I have got to be the worst driver in the world...or I have the worst luck in the world. I ONCE AGAIN need a new tranny for my 1.6. It was less than 5K ago that I installed the one that I got from a dismantler/salvager in the midwest (and I got ripped off, too). Now, 3 months and 2K after the warranty expires, it's going out on me. Similar problems to the last tranny, but not exactly the same. Before I fork over alot more $$ for another used junk-yard tranny, I want some input from the transmission experts out there. The first problem was obviously bad driving habits combined with a few other things. The spyder gears were munched on my diff. When I changed my clutch (still with the original trans.), the fluid I drained out was very thin stuff, maybe 40 wt at the most. My buddy and I were a little suprised, but I know alot of hondas use 30 or 40 weight in the transmission, so I didn't think twice about putting thin stuff back in there. 4K later, when my spyder gears blew out, I had some suspicions. I called various dealers and heard about 25 different answers about what kind of fluid to put in there, so I settled on 80 weight gear oil. Now this transmission makes horrible noises anytime the wheels are in motion in any gear, and in neutral, until I depress the clutch. I put the car in the air in Neutral and start it up, and the wheels spin slightly even though the car's not in gear. Sounds bad? The car I bought this transmission out of was smashed so bad, the bellhousing was cracked and the salvager had it soldered up at a machine shop. Did that contribute to it's failure? My mechanic says the shaft may have been ever so slightly bent and that would have thrown everything out of balance. It would make sense, because there has been alot of vibration at low rpm's with the new transmission, but I attributed that to the solid rubber #2 motor mount I made when I replaced the tranny. The transmission had no problems lining up perfectly with the motor, which I would find hard to happen if the shaft was bent. Basically what I need...

1)Should I waste my money on another junk yard tranny?
2)Why do they keep going out?
3)When I install a new one...what fluid should I use?

Sorry for the long post. I know I only come around when I have a problem, but this forum is the best (and the only one I hang around). I know there's some transmission experts floating around out there. Thanks again for the help!

 

i would have the tranny rebuilt at a transmission shop (if possible) then you know it is in like new condition. you never know the history of a junk yard part.
i would run redline MTL90 synthetic oil in it.

 

Did you change the fliud yourself? I could not find a reliable source of how much fluid to add, so I just took it to the dealer. Make sure you get enough fluid in!

Also, check you motor mounts. I lost my tranny once- similar to your description, and it turned out the source of the problem was completely worn out motormounts (at 42K miles!).

That junk tranny you got sounds really sketchy.. I would try to get a non-broken bellhousing, and have the tranny looked at, or rebuilt by a good mechanic.

 

The front motor mount was ripped apart when I changed the transmission the first time. I replaced it with a solid piece of rubber so it won't break again. I attributed that to my excess vibration at idle speed and low rpm's after I installed the junk yard tranny. It turns out the vibration was probably being caused by the bent shaft (if it is in fact bent). I filled the tranny fluid up to the top of the fill hole. It can't go any further than the hole that it fills from on the front side of the transmission. How did you fill yours? From the hole for the speedo sensor? The speedo sensor is actually the transmission dip-stick, although it's virtually impossible to get at once the transmission is intalled in the car. Maybe that hole isn't the fill hole that I used...but I have no idea why there would be a plug in the side of the transmission half way up for any other reason.

 

sounds like you filled it correctly...use the MT90 as previously stated....more than likely you can attribute the quick failure to a shoddy junkyard tranny.....honestly you shoulda had it looked at before installing it

 

Live and Learn I guess