Rep Power: 320

On my 03 ex I have 24k miles and this probably started about 2 months or so ago (up until now it'd do it maybe once or twice a month - so I didn't think much of it, now its done it about 3 days in a row) and what it does is when the clutch is about 3/4 out it kinda slips/shutters while going in to 1st and 2nd, sometimes 3rd(but not near as bad as 1st/2nd). but this problem isn't 100% of the time, and sometimes it's worse than others. sometimes its so bad it will shake the whole car and it's relatively loud as well. Yesterday it did it, of course worse the lower the gear, but almost always in 1st and 2nd.. slightly in 3rd and it wasnt noticable in 4th and 5th. Today it only did it maybe 1/4 of the time.
(clutch fluid level is between min and max closer to max)

btw - the shutter reminds me of if you kill it by not giving it any gas, but I've been giving it plenty of gas when it does this. so thats not the problem of course.

I plan to take it in ASAP, anyone know what this problem is?

 
Rep Power: 0

i have an 02' ex 5 spd 55k, mine does the same thing, just give it a little more gas, and be a little gentler on the clutch, make sure you let it out smooth and dont "bang" gears

 
Rep Power: 320

I've tried, doesnt always help and im never that harsh on it, I have normal slip ups like anyone else but overall im about average on it..

its goin in on friday, I'll post up once I find out wuts goin on.

 
Rep Power: 0

I have the same exact problem, but only in first. I was actually just going to start a topic on this, and saw this one going. I only have 17k on my car... WTF!!! Any advise would be appreciated.

 
Rep Power: 305

yup, the same thing happens to my '02, but only from a dead stop going into first gear. this doesnt happen to my car often, but i find it doing this more when its warmer/hot outside. it almost never does it in the cold, or when the car isnt warmed up. i started a thread on this problem before but no one knew what the problem is. i think its just the clutch (damn honda). i think if we replaced the clutch then the problem will go away (because the shuddering feels like slippage). my friend's '02 and '03 doesnt do it.

lets face it, honda put a crappy tranny in the 7th gen. but i must say on my friend's '03, it shifts much much smoother and the clutch pedal is soooooo soft. but i think its because honda tweaked the tranny as the 7thgen got older and they fixed more of the problems.

 
Rep Power: 320

my dad's LX is an 02, with 60k+ on it, and his has never had this prob.

It feels like a clutch slip kinda prob to me too... and my prob is from dead stops too.

I first noticed this maybe 2-3months ago and it did it once or twice, recently its been atleast every couple days.

so good thing it'll b goin in friday.

 
Rep Power: 0

my 02 lx auto does it.....EVERYDAY from shifting 2nd to 3rd, pos honda...tranny scanner doesnt even show whats wrong with it so i can order the new parts and have it replaced......oh today i set a new record for "engine yells".....from 4,000 rpm it went up to 6,000 rpm and then it shifted.....before it would do it till 5 or 5.5 max.....now 6? i give it a few months before it blows

 
Rep Power: 320

...so my local dealer (Twin City - Champaign (Savoy, IL)) tells me that there are hot spots on it (I think the hot spots are said to be on the flywheel) because he told me to fix it completely I'd have to replace the clutch and flywheel. And the warranty supposedly doesn't cover it because this kinda thing is caused by "abuse," he said it's the same as brake pads(warranty wise), not covered.

any thoughts?

other than go aftermarket Im'a do some research, prolly see how it drives for a while and eventually take it in to a mechanic I trust.

note: I've had my share of grinds from time to time, but nothing super serious, I've been stuck in the snow once, I've spun tires trying to get up my driveway in the winter plenty... but is that seriously causing all this?

 
Rep Power: 0

I have the same problem. I've never really abused it, and its only got 69k (km) on it...
I first thought it only happined if I'd have 3 or more people in the car, but sometimes it does it with only me.
I've only had the car for 3 and a half months, and when it happens, it shakes the whole car PRETTY bad!

Keep us updated!

 
Rep Power: 302

It's caused by glaze or contamination on the clutch. It will usually wear itself off again, but if you are a good driver that can take a long time. The clutch has to wear past the problem before it engages without shuddering.

I had this twice on my old honda. Replaced the clutch like an idiot, only to have it happen again when I slipped the clutch too much. It shuddered for 6 months before the clutch wore smooth again. Since then, if it happens, I don't worry about it because I know what it is.

Hope that helps.

 
Rep Power: 0

So Tinman, its caused by slipping the clutch?
And its like a small warp on the clutch plate?

 
Rep Power: 278

Not exactly sure what it means by shutter, but I'm getting the point that is like a little rumble. Neways if Honda dont fix it, just drive it till you cant anymore.

 
Rep Power: 305

so is there any way of preventing this??? its happening to quite a few of us i'd say, and we (at least me) don't abuse the car.

lets say we're getting a new clutch put into our cars, will resurfacing the flywheel solve the problem?

 
Rep Power: 302

Usually, yes. Even a brand new flywheel can be slightly warped, so re-surfacing it makes it absolutely straight. The clutch on the Honda is so small, it's easy to glaze it, even if you drive normally. I average over 150,000 miles on a clutch and have glazed mine a few times. In contrast, my Nissan truck has such a big clutch that no matter how hard I ride it, it never shudders. I just replaced the original at 158K due to a bearing, and it was STILL good.

 
Rep Power: 812

hmm Aaron is a good manual driver imo. How much different do you need to drive? cause if thats causing it to go bad that fast, I think I would ruin a new one in a couple weeks. How do you avoid glazing it?

 
Rep Power: 302

Gearbox, it just happens. Maybe you slip the clutch a bit too much while parking in a difficult spot. I actually smoked my clutch having to back up into a tight space on a steep hill. Talk about scary! Damn Automatics have it easy.

Or you slip the clutch hard while taking off from a red light going up a steep hill because the ford SUV is sitting 1/16 of an inch behind you and you DON'T want to roll back a hair.

Can also be caused by contamination, a drop or two of oil... etc.

Small clutches do this much more often. It's similar to warping a brake rotor.

 
Rep Power: 0

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum, but have a question about my 03' LX manual. I am not sure if this is the same problem users are reporting in this thread, but for the last 8K or so miles, my tranny has been making low growling, almost mechanical sounding grind from the tranny. The interesting thing is that I can only hear this from 1-3K RPM in 1st and 2nd gears, you cannot hear it from 3rd to 5th. My transmission is not shifting rounghly at all, but I am not sure what this noise is. Overall this is a really good car, with 50K miles on it I have not been to the shop for anything other than regular maintanence. So any ideas would be helpful.

MT

 
Rep Power: 812

does it only make the noise when you push in the clutch? if so it could be the throwout bearing.

 
Rep Power: 0

Nope the noise does not happen when the clutch is pushed in, it happens after releasing the clutch and being fully in 1st or 2nd gear. The sound is really hard to describe unless you are actually in the vechicle, but its sounds almost like a mechanical grinding from the transmission. And it increases in sound with revving up 1st or 2nd gears until you cannot hear it over the engine noise between 3-4K RPM.

 
Rep Power: 320

thx, but actually i'd consider myself average or maybe a little rough.. i've shifted a little hard around 4/5k, but i never take off very fast.. i've grinded a couple gears, but i dont think its happened more than 3-4times in a year..

I really don't think I could have been much easier on it unless i shifted around 3k everytime, but I've driven my dad's manual 02 lx enough and it's never had a single problem.. I learned how to drive manual on his car too.

but I guess this is a common enough problem, has anyone had honda replace anything for them under warranty? (clutch and/or flywheel)

 
Rep Power: 812

hmm so does all this mean you don't have to replace it cause the same will happen to the new one? or is an aftermarket clutch more resistant to glazing?

 
Rep Power: 320

well like i said wut they told me was there are "hot spots," and im pretty sure they were saying its more of a problem with the flywheel? as soon as they informed me it wasnt covered i stopped listening, if i get this replaced, Beaumonts will do it. I dont reall trust Twin City, which is sad.

 
Rep Power: 302

Yes.... and No.

I wasted $300 to find this out years ago. Just don't worry about it.

 
Rep Power: 302

It's (regrettably) one of the bearings in the transmission. I had the exact same problem with my truck. It gradually got louder and I had to rebuild the tranny, but it's the same symptom. Loud in 1st, better in 2nd, and gets totally quiet by 4th and 5th. It shifted like butter, since it did not affect the syncros.

I'd try a fluid change first, maybe you can nurse the bearing a bit longer. I made another 30k or so before it got loud enough for me to get worried. The problem with the civic tranny is that the bearing cages are made of PLASTIC.
I could not believe it when I first heard that one. So if it suddenly gets louder, you MUST fix it right away or tear up the gearbox.

Yep, the 7th gens have crap trannies. A used one may be cheaper than rebuilding yours, though.
Although, If mine dies, I'll rebuild it myself and put proper bearings into it, NOT oem Honda plastic.

 
Rep Power: 0

TINMAN, what did you mean by...I wasted $300 to find this out years ago. Just don't worry about it.

 
Rep Power: 302

I replaced a clutch that was shuddering only to have the new clutch do it after a few months. It was a $300 waste.... since the first clutch was "OK". And the problem can come back. So don't waste your money. Let it shudder. It'll eventually wear smooth again.

 
Rep Power: 812

are aftermarket clutches more resistant to this?

 
Rep Power: 302

Possibly, Gearbox. A GOOD clutch disk, see harder material, probably is. The stock clutch is pretty soft, for the average driver.

 
Rep Power: 278

If and when replacing a clutch, what brand would you recommend for the stock?

 
Rep Power: 302

Can't remember the brand offhand. I'll get back to you on that. Been a while.
Although there is nothing wrong with the OEM part. For stock use.