It sounds like you would benefit from adjusting the cmc with more preload or buying e-man’s modified cmc. I would also recommend replacing the MTF with fresh OEM Honda MTF and ensure you fill to the correct spec.
Happens to me once in a while, 2000km on it so far. For me it had been happening only while a large acceleration, say going fast to ~4000-5000rpm in 1st gear and then quickly shifting into 2nd. I am still keeping my eye on it, because another thing that I noticed, at least mine, is that clutch likes to be pressed really down the floor. If it goes a millimeter less you feel that you are not fully disengaging the clutch discs. Also, another observation is going slow (some 5kmh or so) in neutral, try to press clutch and shift into 1st gear. Again, if clutch is not pressed all the way to the floor you get grinding while shifting. I don't know if that is expected behavior or not, though. What do you think?
I'm with you on when it happens. Both times it's been when I sped up quickly in 1st to go around a car and then shifted to 2nd. I really doubt the clutch thing. When it happened the first time, I thought my foot was lazy and I didn't use clutch correctly.. but I've had 6 manual cars in the last 20 years and never had this issue. Ever since the first crunch, I've been very sure to completely press clutch going into 2nd because the sound of the grind was so horrifying. So I know this 2nd time was not a 'clutch being fully engaged' issue. It is something inside the trans.
Just as a data point, my car has never had a grind. But my clutch engagement is way up higher than your description. I would say it's 65% of the way up when it is really engaging. The bottom third of travel is a comfortable no-engagement zone so it's a nice safety buffer when shifting.
That what I always used to feel that there is some 25% or so of the travelling of the clutch pedal is a safety zone. Interestingly enough, it acts so in my CTR when I am starting slow to regular, but it shows up (still observing and collecting statistics) only in fast start, like Z06Chris also confirms in his experience. It could have been a pedal thing, sure, but it must have been consistent, which is not the case for us, at least. Could be still that those to whom it is happening are not consistent with the pedal, but since we are aware of the problem, we start to always think before switch "did I press clutch far enough?"
Under what conditions do you feel notchyness? Is it fast start or more slow to regular? Also, what about the clutch pedal depressing depth?
BTW, Gansan, what about the slow cruising 2nd-to-1st shift type of test on yours? Once or twice it shortly ground when I was shifting in 1st. Again, blamed myself first, but I am pretty confident it wasn't me. Tried intentionally doing that couple of times more, cannot reproduce it.
When going into first, there's a bit of effort, like all manual transmissions. I don't do it very often, mainly in parking lots.BTW, Gansan, what about the slow cruising 2nd-to-1st shift type of test on yours? Once or twice it shortly ground when I was shifting in 1st. Again, blamed myself first, but I am pretty confident it wasn't me. Tried intentionally doing that couple of times more, cannot reproduce it.
