Tricky Shifter - new 2018 Civic Manual

For you manual drivers of new cars: Have you experienced increased shifting "crunchiness"?


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Giltibo

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'18 Sport Touring 6MT here (38 000km). Shifts buttery smooth, just like its first day.
6MT > CVT any day!
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86salmon

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2018 Si with 20k miles. If anything, mine has gotten smoother. Only change I've made is shifter knob, which I do feel contributes to the difference
 

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Definite crunchiness here. Sometimes audible into 4th. Otherwise just a feeling. Another member worded it pretty well, feels like I'm pulling the shifter through gravel.

Sometimes it's relatively smooth. I've tried different rpms, methods of pushing and pulling the shifter, etc .

Got a 650g billetworkz knob on the way and will switch to synchromesh MT oil when doing my first oil change .

It really doesn't bother me much but did have me worried at first that there was something wrong with my synchros or something else in my car.
 

DarkLight

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-2.0 LX 6MT with 37k on the clock.

Shifts would crunch going into 2nd gear every now and then, but by 20k everything smoothed out. I drained/refilled the OE fluid and was running a weighted Boomba knob to help, but I didn’t need it anymore and reinstalled the stock knob.

The Acuity stage 2 kit helped, but overall, the 2nd gear crunch just seemed to vanish all by itself one day.
 

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I don't see the option but mine's gotten a lot better since I drove the car off the lot.
 


Oddwayne

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Warm climate or not, the fluid in your trans is not at full operating temp upon start up. So shifts are expected to be a little notchy. What rpm do you shift at and under what kind of loads? Are you fully depressing the clutch pedal before rowing gears? How much effort are you using to move the shifter?
Also the clutch system is self adjusting as it wears out. Unless you changed master cylinder or possibly swapped to a different clutch disk and pressure plate, you should not need to adjust the rod behind your clutch pedal. Since the dealer seemingly is blowing you off, why not adjust it yourself to confirm if that is the issue or not
 

CivicChina

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Mine at 30000km is amazingly smooth all the time, when it was brand new was a bit crunchy and sometimes 1st gear didn't engage at the first try. I definitely felt the shifter improving day by day and becoming more consistant especially after quick shifts at high revs. Everything stock and never taken apart, including knob.
 
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Starion

Starion

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Warm climate or not, the fluid in your trans is not at full operating temp upon start up. So shifts are expected to be a little notchy. What rpm do you shift at and under what kind of loads? Are you fully depressing the clutch pedal before rowing gears? How much effort are you using to move the shifter?
Also the clutch system is self adjusting as it wears out. Unless you changed master cylinder or possibly swapped to a different clutch disk and pressure plate, you should not need to adjust the rod behind your clutch pedal. Since the dealer seemingly is blowing you off, why not adjust it yourself to confirm if that is the issue or not
- I'm NOT power shifting, racing, or shifting while under load.
- Yes, pedal is fully pressed.
- I can shift slowly and it fits into next gear but there's definite resistance. If attempting to shift faster it binds even more, then "crunches" into gear. Clear strain on the shifter to do so...all of this regardless of driving or sitting still in neutral.
- Letting up pedal in neutral then pressing and going into same or next gear also binds/crunches. This tests centering of the synchros, so it seems to be a shifter or clutch pedal adjustment issue?
- Issue present since new. Still there now at 10k. I've not changed anything. I might, but don't want any warranty voiding.

I've owned 7 manual cars and driven tons of others. Stock to modded, including 3 shifters in one of them. This is the worst shift binding I've experienced, and the only brand new car. I'm aware that the pedal adjustment may be the issue, but the tech told me it was set to correct tolerance. I'll try to have them check it again. Sucks the Advisors brush this off.
 
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Zodd

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1.5t sport 6MT, i dont like shifter at all... sometimes butter smooth, most of the time some crunchines not audible... it is just not consistent
it is annoying and i dont like it, but most important for me is there is no damage (i hope) i drive only manuals for last 21 years, so that is not a problem
tried everything, now i wait between shift for like 0.3 sec...
will probably tell dealer to change MT oil next service :)
 
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Starion

Starion

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1.5t sport 6MT, i dont like shifter at all... sometimes butter smooth, most of the time some crunchines not audible... it is just not consistent
it is annoying and i dont like it, but most important for me is there is no damage (i hope) i drive only manuals for last 21 years, so that is not a problem
tried everything, now i wait between shift for like 0.3 sec...
will probably tell dealer to change MT oil next service :)
^ THIS. Yes. I have to pause at neutral between exiting a gear and entering the next. Annoying as hell. Crunches into a feeling of resistance in neutral, then into next gear.

Smoothness & fun of driving impact aside, I'm really worried about premature wear as this WILL wear something out much quicker than a smooth shift. Best case = shifter bushings. Worst case = transmission synchros & gears. Neither of which will be cheap.

Q: Have any of you solved this or seen dramatic improvement by putting in a short shifter w/ new bushings, etc? I hope to determine if it's a shifter issue or something else.
 


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Starion

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stocker is far more crunchy and stops between shifts (much worse) compared to:
85 Mustang LX 4 speed (one of worst Mustangs ever made IMO)
88 Mustang 5.0 (my Dad had 2. Put short shifter in one)
86 Plymouth Laser
88 Dodge Daytona Pacifica
87 Mitsubishi Starion (stock, short shifter, and LT1 trans swap w/ short shifter)
99 Kia Sephia (girlfriend's)
04 Saturn Ion 2
+ who countless others driven since license in 97.

It's not as bad as a truck or van requiring double shifting (letting up clutch in neutral to match synchros each shift), but kinda feels that way sometimes.
 
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Starion

Starion

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BUMP

Q: Do any of you have a Type R?

...and is that shifter okay, or binding/crunching also??
 

David Harper

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my 6mt shifter is very notchy IMO. sometimes when trying to shift fast from 2nd to 3rd it gets locked out of third gear which is infuriating.
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