The 1990-2001 Acura Integra, including all Integra models, commonly has mechanical issues with the manual transaxle. Drivers will notice that upon decelerating, the transmission will shift to neutral on its own, and some gears, normally second, will be difficult or impossible to select with the gear selector. Lastly, a grinding noise accompanies these issues. It changes with engine speed, and comes from the transmission. The engine connects to the transmission with a clutchand shaft. The clutch engages or disengages the transmission input shaft, and the transmission input shaft drives the transmission. The input shaft is held in place by bearings which allow it to spin. When those bearings fail, the input shaft can move, and the problems noted above become very evident due to the loss of synchronization of the transmission. To correct the situation, the transmission must be removed from the vehicle, disassembled, rebuilt, and reinstalled in the vehicle. The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen to you is proper maintenance of the transmission.

The 1990-2001 Acura Integra, all models, has a known issue with ignition distributor shaft bearing failure, which causes:

Failure to start

Engine randomly misfires

Check Engine Light Illumination

OBD Trouble code(s) P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P1336, P1337

Engine vibrations

Hesitation or stalling

Oil leak from distributor cap

The ignition system uses the distributor to send high voltage electricity to the spark plugs at the right time. It accomplishes this timing mechanically by a shaft, which connects the crankshaft and ignition distributor, so they spin at the same rate. That shaft, part of the distributor, rests in a bearing inside the distributor.This bearing, the distributor shaft bearing, is known for failing, and allowing the shaft to move slightly. As the bearing fails, it allows the shaft to move away from the shaft seal, and oil pours into the distributor cap, causing misfires. The play in the shaft can also cause contact with the crankshaft position sensor, causing a no start problem. Total bearing failure will be most evident from the grinding noise that changes with engine speed, and oil in the ignition distributor cap. If the bearing is making noise, driving or running the vehicle can result in catastrophic engine failure. To correct this issue, the ignition distributor and shaft must be replaced. Any damage to the crankshaft position sensor will necessitate replacement as well.