The Legend was one of the very first vehicles created under the luxury Honda division to feature more than one manual transmission. The production year of 1986 provided the entry that Acura needed in the global auto industry to showcase vehicle supremacy. If someone is replacing an Acura Legend manual transmission, saving money is usually at the top of the list.
As one alternative to the automatic 4-speed found in most Honda vehicles, manual technologies were starting to become more in demand in the late 1980s. The production period for Legend vehicles only lasted 9 years although consumer confidence was built. The dual engine variants that were offered in the luxury Acura brand made for nice compatibility with multiple transmissions.
Used 5-Speed Acura Gearbox
The first level gearbox was made between the year 1986 and 1990. This was the very first design and is actually the most common type found used. Car owners or people who purchase automotive parts for installation for client or personal vehicles usually find more inventory of the 5-speed manual editions. One thing to note about the early editions is that they are becoming harder to find with low counts of mileage on the assembly.
6-Speed Acura Used Manual Transmission
The second and less favorable unit is the 6-speed manual build. These were produced between 1990 and 1995. The Legend was updated during this period of time with a more modern transmission. Changes to the housing, clutch master cylinder and flywheel were common to find on these late model builds. While it is possible to find an OEM version for sale online, mileage still plays a factor when selecting a unit that is preowned.
Problems with Acura Legend Transmissions
The manual gearbox is one complex piece of machinery. Unlike automatic units, each component is manually controlled. This can create a problem for someone that is getting ready to do an Acura Legend manual transmission swap. Because there have been minor defects found by car owners, a 5-speed or 6-speed Legend gearbox could have unforeseen issues when purchased from a retailer that does not supply any form of pressure testing.
Most Legend gearboxes do need a minimum of 5 quarts of oil. Some people who do DIY transmission drops try to buy clutch kits or rebuild kits to fix issues with a gearbox. While this method works for some people, a long term fix is to usually drop the gearbox and replace it with one that is purchased with low mileage. Current low prices can be located through usage of the warehouse research tool that is presented right on this page.