CRX HF Transmission Rebuild

[MetroMPG]

cool thread, dax, thanks for posting the pics.

it sort of de-mystifies the transmission, which i've always viewed as a kind of magical box (i know i shouldn't have that perspective - i've rebuilt a couple of engines, but still).

on a side note - i confirmed on the teamswift site that the taller 4-cyl metro/swift tranny is a direct swap into the 3-cyl metros. however, someone piped up with 3rd hand information that the lack of torque in the 3-pot made the taller 5th gear all but unusable (based on someone having tried it).

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by DaX

Throwout bearing removes by hand...very easy and you don't even have to open the transmission case. I'm going to document that, but I haven't gotten that far yet.

Yeah, take some general pictures of your transmission and I'll tell you what I think. Are you installing an HF transmission as well?

I'll take a few pictures. My new tranny is going ot be a HF as well. I have no experience with transmissions, etc. The transmission is just sitting on my garage floor (has been for months now). I'm not going to open it or attempt to rebuild anything.

I'm honestly scared of the day I have to change the VSS over from my DX to the HF tranny. I'm just scared I'm going to drop something in the transmission and kill it.

[GasSavers_DaX]

Metro - I know how you feel. Currently, the only thing left on a Honda that I think of as a 'black box' is an automatic transmission, and I hope to conquer that one day too. I used to feel this way about manual trannies, then my VX tranny broke so I took it apart. Now I've rebuilt about 10 Honda manual trannies.

Krous - The HF and DX trannies are similar in that they are interchangable [though some DX trannies are hydraulic, while all HF trannies are cable]. The CRX HF gears are:

1 3.250
2 1.650
3 1.033
4 0.823
5 0.694
R 3.153
FD 2.95 (non-California model)

I'm going to confirm this when I count the teeth on my gearsets. A DX box has the following ratios:

1 3.250
2 1.762
3 1.172
4 0.909
5 0.702
R 3.153
FD 4.058

If you're interested in swapping ratios, a Civic VX has pretty good ratios, as follows:

1 3.250
2 1.761
3 1.066
4 0.853
5 0.702
R 3.153
FD 3.25 (same as CRX HF California model)

Lowering your FD ratio or putting in a lower 5th for cruising will yield the best results if you don't want to swap the whole transmission.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by DaX

Lowering your FD ratio or putting in a lower 5th for cruising will yield the best results if you don't want to swap the whole transmission.

Not to mention that swapping 5th gears is typically very easy, correct?

[GasSavers_DaX]

I would say it's cake. I mean, you still have to remove the countershaft nut and pull the two end bearings to get the gear off the countershaft. To get the gear off the mainshaft you pull a bearing then a synchro hub and you're there. It's easy with the right tools.

The strange thing is, every B-series transmission I've worked on, I've never needed a puller to break down the shafts...the disassemble by hand. All D-series trannies have interference fit components.

[SVOboy]

You are soooooooooo cool. Definately the king of the DIY write up,

I wish I had the tools and **** so I could do it for fun, not that I have the money,

[GasSavers_DaX]

Well I finished the rebuild today. Sorry, no more pictures of the rebuild...I didn't have my camera with me.

I visited my friends shop and got to use his 30 ton press to press the new bearings onto the differential and countershaft. I've definately got to invest in a press...it made it SO easy. After that I installed the new counter shaft nut, staked it, and installed the gear sets into the transmission. After that it's a cinch to button everything up.

I counted all gear teeth and confirmed that my gear ratios are:

1 3.250
2 1.650
3 1.033
4 0.823
5 0.694
R 3.153
FD 2.95

I'll start another thread in a few weeks after I do my 5-speed conversion.

[Compaq888]

nice. your last gear is the same as mine. But you have the advantage of using it any time you want. I don't.

[SVOboy]

I'll start another thread in a few weeks after I do my 5-speed conversion.

Will this be a DIY? Like the pedals? No one does a really comprehensive auto to manual for EFs,

[GasSavers_DaX]

In that case, then yes, I'll make it a DIY, complete with photos.