"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote
> "gmctruck68" <gmctruck68@aol.com> wrote in
> > How do I lube a 4 speed manual transmission, in the
88-91 Civic Hatch? I
> > know I have to use gear lube, but where do I put it?!?

> in the side of the tranny case pointing at the right front
wheel. The upper
> one is a fill, the lower one a drain.
>
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/...c_mt_oil_chang
e.pdf
>
> The above PDF is from the '92-'95 Civic, but the plug
locations are the
> same as yours. The drain plug takes the square drive of a
ratchet. Scrape
> out the dirt before inserting the ratchet to make sure it
goes in far
> enough not to strip as you try to crack the drain loose.
If the plugs have
> not been removed in a long time, you may have great
difficulty breaking
> them loose.

A 1.5 foot breaker bar should be sufficient, though as
always, be careful. Brace yourself so you don't get hurt,
etc.

> To fill, you need to have the car LEVEL, and you'll need a
pump to attach
> to your lube bottle (a lot like a hand-soap bottle pump).
The pump needs to
> have a clear vinyl hose that goes into the fill hole.

Gravity feed works fine for 88-91 Civics; no pump is
necessary.

Buy the clear tubing at Lowe's or Home Depot for a few
bucks, tops, probably. Three feet should be plenty.

> And use Honda MTL, not "gear lube" or the 10W-30 specifed
in the workshop
> manual.

Elaboration: Reports are that superior shifting occurs with
the Honda MT fluid. More importantly, there are many claims
on Usenet that 10W-30 and -40 have changed since about 1991
such that their chemistry is deleterious to the
transmission. I don't buy that--yet. I have always used my
91 Civic's manual-specified 10W-30 or 10W-40. No problems
after 173k miles. Anyone saying there will be problems down
the road is speculating based on rumor innuendo. (Unless
someone finally has coughed up a reputable citation on the
subject.)

If Honda thought 10W-30 or -40 today is dangerous to the
transmission, I think they would have said something.

www.autozone.com has a free online repair guide /specific/
to the 88-91 Civic that covers manual transmission fluid
changes. With drawings and photos.