His fourth gear is actually
 

His fourth gear is actually as long as the cx/vx fifth, though the final drive is pretty crappy.

Re: Nice build, but I'd never do
 

Yes this is the most economical tranny that fits my car. You see the 93-99 trannies have very long 3rd and 4th gears. And plus the diff is geared very low. The 2000 and 2001 trannies have the same exact gearing but the diff is geared higher. The same thing with the 02 altima. Same exact gears but the diff is geared higher.

This is the best tranny unless I put in a hybrid tranny that is a manual and has the 5th gear very very low. Which means on the street I'll get 25+mpg and on the freeway 35+mpg

The sentra tranny is even geared higher. I've checked.

you do realize the weight
 

you do realize the weight difference between the sedan and the crx hf, right?

2.95 final or 3.25?

if it's 2.95 you're going to hate yourself for putting it on.

make sure you run tests to see if it yields you any benefit in mpg.

I do realize the weight
 

I do realize the weight difference. I'm not going to hate myself, as I already drive like a grandma. I have another Civic I can drive when I want to go fast.

Re: you do realize the weight
 

my sedan (1989) = 2211lbs
CRX HF (1990-1991) = 1967lbs

Add one fairly large passenger to the CRX HF and the weight is the same.

My understanding is that the HF first and second gears are both rather "peppy" so that accelerating is very achievable.

Much progress has been made.
 

Much progress has been made. I hope to update later today or tomorrow with many pictures on my progress.

Ok, TONS of pictures as
 

Ok, TONS of pictures as promised:

Are we ready to rebuild yet? Here's my corner of the garrage with all my tranny guts and lots of new parts in pretty little bags with red Honda stickers on them.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16231_2592.jpg

An essential tool when rebuilding a tranny is a bearing puller set. This is my bearing separator tool in action on one of the diff bearings.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16227_1471.jpg

Here is the puller part attached to the separator. It can handle 10 tons.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16228_1711.jpg

Success. Both bearings removed from the diff.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16229_2070.jpg

Pulling the main shaft end bearing.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16230_2309.jpg

New main shaft end bearing installed. I didn't have to use a press for this one. This is the only part of the main shaft that I'm dealing with on this rebuild, so it goes to sit in a box for now.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16232_3575.jpg

When you first pull out the main shaft, be very careful not to drop, lose, or mix up these two washers that are on the shaft. One is a spring washer and the other is a shim...they're HIGHLY important.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16233_3821.jpg

Another essential tool is the seal driver set I bought.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16234_4087.jpg

This is the main shaft seal. Note that the way I am holding it is how it goes in...the side with the words on it does NOT see oil.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16235_4358.jpg

Seal driver in action on the main shaft seal.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16236_4796.jpg

Main shaft seal in place.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16238_8912.jpg

Now driving in the main shaft bearing [often referred to as the ISB or input shaft bearing].
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16239_9178.jpg

Aren't brand new bearings just sexy? ISB in place.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16240_9417.jpg

A new pickup magnet. It's a pretty good idea to put one of these in, as your old one will be pretty gunked up.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16241_9694.jpg

This is where the new magnet will live.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16242_9937.jpg

This is the counter shaft roller bearing. Underneath it is the counter shaft's oil guide plate [white plastic]. I bought a new one for this rebuild, but decided not to install it, as the old one looks fine [no chips, cracks, or deformation].
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16243_7626.jpg

This is the main shaft shim. It's located in the deep part of the tranny housing. You have to pull it out to get to the main shaft oil guide plate.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16244_7842.jpg

Old main shaft oil guide plate. This one was pretty deformed from heat. Peace of mind will come with a new one installed.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16245_8117.jpg

New oil guide plate installed and main shaft shim reinstalled.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16246_8305.jpg

To replace the shift rod seal, you must remove the two gold bolts in the lower right of the picture.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16247_8539.jpg

Underneath one there is a ball and spring. Carefully remove these.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...516249_965.jpg

The shift rod is now free to be pulled out.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16250_1225.jpg

See how dirty my bell housing is? If I wasn't so lazy, I'd clean it now.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16251_1534.jpg

Channel locks encourage the old shift rod seal to come out.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16252_1949.jpg

Channel locks = 1; Shift rod seal = 0.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16253_2203.jpg

This is where the old shift rod seal went. Don't freak out when you see the black washer under there...it's not part of the seal and is supposed to be there, so don't try to dig it out!
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16255_4781.jpg

I found it easiest to prop the bell housing up against a wall so that I could have a perfect vertical to drive the new shift rod seal in place.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16256_5079.jpg

New shift rod seal in place.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16257_5342.jpg

This part of the internal shift linkage fell out when I turned up the housing. Just fish it back into place.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16258_5589.jpg

Reinstall the shift rod, then drop the ball into place...
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16259_5859.jpg

Followed by the spring...
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16260_4685.jpg

Then the bolt. Re-torque to spec.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...16261_4961.jpg

Mount the counter shaft in a vise. Be sure to protect the teeth when you mount it. I used some polycarbonate scraps.
https://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/phot...16262_5177.jpg

Use a BFW [big freakin' wrench] to remove the countershaft nut. A new nut should be used and staked each time.
https://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/phot...16263_5426.jpg

Another spring washer. Be sure to not put this on upside down when reassembling.
https://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/phot...16264_5646.jpg

Use the puller to remove the two bearings. The top bearing has a slot in it for the snap ring in the housing.
https://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/phot...516265_280.jpg

That's all for now. I'll take pictures when I visit my friend's shop with the 30 ton press :o!!!! The diff bearings and the counter shaft bearings must be pressed on, or heated then quickly slid on [I've done it this way, but don't feel comfortable doing it].

okay, you looking at this
 

okay, you looking at this makes me have two questions.

1) Do I need a bearing puller tool in order to remove my throwout bearing?

2) If I take a few pictures of my transmission, can you tell me what I might need to replace? Simple things would be good. I have no experience with transmissions at all and I don't want to put it on the engine if it's missing pieces.

Throwout bearing removes by
 

Throwout bearing removes by hand...very easy and you don't even have to open the transmission case. I'm going to document that, but I haven't gotten that far yet.

Yeah, take some general pictures of your transmission and I'll tell you what I think. Are you installing an HF transmission as well?

Re: Throwout bearing removes by
 

Another question. Is it fair to say that with the exception of slightly different gearing and a much lower final drive, the HF transmission is the same as a DX transmission? Could one take a DX and change the differential gear to make an HF?

My ignorance of the inner workings of transmissions should be quite evident. I have changed a few a long, long time ago, but never actually taken them apart.