After 3 long days of highway driving, my tranny went ka-put.

After some low droning,whining, and higher whistling I figured I'd pull over and realized I had a
difficult time shifting and smelled burnt tranny fluid . . . I was thinking Diff . . . nope fluid leaking from
the clutch housing vent, along with grumbling/grinding in neutral with clutch engaged.

Thats when my adventure began somewhere in west Tx, but more about that later

I think a bearing failure caused overheating and a melted front seal. It has taken Honda 4 days to pull it apart and tell me that the whole tranny is seized up and/or covered with metal shavings. I told them that
when I dropped it off . . . but I suppose they have 'procedures' to follow, but I want my friggn car back sometime this month.

Last April, my tranny had the TSB performed for the grind, a couple months before that I expressed my
concerns about long term effects of the grind (bearing failures) https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...p?threadid=7221

So, any other trannys gone up in smoke?

Another important question, How many dealers do you think actually 'replace' parts that the manual calls for
like the prop shaft bolts, or the subframe bolts? Or how about an alignment after a simple clutch change,
just because they have to drop the subframe to get the tranny out? hmmm

 

I know of one other, Honda is denying the warranty too.

 

Wesmaster,
You wouldnt happen to know if that tranny had been worked on prior to it going down, would you.

Im still waiting on the reply from Honda

 

On the second attempt at the grind fix the technician noticed metal fragments and a marked deterioration of several bearings. It was determined that a replacement of the transmission was more cost effective than a complete rebuild. After over four months of agony (without my car) the tranny was replaced under warranty. It was a long wait but the '02 tranny is much better than the original '00.

 

Uhh, yes, interesting question. I'm going to have this person contact you.

 

My first trans had a PRONOUNCED 2nd gear grind (it was BAD) from the day I drove home (early MY '00). Honda kept saying nothing was wrong with it and I must not be pressing the clutch down all the way (really pissed me off). Anyway, long story short, trans died at about 4500 miles and they replaced it. The second trans would get the 2nd gear grind once in a while at first, but has since broken in and I haven't had a grind in probably 6-9 months... although it is still pretty notchy going into second when cold.

 

OK, so now they tell me its a major bearing failure and that caused the overheating and the others to go.
I will know Wednesday weather Honda will cover this, They should, considering the bearing failure is either
from a bad bearing or directly related to the re-build of April '01 OR indirectly related to the grind problem.

If they don't Ill be forced to go my own way, I cant imagine what Ill do. Maybe find a way to re-build it
with different ratios - hey Ill start making transmissions that'll be better and cheaper for the S2000 - that
would really sting wouldnt it. You guys gotta understand, I had to walk 2 miles in the rain, after hitching a
ride with a trucker for 40 miles, then take a buss 70 miles to rent a damn Uhaul and drive the 110 miles back to the car pick it up tow it another 420 miles to where it rests now, THEN spend 500 bucks on a plane ticket.
The Uhaul was 400 bucks, cheaper than any flatbed towing, so thats 900 bucks, not including extra crap
hmmm so lets see - a 5000 premium 2.5 years ago, which got me crappy service locally. Then trying to find
a place that would fix the grind problem, then worrying about future problems after rebuilding the tranny.
Hmmm, one of the most advanced sports cars . . . how about some advanced service?!?!

Im not finished yet, more later

 

I hope it all works out for you.

Do you want me to check on your car for you?

I know what it is like being separated from car (it is very frustrating). I wished I could have kept a closer eye on my car while they worked on it in Houston.

 

I wonder what they would think about a handful of people checking on a car that's not even their own? lol

I suppose they'll call me tomorrow, So this would make it a total of 9 weeks out of 2 years that I haven't
been able to just get in a drive somewhere because it was in a shop . . .

Im pounding it into my head to just say "what now?!" and then "Oh, it figures . . . the more money
and time I spend on a car, the more money and time I end up spending, duh!

so, no John you don't have to check on it, Ill go over it VERY closely when I pick it up. Im getting
used to that routine.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cmnsnse
[B]OK, so now they tell me its a major bearing failure and that caused the overheating and the others to go.