Honda transmission problems

[Lead Shoes]

I have a 1997 civic d16y7 5 speed with 200k, It has a clutch that slips a lot, a bad input shaft bearing and a leaking rear main, I am planning to replace those things the 10th, today I was on my way to work with it, and it started making random sharp grinding noises at any rpm over idle when its in any gear, not a constant one, but a randomly occurring one. It was a noise that sounded like i was trying to shove it into a gear without pressing in the clutch all the way. Is it just a sign of the final days of my clutch?? is it bad for me to drive it until I get the clutch in later this week?? Or is it another bearing that's bad in the transmission?

Also there is a clicking noise that comes from the front end of the car that gets faster as the speed goes up, and intensifys when you left off the gas and coast, and something scrapes quite loud when i make a sharp left turn... so what does it all mean?

 

[Radman]

You are experienceing a major fail that will cost more to fix than the vehicle is worth. Sometimes you just need to shoot the horse even though you may be attached.

 

[Lead Shoes]

Nah I am not attached, but I need it to get to work... whats failing that's making it do the random grinds? a new low mileage 6th gen civic transmission is $200 and I'm not paying someone to do it so it wont cost me much at all..

 

[Astro14]

Since you're capable of doing the work (no labor cost), I would go for the tranny swap over trying to fix this thing...since the clutch is slipping, this could be caused by broken clutch parts inside the housing, but you need to get to work, right? So, since transmission parts alone will cost way over $200 and from the sound of things, this could be the trans coming apart...I would have the used tranny on hand and swap it in with the new clutch.

I would tear the old one down to see just what is going on, but that's to satisfy my curiosity...not because I would want to fix it...

 

[Lead Shoes]

it still shifts perfect it just makes that crazy grinding noise randomly when I'm driving... may uncle said it was another sign of the clutch dying..

im going to probably have to pay him 300 bucks to do it, I might have to work over time for the next few weeks..

 

[Astro14]

OK - if it still shifts perfectly...then maybe you've lucked out and it's only the clutch...pull the trans and have a look...

 

[TomYoung]

I think that your problem is a clutch that needs replaced, and that is not taking enough pressure of the transmission when shifting.

The clicking is a separate problem, and is a spent CV joint. Look underneath the car. A ripped CV joint boot will confirm this. This is more labor, as the cost of new half-shafts is pretty low.

 

[eljefino]

+3 on the clutch, you might have a finger that's broken or just banging around in there.

If you have to drive it between now and the clutch job (I wouldn't), rev-matching your shifting will help a little.

 

[Lead Shoes]

well you kinda have to take the CV shafts off to change the clutch so I suppose I will get those too. now the question is, replace both, or just do the one that's clicking?

Yeah, I just put fresh Honda MTF in there, I originally thought the trans was going to [censored] in a hand basket, but it shifts flawlessly after I poured out what ever the previous owner had in there.

Is it bad for the transmission to drive it while it is making these grinding noises?

 

[Lead Shoes]

I just re read the posts, you guys are thinking its grinding when I shift into gear, no its not, it shifts excellent, its just that in any gear even neutral, if I rev it up the engine it makes a scraping/grinding noise randomly at anything higher than idle, it will happen randomly even when I am going 60mph on the road.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Brenden
I just re read the posts, you guys are thinking its grinding when I shift into gear, no its not, it shifts excellent, its just that in any gear even neutral, if I rev it up the engine it makes a scraping/grinding noise randomly at anything higher than idle, it will happen randomly even when I am going 60mph on the road.


If you hear things in neutral then it is before it reaches the internal of the transmission. Something is hitting the flywheel when you rev the engine, or it is not the transmission (belt driven device? starter?)

If this is the case your transmission is probably fine. Check out the axles by monitoring the click when turning in circle.

 

[SLCraig]

I have been in your shoes, with my 96 Saturn.
I picked up a junkyard trans which was guaranteed to work, and a new clutch kit, all for less than $300, changed them both myself, and the car was like a new car.
While doing the clutch job I also put new axle seals in the donor trans and some Amsoil MTF.

If you are mechanical, don't fret it, just change out what needs to be changed, and move on. (I only bought the trans because it was very cheap and really low miles, there was nothing wrong with mine - The clutch was TOAST)

 

[Lead Shoes]

It is just a really random scrape/grind it happens with the clutch out or in, around like 3k rpms most of the time, i have no clue what the problem is..

I will probably go ahead and replace the clutch and cv's see what happens, I am going to take it to a mechanic and just ask him what he thinks is wrong just hear his opinion..

 

[onion]

I think there's a good chance that your clutch is coming apart. You might just have to tear it down and see what you find. If you find chunks of clutch that have been grinding on the flywhee, then you've found your noise. You might get away with just a clutch, and maybe pressure plate, throw-out bearing, and pilot bearing.

 

[Vikas]

Is the noise coming from transmission? If not, could it be the distributor bushing noise? I am amazed that Honda had this issue for decades

 

[Lead Shoes]

It happens quite randomly I doubt its something in the transmission rattling around, it would defiantly happen more often and not at 3000rpm, every time i bring the car to 3000 rpm it makes the noise, sometimes randomly at lower rpms... I'm so stumped.. I really doubt some of the clutch broke off, it still shifts great, just slips at high rpms.. nothing but that [censored] up noise...

It is quite hard to know where the noise is coming from over the noise of the input shaft bearing, ill have to get someone to push the clutch in and rev it up and see where its coming from

 

[Lead Shoes]

Update: The input shaft bearing completely feel apart and the shaft was just bouncing off the housing, wrecked the transmission case input shaft and about 70% of the bearings in the transmission, the random grinding noise I never found out, I am assuming it was the loose ball bearings touching moving gears... time for a used transmission I guess...