Skip to content
KickTyres
MajorCommonTransmission

Honda Integra: B-series 5-speed gearbox - 2nd/3rd gear synchro grind

B-series 5-speed gearbox - 2nd/3rd gear synchro grind is a common transmission fault on the Honda Integra on the 1993–2001 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,500 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 12 documented faults on the Honda Integra.

Vehicle
Honda Integra
Years
1993–2001
Fuel
petrol
Gearbox
manual
System
Transmission

This page covers the Honda Integra as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda Integra faults12 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

Worn synchromesh in second and third gear is one of the most repeated complaints about the B-series manual boxes in these Integras: a crunch on quick 2-3 upshifts or on downshifts into second, worst when cold or when the fluid is old. Honda boxes are sensitive to the correct light manual transmission fluid - fresh genuine MTF quietens marginal synchros, but a proper fix is a gearbox rebuild. On a car this age, treat a crunching box as a rebuild-priced negotiation, and remember hard-driven examples (most of them, by now) wear synchros fastest.

What you would notice

  • Crunch or grind shifting quickly from 2nd to 3rd
  • Grind downshifting into 2nd, especially when cold
  • Baulky shifting until the gearbox warms up
  • Grind appears at high revs but not on gentle shifts

How to check it

Where to look. 5-speed manual gearbox on the end of the engine; symptom felt through the gear lever on 2nd and 3rd

On the test drive, shift briskly from second to third at moderate revs and back down into second - a crunch that a slow, deliberate shift avoids is classic synchro wear. Try the same shifts when the car is stone cold if you can, because worn synchros are loudest then. Ask when the gearbox oil was last changed and what fluid was used - genuine Honda MTF or an equivalent light fluid matters on these boxes. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the gearbox oil condition checked for glitter and the shift quality assessed by someone who knows Honda boxes before pricing a rebuild.

What it costs to put right

$1,500 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Does it ever crunch into 2nd or 3rd, cold or hot?”
  • “When was the gearbox oil last changed, and with what fluid?”
  • “Has the gearbox ever been rebuilt?”

Now check the Honda Integra you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • Honda-Tech thread 'Grindage from 2nd to 3rd'
  • Team Integra thread 'Grinding shifting into 3rd gear'
  • ClubIntegra thread '3rd gear syncro... grinding'

Honda Integra buyer questions

Is b-series 5-speed gearbox - 2nd/3rd gear synchro grind serious on a Honda Integra?

We rate it major and common on the Honda Integra. Worn synchromesh in second and third gear is one of the most repeated complaints about the B-series manual boxes in these Integras: a crunch on quick 2-3 upshifts or on downshifts into second, worst when cold or when the fluid is old. Honda boxes are sensitive to the correct light manual transmission fluid - fresh genuine MTF quietens marginal synchros, but a proper fix is a gearbox rebuild. On a car this age, treat a crunching box as a rebuild-priced negotiation, and remember hard-driven examples (most of them, by now) wear synchros fastest.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda Integra?

$1,500 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda Integra years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1993–2001 Honda Integra. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

On the test drive, shift briskly from second to third at moderate revs and back down into second - a crunch that a slow, deliberate shift avoids is classic synchro wear. Try the same shifts when the car is stone cold if you can, because worn synchros are loudest then. Ask when the gearbox oil was last changed and what fluid was used - genuine Honda MTF or an equivalent light fluid matters on these boxes. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the gearbox oil condition checked for glitter and the shift quality assessed by someone who knows Honda boxes before pricing a rebuild. Look here: 5-speed manual gearbox on the end of the engine; symptom felt through the gear lever on 2nd and 3rd