Hi folks,

First post here, and I'm a n00b when it comes to working on cars. Gotta learn sometime, eh? :-)

I've got a 1994 Civic LX sedan that I enjoy driving a lot. The only mods I've done to it is a stereo upgrade. Other than that, it's bone-stock.

Got a bit of an issue. While teaching myself how to replace the radiator this weekend (my first actual engine bay repair, was easier than I thought), I discovered another problem. There's about a 2" piece of the (aluminum?) transaxle housing missing, toward the front. Looks like I might've run over a rock or something at some point, I don't know when this happened. I can see what looks like the flywheel, which now has a light surface coating of rust on it. The missing housing piece is right below the flywheel. The car was sitting for several months while I learned about radiators and waited for the weather to get better.

The car has always driven like a champ, between 36 and 39 mpg in town (depending on how I drive), 42+ on the highway at 65mph. Since late November, it hasn't moved other than this weekend to drive it up on the ramps to raise it, and two separate trips around my block just to see if it would still drive. It does. The transmission still feels smooth, shifts smooth. Same with the engine--silky smooth. But I do hear a slight metallic sound that I don't remember hearing before.

Is it feasible to repair this gash, or do I need a new transmission?

Thanks!

 

pictures would really help but it dosn't sound good.

 

Borrowed a friend's digital camera for some pix. Here they are. I'm right under the front bumper when taking the pix.

Close-up:




Zoomed out a bit:

 

just cover it with duc tape to avoid rock & dirt from getting inside.
i see no oil leak so u ok

 

ouch thats not good . do you have the piece that broke out ? you could try jb weld in back in . but if it's not leaking or acting funny drive on.

 

No, I don't have the piece, unfortunately, otherwise yeah, I'd JB weld it back in. I've been driving it for the past week and a half regularly, and so far, it's behaving fine. The duct tape idea is a good one, I'll use that.

Thanks!