My Si grinds when shifting to reverse after I did a manual transmission fluid change. I filled it Honda manual transmission fluid and did not noticed this grinds before.

 

92-95 Civic Si?

Did you verify full MTF level on level ground?

Did you do other work besides and MTF drain & refill?

Smooth shifting with engine off?

 

What year Si.

On the 92-00, reverse does not have synchros so there is always grind if the car is moving at all. You might not had moving wheels when throwing to reverse before or you got lucky and the gear always meshed just right each time.

When stopped, throwing it into first before reverse helps.

 

I have a 92 si and when I refilled the tranny the car was leveled. I took the head off and replaced head gasket that’s about the only engine work I did. It shift fine after the head work but after I changed the tranny fluid to Honda mtf reverse started acting up. It doesn’t grind every time if I throw into 3 or 1st but most of the time it grinds now.

 

I'd suspect you have not quite the right amount of oil. My third gear it a little touchy. When I stopped eye-balling level ground and measured exactly what the Honda FSM specified, I got better shifting into third. But maybe you are just more aware of grinding now. Maybe it is coincidence. Reverse will always grind sometimes. I put it in reverse before I start the car whenever possible.

 

I filled it with two quarts so I assumed it’s enough. But if I shift into 1st then no grind. It’s weird but I guess I’ll just do this from now on.

 

Maybe I’m confused with a different Honda manual trans, but isn’t GM synchromesh supposed to be better to use than Honda MTF?

 

Not just regular GM Synchromesh but GM Synchromesh Friction Modified. They have both and the FM version is the one that most people find better than current version Honda MTF. I suspect it's a lot closer to the old formula Honda MTF when the MTF was meant for the 5th and 6th gen cars and the brass synchros.

 

Little moves like that become automatic after a while and you hardly notice you're doing it. I think the FSM spec is 1.9 quarts. If 5% is a significant difference, then maybe it matters a little.

 

Yeah after changing to Honda mtf my tranny shift a lot smoother and to avoid grind in reverse it’s just a quick pop to 1st gear and back so reverse is smooth as butter.