D-Series EF Civic and CRX Hydraulic Transmission Swap correction

"The newer hydraulic transmissions, which made its debut on the '92 Civics, had a complete internal redo with much stronger stamped steel shift forks. These transmissions are quite strong and, aside from synchro problems, are very reliable. But getting one in your older EF cable-operated transmission-bodied chassis is a big project."

Get your facts straight.

The 5th generation 1992-1995 civic transmission did NOT use steel forks.  It uses aluminum forks that are very similar to those found in the 88-91 transmissions.  It even shares the exact same 5th gear fork.  Part numbers for 5th gear fork remain constant from 88-95, that's right, PL3.

The d-series transmission does not have synchro problems it's problem is that the gear reduction is further apart than the b-series reduction.  The synchros wear out due to the soft malleable brass that they're constructed of.  Just like b-series transmissions.  When the brass synchros wear out (which they do) they gradually lose their ability to stop the gears from spinning in relation to whatever gear the driver is about to select.  (mainshaft 3-4-5 gears, countershaft 1-2 gears)  

The only reason people break shift forks is because they are FORCING their transmission to stop a gear from spinning when the synchro has worn down to the point where it has lost it's ability to do the job like it used to.  Yes, they are like brake pads and they wear down eventually.  Even if the fork doesn't break, like on the 1996-2000 transmissions the synchro sleeve is going to be forced upon the dog teeth on the crown of the gear and cause the gears to grind, eventually the teeth will look like this and the gear will not remain engaged and it will just pop the shifter out, just like it's explained here: http://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1916635

If drivers are consistently breaking their shift forks, it's because they are dogging their transmissions that need to be freshened up or rebuilt.  But then again, I wouldn't expect much from a "professional" magazine who's primary focus is spending useless money without knowing grasping conceptts rather than learning how to build cars.  

Although I am glad that the hasport d-series hydro conversion is available, I strongly feel that a review of something like close-ratio gears would be more useful and beneficial.  Both mfactory and gear-x offer close ratio gearsets that work in all 88-2000 transmissions.  I even had the new gear-x 1st gear designed so that it would work in both hydro and cable transmission configurations.  

gear-x cable first gear works in hydro (1992-2000) configurations:




messed up d16y8 gear, good thing the driver had steel shift forks


precious 2000 d16y8 synchros are really just the same as 1988 crx hf synchros.
 
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By the way, I'm really looking forward to nexts months issue, hopefully there will be some sort of 1988-2000 civic with a b18 swap.  I am anticipating the moment when they revel this newly discovered truth in honda-tuning.  
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LOL...