Quick Tranny Question

[Jason Wellman]

I did a tranny swap a few months and i got a new one from a junkyard. Normally i wouldnt really care about which one it is as long as the damn thing works. But ive started to get really annoyed with the lack of power in my 91 DX sedan and am thinking about a motor swap to another d series engine. I think teh tranny i got is from the CRX Si but im not really sure. Is there a way to tell which tranny it actually is?

[turtlecrxsi]

Not sure about markings but the si will ride at 2800-3000 rpms at 55mph in 5th gear.

[mellowboy]

I believe all of them are labeled L3 trans. I can't really remember whats the exact code for it. If you had a dx tranny before, if you think this tranny is an SI then you should be able to tell a big difference when its installed.

[Hybrid1990crx]

yeah all cable d trannys are L3 and then a bunch of #'s after but I'm not exactly sure what it is either for an Si trans. Easiest way to tell is what turtle said and see what rpm you cruise at in 5th.

[big tex84]

Ok i have a question then, My 89 base model has a d15 with a crx tranny, at 55 its rpms read between 2000 and 2300, does anyone know what tranny I have, ive been kinda curious about it myself, its geared long as hell it'll run up 65 mph in 2nd, where it hits the rev limiter

[Jason Wellman]

Thats about what it is on my tranny. I got it from a junk yard so i just never really figured it out. In first it tops out at 30, second tops out around 65, third around 90, and havent figured out the 4th gear. I couldnt really tell a difference when i swapped the tranny though because i had a ton of problems with the tranny i had before the swap and when i cracked the case open on the old one about 4 bearing just fell apart.

[sblkcamaro70]

i think it is a dx tranny because i through in an hf tranny and i redline in second gear at 80 miles per hour. that is with the gauge cluster that redlines at 7000 rpms but do you have the hf gauge cluster that redlines at 6000 r's? if you do maybe you have an hf tranny. if you have an hf tranny you will want to swap that out asap. i took my dx out for a hf for gas milage purposes (hf drops rpms nearly 50%) and i am actually getting worse mileage cus the motor doesn't have the power to pull it.

[Jason Wellman]

Well i actually have the stock gauge cluster and it does not have a tach on it. Im driving a 91 Civic DX Sedan. Do you know which gauge clusters would fit in there cause im really wanting to get a tach in my car but dont want to just bolt one up to the dash or anything like that. I want my car to look stock.

[sblkcamaro70]

anyone one i think would fit but you wont have the wiring set up to just bolt it in. my last post i meant to say i redline @6500 not 7000 just so if you are still trying to find out what tranny you have using mph and rpms

[Jason Wellman]

what all wiring would i have to change to be able to just bolt it in?

[CRXperiment]

You need either a 90-91 civic si or EX cluster or a CRX SI or HF cluster. This is a bolt in process and even though your car doesnt have a tach now, the new cluster will work and is already prewired for a tach. So no wiring is involved. Just make sure you get a 90-91 cluster since your car is a 91. Also the HF cluster redlines at like 5500 while all the others redline at 6500. Good luck

[Jason Wellman]

where would all the wires go then? not too car knowledgeable about cars yet. wanting to start learning though

[CRXperiment]

The wires dont go anywere... Its purely plug and play, you just clip the two wire harnesses in place and clip in the speedo cable and your done. Here is a writeup for it. http://www.fourthgenhatch.net/sigaugecluster.html

PS: i hope you havent cut up your harness already! Please do not try to modify the wires behind your guage cluster as there is no need to.

[big tex84]

yea simple, 2 plugs, and speedo cable, honda was lazy with the harnesses, and for the most part arent specific, for example, if you have the model without the dash clock, take the panel off where it would be and the plug for the clock is there, even though it didnt have a clock.

[FrodoGT]

Same for cars without tachs...plug one in and itll work.. Mazda was the same way, my friends truck had no tach..put on in and it works great.