Rep Power: 0

Hi all,

I have a 2001 civic LX sedan. I have more than 130,000 miles. However this problem started back at around 63,000 miles. After I would come to a stop at a light, I would be in neutral, then try to shift into first gear and it won't shift in sometimes. I have to push the stick in hard somtimes and try like at least a couple of times. I should have changed the transmission oil at 60,000 but did it at 65,000, 5000 above the scheduled maintenance. I changed the fluid again at 120,000 and for a while it was good. Always shifted into 1st then recently, started having problems shifting into first. Is there something wrong with first gear?

 
Rep Power: 380

Most likely not...

The problem probably comes from you being in nutural when you stop. See, you have two things going on here. one being that when the cars in nutural, the imput shaft is allowed to come to a stop, while the out put shaft (being esentially attached to the wheels) continues to spin untill the car comes to a stop. and here's where the problem starts. Since the imput shaft isnt spinning and the out put shaft is, it can allow the teeth on the collar (the part that you move when you shift that engages the gears attaching the imput shaft to the output shaft) to become miss aligned. Two quick things you can do to correct this... 1. while the car is in nutural, let out the clutch. Then engage the clutch and put it in to 1st. OR, you could try putting it in 2nd and then back in to 1st (I tend to do this one)

 
Rep Power: 359

option:
1. Make sure your floor mat isn't pushed up to far an interfering with pedal play. (My neuspeed mats do this.)
2. Push harder on the pedal
3. Adjust the pedal or have it adjusted.

 
Rep Power: 0

What I do is, when I see the redlight, I put it into neutral and just the let car coast for a bit, apply the brakes to slow down and come to a stop at the light, all while I'm in neutral. Light turns green, then try to put it in 1st gear and thats when sometimes, it won't go into 1st gear and I have to push several times to finally go in first gear. Sometimes, it's so bad that the car behind me starts honking cuz I'm not moving forward.

 
Rep Power: 277

Same thing happens to my first gear as well, but not all the time, I also run the shifter through 2 then 1 sometimes, maybe it helps a little bit. But when it doesnt go into 1, I quickly put it to 2 then back to 1, usually it works, but there are several times that it doesnt, or go back to neutral then to 1 again, and if that doesnt work...start off in 2 (did that once).

 
Rep Power: 0

This has happened to me once in a while. Actually, has happened in all my stick cars that i've owned.

Isn't it just somethign to do with the synchros? Quickly shifting to 2 then 1 ususally solves the problem.

 
Rep Power: 320

Sometimes my car does this when i go to put it into reverse. Takes a couple times to get it to fully engage.

 
Rep Power: 277

^^Yeah, that too, its annoying.

 
Rep Power: 359

Me too, I just keep a little force on the stick and let up on clutch alittle and it slips into reverse.

 
Rep Power: 302

MOLY!

All sticks do this to some degree. I always put a little Moly in every car I own/ed. Helps quite a bit. Moly is a super lubricant, and my 02 shifts like BUTTER. It used to stick. And I did change the fluid, but that never really helped.

 
Rep Power: 0

Where do I get Moly and once I get it, do I just pour into the the tube which takes the transmission oil? Or is it something the dealership or tranny people have to do?