Rep Power: 0

Hey guys. New here, and also recently purchased my first Honda, a '96 CX Civic.

Overall it's been good. I had to re-learn driving a stick, hadn't done it since I was a kid. First couple days were a handful of course, but then everything smoothed out and I've been fine.

But I still have a problem with the 1-2 shift. About... 6 times out of 10, it's a rough shift that jerks the car. It's not shifter-related, there's no grinding noise, the shifter slips into gear nicely enough, but when I let the clutch back up, I get a somewhat rough jerking feeling out of the engine.

This ONLY happens on the 1-2 shift. Every other shift is smooth as glass. Has anyone else experienced this? It's a fairly high mileage car, the motor mounts don't look SHOT but I suppose they could be worn enough... The only other thing I can think of as a broken spring on the clutch plate, but I would think I'd feel the problem with every other shift too.

Of course, it's always possible it's MY fault--if I conciously THINK about it, and very slowly and smoothly let up the clutch and get on the gas, I can usually get a smooth shift out of it--but if I do that I slow to a crawl during the shift and hold up traffic.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 
Rep Power: 243

Did you check the trans fluid? Could be low.

 
Rep Power: 204

LOL, practice, practice, practice!!!

I've been driving stick for......well...a long time ... my 99 dx is probably same setup as yours and I've never been a big fan of the clutch in mine...it's really vague (non-crisp) and it's very easy to get this car jerking between 1-2. The fact the car itself is feather light just adds to that touchyness. Generally for smooth 1 - 2 I just start putting my foot down on the gas as the clutch is coming up. Your hesitating when your doing that because you can't feel the clutch grabing but after awhile you'll learn to trust it/not care anymore.

EDIT: and don't rev it at all in 1st...2000 - 3000 rpm

 
Rep Power: 0

Try shifting at a Higher RPM. sounds like you may be Under shifting.

 
Rep Power: 0

I actually find that if I follow the directions in the owner's manual to the LETTER and shift at 23 (not 24!) km/h, and let the clutch up smoothly, it shifts nicely about 95% of the time.

But christ is that ever frustrating and slow to do!

 
Rep Power: 204

I do the same thing but I pull off the clutch (smoothly) in less then a second while stepping on the gas...

pratice,practice, pratice