Can anyone tell me why my manual transmission will not downshift properly into 1st gear without grinding? I have downshifted with no problem for 6 yrs in this car.
My car is a 99 Accord 2.3L Vtec with a 5 spd manual transmission. I have 260000 well maintained kilometers on this car. The grinding only started recently and it reminds me of the old "Syncromesh" trannys that made it impossible to shift into 1st from 2nd while downshifting.
I know you will all say "it's an old tranny get a new one" but this is not the answer I am looking for. I want to know why this happenning. I had a 89 Prelude for 10 yrs and 380000km and I never had this problem. Has the quality of Honda's trannys dropped over the years.
Would I be wise to swap out this tranny now to avoid a future breakdown or can I keep driving it as long as I don't downshift?
Serious replies only pls.

Skiier

 

try double clutch and see if it will go away.

 

I had to get a new clutch master cylinder, apparently it was leaking and not disengaging the clutch all the way so when I would downshift it would grind. Once that was replaced it was just fine.

 

if you're downshifting at like 20mph or even 15 mph, you're going to grind. you should really go into first if you are at a complete stop.

 

New clutch at 230000km.
New engine at 250000km.
Downshifting in first is quite useful. I don't have to use the brakes all the time like people who have Automatic trannys. Snowy winter roads make downshifting more useful than brakes on occasion.
I will however check the operation of my slave cylinder. Thanks briq4.

 

Try not downshifting into first. That's not what its there for.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Muffler Bearing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Try not downshifting into first. That's not what its there for.</TD></TR></TABLE>


i was just gonna say that and ask "people actually downshift into first?"

 

Down shifting in general is harder on a tranny then just shifting it normally. Reason being as soona s you let off of the clutch there is a instant load on the tranny NOT the clutch. This is why you can up shift fine with no problem but when down shifting you will grind. First gear was not ment to be downshifted into. To do it beacuse you don't want ot brake is just insaine. I would rather be putting brake pads on my car more often then have to replace a tranny because of down shifting. I to have a 5spd and down shift all the time, but never into 1st. And brake pads will last me about 50-60k miles. Thats like saying you slow down on the freeway because of traffic from 65mph to 45mph and just leave it in 5th. Its very hard on the engine and tranny.

 

2nd gear is more than enough to slow you down when combined with light braking.

 

I agree w/ the previous statements about not downshifting into first, but what if I'm rolling at like 5 miles an hour, and I'm still locked out of first gear, that's always annoyed me, having to almost launch in second.

 

It locks you out of first for a reason. So you don't damage the tranny. You really shouldn't be putting the car into 1st unless the car is stopped.

 

stock trannys are not meant to be downshifted all the way to first .... dowshift when your going about 10-15 mph but i dont recomend it ... do you use heal toe technique?