So I bought this 98 civic HX with 144,000 miles on it an it runs fairly decent. Averages about 40 mpg an has seen as good as 45 mpg. Any-who when I bought it I went through an took care a bunch of maintenance items like timing belt, water pump, seals, etc. I addressed the transmission since there was a grinding noise when clutch was not pressed in (input shaft bearing) so it got a new ISB, clutch, flywheel, throw out bearing, seals, axle seals, an passenger side axle. Car was running smooth an silent, no grinds or whines. Well about 6,000 miles later that grinding noise is back but not nearly as bad as it was. I suspect ISB but not sure if or how it's possible. Any thoughts? Also not sure if it's related but fourth an fifth are beginning to grind but not all the time an downshifting into first an second is becoming harder an harder. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Did you strip the gear shafts and clean everything out?

Sounds like you didn't and debris has clogged up the oil ports for 4th and 5th gear, slowly burning them up.

 

I actually had a buddy do the work for me. He is a ten year honda master mechanic here in Az. Unfortunately he passed away last month at the young age of 36. He was a very detailed guy an I remember him saying he had to clean it out. A week before he passed he said he would take it apart to warranty that bearing (he only installed oem for me an got everything thru his dealership) He drove it around a few miles an seemed pretty sure that the bearing had failed. It's been a rough month.

 

What part of AZ you in? HASport has someone they use to work on transmissions, works at a dealership....I hope it is not the same guy.

 

Mesa, Az. Worked at San tan honda. So now I don't know if I should send this tranny to syncrotech for a rebuild or purchase a reman from them. It's an awesome daily driver an so far the only real problems I've had are with this manual transmission.

 

Are you mechanically inclined?

 

Not really, Well I can turn wrenches, but never have a dropped a tranny an split it open. I imagine it can't be too terrible but I'm sure it would be quite time consuming having no experience with this. Then once it's apart I would have no idea what to look for or where to start, well not without all your guys help

 

I will PM a discount code to use if you decide to go with a remanufactured trans.

 

In ISB replacement isn't super hard if you know how to get the trans off. I know there is some very detailed threads on this. I think the hardest part is setting the interlock straight again.

 

I have found some pretty good tutorials on how to do it, but like I said it was just replaced 6,000 miles ago. What would cause it to go out so soon? I know there was a service bulletin for this problem an I don't drive the car harsh at all (45mpg) If I replace it again, will it last? Thinkin I have a lemon tranny.

 

It may not be the same bearing that's bad, or it might have gone bad due to a stray piece of bearing cage or Honda bond that plugged an oiling passage. You wont know until you take it apart.

 

Certainly. ^

 

I have had two instances where a brand new oem ISB went bad prematurely.

 

what guy do you speak of?