Can't take this sh** anymore

[edciv]

this is a vent/question so if its long i apologize now

i have a 2006 Honda Civic Ex manual transmission. Bought on July 18, 2006. With approx: 9500 miles on it

Ever since i got the car second gear has been horrible and i've read others have felt the same way. i figured it was just driver error considering i hadn't been behind the wheel of a manual tranny in a while i wasn't driving correctly. well that wasn't the case and the problem persisted..

i installed the TWM short shift kit with bushings. obviously not the source of the problem but a source for a question i'll get to in a minute

over the summer, so the past 3-4 months i've noticed a horrible down fall of second gear in which i doubt i'll have nothing but metal shavings in the transmission soon enough. almost every time i shift into second (up or down) i have to push the shift lever with a good amount of force to get into the gear. Sometimes it will be in the second gear slot, but not be fully engaged if you understand that and i'll release the clutch and i'll get that wonderful sound of gears grinding and i'll have to re-engage the clutch and force the lever into second gear. This happens almost any time i switch into second gear from first. 1 out of 5 times it happens if i'm in a higher gear and go down to second.

My first question, which i'm sure i'll get more than 1 yes to is does anyone else have this problem?

2) im at the end of my nerves with it and i don't feel that i should have to change my tranny fluid in order to have this fixed. its not that i can't do it, i'm very mechanically inclined but i'm paying for a warranty i want them to do it.

3) if you had this problem how did you resolve it?

4) if you took it to honda and had an after market shifter on it, would they just tell me that its voided because of after market parts?

5) thank you. anyone who reads this and responds. i need some advice from other honda owners because i can't take this shyte anymore!

[Firestrife]

if you installed the cable bushings check the cables of the shifter it is possible that something might have snapped.

[SiLvErLIgHT06]

It maybe nothing more than you just using too much force to shift. I did the same when i first bought my EX. Adjust your seat so you're not leaning too far back. The shifter doesn't require much force, barely any. Try this and hope it helps.

[edciv]

Originally Posted by SiLvErLIgHT06

It maybe nothing more than you just using too much force to shift. I did the same when i first bought my EX. Adjust your seat so you're not leaning too far back. The shifter doesn't require much force, barely any. Try this and hope it helps.

its definitely not this at all, i don't have to force any other gear but this one. everything else is smooth as butter

Originally Posted by Firestrife

if you installed the cable bushings check the cables of the shifter it is possible that something might have snapped.

i'll try this, we'll see what happens. you think the linkage could have been damaged at some point? or what?

[Zenzin]

Originally Posted by edciv

this is a vent/question so if its long i apologize now

i have a 2006 Honda Civic Ex manual transmission. Bought on July 18, 2006. With approx: 9500 miles on it

Ever since i got the car second gear has been horrible and i've read others have felt the same way. i figured it was just driver error considering i hadn't been behind the wheel of a manual tranny in a while i wasn't driving correctly. well that wasn't the case and the problem persisted..

i installed the TWM short shift kit with bushings. obviously not the source of the problem but a source for a question i'll get to in a minute

over the summer, so the past 3-4 months i've noticed a horrible down fall of second gear in which i doubt i'll have nothing but metal shavings in the transmission soon enough. almost every time i shift into second (up or down) i have to push the shift lever with a good amount of force to get into the gear. Sometimes it will be in the second gear slot, but not be fully engaged if you understand that and i'll release the clutch and i'll get that wonderful sound of gears grinding and i'll have to re-engage the clutch and force the lever into second gear. This happens almost any time i switch into second gear from first. 1 out of 5 times it happens if i'm in a higher gear and go down to second.

My first question, which i'm sure i'll get more than 1 yes to is does anyone else have this problem?

2) im at the end of my nerves with it and i don't feel that i should have to change my tranny fluid in order to have this fixed. its not that i can't do it, i'm very mechanically inclined but i'm paying for a warranty i want them to do it.

3) if you had this problem how did you resolve it?

4) if you took it to honda and had an after market shifter on it, would they just tell me that its voided because of after market parts?

5) thank you. anyone who reads this and responds. i need some advice from other honda owners because i can't take this shyte anymore!

I had this exact problem. My 07 Si grinded 2nd gear like hell and 3rd gear was notchy. Sometimes when I shifted from 2nd to 3rd, I couldn't even tell if the gear had locked in. It got really annoying, so I just went out and spent $15 on Amsoil MTF and changed the fluid. It's been smooth ever since. I still very ocassionally grind 2nd gear when reving high in 1st, but that's because the tranny in these cars is.... different

This never happened in my sunfire GT, which overall was a very crappy car. Honestly though, spending $15 is a lot less hastle than fighting with the dealer, making an appointment and having them not do it right cause they're incompetent.

[Zeuceone]

matt has this same problem but he changed his tranny fluid and it made it better. not perfect.

[GlxyGry06Si]

Originally Posted by edciv

i don't feel that i should have to change my tranny fluid in order to have this fixed.

uhhh sounds like you could just fix it and not have to vent anymore. maybe you should not but you are just tearing your tranny up because "you dont feel". is it worth all the heartache that you have endured. 15 bucks and you are done with this problem.

[Special Ringpop]

EdCiv-

My first question, which i'm sure i'll get more than 1 yes to is does anyone else have this problem?

I have heard of other R18 (non-Si) owners having gear issues, but not nearly as prevalent as the Si's third gear issue. I suspect Honda will address the Si's gearbox long before they address the R18's, because it seems the R20's is more common (and it's been pulling teeth getting Honda to deal with the R20 one).

2) im at the end of my nerves with it and i don't feel that i should have to change my tranny fluid in order to have this fixed. its not that i can't do it, i'm very mechanically inclined but i'm paying for a warranty i want them to do it.

I agree. YOU shouldn't have to change your transmission fluid in order to have it fixed. I don't even think this should be an issue on any new car, but you should, at the very least, have Honda do it under warranty, but I will tell you this: Honda won't even think about doing anything under warranty if they can't replicate it, and in my experience, you'd be better off having a blind, deaf, and dumb technician with you, because that's how all of the tech's act, claiming they didn't see or hear any problem with the gearbox. You could try to use Honda Service News Bulletin of January 2007, which said for them to change transmission fluid on cars with "notchy" manual gearboxes. Some dealers will do it under this, others will fight you on it, claiming its not a TSB, therefore it isn't going to be done.

3) if you had this problem how did you resolve it?

It hasn't been resolved. The new Honda MTF was a bandaid on the problem. It doesn't kick out or grind as much anymore, but the resistance is still there, and it is much harder to put in 3rd than any other gear.

No dealership will acknowledge it as being a problem (they say it works flawlessly), but everytime I go in, I mention it under a warranty claim. I figure maybe if I bitch about it everytime I go in, they'll catch it eventually. Wishful thinking I suppose.

4) if you took it to honda and had an after market shifter on it, would they just tell me that its voided because of after market parts?

I'm not sure, but I will say this: if you can even get Honda to admit there is a problem, which will be a stretch, trust me, they may try and say it is a result on your after market short shifter, or whatever you have. Anything to avoid the real problem. This is a big reason why I have not touched mine.

5) thank you. anyone who reads this and responds. i need some advice from other honda owners because i can't take this shyte anymore!

You're not the only one with problems. You'll get some people responding on here harshly towards you for being negative, but that is what this forum is for; well, at least one reason. Communicating with others on this forum helped me find the January 2007 Bulliten that told me about the MTF. It's a godly tool, this forum.

[ctrhatch]

if you take to the dealer with the short shift they will refuse it because of that. it happened to me last year

[csharp21]

I have the same problem only mine has progressed to the point of having no 2nd gear, no fourth gear, and notchy 3rd gear. Honda said they would not fix it under warranty (and gave me a quote of $6400 to fix it), and stated that I "drive too hard". no aftermarket parts are installed on mine. here is a link to a petition, I dont know if it has been posted here before, I haven't seen it.....

http://www.petitiononline.com/civicsi/petition.html

[Special Ringpop]

Originally Posted by csharp21

I have the same problem only mine has progressed to the point of having no 2nd gear, no fourth gear, and notchy 3rd gear. Honda said they would not fix it under warranty (and gave me a quote of $6400 to fix it), and stated that I "drive too hard". no aftermarket parts are installed on mine. here is a link to a petition, I dont know if it has been posted here before, I haven't seen it.....

http://www.petitiononline.com/civicsi/petition.html

Someone will die if they say that to me. My Si is driven like a grandmother in an R18.

[fiji06si13]

Why is it every time I go on to a manual transmission thread I see that someone put amsoil MTF fluid or royal purple fluid in thier trans...wait till it's cold out and see if it even shifts with that stuff in it...most of the times that stuff is 80w-90 gear oil wich is way to thick
HONDA MTF is very simliar to 5w-30 oil only it dosn't have the engine detergents in it because it's going in a transmision.....
putting anything else in there would be just dumb Engineers spent lots of time designing these transmissions....
My suggestion take the metal shifter bushings out and go to the nearest honda dealer go for a ride with the shop forman or a tech and show them what is going on with your car...
More than likely its the classic case of an overfilled transmission...believe me fluid makes a big difference in the transmission I've seen a case where a underfull transmission poped out of 5th gear and wouldn't stay in as soon as it was filled to correct capacity it was fine...

[Special Ringpop]

I've had my MTF changed to the new Honda MTF, so it shouldn't be overfilled.

It still acts up occasionally.

[fiji06si13]

Originally Posted by Special Ringpop

I've had my MTF changed to the new Honda MTF, so it shouldn't be overfilled.

It still acts up occasionally.

our trans's aren't perfect every honda I have owned gave me a shifting problem or a grind they are econoboxes it's not really ment to be drivenlike it's stolen every time you get behind the wheel I have almost no grinds now and just a slight notchy feeling in the morning in 3rd I have 19k on my si now gonna change the trans fluid soon don't know If I want to do it or have the dealer do it so they know I haven't been messing with it incase it gives me shizzy l8ter

[r18power]

Originally Posted by fiji06si13

Why is it every time I go on to a manual transmission thread I see that someone put amsoil MTF fluid or royal purple fluid in thier trans...wait till it's cold out and see if it even shifts with that stuff in it...

it got 2 30 degrees the past couple nites. yes it still shifted after sittin hours in the cold.

[fiji06si13]

Originally Posted by r18power

it got 2 30 degrees the past couple nites. yes it still shifted after sittin hours in the cold.

what fluid? is it 80w-90

[Si Speed 317]

Well, I brought my 07 FG2 to the dealership (a different one from where I bought my car) and told them I had stiff shifting and it popped out of gear. They printed a service bulletin out (3rd page, lower left hand side) that said they have to change the MTF to the new 'Genuine Honda MTF fluid'. Honestly, I don't grind anymore. The damage has been done to my synchro, but it barely grinds now. + it was covered under warranty. Btw, I just searched, however I couldn't find the Service Bulletin online. Sorry.

[Seemund]

You probably never heard what I'm going to say before.

I used to have a lot of problems with second gear..
I had a Stage2 clutch + flywheel installed, and it was still there..
So I started "thinking" , what could be the problem..

First option: bushings.. maybe getting stuck when changing gears and stuff.. So I called a friend up, and tested it.. That "wasn't the problem" .. So I tried changing the MTF, which HELPED for a WHILE... Then it started again.. couldn't shift 1st to 2nd in high rpm's.. (after 5.8K rpm)..
So one day, an accident happened!
I shift w/o PUSHING the clutch all the way down.. Like leaving 1" from the floor..
And it worked.. Somehow it doesn't grind or get stuck if you DON'T push the CLUTCH ALL THE way down.. I know it'll wear the clutch, but looks like IT "engages" better.
Remember - leave it .5 - 1" from the floor :)

Give it a shot.. and tell me the results :)

[fiji06si13]

Originally Posted by Si Speed 317

Well, I brought my 07 FG2 to the dealership (a different one from where I bought my car) and told them I had stiff shifting and it popped out of gear. They printed a service bulletin out (3rd page, lower left hand side) that said they have to change the MTF to the new 'Genuine Honda MTF fluid'. Honestly, I don't grind anymore. The damage has been done to my synchro, but it barely grinds now. + it was covered under warranty. Btw, I just searched, however I couldn't find the Service Bulletin online. Sorry.

[Firestrife]

Originally Posted by Seemund

You probably never heard what I'm going to say before.

I used to have a lot of problems with second gear..
I had a Stage2 clutch + flywheel installed, and it was still there..
So I started "thinking" , what could be the problem..

First option: bushings.. maybe getting stuck when changing gears and stuff.. So I called a friend up, and tested it.. That "wasn't the problem" .. So I tried changing the MTF, which HELPED for a WHILE... Then it started again.. couldn't shift 1st to 2nd in high rpm's.. (after 5.8K rpm)..
So one day, an accident happened!
I shift w/o PUSHING the clutch all the way down.. Like leaving 1" from the floor..
And it worked.. Somehow it doesn't grind or get stuck if you DON'T push the CLUTCH ALL THE way down.. I know it'll wear the clutch, but looks like IT "engages" better.
Remember - leave it .5 - 1" from the floor :)

Give it a shot.. and tell me the results :)

you do know if that is the case then there may be an issue with the syncros in the tranny.