Honda Car Forum

Hi,

I'm about to have the clutch replaced on my 1990 Acura Integra RS. What
*else* besides the clutch may have to be replaced or repaired if the clutch
is bad? I think the mechanic I spoke with yesterday mentioned something
about *linkage* inside the transmission that could need repair.

The car has just over 275K on it. I am the only owner of the car. I may
have had the clutch replaced once before, a long time ago, maybe more than
10 years ago--as part of a scheduled maintenance routine. But not in the
last five years or so.

Due to lack of money, etc., I haven't been able to have the repair done till
now. Another mechanic told me 1.5 years ago that the clutch was "going," but
the car was still very drivable until a week ago. Now the car gets stuck in
neutral as I attempt to shift gears, and when I'm in city traffic I
sometimes have to pull off to the side, turn the car off, and then shift
back into gear after I turn the car back on.

I know this repair is expensive and lengthy, and costs just about what the
car is worth. However, I cannot afford to buy another car just now. The way
I look at it, my present car is "the devil I know," and I'm better off
having it repaired than spending money buying another car of questionable
reliability.

I'm taking the car to the mechanic Monday morning. Ideally he can get it
fixed so I can safely drive to work late Monday night. What other
clutch-related components might be broke, and make this a two or three day
job?

Thanks,

Jean in Norfolk, VA

Jean Barto <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in
news:C7C2705D.4740C%jsbarto1@cox.net:

> Hi,
>
> I'm about to have the clutch replaced on my 1990 Acura Integra RS.
> What *else* besides the clutch may have to be replaced or repaired if
> the clutch is bad? I think the mechanic I spoke with yesterday
> mentioned something about *linkage* inside the transmission that could
> need repair.



"Could", yeah, but not likely.

More likely is that somebody's gojng to neglect to install a new release
bearing, or will fail to apply a sufficient amount of the /proper/
grease to the release-bearing fork tines.


>
> The car has just over 275K on it. I am the only owner of the car. I
> may have had the clutch replaced once before, a long time ago, maybe
> more than 10 years ago--as part of a scheduled maintenance routine.
> But not in the last five years or so.
>
> Due to lack of money, etc., I haven't been able to have the repair
> done till now. Another mechanic told me 1.5 years ago that the clutch
> was "going," but the car was still very drivable until a week ago.



The clutch on this model is worn-out when you have 1/4" of threaded rod
showing above the adjusting nut.



> Now the car gets stuck in neutral as I attempt to shift gears, and
> when I'm in city traffic I sometimes have to pull off to the side,
> turn the car off, and then shift back into gear after I turn the car
> back on.



I'll bet the friction disc is sticking on the input shaft splines.
That's what happened to me, but that was after 255,000 miles.

Here's my story:
<http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/clutch/index.html>




>
> I know this repair is expensive and lengthy, and costs just about what
> the car is worth. However, I cannot afford to buy another car just
> now. The way I look at it, my present car is "the devil I know," and
> I'm better off having it repaired than spending money buying another
> car of questionable reliability.



That's part of my rationale for keeing my own '91 Integra.



>
> I'm taking the car to the mechanic Monday morning. Ideally he can get
> it fixed so I can safely drive to work late Monday night. What other
> clutch-related components might be broke, and make this a two or three
> day job?
>


It's unlikely much will be found wrong outside of rust on the splines.
My mechanic tells me you usually don't even need to resurface the
flywheel.

If you have the money, I'd recommend OEM parts. At the very least, an
OEM release bearing.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Thanks for your input! I really like your website and the pictures of the
flywheel. I don't understand much about what's going on with all of it. I
imagine if the flywheel is worn like in the pictures, it has to be replaced?

I'm at least *a little* smarter about what will be involved in the repair
than previously.

I apologize if I've misnamed the component shown in your pictures. I can
drive cars, I don't *do* cars like you do!

Jean B.

On 3/14/10 5:20 PM, in article Xns9D3BB05868A89tegger@208.90.168.18,
"Tegger" <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:

> Jean Barto <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in
> news:C7C2705D.4740C%jsbarto1@cox.net:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm about to have the clutch replaced on my 1990 Acura Integra RS.
>> What *else* besides the clutch may have to be replaced or repaired if
>> the clutch is bad? I think the mechanic I spoke with yesterday
>> mentioned something about *linkage* inside the transmission that could
>> need repair.
>
>
>
> "Could", yeah, but not likely.
>
> More likely is that somebody's gojng to neglect to install a new release
> bearing, or will fail to apply a sufficient amount of the /proper/
> grease to the release-bearing fork tines.
>
>
>>
>> The car has just over 275K on it. I am the only owner of the car. I
>> may have had the clutch replaced once before, a long time ago, maybe
>> more than 10 years ago--as part of a scheduled maintenance routine.
>> But not in the last five years or so.
>>
>> Due to lack of money, etc., I haven't been able to have the repair
>> done till now. Another mechanic told me 1.5 years ago that the clutch
>> was "going," but the car was still very drivable until a week ago.
>
>
>
> The clutch on this model is worn-out when you have 1/4" of threaded rod
> showing above the adjusting nut.
>
>
>
>> Now the car gets stuck in neutral as I attempt to shift gears, and
>> when I'm in city traffic I sometimes have to pull off to the side,
>> turn the car off, and then shift back into gear after I turn the car
>> back on.
>
>
>
> I'll bet the friction disc is sticking on the input shaft splines.
> That's what happened to me, but that was after 255,000 miles.
>
> Here's my story:
> <http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/clutch/index.html>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> I know this repair is expensive and lengthy, and costs just about what
>> the car is worth. However, I cannot afford to buy another car just
>> now. The way I look at it, my present car is "the devil I know," and
>> I'm better off having it repaired than spending money buying another
>> car of questionable reliability.
>
>
>
> That's part of my rationale for keeing my own '91 Integra.
>
>
>
>>
>> I'm taking the car to the mechanic Monday morning. Ideally he can get
>> it fixed so I can safely drive to work late Monday night. What other
>> clutch-related components might be broke, and make this a two or three
>> day job?
>>
>
>
> It's unlikely much will be found wrong outside of rust on the splines.
> My mechanic tells me you usually don't even need to resurface the
> flywheel.
>
> If you have the money, I'd recommend OEM parts. At the very least, an
> OEM release bearing.
>

Jean Barto <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in
news:C7C2E90E.47579%jsbarto1@cox.net:

> Thanks for your input! I really like your website and the pictures of
> the flywheel. I don't understand much about what's going on with all
> of it. I imagine if the flywheel is worn like in the pictures, it has
> to be replaced?


The part in the pictures is called the "friction disc". It--and the
"pressure plate" that mates up with it--are meant to be replaced when the
friction disc wears out. Both those parts are bolted to the flywheel, which
normally does not itself need attention when the clutch is replaced.

An ordinary "clutch replacement" involves the changing of
1) the friction disc,
2) the pressure plate, and
3) the release bearing.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Don't know Acura, but there is also probably a "nose bushing" that holds the
transmission shaft concentric to the flywheel. That should also be replaced.
BF

"Tegger" <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote in message
news:Xns9D3BCCBD9C911tegger@208.90.168.18...
> Jean Barto <jsbarto1@cox.net> wrote in
> news:C7C2E90E.47579%jsbarto1@cox.net:
>
>> Thanks for your input! I really like your website and the pictures of
>> the flywheel. I don't understand much about what's going on with all
>> of it. I imagine if the flywheel is worn like in the pictures, it has
>> to be replaced?
>
>
> The part in the pictures is called the "friction disc". It--and the
> "pressure plate" that mates up with it--are meant to be replaced when the
> friction disc wears out. Both those parts are bolted to the flywheel,
> which
> normally does not itself need attention when the clutch is replaced.
>
> An ordinary "clutch replacement" involves the changing of
> 1) the friction disc,
> 2) the pressure plate, and
> 3) the release bearing.
>
> --
> Tegger
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"BF" <bf@block.net> wrote in
news:860f5$4b9e2e7e$4831cbd9$20162@FUSE.NET:

> "Tegger" <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote in message
> news:Xns9D3BCCBD9C911tegger@208.90.168.18...

>>
>> An ordinary "clutch replacement" involves the changing of
>> 1) the friction disc,
>> 2) the pressure plate, and
>> 3) the release bearing.
>>
>
>
> Don't know Acura, but there is also probably a "nose bushing" that
> holds the transmission shaft concentric to the flywheel. That should
> also be replaced. BF
>



Yes, you are absolutely right. I had forgot that part, which is called a
"pilot bearing". And it should /definitely/ be replaced when the clutch is
replaced.

Amend my list, therefore, to this:
1) the friction disc,
2) the pressure plate,
3) the release bearing, and
4) the pilot bearing.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/