hello all, i recently got done doing a clutch/flywheel replacement in my 1995 accord ex...drove it for a few days with no problems, until i lost my clutch pedal on the way to work...since the slave cylinder was leaking anyway, i replaced it and the master cylinder, bled the hell out of it, and now im having a really hard time with getting the car into 1st gear (its grinding 3 out of 4 times..) i know the clutch is fully disengaging because with the car up on jackstands and running in 1st gear, if i depress the clutch, the wheels slow down and stop. all of the other shift changes are fine, but 1st is hit or miss...it started out that i couldnt downshift to 1st until i was completely stopped, but now it misses when stopped too...my dad seems to think that the 1st gear syncros are on their way out, because of a huge f-up on my part: following the instructions for the transmission in my handy-dandy chiltons manual, i filled the transmission with 5w-30 motor oil...yeah...when i discovered that was NOT the correct fluid (thanks chilton!!), i immediately flushed the system out with honda manual fluid, and refilled it with the factory stuff...im stumped here, and getting ready to park the car for good...any ideas?

 

Im dont know about the fluid being the issue really because for the past 8 years I have been using castrol 10W 30 for the tranny and hasnt caused a problem for me at all.

 

i just know that within a week, the oil looked like milk (extremely foamy and white)...

 

the book calls for 10W 30 and if you go to the auto part store thats what it states too the only difference is that it requestes honda oil and it is like a GL or some crap like that. we all use the same castrol 10W 30 on our honda over here try that one and not the 5W30 maybe that can be the difference.

 

well, ive already replaced the fluid with the honda stuff, so ive gotta find something else...the two honda dealers i spoke to seemed shocked that i was putting oil in it...they said it had to be transmission specific with a "z1" rating...

 

and you have a 94-97 accord. leave to the dealership to tell you some **** so that you can buy it from them and pay out the a**.

 

well, actually, my buddy got me the stuff at cost...actually cheaper than a quart of oil...any other ideas?

 

well if you replaced the fluid with the other stuff and its still doing the same, then obviously it wasnt that. My guess would be internal but I hate deaing with internal tranny so I cant help anymore with that man. Im sorry. I hope someone helps you soon. If you get it done post to see what it was man.

 

k thanks anyway...

 

update: i just adjusted the clutch pedal, and i can get it into first gear, but i have to shift it to 2nd beforehand, or else it just grinds like the clutch isnt all the way disingaged..

 

when u replaced the clutch and flywheel did you replace the pressure plate and throw out bearing?

 

yep...they all came in a matched set from exedy...

 

slave cylinder fully engaging and engaging straight?

 

like i said from HS.....

also, when you get to downshifting into first and it wont go in unless you are at a stop, try pumping the clutch pedal, and see if it does then. that can be air in the system.

 

slave cylinder is fully engaging, and straight, and i know its working properly, as i dont have any problems with any of the other gears...i also tried rebleeding the system again, and so far the only way i can get the car into 1st is to put it into 2nd gear before hand, then immediately put it up into 1st...all signs are pointing to a 1st gear syncro going, or gone...i think ill try some gm syncromesh and see if that helps..

 

it may be that something other that what needs to be in that tranny is getting in there. I would check for leaks, openings of any kind and damages.

Just a personal suggestion

 

^^ you could bleed the lines and still get something in there other than air, as well... And just because you bled the lines doesn't mean that it was completely successful, although your success in shifting through the other 4 gears does lend itself to the idea that it is a syncro issue... When you get it into 1st *after* 2nd, are you talking about starting off in 2nd then downshifting when up to a certain speed? How fast do you have to be going to move into 1st?

Earlier you said that you couldn't downshift to 1st until after you stopped, so I'm assuming you mean that you're accelerating in 2nd as opposed to slowing to a stop...

I say the 5w30 did no damage to the internals, but the syncromesh certainly won't *hurt* it...

 

the only way i seem to be able to get the transmission to get into 1st gear is to come to a stop and put the car into 2nd, then put it into first. even that is somewhat hit or miss...i did notice this morning that it also works to put the car into reverse after im stopped, and then it goes right into first. it also seems more difficult to get the thing out of other gears as well...not horribly difficult, but harder than before all of this started...i should be picking up the syncromesh tonight to see if it helps...

 

more problems...a year later..hey all, the car is still acting up and after driving it like this, its really getting old. i have to come to a full stop now before i can get the car into first, which sucks for driving in slow traffic..ive tried adjusting the clutch master cylinder rod length, which all it does is make it worse (it either acts like its still in neutral, or grinds), and checked the fluid, but nothing seems to help. the only parts that didnt get replaced when i did the clutch job last year were the shift rod/cable that connects the shifter to the trans (which im wondering if i might have bent it, and maybe that is causing some sort of alignment issue?). and the shift fork, which i cleaned and re-greased...

 

having same issue basically. from what lm gathering its the lock rings on synchros or the synchros. but if u find a conclusion before l tear down my trans lmk asap

 

Afterthoughts - Whatever started the problem is probably irrelevant now. After grinding the 1 gear synchronizer for a while it will become the problem. When you shift into second or reverse or any gear with a good synchronizer you get the the tranny shafts spinning. This makes it easier for a worn synchronizer to mesh. Had I joined the blog earlier i would have voted for the wrong pushrod length in the rebulid kit. Jim