Hi everyone,

I've enjoyed reading everyone's help for the past few months, but I've run across a couple problems that I haven't really found a solution to by searching on the forum.

Ah. First things first. I have a 2000 Accord 4-cyl. VTEC manual transmission coupe. (Yes! I totally read deserthonda's posting guidelines!) I bought it in Sept. 2006, but the previous owner was a good guy and kept all the records.

Problem #1 -- Stick Resists Shifting Into 1st Gear from Idle
Procedure
[ol][*]Stop at stop light, and shift car into neutral.[*]When light turns green, press clutch, but stick will not shift into 1st gear. Sliding into another gear and then back into 1st does not help.[*]Release and press clutch again. Stick now will shift into 1st gear.
[/ol]Comments
[ol][*]Problem appears maybe 1% of full stops. No other time.[*]Previous owner verbally expressed similat problem before selling car to me. Explained that master/slave cylinder was recommended and replaced by dealer. Backed up by paperwork in March 2006.[*]Read in another post to check transmission fluid. Remark: transmission fluid last serviced in June 2006 by dealer. Specific fluid used not determinable (most likely Honda MTF).[/ol]
Problem #2 -- Poor City Gas Mileage (MPG)
Procedure
[ol][*]Recorded gas at fill up and change in trip odometer. Trip odometer reset.
[/ol]Results (date of fill-up -- mpg of previous tank):
[ul][*]02/03/07 -- 19.7 mpg (city)[*]02/04/07 -- 36.7 mpg (hwy)[*]02/14/07 -- 24.0 mpg (city/hwy)[*]03/06/07 -- 22.3 mpg (city/hwy)[*]03/19/07 -- 23.2 mpg (city/hwy)[*]03/23/07 -- 19.7 mpg (city)[*]04/10/07 -- 22.2 mpg (city/hwy)[*]04/27/07 -- 20.2 mpg (city)
[/ul]Comments
[ol][*]More recordings were taken prior to these but were lost. Results were similar.[*]Sparkplugs were checked in Jan 2007.[*]Fuel conditioner was added on 03/23/07.[*]Driving has been consistent and grandma-like. No unneccesary acceleration or braking. In neutral coming to and idling at stop lights.[/ol]Anyways, I figure you guys might be able to help out some. If there are any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

 

City mpg will suffer from the constant stopping and bumper to bumper traffic...

2000 Honda Accord 4: 23/30 MPG (City/Hwy)

Your Accord is performing amicably.

 

Yeah. That's totally weird. I used this reference like late last year. That's why I started recording mileage.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/2001c...1&id=15906

I swear it said 35city/35hwy, which I thought was insane at the time.

Any ideas on the transmission?

 

Here's my car and your car side-by-side. My car will suffer a bit from the suggested MPG due to aftermarket modifications.

25/31 vs. 24/33. Yours may be slacking a bit....but it's only 7 years old. Mine sounds just about right.

 

In my 2000 LX 4door MT I average about 32 mpg city and my highway driving only gets me about 30 or 31 because I usually set the cruise at about 82mph. Your city mpg sounds pretty bad to me. Unless you are flooring it everywhere in the city, or somehow youare calculating your mpg incorrectly. How many miles do you get out of a full tank on the trip odometer before your fuel light comes on?

 

Well, I don't actually let my tank get down to the point where the light comes on normally. The highest recorded that I've driven on one tank is 350.1 miles, but even then I don't think the light had come on.

The fuel gage reads kinda weird, but it's consistent in its oddity. The first 40 miles or so it barely moves. Then it drops pretty fast down to about 100 miles. Then it slows up again until about 150 miles. That's usually about "half" according to the fuel gage. Then it speeds up just a little and stays pretty much at that rate the rest of the way down. I usually fill up at about a quarter of a tank. I don't let it get down to the bottom because I once had a Bonneville that ran out of gas in the New Mexican desert when it's fuel gage said it still had 3/8 tank left. Luckily, breaking down in the desert is much safer than breaking down in South Central L.A.

However, I assure you that I record my odometer, reset it to zero, then record the gallons on the fuel pump, and calculate the mpg (with my cell phone) before I even leave the gas station. I write all the numbers down (gas, mileage, and mpg) in My Notebook of Nifty Things I keep in my back pocket. It's pretty handy, don't you think?

 

You definitely got it right on calculating your mpg if that is the way you do it! That is the exact same way I do it (even the part about calculating with my cell phone before I leave the gas station!) I normally get about 420 miles or so out of a full tankbefore mylow fuellight comes on. The last tank I was really impressed I got 450 miles. I would think there is something not normal there, but I have no idea what it could be. Hopefully DesertHonda or HondaDude will read your post and have some suggestions.
As far as the transmission goes, I'm not too sure there either. Sometimes mine is a pain in the butt to get in either first or reverse from a stop. But I attribute that to the short shift adapter I put on there. Usually I will just hold the shifter like I'm still trying to put it in gear and I'll give it a little gas & let off the clutch slowly and the shifter will go into the gear.
Oh yeah I almost forgot to ask. Are you running the A/C all the time? What part of the country are you in? Are you using 87 octane gas?

 

The shifting problem could be caused by air in the clutch system. Try bleeding it.

If that doesnt help, then think about other reasons for the clutch to drag slightly (occasionally). If the clutch disk is beginning to warp, it could cause this, but I'd expect it to be more consistant & do it all the time.

 

Replace your O2 (oxygen) sensors if they have never been replaced.

Clean MAF sensor with brake cleaner.

Reset car's computer.

 

No. The L.A. South Bay (not SF). Yes.

What's MAF? Maybe MAP???