Hey guys,

I apologize if this is a double post as I have been gone for a while and now changing cars I am not up to date on the new model's and their transmissions.

So my shifts in my 2009 4dr SI (80,000kms) are "clunky". It sort of feels like I am forcing it into gear, like it doesn't naturally go smooth / seamlessly especially from 1st to 2nd, and I notice it sometimes from 4th to 5th and 5th to 6th.

I am not getting a synchro grind and rev matching doesn't always help, double clutching does but its also way slower and more deliberate.

I am talking about a normal paced shift, not drag racing ( however when I am grabbing gears fast its not terrible ) I did have to learn how to shift without a short shift that I had with my b18c civic hatch.. ohh I hate getting older.

I bought the car about 15,000 kms ago and I live in Alberta so it does get cold (which I notice a change when its colder). I changed the tranny fluid about 5,000 kms ago and I didn't get much of a change (I had a regular shop change it, so nothing fancy just stock).

I am trying to find out if this is normal or not. Obviously not knowing how the car earned its first 65,000 kms is hard to know, but I do know the owner through friends and from what I have gathered he isn't an idiot and treats his vehicles nice.

Any suggestions or ideas / links to other posts would be appreciated, but like I said I am not getting a gear grind per-say , more of a clunky / definitely not smooth change especially from 1st to 2nd and from 4th to 5th and 5th to 6th.

I've driven numerous standards throughout my life and never have experienced something quite like this.

Cheers

 

My 2010 Si sedan does it too, and yes, more pronounced on colder days. I think the synchros are wearing out. I have just under 80k Kms on my clock...

 

Argh yeah that was my overall thought. Are the new transmissions like the old ones, where using GM synchromesh quells some of the issues, or is there a new trick or a different one to try?

 

I would give it a try, couldn't hurt. I am going to do the same as I scrape up the cash to get new synchros....I have a friend who can do the work..

 

A set of carbon synchros and some Torco MTF might help you out.

 

Ill wait on getting new synchro's because that is a pricey fix since it still works, but ill look to get it to limp by and change up the fluid with a couple different options.

Thanks guys

 

Here's the problem with that. If you do it now you can probably just get by with a set of synchros that retail for around $300 http://shop.synchrotech-transmission...0-SYN117-3.htm but if you wait you're a lot more likely to get into needing sleeves, hubs, and gears as well, and that's where things really start to get expensive.

I realize unless you happen to do this stuff yourself you have to pay someone to do it, which isn't cheap, especially in Alberta, but it's still something to look at.

 

I used 90w Amsoil this summer and a lot of my hard shifting went away. Granted 90w oil in the cold months sucks. My trans hates life below 10deg F till its warmed up.

 

?? 90W is nowhere near correct for that transmission.

OP, simple things first. Are you sure they used Honda MTF and not gear oil or motor oil when they changed your fluid 5000 km ago? Using motor oil or thick gear oil will mean bad trans performance when cold. A lot of shops just seem to use "whatever".

How much free play does your clutch pedal have? If the pedal has too much freeplay, you wont be properly disengaging the clutch. You can adjust it so you have between 1/2" to 1" of freeplay at the top of the travel.

 

Also I heard a lot people that had similar problems with how it felt weird shifting say that the hybrid shifter does a world of difference and the gears go in like butter. Its a much better shifter then stock that is for sure...

 

Would strongly suggest you do a fluid flush and see how it feels with some new tranny oil