Hello,
Thanks for your informative service! My question concerns my 1989 Acura Integra Hatchback LS, w/manual 5 speed. Approx 1 month after getting my car back from having the clutch replaced, while driving on the freeway for the 1st time since the replacement(at 70-75 mph 
the gearshift KNOB suddenly popped out of 5th gear on it’s own and into neutral. Despite shifting back into 5th gear, it continued to come out of gear repeatedly. The popping out only happens on the freeway after approximately 10-15 minutes at higher speeds. Since freeway driving is not done often I have been driving it around town without incident.
Until 2 days ago. After driving on the freeway for 15 mins or so…it pops out of gear, but makes a much louder sound than the usual reving sound since it pops into the neutral position. As in the times before I salowed down and attempted to downshift into 4th gear. This time let out a loud grinding moan, and would not go into 5th or 4th gear as it used to without the grinding. I exited and noticed the temp gauge was hotter than it ever gets, but not over-heating, turned it off and waited a few mins. It fired up as usual, idled quietly until I pushed in the clutch! The noise is very loud, but could shift gears up to 3rd gear, and 4th if I forced it. I managed to drive a couple of miles. Now after sitting a couple of days…this is what it does.
It starts beautifully, idles fine, but when depressing the clutch pedal, the groaning begins from inside the engine compartment. If you keep the clutch pushed in…the moaning graduates to what I can only explain as sounding like a rock tumbler. Release the clutch the noise stops. Just sitting without driving in motion…the gears shift through the motions smoothly, however, reverse resists engaging a bit. Driving in motion is loud and shifting is harder but possible.
I have a sense that this is a result of shoddy workmanship in replacing the clutch. The mechanic has said he will look at it. Before he does I would like some opinions about the possibility that I may be right, or is this a whole other problem? After researching a bit it sounds like a bearing throwback issue? Maybe? If the symptoms do point the the clutch assembly error would cause these problems beginning with the gear/gearshift popping out of gear into neutral?
My question concerns my 1989 Acura Integra Hatchback LS, w/manual 5 speed. I just had my clutch replaced 2 months ago. It seemed ok around town but the first time out on the freeway after about 10 minutes the stick shift popped out of 5th gear position and slipped into neutral. Putting it back into 5th does not work. It pops right back into nuetral. This was happening on the freeway about 10-15 minutes into the drive. 4th gear no problem.
UNTIL 2 days ago…it popped out of 5TH gear at the usual 10-15 minutes but this time it made a louder sound than the usual sound before deccelerating (is that a word?) as it pops into the neutral position. I attempted to shift into 4th gear as I have done before, but this time it was rough and grinding. I managed 3rd gear in the emergency lane but it was extremely noisy!
After sitting it starts easily, idles fine with the clutch out, and is quiet. but when I engage the clutch pedal, a groaning sound starts and if I keep the clutch pushed in…the moaning graduates to sounding like a rock tumbler. Like there is something loose and tumbling around. Release the clutch the noise stops. Sitting idle the gears go thru the motions fine with no grinding as I move through gears. I’m afraid to actually drive it to see if the shifting of gears will grind or be smooth. I know it’s loud. My ? Does this sound like a faulty replacement of the clutch? The mechanic who did the job ran into a problem and broke a part (can’t remember exactly what it was called) but he described it as having to do with bearings, I believe.
He is supposed to look at it. I would like some opinions on what the symptoms indicate and if the problem could be related to poor workmanship and a faulty install. Thanks!
OOps! Sorry about posting both the rough draft AND the revised shorter edition! LOL Shorter is better…I guess there isn’t an edit post option?