I have a 88 CRX Si, rebuilt factory motor by previous owner. Tranny started growling 3-4 months after I got it, got worse & decided to replace it. Turns out the trans had gear oil ( like 90 weight ) in it from the previous owner too. Anywho, my Honda buddy had a trans he bought as a " 91 CRX Si " and went to install in his own car, then found out it was a 88 tranny ( from the spline count which he didnt bother to check prior to exchanging cash & driving home ) & couldnt use it. He offered it to me for $150 installed. Being a person who can see a smokin deal when its set in front of me, I did it, but after I got it back, it works perfect, but the gearing is totally different. My old trans seemed close ratio, this one is worlds apart. RPM's drop major between 1st, 2nd & 3rd. ( As a point of reference, I can hit 35 in 1st, 76 in 2nd, and havent maxed out 3rd yet on So Cal freeways. ) Yet the numbers on both transmissions are identical. Anyone have any ideas on whats going on? Thanks in advance for any suggestions...

 

Sounds like a DX tranny, whats the diameter of your tires and I can tell you for sure.

 

Numbers I posted was for stock size tire, I just installed my new ones today and havent driven it. So the DX & Si for 88 have the same tranny numbers externally, but the gearing ratios are different? It seemed like a noticable difference between the two, the orig Si trans kept the R's up & close between shifts, now going from first to second feels like first to third on the old tranny. No more second gear barks for me...

 

Looks like its an HF tranny.


Modified by dough-boy at 7:03 PM 9/7/2003