RMurphy

I need a shop recommendation.

Gear box feels notchy when shifting, particularly between first and second. Definitely not normal. I know this thing normally feels like silk, and this is not silky -- no grinding, just notchy. Started fairly recently (in the last month, maybe). I had to go in for an oil change anyway a week ago so I had the dealer do MTF and diff fluid while it was there (wanted to do those anyway), but I still feel the notchiness. Doesn't always slide easily and happily into first, it kicked *out* of first a couple of times, and today it did something very different... felt to me like it didn't want to come OUT of second gear when I was stopped for a traffic light. Hmmm. At 33k miles, I don't expect this behavior. Although, I didn't expect CMC leak at 31k either, but it did that too, so.... (replaced at dealer).

So there are lots of threads on the notchy subject and some seem to fit and others, eh, I dunno. I need to take it to a shop I am certain will handle it properly and quickly (and takes credit cards). While I admit that I've had most services done by the dealer in the past, I don't think I want to go that route right now -- leastwise not the same one that just did the fluids and handed it back to me still with a notchy shifter (although who knows if the service writer actually told the tech why I was requesting MTF either?).

I'm on the west side (Culver City area). Where would you go if you were in my shoes (the driving kind, not the high heels)?

vstypicals

Tony Fuchs at Mid Valley Auto Repair in Winnetka, CA:
http://m.yelp.com/biz/mid-valley-aut...r-inc-winnetka

..or Ballade Sports in Garden Grove:
http://m.yelp.com/biz/ballade-sports-garden-grove

RMurphy

Thanks for the quick reply. I have a feeling I'm going to walk away from this wishing I had more than one issue for which I could go to different shops. I know... that sounds crazy, but hear me out: Winnetka is closer to me than Garden Grove and those Yelp reviews are great; on the other hand, I've heard nothing but high praise for Ballade and the guys there are all very supportive of this community here.

I guess that's a good problem to have, eh? :-)

andrewhake

It is possible you have the older Honda MTF in there and not the newer MTF? Might be worth looking into doing some fresh fluid and make sure it is the proper fluid?

BlakeNFR

I have the new MTF and it does the same as OP described but no fighting getting it out of gear; occasionally have to fight first in. I've changed the CMC (slave/master) yet it still persist.

RMurphy

Reasonable question. I made a point of reminding the service writer about it when I brought it in and he assured me the process is such that they can't use the wrong stuff. He said the VIN gets entered into the system and it tells the tech which MTF is required for the S2000 by Honda. And basically, the performance is no different from before bringing it in. So I'm thinking it's something other than MTF.

andrewhake

Yep I wouldn't be surprised.

RMurphy

At what? Are you recommending a shop? Because really, that's what I asked for.

andrewhake

Sorry, I wouldn't be surprised if the dealership used something besides MTF. If I was in the Culver City area with this issue I would make the trip over to Evasive Motorsports.

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...ings,+CA+90670

vstypicals

The OP meant that it's not the MTF fluid that's the cause of the issue because the issue was already there prior to the visit to the dealership to get an oil change and a new MTF.

Anyway, Evasive is also a good shop to go to.