So I bought my car to the stealership to have the trans oil replaced, since I hate the PITA side inlet on this transmission(wtf would they not put it on the top?). The tech confirmed what I had suspected, an internal "transmission bearing whine." The lady in service couldn't tell me exactly which bearing it was that was making the noise, but after searching it sounds like the input shaft bearing?

It is intermittent; sometimes it is silent, others it is louder than the radio. It varies from shift to shift, not dependent on the weather or temp etc. It sounds like a purring/whirring sound when there is load on the transmission, whether accelerating or engine braking. Do me and the mad scientist have to rip apart the trans to replace the input shaft bearings I just fried? Honest to God, if I have to do this a few months after having the trans off, I am just going to snap. When I sell this car by the end of summer, somebody is going to have essentially a brand new vehicle, mechanically.

 

Yes it sounds like the Input Shaft Bearing. They put the fill plug on the side for a very good reason. You need to fill the transmission with MTF until the fluid is level with the fill plug hole. With the fill plug on the top there is no way of checking fluid level.

 

Would you know what the Honda part would be named(or part #)? There are like 19 different "bearings" in the transmission, and none have specific names.

 

 

I just called the dealership and they said there are three of them. One on the clutch side, and one on the other side. I guess maybe I should order all of them instead of having to wait about a week with the trans off until I find out which one is bad and order it, but then again I plan on having a shop take care of it.

Could an improperly installed throw out bearing cause this noise? When we pulled the engine we just took out the stock one and put the new one in place, it didn't really seem like it could possibly be put in wrong though, and there is a bit of noise when the car is sitting in neutral, and it goes away when you push the clutch in.

 

no. well, definitely not a bad TO bearing. when you push the clutch in TO bearing spins against the pressure plate and if you were hearing noise at that point then it would be the TO bearing. when the clutch is out, it couldn't make that whirring, whining noise. i've got a bad input shaft bearing too, same noises you're describing with the clutch out, goes away with the clutch in. just waiting till it gets worse before i replace 'em. heard it's a hell of a job.

 

There are three bearings that are on the input shaft when it is bolted onto the engine. 91002-PS1-003 is the ball bearing part # that is in the clutch housing portion of the transmission. 91004-P21-003 is the angular ball bearing part # that is on the outer end of the mainshaft. 91006-634-008 is the clutch pilot bearing part # that is on the inner end of the mainshaft. The pilot bearing is actually mounted in the flywheel. If the pilot bearing is new, I would just order the first 2 bearings listed and replace those. Normally the most common problem.

Mike

 

Ok thanks. I think what I'm going to do is drive this car until I can find another job, and then let it sit and do this step by step until I can get it done, meanwhile I'll just drive the Rolla.