I have an 2002 Honda civic EX with 129k miles on it, and I have had this grinding noise in third when I accelerate. Very rarely it would do it for a bit in first and second. Never 4th or 5th.

I changed the transmission fluid to (1.6 quarts). I was hoping it would fix it.. but nope. Now its even worse, its 50% of the time making this noise in 1st and second, 100% in third, now 4th 25% and 0% in 5th.

When I push in the clutch you can hear spool down sort of. And if I rev it with the clutch in it doesn't do it, and rev without clutch pressed its does but quietly.

It shifts into gear smooth, and does not grind, only when I get up the speed. The clutch was replaced only 15k miles ago with a oem exedy clutch by a shop, which did not fix the noise.

Here is a terrible video I took tonight, sorry for the crappy camera work.


The video shows me going through each gear at 1-5k rpms, and 60mph at 3rd gear. So that should be all of it.

 

Did it start when the check engine light came on? Any performance related codes?

Other than the grinding, does everything work fine?

Just to clarify, it only happens in certain gears, right?

 

The light has been on since I got the car, its a code for the emissions.

Everything works fine, i've drove the car like that for a while it just has gotten way worse now, but it still drives perfect.

Yes it only happens in third gear. Now its happens in 1st and second sometimes, last night I drove it and it wasn't doing it anymore.

I hear it when I push the clutch in when im going like 30mph. Not at a dead stop though.

 

Hard to say without taking it apart. The 2001 and 2002 transmissions are known for this thoogh, but it usually happens in 1st and 2nd. My 2001 did it in 1st for the 4 years I had it. Probably time for a transmission rebuild or a used transmission from 2003-2005.

 

Ugh, exactly what i was dreading. I'll have to have it checked out by a transmission shop. I'm sure it wont be cheap, probably around what I paid for the car.

 

Rebuild usually costs $1500-2000. You can save $500 by removing and installing yourself.

You can get a used tranny for cheap, but it'll cost you $1000 for install.

If that's as much as the car cost you then just turn up the radio.

 

Well I had a shop look at it, I was correct in my assumptions, it is the throw out bearing going bad. Just an update for anyone else looking at this same problem.

 

You replaced the clutch but left the throwout bearing in there ?

The throwout bearing is only working when the clutch is pushed in.

 

The shop that put my clutch and throw out bearing in before said they replaced it. Now I am betting they did not, so I will be calling them tomorrow about it.