Guys and Gals,

Do you guys notice that in the morning the gears are a little sticky? After about 2 miles or so the shifter gest smoother. Maybe it's just me. Let me know.

 

It's a very common thing. When you first start the car, the engine is cold as well as everything else in the car, i.e. transmission, gears, etc. So that's why it gets smoother when your car is warmed upand all the oil is cycling. Not to mention you will feel like hitting a brick wall if you try to vtec it before you've got 3 bars on your heat meter.

 

Normal in a RWD car with any kind of sporting pretensions at all. My BMWs have all been the same way. As long as it smooths out when the transmission fluid reaches operating temperature, it's a feature, not a bug. In fact, it serves as a useful reminder not to push hard with a cold car.

 

I would take it easy on the car when its cold. Notchy cold transmissions are quite common. I've heard a synthetic tranny oil might help.

 

The brick-wall VTEC effect is a disconcerting one. I've only had it happen one time, and it scared the hell out of me. I'm not sure exactly how cold the engine was, but I think I had driven a mile or two.

I drive pretty conservatively (some might even say cautiously), and I probably drive my commute 85% of the time with no VTEC. One day I'm in second, and decide to punch it, and the revs climb up like they always do -- and POW! I hit six thousand -- but rather than the familiar happy roaring rocket feeling, I get lurched forward and my engine bogs down. I hadn't shifted. It felt exactly like hitting the rev limiter at 9k+, but, of course, I was nowhere near it. The experience made me think of all kinds of things, like #4 failure, etc. I check my oil with every fuel fill, and I generally take good mechanical care of my cars. I then wondered where my warranty paperwork was.

But it drove just fine two seconds after the incident. So I continued to drive, carefully, and the engine sounded smooth and normal. I was confused. On the way back from my lunch, I tried again, and this time VTEC was smooth as glass... and it always has been, before and after.

I never knew what happened that time -- I guess the cam got caught somehow and didn't quite make the transition to VTEC land -- but it scared me. Maybe it was just a cold engine? Anyone else have this experience?

- Warren

 

Previous VTEC engines have a lockout on the cam switchover if several requirements aren't met. Usually they're engine temp, oil pressure, and vehicle speed. I would assume the F20C's ECU would have a similar safety feature.

 

The notchiness, or stickiness is pretty common for a lot of us, when the tranny isn't warmed up. I experience it from time to time.

chroot - you're engine wasn't warmed up yet for vtec. I hit lower rev limiter once too and thought I broke something. You have to wait till you see 3 bars on the temp guage.

 

I would check on your hydraulic fluid level. I had the hardest time getting my s2k into any gears, because my hydraulic fluid was less then the minimum required amount. But after a quick top off and a fifteen minute drive.. my baby felt good as new!

 

Same here sticky when cold. I changed the transmission fluid to Honda Manual Tranny fluid and it got much better. Is it possible that someone changed the fluid and did not use Honda fluid or maybe ordinary tranny fluid?

 

Super necro-bumpage!