Which Acuity parts needed to just remove lateral slop on shifter?

[Spart]

As for the trans fluid, no I haven't considered it. Is the stock trans fluid not up to task, or are you just talking about a break in flush with the same stuff?

So I'm of two minds on that.

I think you'll see an improvement in feel with just a flush of clean OE fluid. Getting the gunk out of the fluid from break-in will alter the synchro feel a bit.

So when people post and say they switched to X and the shift feel is so much better - some component of that is just the improvement from clean fluid.

I have no direct experience with this yet, but a lot of folks have reported a major difference switching to AC Delco Synchromesh going back several years (including the FK8) and using it to resolve a second gear grind seems to be a common theme. Again, not my personal experience. I don't have a second gear grind to resolve.

I kind of want to try both ACDelco 10-4014 as well as Redline MTL.

For reference, these are the viscosities for the stock fluid and those two fluids:

Honda MTF (Approximately 70W but not listed as such)
7.265 cSt @ 100°C*
30.70 cSt @ 40°C

ACDelco Synchromesh 10-4014 (no weight specified, but close to 75W-80)
10.05 cSt @ 100°C
50 cSt @ 40°C

Redline MTL (75W-80 GL-4)
10.4 cSt @ 100°C
50.8 cSt @ 40°C

I posted the viscosities of several other options over at Civic XI. I would note that viscosity doesn't necessarily make the difference in feel, rather it has more to do with cold weather performance and high temperature resilience. You could run a 75W-90 in these cars and many people do, but cold weather performance will suffer until the trans warms up.

The additive packs in these oils have a much stronger effect on the shift feel throughout normal non-winter temperature ranges than the viscosity does.

Redline MT-90 in my Tacoma (which calls for a 75W-90 weight) made for a nice difference in shift feel that has persisted for a couple years (10k ish miles) now, and it feels better in the winter than the OE fluid ever did. The shift effort is lower and the synchros just feel smoother or slicker. I also used BG Synchro Shift II in my Mustang GT w/MT-82 to similar effect minus the cold weather performance, as I didn't drive that car in the cold. But it was a marked improvement over the OE fluid as far as shift feel.

I do find it funny how certain groups of car guys will coalesce around one particular trans fluid. For the Tacoma guys, lots of them swear by Redline. For the S550 Mustang guys, it's BG. The Honda guys seem to like ACDelco. In fairness, the ACDelco is popular in a lot of circles.

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[ashmostro]

Yeah, I used to futz around with non-OEM trans fluids a bunch long ago, but found that I was always trading one performance improvement for another detractor. I've since decided that I will always use OE trans fluid but I am a believer in flushes for transmissions that are known to need them (ie not the best final machining processes, leading to metal particles in the fluid). In my mind, though, Honda transmissions are some of the best machined, so I wasn't planning on flushing it.

Please post up if you try something different and find a consistent improvement!

 

[Spart]

Yeah, I used to futz around with non-OEM trans fluids a bunch long ago, but found that I was always trading one performance improvement for another detractor. I've since decided that I will always use OE trans fluid but I am a believer in flushes for transmissions that are known to need them (ie not the best final machining processes, leading to metal particles in the fluid). In my mind, though, Honda transmissions are some of the best machined, so I wasn't planning on flushing it.

Please post up if you try something different and find a consistent improvement!

So I plan to drive the ITS throughout the winter and one of the things I want to know with the fluid change is how the OE fluid feels compared to a somewhat higher viscosity fluid like ACDelco 10-4014 or Redline MTL when the temp is hovering around 0°F, as it does around here every year.

If it makes things worse in the winter, Redline does have a "MT-LV" product that's closer in viscosity to the OE Honda fluid, and BG Synchro Shift II is also close in viscosity to the OE.

My goals are obviously a bit different than many would have - if I was tracking the car, I'd look pretty strongly at the 75W-85 and 75W-90 options. Viscosity should be chosen based on expected ambient temps and use case.

 

[ashmostro]

I used to run MTL religiously in my old S13 240sx with good results. But, as you say, it tended to be a bit more sensitive to cold weather than the OE fluid due to its higher viscosity. But when warm, it shifted sweet.

So far, I'm happy enough with the Honda fluid.

 

[ashmostro]

Just installed the lateral hd detent spring and I don't think I like it. The fluidity of the 3-2 downshift is gone as it requires a more deliberate lateral pressure to overcome the stronger spring. Already I've had a couple 3-2 downshifts get rejected in-between the 2 and 4 gates. Probably gonna remove it but I'll give it a couple days to see if I just need to acclimate (not likely).

Oh, and it did nothing for the lateral play. It just masks it a bit, but the freeplay is still there, which makes sense as it's inherent to the transmission fork design

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Just installed the lateral hd detent spring and I don't think I like it. The fluidity of the 3-2 downshift is gone as it requires a more deliberate lateral pressure to overcome the stronger spring. Already I've had a couple 3-2 downshifts get rejected in-between the 2 and 4 gates. Probably gonna remove it but I'll give it a couple days to see if I just need to acclimate (not likely).

Oh, and it did nothing for the lateral play. It just masks it a bit, but the freeplay is still there, which makes sense as it's inherent to the transmission fork design

Is there a "break in period" for the spring?

 

[ashmostro]

I doubt it, but even if there were, the spring rate was considerably higher than the OE spring, so even after "settling" it will likely still be considerably higher than OE.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

I doubt it, but even if there were, the spring rate was considerably higher than the OE spring, so even after "settling" it will likely still be considerably higher than OE.

I wonder how it compares to the acuity spring...? I've got that one sitting in the garage waiting for me as well

 

[ashmostro]

One thing I should add for anyone going to do this job is the detent ball bearing on the end of the spring is not retained in the mechanism. In my case it fell out as soon as I removed the spring. Thankfully it caught on one of the transmission casting flanges rather than falling to the ground. Be careful!

 

[ashmostro]

I wonder how it compares to the acuity spring...? I've got that one sitting in the garage waiting for me as well

Does acuity make detent springs for our cars? I thought theirs were for an earlier generation?

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Does acuity make detent springs for our cars? I thought theirs were for an earlier generation?

Oh, sorry I misread because of the focus on shifter play. Acuity has a centering spring for the shifter.

Different spring entirely.

Edit for link: https://acuityinstruments.com/produ...pgrade-for-the-11th-gen-civic-5th-gen-integra

 

[ashmostro]

Gotcha. Had a feeling that's what you meant!

 

[Spart]

Just installed the lateral hd detent spring and I don't think I like it. The fluidity of the 3-2 downshift is gone as it requires a more deliberate lateral pressure to overcome the stronger spring. Already I've had a couple 3-2 downshifts get rejected in-between the 2 and 4 gates. Probably gonna remove it but I'll give it a couple days to see if I just need to acclimate (not likely).

Oh, and it did nothing for the lateral play. It just masks it a bit, but the freeplay is still there, which makes sense as it's inherent to the transmission fork design

Would it work better with the low power spring that Acuity has for the shifter?

 

[ashmostro]

Potentially, but as it doesn't do what others had said it would (mitigate the lateral freeplay), there's no reason for me to test that configuration out.

I'll run this for a couple days before deciding.

 

[ashmostro]

Just installed the lateral hd detent spring and I don't think I like it. The fluidity of the 3-2 downshift is gone as it requires a more deliberate lateral pressure to overcome the stronger spring. Already I've had a couple 3-2 downshifts get rejected in-between the 2 and 4 gates. Probably gonna remove it but I'll give it a couple days to see if I just need to acclimate (not likely).

Oh, and it did nothing for the lateral play. It just masks it a bit, but the freeplay is still there, which makes sense as it's inherent to the transmission fork design

So I didn't bother waiting another day, and swapped back to the OE detent spring. I much prefer it.

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