Problem with 3rd Gear?

[imtim25]

anyone having problems with 3rd gear? cus i know i am. when i shift to it, it grinds, just sometimes. i know its not my driving cus my cousin drove it and grinded on 3rd gear too and hes more experienced that i am. anyone else having this problem?

[CMByrd]

2nd and 3rd gear in my Si seem to be 'touchy' (by which I mean a PITA.)

Only thing Ive been able to do with this is know that they're a pain, and hold the clutch in for an extra 1/4 second before you throw it into the gate.


Which sucks.

[Pukuyo]

ya, i noticed some problems with my 3rd gear as well. it's popped out twice as i shift from 2nd within the last week or so. i guess i release my clutch too quick. but i never had the problem with my 2 previous civics before...

[imtim25]

some guy told me that its a synchro problem. something with 5th and 6th gear that screwing it up for 2nd and 3rd...or something like that.

[shawn-o]

yeah, thats the infamous 3rd gear grind. Ive heard that a good fix is to use GM Synchromesh in your tranny and that will greatly reduce it. My friend had it with his RSX type-s and the synchromesh fixed it.

[imtim25]

Originally Posted by shawn-o

yeah, thats the infamous 3rd gear grind. Ive heard that a good fix is to use GM Synchromesh in your tranny and that will greatly reduce it. My friend had it with his RSX type-s and the synchromesh fixed it.

ok i'll try it out but do you happen to know the part number for it, i think theres more than one.

and also if you use a higher grade oil, will that help?

[shawn-o]

Originally Posted by imtim25

ok i'll try it out but do you happen to know the part number for it, i think theres more than one.

i have absolutely no idea.

Check on the rsx forums for synchromesh or something like that. they cover it on there (clubrsx.com)

[imtim25]

Originally Posted by CMByrd

2nd and 3rd gear in my Si seem to be 'touchy' (by which I mean a PITA.)

Only thing Ive been able to do with this is know that they're a pain, and hold the clutch in for an extra 1/4 second before you throw it into the gate.


Which sucks.

i tried what you told me to do and it worked but the problem is that...it felt really uncomfortable/strange. won't i burn the clutch if i hold it though? that was in the back of my mind while i was driving today.

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by CMByrd

2nd and 3rd gear in my Si seem to be 'touchy' (by which I mean a PITA.)

Only thing Ive been able to do with this is know that they're a pain, and hold the clutch in for an extra 1/4 second before you throw it into the gate.


Which sucks.

HUhh,,, I have driven numerous manual transmission cars in my life and the Si has one of the smoothest shifting tranny's I have ever driven. Never had any trouble going into 2nd or 3rd. Shifts smooth as glass.
You guys may have a bad syncro. I would have it checked out. If it is a mechanical problem it will not improve over time only get worse.

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by shawn-o

yeah, thats the infamous 3rd gear grind. Ive heard that a good fix is to use GM Synchromesh in your tranny and that will greatly reduce it. My friend had it with his RSX type-s and the synchromesh fixed it.

If it is the syncros there is no miracle fluid to repair themselves. I would have them replaced under warranty.

[imtim25]

hmm i took my car out for a drive around 8 in the morning and i grinded..again but only once. and then after a couple of minutes, i upshifted to 3rd gear and it didnt grind. i was driving normally, not that "wait 1/4 sec more." i noticed that my temperature gauge was half-way and when i grinded it was on the first bar. is it because the car wasnt warmed up?

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by imtim25

hmm i took my car out for a drive around 8 in the morning and i grinded..again but only once. and then after a couple of minutes, i upshifted to 3rd gear and it didnt grind. i was driving normally, not that "wait 1/4 sec more." i noticed that my temperature gauge was half-way and when i grinded it was on the first bar. is it because the car wasnt warmed up?

You could guess yourself to death on this one. Warm, cold, freezing... I don't care it shouldn't grind into any gear at any time. I have never once grinded a gear in this car. Not when it's cold or warm or whatever. As I said before it is one of the smoothest shifting transmissions I have ever driven.
If there is a grind than there has to be an issue somewhere. If it's not the synchros than maybe something else isn't funtioning properly. Not sure if our cars have a clutch fork and a throwout bearing but those could be other areas that need attention. My 2000 Mustang had issues with the throwout bearing going out. Anyway, I would just take it to the dealer and have them fix it. Don't live with the Grind!

[Yodums]

Try double clutching into third gear and see if the grind is still there. If it's the synchros, then double clutching should eliminate any grinding that you may get. Otherwise, it's something else.

And just in case you need instructions on how to double clutch, while in 2nd gear:

1. Clutch in to disengage the clutch and hold
2. Shift into neutral
3. Clutch out to engage the clutch and release
4. Rev to the appropriate RPMs
5. Clutch in
6. Shift into 3rd
7. Clutch out

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by Yodums

Try double clutching into third gear and see if the grind is still there. If it's the synchros, then double clutching should eliminate any grinding that you may get. Otherwise, it's something else.

And just in case you need instructions on how to double clutch, while in 2nd gear:

1. Clutch in to disengage the clutch and hold
2. Shift into neutral
3. Clutch out to engage the clutch and release
4. Rev to the appropriate RPMs
5. Clutch in
6. Shift into 3rd
7. Clutch out

That sounds like a lot of work for something that should work smoothly without taking 3 minutes to shift into 3rd gear

[aki]

Originally Posted by Tom1222

Anyway, I would just take it to the dealer and have them fix it. Don't live with the Grind!

Problem is, if it can't be replicated by the technician on the fly they'll just blow you off. I sent my car in multiple times, they've never caught it. Or so they say.

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by aki

Problem is, if it can't be replicated by the technician on the fly they'll just blow you off. I sent my car in multiple times, they've never caught it. Or so they say.

Go back and insist that they ride with you when you shift and show them where it does it. You are they one that knows your car best. You should be the one driving when they test it.

[Yodums]

Originally Posted by Tom1222

That sounds like a lot of work for something that should work smoothly without taking 3 minutes to shift into 3rd gear

The process shouldn't take much longer than a normal shift. Rally cars don't have synchros so they shift using this method every time and damn do they do it fast....

I'm trying to isolate the issue ... if it's not grinding when he's double clutching, then it's the synchros, otherwise, he's looking at another issue here.

[imtim25]

Yodums....




Thanks it worked.

[Tom1222]

Originally Posted by imtim25

Yodums....




Thanks it worked.

So did it still grind?

[imtim25]

Originally Posted by Tom1222

So did it still grind?

nope.