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Thread: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

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    Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    I was talking with Mykwikcoupe and he brought up something that i was wondering about myself as well. We both seem to think our shifting is tough and not normal. I myself can recall because i was probably caught up with it being turboed but i thought it was smoother back then. So i would like to see what you guys think.

    I hope to work with 88Lxi68 to see if any of his donor B-Series trannies will work but in the mean time im curious how you guys feel about it.



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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    What's the question here? :)


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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    How does the shift feel per say when your shifting between gears. Myself and Mike think ours are rough and not as smooth as the A20 transmission. I can't recall if mine has always been this rough but i am curious to how other people feel about this.

    I have been driving my accord a lot lately because my Subaru Legacy shit the bed but i definately want to fix this when time permits. I have been planning to swap gears because they are to short for a boosted motor so hopefully i can give some insight on this.

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    3Geez Veteran MessyHonda's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Quote Originally Posted by RobT5580 View Post
    How does the shift feel per say when your shifting between gears. Myself and Mike think ours are rough and not as smooth as the A20 transmission. I can't recall if mine has always been this rough but i am curious to how other people feel about this.

    I have been driving my accord a lot lately because my Subaru Legacy shit the bed but i definately want to fix this when time permits. I have been planning to swap gears because they are to short for a boosted motor so hopefully i can give some insight on this.
    for now il just use my stock trans....i got a b18 housing to rebuild with some teg gears maybe some lsd....then i can use stock syncros

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    I just drove my B20A tonight. Shifting doesn't feel any different from any of the other Hondas from that period to me. Drove a 3gee about 2 weeks ago, my 1gee feels similar, as did the A18 trans. No different from what I could tell. But I'll be testing it out again tomorrow, so we'll see for sure then. :D

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Mine is a tiny bit rough, but I think that might be due to the shitty oil in it instead of the honda mtf everyone recommends. drives smooth as though

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    ^^^ mine shifted real rough but after i changed the oil to honda mtf...works like a champ


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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    My is rough too, especially when going in to 5th gear.

    Its prttey fnuny how you can raed tihs eintre snetnece with all tehse ellters out of palce...

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Mine is quite smooth and I dont feel any major difference between the A20 and B20 shifting. My B20 has actually been the smoothest shifting of all my 3rd gens. But not by much at all and the small difference was only because of lower mileage I'm sure.

    I think your problem is more likely to lie in the shifter linkage. I've often experienced the shift linkage to get rough when it gets worn.


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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    rob, do you have a short shifter?

    when was the last time the transmission fluid was changed?
    '88 LX-i Coupe --- LS/Vtec
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    2.0Si User mykwikcoupe's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    I have a short shifter 1 in added to the bottom of the knob and it was shortened to the bend above the ball. I think thats about 2in of material removed. Im wondering if this has less to due with oil used of transmission condition and more to due with the LSD we used? Id really like to bring my trans into a shop to have them look it over and make sure i even reassembled it right but they are 75 miles away and thats the closest shop.

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    I do run non-honda oil in it so that might be of help and yeah i do have a short shifter. I would lean on one of those two being a issue.

    As for the LSD that would not affect this at all if anything i would suspect worn parts not.

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    2.0Si User mykwikcoupe's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    I was just saying i think we are the only ones to open the case and modify the guts. i think mine is in the linkages not the stacks? I can understand the short shifter creating more work during shifting but why notchy?

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    try getting the new Honda Mtf. it has similar properties to gm synchromesh. just added it in my new trans.
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    never heard of a smooth shifting 20+ year old honda gear box...

    1988 Honda Accord LX-i Coupe 123k miles.

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Come to think of it i use to run Honda MTF in my A20's and they were smoother for sure but it was without the short shifter.

    On a good note i was over my friends house and he had a few honda trannies opened so im going to bring mine over and compare parts and see what i come up with.

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    You guys are right. It is a bit stiffer, notchier shifting transmission. I just took it out tonight. The ES and A20 transmissions are quite a bit more buttery. Maybe it's a USDM thing. I even had the magic MTF in it. I think it feels more solid though. Like more positive that you've engaged the gears. Could be the heavier build of the thing.

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Yup, my B20A is rougher than the A20A. I do have a short shifter that I installed when I swapped engines.

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    2.0Si User mykwikcoupe's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    well rob its sounding like were being too precise about this. I was very nervous mostly because i forgot to run it through the gears prior to teardown. Since I didnt have a baseline of what it was supposed to feel like could only compare it to my a20a trans. If others here say itsd noticably tougher thats good enough for me until i can prove something is functionally wrong. Thanks for the input on this one guys.

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    3Geez Veteran Rendon LX-i's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Ahhh...Thats what i notice in my b16a also....fucker shifts alittle rought...gears go in solid but take some afford. SO i think its a jdm thing...I mean it shifts nice. YET i dont know what oil it has in it. my a20 is buttery like john said


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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    you guys...lol you have to shift with your left hand to be JDM...duh

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Quote Originally Posted by MessyHonda View Post
    you guys...lol you have to shift with your left hand to be JDM...duh
    ahhh interesting point !!!
    someone can let me hold a 5 speed and I will evaluate for you !!

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    LOL....Well least its not just two of us i do recall the A20 being smoother but its been a long time since i drove one. I usually don't drive my accord this much either it will be nice to get in my subaru again because my accord needs some attention soon.

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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    Quote Originally Posted by mykwikcoupe View Post
    well rob its sounding like were being too precise about this. I was very nervous mostly because i forgot to run it through the gears prior to teardown. Since I didnt have a baseline of what it was supposed to feel like could only compare it to my a20a trans. If others here say itsd noticably tougher thats good enough for me until i can prove something is functionally wrong. Thanks for the input on this one guys.
    I dunno... If yours was rough enough to immediately catch your attention I would be on the look out. If everything was in order I doubt you would notice anything. Again, I suspect the linkage more than the tranny.
    Of course you may just be extremely picky...
    Both my B20 lude and accord have had firm but smooth shifting. I remember when I got my B20 accord, I immediately noticed how much nicer the shifting felt.


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    Re: Looking for input from B20A 5speed owners!

    yesterday i just found on mine the 12mm bolt that goes through the shifter at the gearbox was completely loose lol, i tightened that and it feels better now. yay

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