(Finally) taking in the EP for crappy shifts

[cbecker333]

Well I have been putting this off as long as possible but today on the way to work I realized that every time I get in the car I am angry at it because of this problem...and unable to enjoy the drive...I can't live like this any more. Sorry for being so dramatic, but this is how I feel. Anyway, story is I got crappy shifts starting around 12,000 miles, had the tranny fluid replaced at 15,000 which seemed to make a positive difference. Then after a few weeks, it was just as crappy. Now, at 17,000 miles it is worse than ever. I hear a nice solid "SHANK" from the transmission every time I put it into 2nd gear, and sometimes 3rd too. I'm going in at lunch, taking a tech for a ride along, and I won't leave until they have a plan for fixing it.

Fuck this! I hate it!

[BlackNRedSi]

Good luck with it, keep us posted!

Eric

[02TafWhtSi]

Wow, sorry to hear you're having problems. I'm at 10.5K miles and get a crunch in second every so often so I'm eager to hear what the dealership says :)

[sniperSI]

Let me know what happens my shit is doing the same thing


I'm at 30k now and gotta take it in before 36k


2nd at high rpms almost always grinds unless it's a perfect shift and 3rd grinds at anything sprited over 5k i fucking HATE IT.

[cbecker333]

weird...for me, it happens at RPMs under 4000 only. Right about 4,000 and above, everything loosens up....I wonder if that means we have 2 different problems....

Anyway, I didn't tell honda about my shifter today because they didn't have the part they ordered for my other problem (clutch master cylinder)....some time this week I'll be back in for the CMC and I'll let them know about the shifter.

[Bificus]

I took mine in for the 10 K service without a complaint, stupid me, I noticed that there was a difference in clutch action and shifting when I pulled out. I will see how long until I feel the crunch come in as I havent really tried to grab a gear quickly since I have had some issues. I could have sworn I saw a TSB on shift/clutch on alldata.com as well. Good luck!

[AlBlueCar]

You do realize what's gonna happen when you take a tech for a ride- the car's gonna drive like it was brand new. I have (maybe it's had now?) a grinding second gear shift every now and then, but last week it did it to me THREE SHIFTS IN A ROW!!! Take it in after the weekend, and the ech gets in the car, feels like i have a new transmission. I don't get it. I think techs have some crazy voodoo magic that makes broken cars work perfectly in their presence. Oh well, good luck, hope they fix it.

[cbecker333]

take him again and watch his clutch foot - see if it comes up an extra time before he pushes it into second gear

[AlBlueCar]

Double clutching you say? I drove when I took the tech out and everything was okey-silly-dilly-dokey. It still works fine, so I guess nothing's wrong with Nigel. By the way, I only double clutch on downshifts, it's pretty much useless on upshifts.

[ep pilot]

Let me add to this dead horse, I too have the (crunch) or (grind) every so often too, but I have determind my problem is that my car hates to drop more than 1.5K between shifts. If my shifts are more poised I get a seamless operation, every time. Now when I am not driving spiritedly, more or less lazy or just not in the speed-shifty mood, otherwise letting my engine speed fall off to much between shifts, I get (crunch) or a miss-shift or grind. This is the only car I have owned that hates you to shift it casually, I mean I feel like I always have to drive my Si spiritedly, or it doesn't want to shift right? LMK what comes of this?


-Ryan

[sonic imperial]

If you don't let the rpms fall off it does seem to shift much better in mine as well. I've had to learn to adjust my foot on the gas pedal so it doesn't back of the pedal so much when shifting. It's been better doing it that way, not perfect, but better.

[styllinep3]

yes please keep us posted . cause mine is like shifiting a godamn class be cdl truck. if i dont pay attention going into 2cd. ill grind or miss shift. a 4cyl stick shoudl be flawlesss with any driver.. mines going in on the 14 i think. that was for the clutch clicking, but i sparyed some wd40 on the 2 spots and havent heard anything since. so now my worry is the shifting.. let us know how u make out


thanks

[Mugen Power]

Originally posted by AlBlueCar
You do realize what's gonna happen when you take a tech for a ride- the car's gonna drive like it was brand new. I have (maybe it's had now?) a grinding second gear shift every now and then, but last week it did it to me THREE SHIFTS IN A ROW!!! Take it in after the weekend, and the ech gets in the car, feels like i have a new transmission. I don't get it. I think techs have some crazy voodoo magic that makes broken cars work perfectly in their presence. Oh well, good luck, hope they fix it.

You're right! It's always like that! I took my car in a few weeks ago to have them check out the crunches and it drove smoothly for them (I wasn't there when they drove it) and it drove smoothly for me when I took them along too! And it was fine all the way home! Next day, same problem again. I'm due for 10k maintenance soon so maybe I'll bring it up again.

Also, I never noticed the clutch click until I kept reading about it and now I get it every now and then. I also get one from the brake pedal too...

[skinsfsu]

i get a gear crunch in second also. only have 8,500 mile on it an dit does it intermitantly and only when the tranny is cold.had 3rd happen 1 or 2 times. only on upshifts. dealer hadnt heard of it and they are the best dealer/service dept i've ever dealt with. absolute best. the only thing is i live 30 minute sfrom them so it wouldnt happen unless i left it with them. anyone found anyhting out yet. I know one guy a ways back on temple of vtec they replced the syncros in the tranny. everyone else was like us.

[tac379]

i just picked up my Si two weeks ago. I just hit 600 miles today. TODAY was the first time i shifted over 4000 RPMs (i was very very gentle while breaking it in). my FIRST shift into third at 5000 RPMs just grinded in. thought i missed the shift but nope....it does it EVERY time i shifted from 2nd to 3rd at over 5K RPMs, and occasionally going into second.

did i mention i have six HUNDRED miles on the car TOTAL?!? needless to say, i'm a little peeved. dealer's over an hour a way and i'm moving in two weeks, so this could be a major pain in the ass. i bought a honda b/c i thought they were supposed to be bombproof for reliability :mad:

[hondafiend02]

lol i think thats normal i mean unless its really loud noise into 2nd because all of my friends cars at slow rpm's i can hear the shifting --i believe that it just might be the sound od driving man thats all (unless its really loud than i duno what im talking about):) :) ;) :p :o

[bobdobbs]

Has anybody here tried putting some better oil in their tranny? Whatever Honda puts in it is economy car crap, not performance oriented, for sure. Switch to Redline full synthetic and you'll notice far better shifting, as well as prolong the life of your tranny.

[tac379]

Originally posted by hondafiend02
lol i think thats normal i mean unless its really loud noise into 2nd because all of my friends cars at slow rpm's i can hear the shifting --i believe that it just might be the sound od driving man thats all (unless its really loud than i duno what im talking about):) :) ;) :p :o

there's a HUGE difference between the noise of shifting (which i hear going into any other gear) and a straight up metal on metal grinding noise. and yes, it's really loud. like loud enough to make passengers shudder and recoil. it's awful.

[cbecker333]

Originally posted by bobdobbs
Has anybody here tried putting some better oil in their tranny? Whatever Honda puts in it is economy car crap, not performance oriented, for sure. Switch to Redline full synthetic and you'll notice far better shifting, as well as prolong the life of your tranny.

Here's why switching scares me - if I switch and my shifts don't get better, then I have to take the car in before the warranty is out. If they can determine that I used a non-honda fluid then they're going to tell me to f**k myself. The car used to have buttery-smooth shifts, WITH THE HONDA FLUID that came in the car. Thats what really bugs me...all the reviews I read when I was shopping heralded the shifter as being superb, both in how it feels and how it functions. The shifter was one of the main reasons I HAD TO HAVE this car....

UPDATE:
I still haven't taken the car to honda to have a tech ride along. WHy? because I've been waiting 3 weeks on a clutch master cylinder that I'm pretty sure won't even fix my clicking clutch pedal :rolleyes:
As soon as they get the part, call me, they get to find out about the shifter....

[sonic imperial]

Hey, fix the clicking clutch pedal on your own and forget the honda techs. That's what I did. Get some silicon spray grease or wd-40 and it will do the trick. Mine's been fine now for 2 weeks straight since spraying the lubricant and my clutch used to click badly. You really ought to try it.

[bobdobbs]

Originally posted by cbecker333


Here's why switching scares me - if I switch and my shifts don't get better, then I have to take the car in before the warranty is out. If they can determine that I used a non-honda fluid then they're going to tell me to f**k myself.

You do not have to use Honda oil in your transmission. As long as the oil you put in conforms to the specification in your owners manual (what, 75W90?), they can't say shit. If they do, give them your lawyer's business card and inform them they'll be receiving a letter soon.