Used transmissions, what to look for?

[piscorpio]

In my quest to do an auto to manual conversion, I will have to first find a manual transmission. Before you guys start to tell me how much work, how expensive, and how pointless such a conversion is....stop, thats not what this thread is about. What I was hoping to find out, how can I tell if the tranny Im buying is ok? If I go to pick up a transmission some guy is selling, what can I look for that might tip me off to problems? Keep in mind, the transmission is not in the car, so I couldnt just see how it runs.


I know this is kind of a lame topic, but any pointers would be appreciated!

BTW, tranny would be for d16y8 if it matters.

[rockerdude]

well, there's two part to the tranny, there's an internal part which you won't be able to determine if it's messed up unless open it or you have a ear for hearing, but the outer part of the tranny which cover up the clutch is viewable. Just make sure there's no dent or any sort of strange things. I just replace my 97 d16y7 tranny with a 2000 one and it looks pretty much the same from the outside but my 97 tranny is messed up internally.

[piscorpio]

Right, its just hard to know if Im getting a good transmission or not without opening one up. I guess I have to be able to trust the person I buy from.

[ivymike1031]

alternatively, you could pick up a tranny from a shop / junk yard with a limited-period exchange policy. That way if you get a bum tranny, you can take it back in and exchange it.

[piscorpio]

theres an idea...

I found a guy selling a 00 ex tranny with about 40k on it, it just seems like a perfect fit, I dont know how many 00 ex trannies Id find in the junkyard, do you think it would be easier than Im thinking?

[rockerdude]

you say 40k on a 2000, that's alot of miles for a newer model civic. My 2000 tranny had only 5K on it and my old tranny had only 79K. I think you should go to check some out at the junkyard. Once you do that conversion, fixing manual tranny will be more easier because all you have to do for a MT tranny is replace parts that's messed up unlike auto tranny which you have to rebuld the entire thing.

[ivymike1031]

these guys might have something for you: http://www.haprecycling.com/inquiry-...nda_civic.html

I don't think you're likely to find anything newer than about '94 at a u-pull-it type junk yard, but some of the specialized yards might have something.

[piscorpio]

Thanks for the input guys. Just to update, tranny had 35,000 miles, so I guess it is a bit high, but then again my 00 has over 22,000 and I bought it new in 2001.

Ivymike: thanks for the link, that place seems to have a bunch of OEM stuff, and I assume its new or rebuilt?? Only drawback, its expensive as shit, an auto to manual conversion for me would cost $1700. No way I would pay that much sourcing parts on my own.

Thanks for the help anyway guys, hopefully I can find a good deal someplace.

[ivymike1031]

HAP is a honda/acura salvage yard... I had no idea that they'd charge that much for the parts. I got a used (but cleaned, painted, and warranted) radiator from them a year ago, and it was a good deal.

Back when I lived in Sacto, I'd drop by one of the other yards on their street for Jeep parts (there's a whole street of specialized yards in Rancho Cordova, HAP is one of them).

[piscorpio]

So its just a junkyard too? Why the hell do they charge so much!?!?
Thats dissappointing.

[rockerdude]

don't buy from HAP, those guys are idiot, my bro bought a 90 crx cluster because he wanted a tachometer for his HF and they sent a HF cluster for a ridiculous price, their shipping price isn't cheap either and they also work real slow, my bro then get his cluster until a month later and the funny thing is, HAP is located in Cali and we live in Cali. Just go browsing at the junkyard in your area or find someone selling one for a good price.