Fixing the intermittent grind

Lust

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where did you get the modded CMC? Link would be good too.
It’s all word of mouth but if you hit up k20z3allmotor on Instagram, he’s the guy that sells them.
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where did you get the modded CMC? Link would be good too.
I'm doing mine and for other R also, I'll let you know if I feel any improvement.
 

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After installing a modified CMC and doing the pedal adjustment, my shifts for the most part have been pretty effortless without any grinds or notchy shifts
Couldn't help but pick up on this nuance.

Mind elaborating on what's keeping the shifts from being effortless all the time?
 

Lust

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Couldn't help but pick up on this nuance.

Mind elaborating on what's keeping the shifts from being effortless all the time?
I’ll still have random notchy shifts into 5th gear. I might have to bleed my clutch as I suspect I have air in the system. Changing out the fluid to something like AC Delco synchromesh might help too.
 

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I’ll still have random notchy shifts into 5th gear. I might have to bleed my clutch as I suspect I have air in the system. Changing out the fluid to something like AC Delco synchromesh might help too.
Interesting. It's never smooth for me going into 5th. Like ever.
 


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Interesting. It's never smooth for me going into 5th. Like ever.
Before the modified CMC and adjustment, 5th gear would always crunch. Now it only does it once in a while. I don’t even need to think about shifting into 2nd gear. The shifter easily slides out of 1st and wants to go into 2nd with no effort. Shifting into 2nd gear used to require a lot of effort and sometimes I could feel the synchros working
 

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I just wanted to give an update on my grinding issue. Back in September, I had the dealer adjust the CMC which helped the 1st to 2nd shift, it went into gear a lot smoother but I would still get the grind from 3rd to 2nd. After that, I had the transmission oil changed at the dealer with factory oil. I did this so just in case if I had a warranty claim it shows that I'm going through the process. Well.. since then I haven't had any grinds or even felt of a close call of one. I think as a start if you are having grinding issues at least change the oil first and see. In my research on this issue, I have found some possible culprits; the tranny oil that was filled at the factory was either not the right kind (too thin), or filled with the right quantity of oil. I know now that even with the tranny oil being changed even with factory oil that the shifter is a lot stiffer and needs a tad more effort to get into gear giving it more projection against the synchros.
 

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I’ll still have random notchy shifts into 5th gear. I might have to bleed my clutch as I suspect I have air in the system. Changing out the fluid to something like AC Delco synchromesh might help too.
With the modified CMC, how much extra effort is required to push in the clutch relative to stock?
 

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With the modified CMC, how much extra effort is required to push in the clutch relative to stock?
The modified cmc feels very similar to stock. After a few days you won’t notice that it’s any heavier.
 

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The modified cmc feels very similar to stock. After a few days you won’t notice that it’s any heavier.
That’s great to hear. Did you have to drop the subframe to install the modified CMC? I’m planning on installing rigid subframe collars, and they’re one time use, so I want to make sure that the subframe won’t need to be dropped again.
 


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That’s great to hear. Did you have to drop the subframe to install the modified CMC? I’m planning on installing rigid subframe collars, and they’re one time use, so I want to make sure that the subframe won’t need to be dropped again.
you won’t need to drop the subframe. The cmc is behind the battery.
 

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I just wanted to give an update on my grinding issue. Back in September, I had the dealer adjust the CMC which helped the 1st to 2nd shift, it went into gear a lot smoother but I would still get the grind from 3rd to 2nd. After that, I had the transmission oil changed at the dealer with factory oil. I did this so just in case if I had a warranty claim it shows that I'm going through the process. Well.. since then I haven't had any grinds or even felt of a close call of one. I think as a start if you are having grinding issues at least change the oil first and see. In my research on this issue, I have found some possible culprits; the tranny oil that was filled at the factory was either not the right kind (too thin), or filled with the right quantity of oil. I know now that even with the tranny oil being changed even with factory oil that the shifter is a lot stiffer and needs a tad more effort to get into gear giving it more projection against the synchros.

Changing the oil is a great idea. Honda states the trans is "tight" from the factory and needs to be broken in to smooth it out, this implies that you will have some metal shavings in the trans as it's broken in. and if the tolerances are that close, than any metal would likely cause some problem. I changed my oil with my first oil change. I still have no grinding. And I can honestly say the shifting is smoother with having changed the trans fluid. Granted I did go with OE fluids, nothing special, because I wanted to see if I could feel any difference in shifting, and I did. I am aware of the valve limiting the flow of fluid through the CMC, and I must add my EVO had this, and still does have this. I kinda solved the problem is the EVO by changing all clutch lines with braided metal lines, all bushings, hell everything - eventually even the trans, Tc, diff, trans mounts, diff mounts, driveshaft, all to remove lash AND lag in the system, but in the end i still ha to deal with the center diff which also has a valve delaying clutch engagement - and the only way i can defeat it it to disengage the clutch to the point that any release of the clutch pedal causes the clutch to grab - i don't give the valve the opportunity to work.
I don't know if this will help you guys, all things considered my EVO's 6 speed is still factory original, though it's sitting on my garage floor because I went with a 5 speed for drag, i'll be honest, the honda still shifts better than my EVO. ALL DAY LONG. Up side, my EVO never ground a gear, not that my honda has, but I am worried one day it will, especially when I read motortrend and other magainzes had grinding issues.

Wonder when we will have trans upgrades available.....I'm not surprised that we don't this platform has only been around (here in the US) since 2017, but I really would have though some company would have stepped up by now.
 

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I know you there are going to be a lot of critics about what I’m going to recommend. But after 21 years as a professional automotive technician and some time of fabrication and 7 years of tuning and modifying I would never suggest something unsafe. EVER!!!
Changing the viscosity of a manual transmission has drastic affects in synchro operation. Go too thick it won’t shift when it’s cold go to thin it grinds and wears out prematurely.
It was obvious Honda went too thin for their synchro design. I’ve come up with a solution that keeps feel closer to stock but smoother.
There are 3 mixtures that work
1. 1.5 qts amsoil Honda certified .5 qt Lucas transmission
Firmer shift no lockout. Slightly more pressure to engage gear. Higher film strength than stock.
2. 1.5 qts torco racing mtf gl-5. .5 qts of Lucas transmission.
Firmest shift but better film strength. Higher wear protection. Than method 1
3. 1.5 qts torco racing mtf gl-5 .5qts lucas trans 2ounces of Liqui Moly cera tec
This has closest to stock feeling due the decreased friction of cera tec. Highest protection due to cera tec creates ceramic barrier on high pressure contact areas. Absorbs into metal leaving long lasting protection.
Most engines now have some type of coating on cam shafts or other engine parts often being ceramic. Yes that’s more effective than additives but there’s no doubt this has helped a lot.
It will NOT affect the limited slip differential like typical clutch style as it is a Torsten style and works under gear meshing not clutches.

If your worried about warranty then just use 2 qts of amsoil. It’s better than the Honda fluid and certified but really isn’t much of an improvement at all by itself.
I personally do not use additives often at all. With engine oil is sooner change oil more often than out additives in. But this issue with transmission on hot days and random 1-2 grinds was driving me nuts. This transmission was already replaced.
I had already done acuity bushing and shifter selector upgrade to little avail.
If you don’t agree with this please just don’t comment. I’m not going to listen to people who have less than 1/10th the actual experience I have. This is for people who want the best help as there is no real solution until an upgraded synchro design is made. Unless you want to buy a 10k racing transmission.
Hi! I just wanna test your mix solution , could you give me the link of the oils ?

regards
 

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Why is no one using AC Delco Synchromesh Friction Modified for their transmission? This is the holy grail of transmission fluids in ANY Honda manual transmission. It's been used in every single manual Honda that has been produced to date (replaced by owners, that is), across countless car forums with never a bad result coming up (unless the transmission was already too heavily damaged to be fixed with a fluid change).

The fluid used to be called GM Synchromesh Friction Modified, or GMSMFM for short. The fluid is now produced by AC Delco, a parts manufacturer for GM. It is the exact same fluid, just a different label on the bottle.

This. Stuff. Works. For. Grinds.

I'm not saying Amsoil or any other fluid doesn't work, but GMSMFM has been used for 2 decades in various Honda transmissions and has been backed by thousands of owners over the years. Civics, Integras, TSXs, TLs, S2000s, NSXs, you name it. You can't get more anecdotal evidence/data than the GMSMFM. Sure, Amsoil might be pretty good, but it's not as commonly used in the Honda world.

No mixing recipes. No 3/4s of product "A" and 1/4 product "B". Just straight up GMSMFM and that's it. IT MUST BE THE FRICTION MODIFIED FORMULA, THOUGH!

At least in my mind, there's no need fixing something that isn't broken. Why search for a new fluid when GMSMFM works wonders?

Just my 2 cents. Take it for what you will.
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