sometimes hard going from 3rd to 2nd

i've got a 97 prelude.

ever since getting a new clutch a month ago sometimes it's hard to go from 3rd to 2nd. sometimes it slots into the gate smoothly, other times i gotta use a little more force.

going from 1st to 2nd is always fine and every other gear is fine...
the gear box was cleaned it seems when the clutch was changed.

my old clutch was screwed before i got the new clutch but back then even going into second gear was fine iirc.

what could have happened? is a link in the gear box loose somewhere?

Does it crunch when downshifting? could be synchros.

gearbox fluid low? shift linkage loose?

doesn't crunch..
just needs more force...once into second gear it's fine.
going from 1st to second is 100% fine. it's just half the time going from 3rd to second is hard.

i will have to check the fluid levels but i think it's fine.

Check your shift linkages. Could have been misaligned when the gearbox was taken out. I've seen this difficulty shifting in a DC2. No crunching, but it doesn't want to go into gear either.

Try rev matching, should help.

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Originally Posted by aaronng

Check your shift linkages. Could have been misaligned when the gearbox was taken out. I've seen this difficulty shifting in a DC2. No crunching, but it doesn't want to go into gear either.

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i guess that's something a mechanic has to do?
does this sound serious or could it just be a link problem?
does something need to be aligned/tightened?

i could be rolling in 3rd at 30-40kph down a small road and i want to go into second and it's hard.
or i could be rolling slowly in peak hour traffic in neutral and i want to go into second to move off and it takes some force to get it in.

stuff like that.

rev matching?
...i think it's okay when i rev match but i don't do it all the time...so i can't say that rev matching allows me to go from 3rd to second perfectly every time.

just about your rev synchronising and the speed that u are at when u are downshifting

when your cars off can you get from third to second easily?
if you can then it might just be driving style and as others said try rev matching to get it smoother on downshifts
otherwise the linkage may just be unaligned

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Originally Posted by migoreng

i guess that's something a mechanic has to do?
does this sound serious or could it just be a link problem?
does something need to be aligned/tightened?

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Yeah, a mechanic should be able to do it. BTW like vinny said, do you still get the 3rd to 2nd problem if you are stationary with the engine off? Any problem with 4th to 3rd?

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Originally Posted by aaronng

Yeah, a mechanic should be able to do it. BTW like vinny said, do you still get the 3rd to 2nd problem if you are stationary with the engine off? Any problem with 4th to 3rd?

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when the car is off or when i'm idling i can clutch in and go to any gear freely..3rd to second no problem...
it's only when the car is moving in 3rd and i want to go into second then it's sometimes hard.

it's definately not my driving style dude...

i drive a few manual cars and i've never had a prob...

moving around to other gears is fine..it's only going from 3rd to 2nd...i rarely try 4th to 2nd...

like i said before my clutch was changed i don't think i ever had this prob.
does it take long to check the linkages? lots of labour $$ or anything? :D
or i was thinking of taking it back to the mech but it's been over a month already...

they might say i screwed the gear box...but i have been too busy to take it back in the last few weeks.

probably not, should just be a pin and 3 bolts at the most

if its okay on idle and with the engine off i'd just put it down to the problem between the seat and the steering wheel

try rev matching while downshifting

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Originally Posted by vinnY

probably not, should just be a pin and 3 bolts at the most

if its okay on idle and with the engine off i'd just put it down to the problem between the seat and the steering wheel

try rev matching while downshifting

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prob with seat and steering wheel?? what you mean?

like i said i don't rev match all the time...sometimes i'm lazy..so i just want the 3rd-2nd shift to go smoothly like all the other gears...
anyways i'll get a mech to check the linkages.

cheers.

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Originally Posted by migoreng

when the car is off or when i'm idling i can clutch in and go to any gear freely..3rd to second no problem...
it's only when the car is moving in 3rd and i want to go into second then it's sometimes hard.

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If you can get into gear when idling, then I don't think it is a linkage problem. Have you checked if your rear engine mount or transmission mount is broken/not put back properly?

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Originally Posted by aaronng

If you can get into gear when idling, then I don't think it is a linkage problem. Have you checked if your rear engine mount or transmission mount is broken/not put back properly?

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ah so you're saying a gearbox is moving slightly and that can make the shifting hard sometimes?

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Originally Posted by migoreng

ah so you're saying a gearbox is moving slightly and that can make the shifting hard sometimes?

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That's right. :thumbsup: