Tranny Rebuild

[paulkramer]

Well, I finally found a dealer who agreed that there was a problem with my transmission ('02 5 speed).

Only the third dealer I have taken it to for this 2nd gear grind issue, and only 20 miles before the warranty was set to expire! I almost didn't take it in, expecting the same results (definition of insanity).

I am relieved somewhat but also afraid that the damn thing will start grinding again soon if they haven't made some changes to the design of the replacement parts.

I have to admit, other than the 100 mile each way trip to the dealer and the two prior dismissals, this is less painful than many previous car problems. They are finally fixing it under warranty and they gave me a practically brand new TSX to use in the interim. Taking a car in for service used to freak me out - nobody else I ever dealt with provided a free loaner car and arranging for alternate transportation was always a nightmare.

[mason_RsX]

You got a TSX loaner? man run that into the ground!

[paulkramer]

Originally Posted by mason_RsX

You got a TSX loaner? man run that into the ground!

Sure, sure. Man, that TSX sucks down fuel! I thought a 2.4 I4 would be gentler on gas, but it's as bad (maybe worse than) as my old Oldsmobile Intrigue with a 3.5 V6!! Plus it requires 91 minimum octane fuel!

Must say that the ride is spoiling me.......SO much smoother than the RSX, even better than that big soft Oldsmobile! Quieter than both too. Not very sporting with the automatic - it is hardly ever in first gear unless I really stand on it.

Nice car though - except for the damn doors. Unless they are opened ALL the way (and it's a long way, almost perpendicular to the body) they always want to close on my knees. There is supposedly a detent in the middle open position, but it doesn't work worth a s...

[RSX-S777]

Pff, TSX. You know you wanted a Ford Taurus...

[paulkramer]

Originally Posted by RSX-S777

Pff, TSX. You know you wanted a Ford Taurus...

Oh, how did you know!? I begged and pleaded with them for a Taurus or a Lumina but all they had was this TSX!

Funny you should mention Taurus - I drove a state owned Taurus the other day with about 60K miles - WHOA!! What a POS! And I had just driven my boss' Camry with about 120K miles and couldn't believe the Taurus was so much worse with fewer miles.

Of course, the Taurus is a state vehicle that gets pounded on, but so does my boss' Camry.

[mason_RsX]

Well I want a Mustang...right S777


goooo Mustang

[paulkramer]

Why? Does somebody else build the Mustang for Ford? Cause if it's built by the same people that build the Taurus..........

[RSX-S777]

If only you'd told me earlier Mas, I would have sold you mine. It ran and everything...mmmm....delicious Mustang.

The Mustang is just the Taurus' older brother. You know, the insecure one with acne and a bad teenage guido mustache who masturbates compulsively and smokes Marlboro Lights.

[paulkramer]

Masturbates compulsively?! Maybe I should be driving..........never mind.

Well the Acura service advisor who took my car three and a half weeks ago called to tell me that the gears have finally arrived and they are actually finally working on my car.

Thank GOD Acura gives free loaner cars!!

[paulkramer]

Well, I finally got my car back. Drove 80 miles each way to the dealership this morning in the Siberian windstorm.

The dealer replaced a bunch of gears, synchros and 1-2 fork. The mechanic showed me the parts and I had to look pretty closely to see any sign of wear, but then again, they are small. The synchros are about 1" wide!

It felt great all the way home, mostly freeway driving, not much shifting. They got rid of 80% of the IP rattles too.

Then at lunchtime, I hear a little grinding. Not sure if I'm shifting too fast - I have been driving an automatic TSX for a damn month now while waiting for the slow boat from Japan to deliver the parts for my tranny, so maybe I need to pay a little more attention to my shifting.

One thing I'm sure of, my door didn't rub against my front fender before I took it in for this service but it sure does now!!

ARGHH!!!!!!!

[RSX-S777]

Congrats on the shiny new tranny. Did the guy remove the door for some reason? Trying to figure out why you'd have rubbing.

And what happens next if you still get the grind?

[paulkramer]

Originally Posted by RSX-S777

Congrats on the shiny new tranny. Did the guy remove the door for some reason? Trying to figure out why you'd have rubbing.

And what happens next if you still get the grind?

Thanks for the congrats.

It does look as though they removed the fender - there is some grease around the upper aft attaching screw that I never noticed before as well as some greasy stuff on the outside of the fender near the A pillar, as if they rubbed some off their hands while doing something in that area.

They also worked on removing rattles from the IP and they cleaned and aligned the window because I told them it was rattling sometimes (grinding kind of noise). No idea why they would remove the fender or anything other than the inner door panel for those repairs.

It did grind this morning and I was pretty sure I had the clutch pedal to the floor. I don't know what to do now. I really like the car, though the rough ride and balky transmission are pretty hard to accept after driving an auto TSX for a month. The roads are really in bad shape here in Michigan, and traffic in the city is a pain with a stickshift. People are always crawling up your butt. What is the percentage of people with automatics, about 98? - which means everyone drives (and assumes everyone else will drive) like they have an automatic.

As for transmission woes, apparently automatics have become more reliable than manuals. Overwhelmingly cars are built with automatics, so naturally the manufacturers have spent more R&D on them.

Well, I'll be calling the dealer on Monday to tell him about the door and the tranny. Guess I'll wait to hear what they have to say.

Maybe the wife was right - should have bought an automatic Toyota or Honda............sad.....

[RSX-S777]

Rule 1: The wife is always right

Rule 2: Well, you know...

Good luck, Paul.

[paulkramer]

Originally Posted by RSX-S777

Rule 1: The wife is always right

Rule 2: Well, you know...

Good luck, Paul.

Thanks......

Yeah, but she likes her Corolla S, with that cheap-ass body kit and big boxy spoiler.........I considered a Celica, but the styling......yuck! Same for all the other Toyotas and Hondas.

Actually, I drove it around some more today and it hasn't ground (grinded?) again. It's just so weird. If I never had to drive it in cold weather.........I even bought a cheapo strap-on seat warmer (one for me and one for the wife) for $20. It's even toastier than the built-in ones, since the heat doesn't have to pass through the upholstery to get to my butt!

I love this car when it doesn't act up - like the wife.

[mmont0]

Originally Posted by RSX-S777

Rule 1: The wife is always right

Rule 2: Well, you know...

Good luck, Paul.

Actually, the wife is not ALWAYS right. She is human after all. Just revel at the times that she is wrong. Usually when she says anything about cars! Never admit to her that she might have been right about the automatic. Then she'll really have a superiority complex. You've always liked a manual and would never in a million years buy an automatic.

Rule 1: What's hers is hers
Rule 2: What's yours is ours
Rule 3: Never get divorced or what's yours will be HERS!

Hope this helps those single guys out there. I will never break these three rules!