I was experiencing the 2nd gear grind when cold problem every morning. I finally took the car to Honda for a rebuild, and instead of taking the tranny apart, they simply changed the tranny fluid which (seems to have) solved the problem. Honda does know about this issue, but there is currently no fix for it. IE, changing the synchro won't stop the problem from coming back again. The reason this happens is because moisture builds up in the tranny case when the weather goes from warm(er) during the day, to really cold at night. Moisture in the tranny is bad obviously.
So for people up north like myself, Honda recommends changing the tranny fluid more frequently (twice during the winter) and letting your car warm up for a longer period of time.
The dealership did assure me however that if the problem came back sooner than later, they would replace the synchro. But I'm sick of replacing synchros on this car, so I hope the fluid change works.
Originally posted by ninja I was experiencing the 2nd gear grind when cold problem every morning. I finally took the car to Honda for a rebuild, and instead of taking the tranny apart, they simply changed the tranny fluid which (seems to have) solved the problem. Honda does know about this issue, but there is currently no fix for it. IE, changing the synchro won't stop the problem from coming back again. The reason this happens is because moisture builds up in the tranny case when the weather goes from warm(er) during the day, to really cold at night. Moisture in the tranny is bad obviously.
So for people up north like myself, Honda recommends changing the tranny fluid more frequently (twice during the winter) and letting your car warm up for a longer period of time.
The dealership did assure me however that if the problem came back sooner than later, they would replace the synchro. But I'm sick of replacing synchros on this car, so I hope the fluid change works.
the fluid change worked for about....hmmm...1 day...then back to the grinding I've gotten use to the fact that my car is a pos
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If it didn't rattle, would it be a Prelude??
Thanks for the info.. I'm going in to give the dealer a piece of my mind about the 1-2 grind when cold ("normal" my ass). Getting the transmission fluid changed all the time isn't going to be exactly a cheap long term solution. Sounds like I'll throw it on the work order when I get the oil changed this week though.. if it's moisture in the transmission however, then changing the fluid twice or three times in a short period should get rid of it, though.
I'm guessing this is an artifact of incredibly poor synchro design by Honda. My civic shifts like butter and I learned to drive stick on that car, AND I abused it heavily.. I don't even like shifting the lude normally ha. I don't get any 1-2 grind in the mornings if I let the rpms fall to idle before shifting 1-2. Double clutching does jack, which probably means that changing the synchro won't help, they're right.
Moisture WOULD explain why the problem is intermittant though. Right now I'm using that grind/glonk as a pleasant reminder that ~$6500 spent on FI and other upgrades might be better spent on a s2k downpayment.
Nobody knows for sure until someone tears down a transmission doing this and gets pictures, though. Might not be damaging anything.
Originally posted by xtal Moisture WOULD explain why the problem is intermittant though. Right now I'm using that grind/glonk as a pleasant reminder that ~$6500 spent on FI and other upgrades might be better spent on a s2k downpayment.
Nobody knows for sure until someone tears down a transmission doing this and gets pictures, though. Might not be damaging anything.
Steve
S2k's have just as many problems bro. The solution is to spend that $6500 as a downpayment on a non-Honda made vehicle.
Like my grandpappy said, "They don't make em like they used to". How true. Honda's are no longer reliable. I'll probably sell mine before year end. Too bad considering I just spend $$$ on a OEM skirt package.
*grin* I dunno. A friend has a s2k and most of the problems I have with the lude don't exist on the stook. Some of them have problems, but pretty much -any- car as problems. Honda just has statistically less than most - Honda lemons can and do exist, for sure. A few s2k's have completely blown motors.. ugh.. I'm hoping the bugs are worked out before I have the disposable income for an upgrade.
If you want problems.. talk to someone who owns a late-model Camaro SS or Corvette (and drives it everyday). Aside from the quirky transmission the lude has been pretty good to me. As it stands now, the s2k will be her replacement though .
www.s2ki.com is a decent site for getting a balanced picture of the issues with them.
S2k's have just as many problems bro. The solution is to spend that $6500 as a downpayment on a non-Honda made vehicle.
Like my grandpappy said, "They don't make em like they used to". How true. Honda's are no longer reliable. I'll probably sell mine before year end. Too bad considering I just spend $$$ on a OEM skirt package.
Honda's are no longer reliable??? You may want to rethink that statement. My 2nd gear grinds too while cold but i wouldnt throw the whole car away because of that. And 2nd, the great thing about Hondas is that you can drive them hard for 100,000 and they will hang in there, maybe have a couple small problems but will last. 75% of the other companies, mostly American, if you drive them hard for 20,000 miles, it will die. Honda has its problems, but its still the most reliable, affordable car on the market.
Honda's are no longer reliable??? You may want to rethink that statement. My 2nd gear grinds too while cold but i wouldnt throw the whole car away because of that. And 2nd, the great thing about Hondas is that you can drive them hard for 100,000 and they will hang in there, maybe have a couple small problems but will last. 75% of the other companies, mostly American, if you drive them hard for 20,000 miles, it will die. Honda has its problems, but its still the most reliable, affordable car on the market.
In the 9 months I've owned my Prelude, I've had the following problems...
- Two tranny rebuilds
- Bad shocks
- Brake "creak"
- Surging idle
- Car would sputter and die for no reason
Not only that, but there's more squeeks and rattles than I can shake a stick at. I only have 45,000km on the car so far. I've taken the Prelude to Honda about 10 times for warranty work, and the car has been off the road approximately two out of the nine months I've owned it.
Compare that to my 1990 Civic which logged over 500,000km between me and my father, with absolutely NO problems aside from wear and tear items (brake pads, etc).
Also keep in mind the numerous problems SS Prelude owners experience, and then factor in the same kind of auto tranny problems with the Odyssey. I know an Odyssey owner who has had the transmission replaced 3 times! Does that sound reliable to you? If it's more reliable than other car manufacturers, that's depressing. But you can't compare the Honda's of the late 80's/early 90's to the ones made today... there's just no comparison as far as reliability is concerned. I never heard of 3rd gen Preludes eating transmissions after being on the road for only a few years. It seems common with the 5th gens!
Originally posted by himiler For reference, I would sometimes get a "crunch" when hitting the 1-2 shift in both Integras I owned ('96 LS and '98 GS-R).
Really? In the four years I've owned my 5th gen I've never had to have any kind of work done on the car besides regular maintenance. the car has been smooooooth since day 1, and I drive the car pretty hard on a daily basis. My biggest complaint is the back end has a rattle when the car is cold that I can't track down.
At about 20,000 miles, I had a synchro problem... yes.. once the engine warmed up and had been driven for about 2 hours--the grinding would stop... I ended up taking my ride to the Honda dealer and they replaced the synchros. Now everything is fine even during the winter. Thank God for warranties...
--Sam
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I too have had mine for about 25,000 miles and no major work. You talk about all the times you have taken it in for warranties, over and over again. And you talk of someone you know of an Odessy that has many warranty issues, probably of the same area. My suggestion is your technicians may be the problem. Just because they work there doesn't mean they put effort into your car.
I know I am still down for HONDA
In the 9 months I've owned my Prelude, I've had the following problems...
- Two tranny rebuilds
- Bad shocks
- Brake "creak"
- Surging idle
- Car would sputter and die for no reason
Not only that, but there's more squeeks and rattles than I can shake a stick at. I only have 45,000km on the car so far. I've taken the Prelude to Honda about 10 times for warranty work, and the car has been off the road approximately two out of the nine months I've owned it.
Compare that to my 1990 Civic which logged over 500,000km between me and my father, with absolutely NO problems aside from wear and tear items (brake pads, etc).
Also keep in mind the numerous problems SS Prelude owners experience, and then factor in the same kind of auto tranny problems with the Odyssey. I know an Odyssey owner who has had the transmission replaced 3 times! Does that sound reliable to you? If it's more reliable than other car manufacturers, that's depressing. But you can't compare the Honda's of the late 80's/early 90's to the ones made today... there's just no comparison as far as reliability is concerned. I never heard of 3rd gen Preludes eating transmissions after being on the road for only a few years. It seems common with the 5th gens!
I should have been more specific....when i mean a Honda will outlast its competitors I meant as far as engine. I know SS owners have had numerous problems with "eating transmissions" but youve been the first ive seen with so many problems with the 5spd. As far as rattles, yes the Prelude is notorious for that. Other than that, the engine is still one the best. It will take abuse like no other and last forever. (unless you spray nitrous or turbo/super charge it). Im sorry dude but from what i gather you just got a lemon....i gaurantee if you ask 85% of the people on this board theyd say that they are satisfied with their car and would buy another one.
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I've gotten use to the fact that my car is a pos
You may want to rethink that statement. My 2nd gear grinds too while cold but i wouldnt throw the whole car away because of that. And 2nd, the great thing about Hondas is that you can drive them hard for 100,000 and they will hang in there, maybe have a couple small problems but will last. 75% of the other companies, mostly American, if you drive them hard for 20,000 miles, it will die. Honda has its problems, but its still the most reliable, affordable car on the market.
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