Could this car be a snap-ring problem car?

M

Michael Blue

New Member
Joined
28 April 2005
Messages
4
Location
Morton, IL
Hello!

New here, and looking for an NSX.
Found one for sale in my area, but it's very low miles = more money than I want to shell out for a daily driver/sometimes track car.
It's a white/black 5sp '92 with less than 22,000 miles on it...some of you may know the car? Anyways, he's asking $35,900 (firm) and while the car may be worth that, it's out of my budget.
I was wondering...in case I change my mind...Could this car be a snap-ring problem car? The VIN is JH4NA1151NT000922, no idea on the trans code.
It's a 9.5+/10 car all the way around, and it's the color combo I want, so I may change my mind. Anything else I should be looking for as well? I'm still learning on these. :)

Thanks for any help you could provide!

~Michael
 
Michael, It is not possible to verify snap ring range without trans number. The vin indicates it *can* be in range, but if you are considering buying right at the top of its market price range, you probabally want to know first, especially if money might be close after the purchase.
Another possibility is that it WAS in range, and has since been fixed.

Good Luck,
MB
 
Michael Blue said:
Thanks Tech!

I have the history for this car since new (2 owners, both local), and I know it has not been done. I'll try to get the trans code.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Your local Acura dealer can run a vin status inquiry and get the trans number. A good way to tell if its going is drive the car in first or second gear and accelerate and upon deceleration the shirt knob will feel as though its moving either fore or aft. Trust me, Mine just went.
 
You can see the tranny # yourself--it's located on a bar-coded tag under the throttle body and slightly to the center of the car. It's starts with "J4A4". The problem range is: J4A4-1003542 through A4J4-1005978. If the # falls between these two #'s, it's in the bad range.

Before you buy the car, also inspect the snap ring itself. It's very easy to do. Take off the driver side wheel and you'll see a large plug with a square indentation in the center of it--to the left of the cv joint. The plug can be unscrewed by inserting a 1/2 drive extention end into the square indenture.

I bought a '92 in Jan which fell in the snap ring range. I assumed that it was OK because the car had no symptoms at all--shifted as smoothly as can be . However, upon inspection, I found it to be broken! I'm now faced with having it fixed. DON'T TRUST THAT THE SNAPRING IS OK JUST BECAUSE THE CAR HAS NO SYMPTOMS!!!!

If the car is in the snap ring range, I wouldn't pay that price. If it breaks, you're faced with at least another $1700 bill.
 
Thank you!

I won't be able to remove the plug, but I will check the number.

If the car is NOT in snap-ring range, is it worth the price?
It's really as close to perfect OE condition as any NSX I've seen, and is the color combo I want...it just is more $ than I originally budgeted, and it would be a shame to tear such a nice one up with track work.
 
Re: Don't forget general maint. items

I purchased my 92 last fall and just spent $3K for general maint. The T-belt and water pump were replaced along with all fluids / filters. I also changed the rubber brake lines from the chassis to the wheel ends.

My car is also in the snap ring range but am looking to have the upper portion of the trans case replaced. Will do the clutch while the trans is out as well. Car has 35K miles.
 
Mike--if you can't inspect the snap ring yourself, you can have it looked at by a mechanic who does the pre-purchase inspection. It's a very quick and easy process to inspect the snap ring--I'm not even sure that you'd be charged any more if you have a ppi done on the car.
 
Michael Blue said:
Thank you!

I won't be able to remove the plug, but I will check the number.

If the car is NOT in snap-ring range, is it worth the price?
It's really as close to perfect OE condition as any NSX I've seen, and is the color combo I want...it just is more $ than I originally budgeted, and it would be a shame to tear such a nice one up with track work.
Click to expand...

very easy, just take off the tire and open up the case...the ring sits right there :wink:
 
BRIDGEWATER ACURA said:
very easy, just take off the tire and open up the case...the ring sits right there :wink:
Click to expand...

LOL! I understand it's easy to get to, I just don't want to have them open it up if I'm not sure I want it yet. :)

Thanks, you guys rock!
 
Do I really want to look and see if my 1 week old (to me) 91 in snap ring range, has a prob or should I just wait and fix it when it breaks? It is my understanding that as long as you stop once it breaks no damage other than the tranny itself is done. My car is a 91 with 44.5k on it, a cantrell aid, k/n intake, 97 wheels, and a completely redone sound sys. except for head unit I LOVE IT.
 
Sockeye--I'd look ( as i did). If it's broken and you have no symptoms , you lucked out and the fix will be the minimal work. However, if it breaks on the road badly enough to produce symptoms, you'll be faced with a tow job wherever as well as some pieces dropping into the gearbox--making for a more $$ fix.
 
Doc, Minimal as in new tranny or is there a lesser fix? I seems i have heard of replacing just the ring but that was questionable. the peices in the gearbox dont scare me so much but if they travel farther that is a big concern. as far as the tow, hmmm, i wouldnt like it but that is the price i would pay for choosing snap ring car. If anyone has more specifics please let me know.
 
Sockeye--the "minimal" fix is to replace the entire upper tranny case. That job goes for about $1700. If, however, damage is done to innards via pieces falling into the gears, the price will go up and up, depending upon how much needs to be repaired/replaced. Also, the snap ring itself is not the problem--it's the improperly machined groove it sits in which is the problem. Thus, the need for a new upper case ( with the properly machined groove). By the way, my local Acura dealer quotes approx $12,000 for a new tranny--so I'm staying away from there.
 
Doc--- Mark Bausch(correct spelling if wrong) has or can rebuild a tranny for $1500.00 it is about 500 in labor for me to get it installed. let me know if I am missing out on anything . And thank you much for youre input.
 
Well, I'm not an expert--the procedures and costs I've given to you were quotes which I just got to repair mine. It sounds like your prices are roughly in the same ballpark. Of course, the $12k figure was what the dealer said a new tranny would cost--and is, imo, obsurd.
 
When you guys opened up that cap and looked at the snap ring, did transmission fluid come out? I started to loosen mine and had some fluid drip out. I'm reluctant to open it all the way because I don't feel like adding transmission fluid.
 
Gobble -- sorry I cant give you a good answer on that , as great as the pic is, I have only had mine 1 week and don have the expertise yet
 
Gobble--I'm not an expert, however--and I'm sorry to say, I think that it is broken. I say this because you should see both tangs of the snap ring close together and it appears that only one is present. This means that the other tang likely broke off. If you go to the home page of NSX Prime , click onto the "Service Bulletin" section. Then go to bulletin " 93-010". This gives a picture of a complete snap ring in the inspection hole--you'l see what I mean by the 2 tangs.

Yours looks just like mine did. I found pieces of the broken ring , including the other tang, lying on the threaded part of the inspection hole. Did you find any pieces in yours?

Re: the oil seepage pon removal of the plug, I lost a little bit and I'm assuming that that is normal.

Do you have any symptoms of a broken snap ring--like crunching, gearshifter popping out of gear, movement of the shifter ? If not, there is probably enough of the ring holding things in place to prevent symptoms. However, it's anyone's guess as to how long part of the ring will do the job.

Anyway--I'm only talking from my own single experience and from what I've read or been told by mechanics. Have yours looked at by a pro--then you'll know for sure. Best of luck, comrade.
 
looks like mine did :mad: Being upgraded with short gears and final drive as we speak...
 
Yours looked like this? It appears to be all in one piece.
 

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mine appeared to be in one piece as well. Just fix it before it breaks...
 

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