I just bought a 98 ITR with around 88,000 miles on it about a week ago. It had a new motor at 40,000 installed, so the motor only has around 50,000 miles on it. It was checked out by a Honda dealer at the time of sale, and it passed their inspection. Its been a blast, but after topping it out at 140, I think I have seriously fucked up my car. It was never butter smooth while shifting, but it seems to have gotten stiffer. I have been driving it the past couple of days and here are my observations:
1. Car is difficult at times to put into 1st gear, and tends to grind on shifts into 3rd and 5th.

2. When in traffic, the car will feel like it is idling rough stopped while in gear, but will feel normal if taken out of gear.

3. The car does not feel like it is pulling as hard as it used to, but the clutch does not feel like it is shot. It almost feels as if the brakes are dragging, and it wont pull as hard from gear to gear, losing RPMs and falling off VTEC. (I am revving it high too).

4. In 5th gear the car just loses all power, and feels really slow.

I am from the world of motocross, so I am new to cars, but all this happened after I took the car to 140, so I obviously fucked something up pretty bad (I know it was stupid going 140 ). It could be the clutch, my friend thinks its transmission is shot, or possibly motor. Could the valves be out of adjustment? I am confused why it would be dragged down the most in 5th gear, since the car actually shifts into it. Anyways any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

 

Sounds like it may be a couple issues. You say that when you are idling and not moving, you put it into gear and it idles rough... does the car creep forward at all? Sounds like your clutch isn't disengaging all the way. This might also explain the hard shifting. The spring seats on the pressure plate can go bad and cause this.

As for the power loss, I'm not sure. Standard response: Check your oil.

 

when's the last time you had your tranny fluid changed? My GSR tranny locked up due to leaky fluid

 

I don't know when the fluid was changed last, I just got the car recently. Would the need for a fluid change affect power? It has a Stage 3 clutch in it, but I don't see why that would make it not fully disengage.

Thanks,

Matt

 

Oh aftermarket clutch? I second that. Check tranny fluid, sounds like its either very dirty or very low.

 

Your always supposed to change fluids when you get a used car, do that and see if it works

 

Ok, so I am definitely going to check the tranny fluid this evening. Is there a brand anyone would recommend? I guess the question I still have is that will my car return to normal after I replace the fluid? It started acting up right after taking the car 140.....may there be an increase in friction that will go away when I replace the fluid, or am I in for a new tranny?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Use Honda MTF in the transmission. The symptoms you are describing sound like a clutch problem, though.

 

So you think that taking the car up to 140 with a stage 3 clutch would ruin it that quick? The owner said it only has about 5000 miles on it when I got it....but it chatters like ****, and it hits really hard. The reason I don't think the clutch is killed is because it still hits really hard. The revs aren't going through the roof without the car moving, but it could be the clutch. Its tempting to replace anyways because that clutch is a BITCH in traffic and city driving. I have to rev the car between 3000-4000 to kill the chatter, and I get weird looks . Its like a light switch. Anyways, still think its the clutch? Maybe a combo of both?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Theres so much friction in the tranny, thats why it feele like the brakes are on. You may have serious issues, but id change the fluid and see if that helps.