1997 Honda Civic Third Gear Grinding

HONDA CIVIC
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SIGLEY0527
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Hey, I have a Civic with a DOHC VTEC motor with low miles. At high rpms it grinds when I shift it into third gear. I know this is a syncro problem and I have to replace the syncros. Would anyone know how much a general shop would cost to do this? Labor and parts, I have know idea what I'm looking at here.
Dec 3, 2006 at 4:41 AM
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BRUCE HUNT
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I don't either. What year are we looking at? Have you thought about getting another tranny?
Dec 3, 2006 at 9:18 AM
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SIGLEY0527
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Well what I'm trying to figure out is if its worth getting the tranny fixed, or buying a new tranny. Were talking about a 97 civic with a 1.6L DOHC VTEC swap. Anything over 7 or 800$ is not worth it to me.
Dec 3, 2006 at 2:20 PM
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BRUCE HUNT
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You should be able to find a good used tranny someplace within driving distance on the internet. I would consider replacing it. I don't even know anyone around that repairs manual trannys. Everyone I ever called only worked on auto.

Good luck!
Dec 3, 2006 at 11:12 PM
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GARFIELD
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Troys honda parts in Tuscaloosa alabama is a good source for good used honda parts and are resonably priced and will ship to you.
Dec 4, 2006 at 1:26 PM
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Suggested Repair

Replace the manual transmission with a good used unit rather than rebuilding the third-gear synchros, especially if a shop repair would exceed about $700 to $800. Source a used Honda transmission from a reputable used-parts supplier that can ship.

Conversation Summary

The owner of a 1997 Honda Civic with a 1.6L DOHC VTEC swap reports grinding when shifting into third gear at high RPM and suspects worn synchros. They want to know whether a shop repair is worthwhile compared with buying another transmission, and say anything over $700 to $800 is not worth it. Experts recommend finding a good used transmission rather than a rebuild, noting that many shops only service automatics, and mention a used Honda parts source that ships.

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