K20a tranny problems

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Mooky_Stank

Hatchback Lover
Well howdy everybody, it's been awhile since I posted on this site. The last time I posted I was going through a d15 to b16 swap on my 94 CX, but since then I have driven that car for a few fun miles and then totaled it.
After the wreck I purchased a 2004 Honda Civic Si Hatch with the K20 on it from a friend. It has Injen cold air intake, aluminum headers (I'm not sure what brand right now), and an Apexi catback exhaust system. Unfortunately I cannot fully enjoy my new car because of a few problems. The main problem I am having is possibly a synchronizer ring in the tranny between 2nd and 3rd gear. If you try to hardshift at all it grinds the gear when going into 3rd. Not a long and drawn out grind just a quick chirp to let you kjnow that something is fucked up. Now the guy that I bought this from has been my friend for a long time. I knew that he had driven this car fairly hard, but he I also know that he took it in for its routine maintenance whenever it needed it. But when this problem started he took it to Honda, they said a price that he wasn't interested in and he decided that it wasn't that important. Well knowing all this and going on his good word that it wouldn't be an imminent problem I went ahead and bought the car. And now after months of my mother and younger brother driving my car (no license after wreck) the grinding happens everytime if you do not let the rpms drop to at least below 3k and sort of let the shifter fall into third.
I just want to know if anyone has any advice, I can't find this part online, but I don't know all the right places to look. I know that if I take it to Honda or a transmission specialist (which most are crooks in our town) I'll probably end up paying out the ass for the piece let alone the labor to go into the damn tranny.
Also I read about Redline MTL tranny oil and wondered if something like that could help the problem. I figure that all of this probably stems from the tranny oil not being changed often enough, despite hard driving and racing. Also I had heard someone say one time that the tranny in the k20s are all computer controlled now, so I didn't know if that could play into the equation some how and that maybe the timing between those gears is messed up or something.
I don't know, I just need any help that I can get with this. I am a full time student, and I'm trying to pay off this car at the same time so I don't have alot of extra cash to take to asshole mechanics who could give two shits about your little import car.
Thanks, and I appreciate any help that can be offered.
 
For you honda techs who aren't interested in all of the extra stuff in my above story it breaks down to this.
Possible synchronizer ring failure between 2nd and 3rd gear and sometimes 1st to 2nd (i forgot to mention that before). When I first got the car it only did it at high rpms and only if you were really hardshifting. Now after a few months it does it every time unless you let the rpms drop below 3k rpms. Wanted to know if this is a really bad problem and if there's anything I can do beside going to a mechanic.
 
k-tranny 3rd gear curse. K trannys have 3rd gear problems. Google it "obviously" and you should come along a thread where they describe in detail the causes and effects. Off the top of my head, I believe you had either the easy way (reflush the tranny fluid with Honda MSF) or the hard way (replace the syncs between 2nd and 3rd and actual 3rd gear ring itself).

Hope it helps.
 
ya i had the same problom in my 05 si i toke it to honda they they replaced 2ed to 3rd syc 3rd it self and had to replace 3rd gear compltely that was about 3-4yrs ago have not had a prob since then and i drive my si hard every day if u have it done by a pro its now under some kind of warranty or get us after market covering thats what paid for my tranny and u have no copay and take it anywhere that is asc certafied honda or what ever shop u want
 
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