at 10:43 PM 12/30/2004

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wreckedmyteg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Fact of the matter is, this thread should die. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hungry? Eat a dick.

I agree I have to pull the tranny regardless, but if they want to help me narrow down the culprit, so be it, right?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PatrickGSR94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try this, disengage the clutch and then put the car in reverse and see if it grinds. Try it again but this time wait until that whirring stops before putting in reverse. If it doesn't grind, then yeah that should be the throwout bearing. Did you change that when you installed the clutch and flywheel?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll have to try it, but I'm pretty sure that if I wait the full 20 seconds or more for it to wind down, it will go in gear without grinding. I did replace the throwout bearing when I did the clutch. I used a new oem 99-00 Civic Si model from my honda dealer b/c they didn't stock a gsr one. Maybe that's my problem, but why would it work fine for 10k miles?

Junior




Modified by JUN1OR at 9:12 AM 12/30/2004

 

hey man, mine started doing that not too long ago also. i had to turn the car off, put it in gear, and thats the only way. STOP driving it, it will only get worse. its not your tranny though, its your clutch. so thats some good news to you.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eclecticteg21 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">STOP driving it, it will only get worse. its not your tranny though, its your clutch. so thats some good news to you. </TD></TR></TABLE>

She's been in the garage since the middle of this post!

Thanks for your input guys.

Junior

 

i didnt mean to make it sound like u were drivin her, i was just trying to give some helpful advice. anyways, i got my new clutch and flywheel put in today, and my problem went away.