Calling All Trans Experts... I need help bad!

[JakeDrummer]

ok guys I posted on here like a month ago about my tranny. didn't really get alot except "bad sincros" So i've tryed everything that I can do myself, such as changing fluid, bushings etc. My problem is this. When driving normally, and shifting below 5000 rpm my car is fine. But when I acctully want to enjoy my vtec and shift after I get over 5000 RPM I sometimes miss 2nd and am rewarded with a nice grind. This doesn't happen that often. Normally however, when i go from 2nd to 3rd gear I get a nasty grind as I stick it into 3rd. And then when I go from 3rd to 4th I get another grind, however its not as bad as 2nd to 3rd. I goes into gear, yet it grinds as its going in. My shifter feels very notchy and kinda crunchy. The linkage is fine I think however, I feel this notchyness is internal in the tranny. Like I said before up until 5000 RPM it shifts sorta hard, (as in hard shifter action) but it always goes into gear. After 5000 RPM it becomes hard to get it into gear (shifter action becomes stiffer and notchy, kinda almost poppy) and I get my grinds and miss shifts. I also have trouble downshifting to first gear... I can get it in until I'm down to about 10 mph.

To review:
Vehical
1994 Acura Integra GSR
B18C1 VTEC
Y20(??) 5spd Tranny
138,000 miles


Shifting Under 5000RPM
-Goes into gear without noise or grinds
-Firm shifter action, not smooth like the normal honda.
-Shifter kinda feels like it goes into gear half way, and then pops the rest of the way in. Yet I do not get a grind.
-1st to 2nd; firm and notchy, shifter feels alittle short almost
-2nd to 3rd; normal but sorta "poppy" in front of 3rd.
-3rd to 4th; hard, doesn't feel like i have enough shifter movement
-4th to 5th; lazy, kinda mooshy feeling

Shifting Over 5000RPM... Near 8000RPM redline anotherwords...
-Goes into gear with grinds as I upshift to the next gear
-Shift action gets harder, and really firm infront of a gear, you have to hold it hard in front of a gear and then it goes "pop" and drops into gear with a grind.
-1st to 2nd; have to be careful or else i miss
-2nd to 3rd; big grind infront of 3rd gear as it engades, shifter hard to move, kinda feels notchy.
-3rd to 4th; small grind infront of 4th as it engades, usually goes in, sometimes i miss.
4th to 5th; pops right in. (around 120 mph)

Clutch Condition
-Original Factor Clutch
-Still works great... can get chirps in 2nd and 3rd gear and do great burnouts in 1st.
-Pedal action is firm and normal
-Alittle squeak when you push down the pedal if you listen close.

Downshifting
-5th to 4th; normal
-4th to 3rd; alittle rough... firm shifter
-3rd to 2nd; kinda weird... it sits there and drops in all of a sudden, usually won't go into gear however
-2nd to 1st; will not downshift, unless the car is moving slower than 10mph. sometimes it feels like it "falls" into gear with a big grind like an old truck with a granny first.


I've had these responces from ppl.

-sycros bad
-clutch bad
-clutch throwout bearing bad
-shifter bushings bad
-tranny fluid bad
-clutch pedal freeplay


I had my best friend's dad drive the car. He is an ASE certified mechanic and his responce was that my shifter bushings were bad. So i changed them and it has gotten alittle better but its still terible and I can hardly drive the car. He said that he didn't think my tranny was bad since hondas are basicly bulletproof. He said that my throwout bearings were fine and that my clutch was solid.

So with all this said do you guys have any ideas? I need to get this fixed because I can hardly drive the car in traffic much less race at all or have any fun in it. thanks for your time.

[scallywag]

sounds like syncros. Honda tranny's arn't bulletproof, infact the syncros going out is pretty common, especially in 3rd gear. Mine has that problem in 3rd gear, and a friend of mine who has a b18c1 in his civic has the same problem. You are going to have to have your tranny re-built. I am not 100% posotive, but that really sounds like what it is. Sux, I have to have mine re-built also. Costs a pretty penny!

[Amish_kid]

Double clutch....God I can't believe I just said that but...I just got my car no more than a month ago and it does have the same problem with third gear and if you do double clutch it might be extra work but it is going to be easier on the syncros.

Might help a bit
http://www.g2ic.com/tegtips/driving/2.html

[Millzy]

I agree that your snchros is going. Just a second opinion. Mine's starting to do the same and I've already had my bushings replaced. As for down shitfting into first gear I don't think mines ever been too smooth into that, even when it was fairly new.

[JakeDrummer]

How much is a tranny rebuild? How much are syncros and could i put them in myself without to much trouble? thanks!

[tsugsr]

i doubt you could install them yourself unless you are an experienced mechanic, it involves dropping the tranny and rebuilding it basically.

[JakeDrummer]

i've rebuilt a couple car motors in the past. i'm too DIY to pay someone to rebuild my tranny

[DeleriousZ]

got any import wreckers around your place? i'm sure you could pick up a used one, bolt it on and as it may not run like new, it'd probably be much much better than your current one

[JakeDrummer]

yah there is some import junk yards around us... none with gsr's though... how much different is the LS or the B16 trannys for ratios? sorry... i know... search... but i'm lazy.

thanks again guys for your help.