Transmission Removal

Special Tools Required 

• Engine Support Hanger, A and Reds AAR-T1256*
• Engine Hanger Adapter VSB02C000015*
• Subframe Adapter VSB02C000016*
• Available through the Acura Tool and Equipment Program 888-424-6857

1. Secure the hood in the wide open position with the support strut.
2. Do the battery removal procedure (see BATTERY REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION ).
3. Remove the intake air duct (see step 2 on REMOVAL ).
4. Remove the air cleaner housing (see AIR CLEANER REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ).
5. Remove the front grille cover (see FRONT GRILLE COVER REPLACEMENT ).
6. Remove the strut brace (see STRUT BRACE REPLACEMENT ).
7. Remove the ECM (see ECM/PCM REPLACEMENT ).
8. Remove the ground cable clamp (A) and the upper battery base mounting bolts (B), loosen the lower battery base mounting bolts (C), then remove the battery base (D).
   Fig 1: Identifying Ground Cable Clamp (A), Upper Battery Base Mounting Bolts (B) And Lower Battery Base Mounting Bolts (C)

   Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
9. Remove the clutch hose bracket (A) and the slave cylinder (B), then carefully move the slave cylinder out of the way to avoid bending the clutch line.
   NOTE:

   • Do not disconnect the clutch line joints.
   • Do not press the clutch pedal after the slave cylinder has been removed.
   Fig 2: Identifying Clutch Hose Bracket (A) And Slave Cylinder (B)

   Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
10. Remove the nut (A), and release the clamp (B), then move the under-hood fuse/relay box (C) out of the way.
    Fig 3: Identifying Nut (A), Release Clamp (B) And Under-Hood Fuse/Relay Box (C)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
11. Remove the lock pins (A) and the shift cable bracket bolts (B), then disconnect the shift cables (C) from the change lever assembly (D). Carefully remove both cables and the shift cable bracket (E) together to avoid bending the cables.
    Fig 4: Identifying Lock Pins (A), Shift Cable Bracket Bolts (B) And Shift Cables (C)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
12. Disconnect the output shaft (countershaft) speed sensor connector (A), then remove the harness clamp (B).
    Fig 5: Identifying Output Shaft Speed Sensor Connector (A) And Harness Clamp (B)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
13. Disconnect the back-up light switch connector (C) and the reverse lockout solenoid connector (D), then remove the harness clamp (E).
14. Remove the harness clamp (A) and the hose (B) from the bracket (C), then remove the bracket.
    Fig 6: Identifying Harness Clamp (A), Hose (B) And Bracket (C)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
15. Remove the steering gearbox mounting bolts (A) and the top washers (B).
    NOTE: The washers are on the top and the bottom of the steering gearbox mounts.

    Driver's side 

    Fig 7: Identifying Steering Gearbox Mounting Bolts (A) And Washers (B) (Driver's Side)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

    Passenger's side 

    Fig 8: Identifying Steering Gearbox Mounting Bolts (A) And Washers (B) (Passenger's Side)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
16. Support the steering gearbox on both sides with nylon straps.
17. Remove the ignition coil cover (A).
    Fig 9: Identifying Ignition Coil Cover (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
18. Remove the engine harness clamp bracket bolts (A).
    Fig 10: Identifying Engine Harness Clamp Bracket Bolts (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
19. Attach the engine hanger adapter (VSB02C000015) to the threaded hole in the cylinder head.
    Fig 11: Identifying Engine Hanger Adapter (VSB02C000015)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
20. Install the A and Reds engine support hanger (AAR-T1256), then attach the hook to the slotted hole in the engine hanger adapter. Tighten the wing nut (A) by hand to lift and support the engine/transmission.
    Fig 12: Identifying Reds Engine Support Hanger (AAR-T1256) And Wing Nut (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
21. Remove the vacuum hose (A) from the clamp (B), and disconnect the vacuum hose, then remove the front engine mount stop (C) and the vacuum hose bracket (D).
    Fig 13: Identifying Vacuum Hose (A), Clamp (B), Front Engine Mount Stop (C) And Vacuum Hose Bracket (D)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
22. Remove the front engine mount bolt (E).
23. Remove the rear engine mount bolts (A).
    Fig 14: Identifying Rear Engine Mount Bolts (A) And Rear Engine Mount Bracket Upper Mounting Bolt (B)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
24. Remove the rear engine mount bracket upper mounting bolt (B).
25. Remove the upper transmission mount bracket bolts (A) from the transmission housing.
    NOTE: Do not remove the TORX bolt (B) from the upper transmission mount. If the TORX bolt is removed, the upper transmission mount must be replaced as an assembly.
    Fig 15: Identifying Upper Transmission Mount Bracket Bolts (A) Upper Transmission Mount Torx Bolt (B)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
26. Remove transmission hanger C from the transmission housing.
    Fig 16: Identifying Transmission Hanger C

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
27. Remove the upper transmission mounting bolts (A).
    Fig 17: Identifying Upper Transmission Mounting Bolts (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
28. Raise the vehicle on a lift, and make sure it is securely supported.
29. Remove the front wheels (see step 2 on KNUCKLE/HUB REPLACEMENT ).
30. Remove the damper fork (see step 4 on LOWER ARM REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ).
31. Separate the knuckle ball joint from the lower arm (see step 11 on WHEEL BEARING REPLACEMENT ).
32. Remove the front splash shield (see FRONT SPLASH SHIELD REPLACEMENT ).
33. Drain the MTF. Reinstall the drain plug using a new sealing washer (see TRANSMISSION FLUID INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT ).
34. Remove exhaust pipe A and the gaskets (see EXHAUST PIPE AND MUFFLER REPLACEMENT ).
35. Remove the front subframe middle mount (A) on both sides.
    Fig 18: Identifying Front Subframe Middle Mount (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
36. Disconnect the EPS ground subharness connector at the front of the front subframe.
    Fig 19: Identifying EPS Ground Subharness Connector

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
37. Remove the nuts (A) securing the lower transmission mount.
    Fig 20: Identifying Lower Transmission Mount Nuts (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
38. Attach the subframe adapter (VSB02C000016) to the front subframe and hang the belt of the subframe adapter over the front of the subframe, then secure the belt with its stop.
    Fig 21: Identifying Subframe Adapter (VSB02C000016)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
39. Raise the jack and line up the slots in the subframe adapter arms with the bolt holes on the jack base, then securely attach them with four bolts.
40. Remove the four stiffeners mounting bolts (A), then remove the four front subframe mounting bolts (B) and the stiffeners (C).
    Fig 22: Identifying Stiffeners Mounting Bolts (A), Front Subframe Mounting Bolts (B) And Stiffeners (C)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
41. Remove the front subframe (D).
    NOTE: Pick up the steering gearbox mounting washers (E).
42. Securely support the transmission with a transmission jack.
43. Remove the rear engine mount bracket (A) with the rear engine mount (B).
    Fig 23: Identifying Rear Engine Mount Bracket (A) With Rear Engine Mount (B)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
44. Remove the lower transmission mount (A).
    Fig 24: Identifying Lower Transmission Mount (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
45. Pry the left driveshaft inboard joint (A) from the differential using a pry bar.
    NOTE:

    • Do not pull on the driveshaft, or the inboard joint may come apart. Pull the inboard joint straight out to avoid damaging the oil seal.
    • Be careful not to damage the oil seal or the end of the inboard joint with the pry bar.
    Fig 25: Identifying Left Driveshaft Inboard Joint (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
46. Drive the inboard joint (A) of the right driveshaft off of the intermediate shaft using a drift punch and a hammer.
    NOTE: Do not pull on the driveshaft, or the inboard joint may come apart.
    Fig 26: Identifying Inboard Joint (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
47. Remove the intermediate shaft (see INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REMOVAL ).
48. Remove the clutch case cover (A).
    Fig 27: Identifying Clutch Case Cover (A)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
49. Remove the lower transmission mounting bolts.

    Front side 

    Fig 28: Identifying Lower Transmission Mounting Bolts (Front Side)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

    Rear side 

    Fig 29: Identifying Lower Transmission Mounting Bolts (Rear Side)

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
50. Pull the transmission away from the engine until the transmission mainshaft clears the clutch pressure plate.
51. Slowly lower the transmission about 150 mm (6 in). Check once again that all hoses and harnesses are disconnected and free from the transmission, then lower it completely.