Good morning everyone,

Been working on Hondas for quite a while but have not messed with transmissions much before and I am having trouble with a b16 tranny I could use some insight on.

So me and my fiancé just bought a 91 EF hatch because she wanted a project car which has pretty much became my project now also. Anyways its has a b20b block with a JDM b16 head, the transmission is a B16 cable tranny, went under it and did not see the gold detent bolts so that makes it a 90-91 I believe (the sticker is not on the front of the tranny).

The issue I am having is that when driving the car for example being in 3rd gear its impossible to get into 2nd, there is no grinding it just acts bound up and does not go in, kind of like its hitting a wall, sometimes with the clutch in if I can manage to get it into first which is still hard I can manage to pull it down into 2nd then let the clutch out. The odd part is is that with the car OFF if I go into 3rd and rock the car to engage the gear then try to go to 2nd it does the same thing as it does when driving. The last owner said it has a stage 3 clutch. I have had two cars with a stage 3 and I absolutely cannot drive this car well for the life of me the clutch feels like it is either on or off and has very very very jerky engagement. Also the shift linkage U-join bushings are absolutely toasted.

All in all I am wondering if you all think the shot linkage could be doing this and the clutch is just adding to it or if this could be an internal tranny issue. I have new linkages and clutch and flywheel on the way and also a 90-93 Integra clutch cable but I would hate to install all of this and have to drop the tranny a second time due to it being a bigger issue.

Any input or ideas??

 

What is the condition of the shift linkage u-joint? Do you have the correct split pin (aka "bitch pin") in the shift linkage, or has this been replaced with a bolt? It needs to be the split pin. If it all looks right, have someone in the car move the shifter from side to side and verify that there is no slop between the linkage and the shift rod coming out of the back of the transmission. The fact that you're having issues with the car running and with the car not running makes me not think it's worn synchros, but it is possible you could have some other kind of internal damage to the shift selection components.

If you remove the shift linkage from the transmission, use a drift pin or appropriately sized screwdriver in the hole of the shift rod and try to shift through all the gears. If it shifts fine, it's probably the linkage.

 

I will have to try that screwdriver trick. The linkage U-joint is absolutely shot with more play then iv ever seen in one to the point the bushings are squishing out. I have not yet pulled the boot off but I will make sure when I go back together with it if the last owner did a bolt that the true pin goes back in.