5spd internal help and advice needed.

[Red_liner740]

So long story short i bought a sight unseen "k20a2 6spd transmission" for a really good price....so good that i was doubting it was a 6spd or the condition it was in.

Friend picked it up and delivered it and sure enough when i saw it, it didnt have a reverse lockout solenoid so it was a 5spd...:mcry:

opened it up juuuust to make sure the guy didnt swap out the shifter mechanism or something but yup, the 6th gear set is definitively not there...

I would be pissed off even more IF it didnt turn out that it was a base RSX with the 4.3FD (i confirmed it by spinning the countershaft and counting number of turns vs one turn of final drive), which is good for me....i want 6th gear for fuel economy not faster acceleration. down the road this transmission will be sitting behind a k24 so taller gears wont be an issue.

so the plan is to add 6th from a TSX and "freshen" this one up...

this is where i need your expertise...

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af346/Red_Liner740/IMG_5377.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af346/Red_Liner740/IMG_5373.jpg

that is the state of 2nd gear and as you can see the synchro teeth do have some wear, they arent a perfect triangle but a bit longer on one end. How far along do you think this damage has gone? This is the first time i've opened a transmission and cant judge the severity other than the looking at nice new ones and totally mangled ones ala
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_IB0Izdd3OL0/S3hNhepbG0I/AAAAAAAAABE/cNlMu9xLXeI/s640/2010-02-14%2014.20.27.jpg

3rd/4th gear set look good...

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af346/Red_Liner740/IMG_5376.jpg

likewise the 5th gear set looks just as good.

so if this was your tranny what would you do? drop another $350 into a 2nd gear set which comes with all new parts? just replace the 2nd gear? leave it alone?

onto more "bad" news...adding 6th gear is pretty simple except that the 5th gear selector sleeve is only dovetailed on one side...this dovetailing is what keeps it in gear during load...the dovetails pull the selector sleeve into the gear under load (acceleration/deceleration). Thats the reason why u can only pull the transmission out of gear with no clutch under no load (coasting). So unless i replace that sleeve it would mean 6th would be able to pull out under load (no homo!). That is also the reason people test for bad synchros by accelerating and pulling on the shifter towards neutral.

guys on Element forums have spoken about this and most said that overtime the popping out of gear stopped....

i also noticed that 3rd/4th selector sleeve is identical to 5th/6th so if i could source one of those that would be great. Unfortunatelly i cant find just the sleeve. Guys have managed to find a breakdown parts list of the 2nd gear but not the 5th/6th.

[Ba82Ep3]

I have a thread in the trans section that is a 6 speed walkthru... but the 5 speed is similar. I would change 2nd in your case. The sync itself doesnt look bad... but its not the greatest angle either. I have separate 5 speed parts. My 2nd is worse than that though...

[Red_liner740]

yea that was a good write up....i think at this point i'll clean up the dovetails, install new carbon synchros, flip the sleeve so that 1st gear dovetails will be entering second gear and call it a day...


thanks for your input.

btw, did you want to PM me what spare parts you might be willing to sell?

[Ba82Ep3]

You cant flip the 1/2 sleeve... its also the reverse gear and its offset. Technically you can flip the 1/2 hub... even though the manual specifies a certain way for install. With my measurements, both sides of the 1/2 hub spec out the same.

Lemme know if i can help. :mcool:

As far as selling parts... the last thing im gonna do is try and rape you on prices (shipping to Canada seems more of an issue). I pretty much have a complete 5 speed in pieces... 2nd gear and its sync is worthless (although 1st gear sync is the same), the rest is in good shape.

It would prolly be easer for you to send me a pic of what you wanna replace so there is no confusion. I already had one guy tell me he needed sync rings for the first gear pack on the mainshaft. I asked three times to be sure he knew what he needed. When he received the two sync rings he said they were too small. He had mainshaft and countershaft mixed up... he needed sync rings for 1/2 on the countershaft. lol

Youre already in there... i would definitely take it all apart and inspect it. Flush the oil passages in the main/countershafts. Replace the friction damper in the 1/2 countershaft assy (its cheap) and go ahead and swap bearings. You will shoot yourself in the foot later if you dont.

[Ba82Ep3]

I think i even have a 6 speed shift shaft housing with solenoid... if you really want one (i went 6 speed mechanical lock.. no solenoid). I just moved so i will have to dig through all of my boxes to confirm again.

[Red_liner740]

You're absolutely right, i totally forgot that the 2nd gear sleeve has the reverse gear teeth on it...

Dont worry about shipping, i usually ship everything to Niagara Falls and every few months or so i make a trip and pick it all up...It saves me tons of money if i dont need the parts urgently...

So i guess i'll just clean up the dovetails and call it a day...the transmission wont be used at the track or drag strip....upgrade to carbon synchros for 1/2 gear.

If you could do me a favour...can you look at the 5th gear sleeve and see if its dovetailed on both sides? Sometime during the production of these gearsets the manufacturer changed from having 5th gear sleeve dovetailed on both sides (i guess to save money and build one sleeve for both 5spds and 6spds) to just dovetailed on one side...

i'd like to buy that sleeve from you if its dovetailed on both sides.

[Ba82Ep3]

Its not... im pretty sure i have a spare 6 speed though. Its 'dovetailed' both sides as you call it. You want me to check? (5 speed has a double groove next to the shift fork groove for identification, 6 speed doesnt).

[Red_liner740]

Yes please...

[AKEP]

my 2nd looks like that, but i already had spent the $300 on 3rd gear. no problems with 2nd gear at all, i put it back in the way it was.

my 6th pops out, just started doing it after 20k. but its gotta be pushed out by bumps in the road or me playing with it lol.

go accord 5th as a 6th. its a little taller.tsx 6th almost does nothing at lower rpms

[Ba82Ep3]

go accord 5th as a 6th. its a little taller.tsx 6th almost does nothing at lower rpms

Have you done this? Is it double or triple sync? I had issues mix matching different sync type gears, but im always looking for other options. I still have a six speed to put together for the 94 Accord...


Yes please... Will do. Ill know by this afternoon...

[Ba82Ep3]

Will do. Ill know by this afternoon...



The best looking 6 speed, 5/6 sync sleeve i have...

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n562/dwms73/photobucket-2275-1328919539113.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n562/dwms73/photobucket-5240-1328919507476.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n562/dwms73/photobucket-2322-1328919408238.jpg

You can tell its been used... but not abused (just washed with Dawn and warm water, i store all the parts soaked with WD40). LMK if you wanna see/need anything else. I have my trans parts crates out and easily accessible.

[Ba82Ep3]

i also noticed that 3rd/4th selector sleeve is identical to 5th/6th so if i could source one of those that would be great. Unfortunatelly i cant find just the sleeve. Guys have managed to find a breakdown parts list of the 2nd gear but not the 5th/6th.

I just caught this too... the 3/4 sleeve isnt the same as 5/6. The 3/4 sleeve is tanged to interlock with the sync hub to keep it from falling off the hub going to 3rd. Check my thread... it has pix to explain.

[Red_liner740]

that thing looks NEW!

let me know what you want for it...

[Ba82Ep3]

LOL most of my trans parts are like this. I only keep what i would reuse in my own car... or meets spec. PM me a shipping addy and ill PM ya back... PayPal ok?