My teg has 185000+ Km on. I bought it 2 months ago, and recently have been
having shifting problems. Whenever i downshift (say from 3rd to 2nd) there
is a loud grinding noise, and a lot of resistance when trying to get it in
gear. Also at idle, when i put it in 1st, let's say, there is a grinding
noise when the clutch is depressed. Any suggestions on what the problem may
be?

Sounds like your transmission gears have been damaged.
If you downshift too rought (without trying to match rpm), when the car is
going too fast for the lower gear, you will get some grinding even though
there are synchros that will adjust the speed of the engine to that of the
transaxle.
So... dont downshift too rough. Better yet, on the downshift, try to switch
into neutral first, release the clutch (so it catches with the trann.) then
rev your engine a bit higher than it is currently going, then shift into the
lower gear. Practice doing that and you will get very smooth/grindless
downshifts.

Grinding happens often when your synchro rings have been worn down or
damaged, think about what happens when you try to stick one gear in the
middle of another, when their speeds are different (talking about rotation
speed).

THe main thing you can do to prevent tranny dmg is to change transmission
oil frequently, I bet since you just bought the car, you have no idea when
the oil was lsat changed.... it could be 8 years for all you know :)
To do that you'll need to lift the car, then drain the oil from the
transmission (there's a drain plug), and use the fill plug to add new oil
(its very annoying to get to, you'll need a lenght of hose). Better yet, you
can "flush" your transmission, which involves pumping in new oil while
letting the old one flow out, until the oil coming out is looks completely
new. But that will take much more oil :)
Since your car isnt spankin' new, you can use regular 10W30 motor oil. Of
course the recommended oil is HONDA MTF (manual transmission fluid). I'm
currently trying to find out if there's an actual difference (it so happens,
I want to change tranny oil too asap).
Honda MTF will cost you 2 to 3 times more .... which amounts to a lot if
you're doing a flush.



"David Reid" <david_reid_7@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rizWb.123350$km5.2431972@wagner.videotron.net ...

made a mistake in the last post, i meant to say that the synchros adjust the
speed of the engine to that of the DRIVEAXLE, not the transaxle... with the
clutch disc connected, the speed of the engine is essentially the same as
that of the transaxle

"David Reid" <david_reid_7@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rizWb.123350$km5.2431972@wagner.videotron.net ...

"David Reid" <david_reid_7@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:rizWb.123350$km5.2431972@wagner.videotron.net :

Could be a bad pressure plate,throwout bearing,worn synchros.
Maybe even a leaking master or slave cylinder.(cheapest thing to fix!)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

Ceheck the fluid in the clutch resevoir. Looks like the brake master
cylinder, only smaller and just below it. Fill it with brake fluid if its
not full and that should help.

If its full and you're still having the same problem then your car is due
for a clutch job (clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing).
"David Reid" <david_reid_7@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rizWb.123350$km5.2431972@wagner.videotron.net ...

Fluid levels are fine. Thanks for the replies, that was the answer i
thought i would get, but was hoping not to hear.

David Reid

"Roy Shroyer" <a@b.com> wrote in message
news:c0g0i4$u46$1@emac1.ocs.lsu.edu...

David Reid wrote:
+++++++++++++++

The fluid level can be fine and still have air and water in the line. It
should be flushed to eliminate it as a problem. It would take about 15
minutes to prove right or wrong.

'Curly'

+++++++++++++