I have opened my 1999 Honda Civic 5 speed to replace the input shaft bearing and upon inspection found the 3/4 shifter fork to be worn pretty badly. I did not have any shifting problems just a noisy bearing. I've heard somewhere that it is possible to built up the worn area by welding then grind down the fork. I have access to a machine shop at work. Has anyone done this with success? Can you pass on some advice? Thanks in advance.
T

 

Attached are some pics.

 

Check clearances and compare them to spec before you go fiddling with welding it. I've seen people weld/sand before, but it's generally a last resort kind of thing.

 

I welded a bunch of them and they always worked fine. Weld at the ends and the middle

 

94EG8
What type of welder do you use (mig, tig)? How do you finish the part (hand file, mill, grinder)? Thanks.
T

 

Just a 180 amp mig with gas. I just build it up and then grind it down with a bench grinder. Then clean it up with a file if necessary.

 

Sounds like you'll take the welding option, but you can also buy a new shift fork for $64 at Majestic Honda.

 

Not a bad option, considering the labor and aggro to open it up again if the grinding method doesn't work. I think I'd scrap the bad shift fork and replace it.

 

Even at $64 it's not worth it. D-series transmissions are just this side of worthless. If you have free access to a welder and about 20 minutes of free time you're better off just welding it. Also those forks aren't hardened so they don't get any softer when you weld them.

 

The forks are not hardened and actually relatively soft. It seems the 3/4 fork has a smaller contact area then the other forks (the others show no sign of wear and are well within in spec). The sleeve is hardened and chews into the fork. I agree that it seems risky to try the welding path because if it dosen't work there is a lot of time involved to do the job over again. I'm going to try welding the fork. If I don't like the results I will buy a new one. Thanks for all the help.
P.S. Regarding the input shaft bearing, it's way to small for it's location in the trans and is probably why it's a comman failure point.