Can/does transmission# change after snap ring repair?

Is it possible that a snap ring issue was fixed in the past and the current transmission# is not in snap ring range at all? Thanks.

lutera said:

Is it possible that a snap ring issue was fixed in the past and the current transmission# is not in snap ring range at all?

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It depends on how it was fixed. If the transmission was fixed by replacing the entire transmission, then the transmission number on the new transmission should not be in the snap ring range. If the transmission was fixed by replacing the snap ring and the upper transmission case, then the transmission number (which is on a different part of the transmission) will not change and will still be in the snap ring range.

What was Honda's policy on this back then? I believe current policy is not to fix any transmission nor any transaxle? BTW, it's a transaxle, right? Anywho, we all know what we are referring to.

W said:

What was Honda's policy on this back then?

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I'm not sure whether you are asking about what to fix, or what gets covered under warranty.

The "official" Honda policy, as described in the TSB on this, was to replace the entire transmission, but only if the snap ring failed. It was covered under the warranty. They were often goodwilling the repair for several years after the warranty expired (it was a three year warranty back then). In more recent years, they rarely cover anything, although every once in a blue moon you hear about them picking up for some portion of the parts for the transmission replacement, but not the labor.

If the snap ring didn't fail, no preventive repairs were ever covered or recommended.

If the car isn't driven far when the snap ring fails, it can usually be repaired by replacing the snap ring and the upper transmission case. This was never explicitly stated or recommended by anyone official at American Honda. (Conjecture is that they recommend replacing the entire transmission because it's easier to do than to open up the transmission, particularly by mechanics who don't have a lot of transmission experience.) While replacing the ring and case only is not official Honda policy, it's considered sufficient by the best technical experts on the NSX outside of American Honda's. It's certainly what I would do with my own NSX if I had a snap ring that failed.

W said:

I believe current policy is not to fix any transmission nor any transaxle? BTW, it's a transaxle, right? Anywho, we all know what we are referring to.

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I'm not even sure what the difference is between a transmission and a transaxle...

nsxtasy said:

I'm not even sure what the difference is between a transmission and a transaxle...

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Generally a transaxle is where the transmission is inline or integrated with the differential, axles, etc. Front wheel drive transmissions. Rear engine / rear trans (NSX). Or even the later Corvettes where the engine is upfront and the transaxle is in back.

Sorry for dredging up an oldie here. I was an engineer for Ford Motor automatic transmissions back in the 90's and couldn't resist answering in case it educates anyone in trade for all the eduction Prime has given me.

Stumbled upon this topic while looking up info on snap ring range NSX's. Seems most every 92 I've been interested in buying this month are in snap ring range and all under 60k miles, leaving the next buyer in the "roll the dice or pay now the price" position and I'm trying to learn about whether it's possible to verify the snap ring or groove condition thru any access holes or via partial disassembly. One person told me they monitor the snap ring and/or groove via an inspection cover but I haven't been able to get much more out of him regarding that.

The few "snap ring NSX" owners I know say they're just rolling the dice and/or watching for the increased shifter play. But in this picture from the Wiki I see what looks to be a threaded bore, could this be used as the "access cover?"

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Troubleshooting/snapring3.jpg

Anyone else do any inspections or hands-on predictive work to verify their groove condition or is it possible only via significant tear-down?

Thanks.

Yinzer said:

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Troubleshooting/snapring3.jpg

Anyone else do any inspections or hands-on predictive work to verify their groove condition or is it possible only via significant tear-down?

Thanks.

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I actually built a jig to measure countershaft endplay to determine if the groove was oversized, with the trans assembled. No dice. The issue is the groove width is correct on all, but there was a chamfer cut into the groove edge to allow for easy snapring engagement, cut too deep. FAIL.

\ / - chamfer (bad idea, new cases have very small or no chamfer)
|| - snap ring groove

Look at the WIKI and the pics from Mark Basch. I also have a case that was cut open to see the chamfer and how it is cut. Remember the snapring is not the issue, it is the transmission housing that is the culprit.

Regards,
LarryB

Larry,

Thanks for the additional info! Didn't see anything about the chamfer in the wiki page. Been there a few times regarding snap ring groove issues in the design/manufacturing world so I completely get it now thanks to you.

Still is there any easy path to snake in a borescope to get a peek at the chamfer, and/or use the supposed "access cover" that someone told me about?

Many thanks once again.

Yinzer said:

Larry,

Still is there any easy path to snake in a borescope to get a peek at the chamfer, and/or use the supposed "access cover" that someone told me about?

Many thanks once again.

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If you remove the snapring cover you may be able to see the groove, but it is filled with the snapring, and the bearing is in the bore, so very hard to see, and also there is no real indication as to the depth of the chamfer that is acceptable. And....... to top it off, non snap-ring tranmissions have failed as well.....

Regards,
LarryB

We generally sell a new transmission casing or a used transmission to fix the issue.

And it's in deed a transaxle since the differential is incorporated in to the transmission thus "transmission & axle" (also on Porsche, VW Bug, C5/C6 Corvette, and nearly all mid engine and fwd cars)

Thank you! I'll write off the statement of there being an access cover or an easy way to get an eye on it. Also that threaded bore in Mark B's picture made me think there was possibly a chance.

I read ya. I'll tell Jim Carey sorry, no way!

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Larry Bastanza said:

If you remove the snapring cover you may be able to see the groove, but it is filled with the snapring, and the bearing is in the bore, so very hard to see, and also there is no real indication as to the depth of the chamfer that is acceptable. And....... to top it off, non snap-ring tranmissions have failed as well.....

Regards,
LarryB

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I know it's funny for a guy w/o an NSX yet to give out advice, but thanks to Ken, here's some good advice to consider:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showpost.php?p=331381&postcount=10