Honda Car Forum

Hello Honda experts,
I am the original owner of a 1991 Honda Civic Wagon, 5-speed manual trans w/ 340,000 miles. Its gone through 2 clutches with the last clutch installed a year ago. It still has its original transmission. Within the last few weeks I've been having a hard time getting the gears to shift. If I am at the stop light, sometimes I can't throw it into 1st gear and when its running I have a hard time shifting it from 1st to 2nd gear or reversing it. However, when I turn the engine off and engage the clutch, it shifts okay so today, I had to turn the engine off at the stop light in order to shift my car to 1st gear, then start the engine and go. I had a car mechanic put more fluid in the transmission and the gears worked fine for about a week and then acted up and became stuck again. Any ideas as to what you think the problems might be? Thanks in advance for your help. I am in Hawaii.

Hello again Honda experts,
I was sure hoping for some helpful hints by now for my car. Do you think I need a new clutch? or what is it that is causing my car to not be able to shift it like before? I love my car and so do my dogs. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

I just wanted to write a follow up to my original inquiry as to why my gears were not shifting properly in hopes of helping others who may encounter this same problem. My honda is in the shop now waiting for the part to arrive from Honda's parts warehouse somewhere on the continent. They diagnosed the shifting problem as a broken/cracked clutch base plate. Hmm? Does anyone know whether the clutch base plate is part of the clutch assembly kit? I ask because my original clutch assembly lasted me over 300,000 miles and it seems that the one that I had installed 23,000 miles ago, the base plate broke. Can anyone enlighten me further on clutch base plates? Thanks.

Hello again,
I checked with my mechanic and apparently clutch base plates are not part of the clutch assembly. Anyway they ordered the clutch base plate and hopefully it will be here on Monday and installed. Can't wait to get my car back.

Hello there honda owners,

Well, I finally got my car back from the shop and it shifts perfect now. Yay!
Apparently the part that they had to order cost me $200.
I am so glad to have my car fixed and running again.

Just an update to say that my honda is doing really well. Shifting is great. I am very pleased with the overall way in which the car feels. Hope it does good for the rest of the year. Thanks.

I have the same problem too. I call Honda parts department and they don't know clutch base plates. Can you let me what is the exact parts name for clutch base plates?

I don't know of any other word for it. The mechanic called it a clutch base plate located right under the clutch pedal, I think. Sorry, I don't have the exact parts name.