jmason

I've got a 2005 Honda Civic LX with about 115,000 miles on it. It's a four-cylinder manual transmission. I got the car with 102,000 from a used dealer in February and loved it up until I started hearing a weird grinding noise. I took it in to get an oil change in June, and asked the guy about it. He said it didn't sound like a big deal. But since that time, it's gotten louder.

I had a buddy more mechanically inclined than I am take a listen and he suggested the input shaft bearing. Another friend of his confirmed that's basically what it is...and all the research I've done since suggests they're on the money. It's a growling noise that I can hear when the clutch is engaged(i.e. pedal not depressed). It doesn't make much of a noise in first or second. But when the RPMs increase, it creates quite a racket. Now by this point, I've probably put a good 5,000 miles on the car since first hearing the noise, including highway miles.

Now I'm looking to get it fixed, and it seems like it'll be at least $800. The question is, should I simply replace the transmission at this point. And if so, how quickly should I do it? The car doesn't seem to have any sort of leaks right now and pretty much sounds the same as it did back in late August. How many miles can you go on a bad input shaft bearing before a transmission is shot? The guy I spoke with at Honda seemed to think buying a new tranny was probably the cost-efficient way to go. But I simply find that hard to believe. Bearing parts sound like they cost about $20 or so.

Any thoughts here? I need to make some hard choices. Not to mention, the guy who will probably fix it won't be able to take it until Monday, at which point I will have probably racked up another 400-plus miles from work, unless I stop driving it altogether.

Any prompt advice would be well appreciated...

anibis

I have the same problem on my '05 EX, it started at 110k and I have driven about 12k (122k on car now) without it getting much worse. Mine is still pretty quiet, I have to have the radio off and windows up to hear it, it's worst between 1-2k rpm, over that the engine noise drowns it out.

I've read about people going a long time (years) on a noisy ISB before it starts getting really loud and shifting becomes difficult. Other times they go rather quickly, it varies. If it's a LOUD and nasty grinding noise I wouldn't go too long but you should be fine driving the weekend. If it's a whirr, like mine is, you can go longer.

I'm not replacing my trans, I'm going to replace the ISB and needle bearings on the main shaft and possibly the counter shaft bearings. These transmissions are tried & true technology, not much different than the 5th and 6th gen trans that will go 200k+ before needing a total rebuild, the ISB has always been a weak link though, it's just gotten worse in 7th gen's.

I bought my car new and have taken care of the gearbox, that's why I'm just replacing the bearings, that and a $200 dollar fix for clutch+bearings or $1000 for a new clutch+trans. If I had the money I'd buy a rebuilt ebay trans. Since you bought yours used you never know how the previous owner treated it.

Hows the shifting?

jmason

Wow. That sounds remarkably similar to my experience. It was probably around 110k that I started hearing it. Seemed to get worse over the course of a few weeks, but has since remained about the same. I took it on a 500 mile trip in late September, and that didn't seem to make it any worse.

That's the thing...shifting is fine. No problems at all. Just when it goes from second to third, the loud rattling starts(first gear, it typically doesn't rattle...and doesn't make a noise in second either until I get just about ready to shift to third). When I'm stopped at a light and not in gear, I can just barely hear the rattle. Like you said, it's more of a whir. I can barely notice it when I'm on the highway in fifth. It's a lot worse when I'm under 50 and in third or fourth gear.

The Honda guy is the one that freaked me out, since I don't want to end up buying a new clutch AND transmission because its such a mess. My buddy that first brought it up said screw it. Just make sure I have AAA so I can get it towed when it does go. But now that I'm talking to these mechanics, they're freaking me out.

anibis

Yeah I plan on driving mine for awhile longer, at least until the clutch starts to go or the ISB starts to sound nasty. I just want it to last until spring, I don't wanna be out in the garage for hours in Janurary freezing my butt off.

If you're gonna drive on it I'd change your trans fluid with Honda MTF if you haven't done that recently, very easy job, like an oil change. It may help quiet it down a bit. There's a thread in the DIY section on this site I do believe.

It is odd that the noise is loudest in 3rd and 4th. Most of the time it's loudest in 1st and 2nd, then tapers off in gears 3-5. I'm a bit stumped on that one, does it sound like an exhaust rattle?

The Honda guy just wants you to drop 3k on a new OEM transmission. You'd be lucky to get outta the dealer spending less than 4k.

Michael Siscar

Spread the word I have an 05 Honda Civic Manual transmission With the rattle noise that goes away When clutch is Press down on Replace the clutch throw out bearing and pilot bearing Noise is still there Issue is inside the transmission But I'm not sure Which bearings It is