Please help in investigating this car

Prudeone · 12 November 2002

Hi again. After spending a lot more time reading through the Faqs (you guys are awesome.) I have located and talked to the owner of a 1992 Red/Black Manual transmission NSX with 28K miles.

The current owner is the second owner. He had all the work done at a local Acura dealership. He is in Daly City which is next to San Francisco. I live about 90 miles from the car. Although he is currently out of the country he is going to fax all the service reports (serviced every 3000 miles) and the dealer inspection reports to me.

After I have reviewed these and if I am still interested he will arrange for me to see the car. I know the car is not in snap ring range. He is selling it because "his wife wants a biggger house and he plans on getting a 1998 NSX-T in the future."

If anyone knows this car or can add any sagely advice please speak up. I am quite interested in this car, have the money to buy it, but don't want to be too impulsive.

Thanks,

Prudeone

O-Ace · 12 November 2002

If you post a VIN, I can run a Carfax report for you.

-Awais

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2001 QuickSilver Corvette Coupe - Not Stock [503 RWHP, 545 RWTQ]

2002 Black Acura 3.2 TL/S

www.RacingFlix.com

nsxtasy · 12 November 2002

Originally posted by Prudeone:
I know the car is not in snap ring range.

Was it repaired? I thought that all the '92 cars were in the snap ring range.

Joel · 12 November 2002

Originally posted by Prudeone:
Hi again. After spending a lot more time reading through the Faqs (you guys are awesome).

I'm sorry...I read the first line too fast and I started busting up. I thought it said something else!

4AU4LIFE · 13 November 2002

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
Was it repaired? I thought that all the '92 cars were in the snap ring range.

I have a 92. I didn't know that they ALL were in that range.

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

nsxtasy · 13 November 2002

Originally posted by 92NSX:
I have a 92. I didn't know that they ALL were in that range.

I'm not sure but I thought they were - at least, were when they were first built.

Have you checked your transmission number?

Lud · 13 November 2002

Not all 1992 cars are in snap ring range.

nsxtasy · 13 November 2002

Originally posted by Lud:
Not all 1992 cars are in snap ring range.

Thanks Lud - my error. And, upon further thought, this makes sense.

There were 2437 cars worldwide in the snap ring range. Roughly 40 percent of production went to the U.S. market, which would be around 1000 cars. About half that number went into the tail end of the '91 run, so only around half of the '92 5-speed sales of 1131 would have been affected.

Prudeone · 13 November 2002

I am still waiting to get my second e-mail response from the gentleman selling this car. The ad is here if this helps at all:
http://classifieds.autos.yahoo.com/class/detail.html?srid=375000028&cid=automobiles-1010337447-9114003&ct_p=&cr=California&gur=&ct_l=&fullnodeid=750000277&ck=&za=&cl_y=&ch_y=&cl_pr ice=&ch_price=&cl_mi=&ch_mi=&ce_sl=&g=&cs=-pty,-time+1&cf=1

I don't have the VIN number yet to run the Carfax. But I think it is wonderful that people are so helpful obtaining these.

The seller is suppose to fax me all the cars service records on Friday. Hopefully I will know more then. As I said he is out of the country so this will be a slow process.

I am going to start test driving a few NSX's at various dealerships around here to get a feel for them when it stops raining.

In the meantime if anyone knows or sees another 91 to 94 mechanically sound and no wrecks please contact me. My goal is to drive the car (especially to learn how to drive it better on the track) so cosmesis is secondary.

Thanks,

Prudest

4AU4LIFE · 14 November 2002

Originally posted by Lud:
Not all 1992 cars are in snap ring range.

I just went out and looked at my serial number and guess what. I'm in the snap ring range.
So if I haven't experienced any of the systems described in the TSB I'm alright for now? I probably need to go ahead and get it fixed though I guess.
Should I first get in touch with the local dealer and see about that goodwill thing?

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

sowhite · 17 November 2002

good luck with the good will thing, when
mine went at 38k the acura headquarters
let me know that if I didn't own 3 more nsxs
that they wouldn't do it, also, I believe
they stopped doing it like ten years ago.
good luck with the good will thing, hey
maybe they'll do it. ha

4AU4LIFE · 17 November 2002

I went back and reread the FAQ section and am now a little confused.
It said the trannys in the range were affected by it. But later down the page I thought it said NOT all of them have the problem.
What gives?

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

nsxtasy · 17 November 2002

Originally posted by 92NSX:
I went back and reread the FAQ section and am now a little confused.
It said the trannys in the range were affected by it. But later down the page I thought it said NOT all of them have the problem.
What gives?

When the transmission cases were being manufactured in the entire snap ring range, there was a measurement tool that measured the tolerance in the manufacturing process. It went out of tolerance periodically, then was reset.

All of the transmissions in the entire snap ring range were made using this tool that was going in and out of tolerance. Some of the cases were manufactured within tolerance and should never fail, while others were out of tolerance and can fail. There is no way to tell the good ones from the bad ones.

Hope that makes sense.

4AU4LIFE · 19 November 2002

Yes that makes perfect sense. Thank you for clearing it up.
So short of having the tranny taken out and looked at, I don't know for sure if it is affected or not then right?

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

Markbert · 19 November 2002

Yep. You can't tell without craking it open or waiting for it to fail. Do you have a clutch job coming up? It might be worthwhile to bundle them (to save on labor) if its reasonable from a timing/financial perspective.

nsxtasy · 19 November 2002

Originally posted by Markbert:
You can't tell without craking it open or waiting for it to fail.

You can't tell even if you do crack it open. However, if you are going to open up the transmission anyway, then go ahead and replace the transmission case for around $700 in parts and very little additional labor, and you won't have to worry about it any more.

Markbert · 19 November 2002

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
When the transmission cases were being manufactured in the entire snap ring range, there was a measurement tool that measured the tolerance in the manufacturing process. It went out of tolerance periodically, then was reset...

In tolerance = good & keep the case
Out of tolerance = bad & new case

No?

EDIT: to add a fantasic guide that Ken posted about MB's explanation of the snap ring tranmissions It seems to suggest replacing the case half if the transmission if the trannie is apart and in snap ring range regardless of measurement. I don't know why, but when in doubt follow MB's advice.

Purely from an academic standpoint, I am still curious about why the cases cannot be measured. It seems like if they could do it at the factory while producing the transmissions, it would be no harder to do when its apart in the shop (given the proper equipment).

[This message has been edited by Markbert (edited 19 November 2002).]

Please help in investigating this car

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