pwhoever

I just recently bought a used 97 Accord that had 154,000 miles on it for my daughter. The body was in really good shape and it was a one owner vehicle. When I checked it out, I was told that the timing belt had just been replaced along with a new battery and a new radiator. I drove it home about 30 miles including mostly highway and some stop and go. It ran a little rough especially when turning on the AC but I didn't notice any serious issues.

As with all used cars it wasn't perfect. I started going through it and discovered some oil in the spark plug tubes so I pulled the valve cover and rocker arms and changed the seals and spark plugs. I then adjusted the valves after reinstalling the rocker arm assembly. I also changed the pcv valve with a OEM Honda one. I pulled the IACV valve and ran a bunch of carb cleaner in it. Now even with turning on the AC, it idles a lot smoother, not perfect but much improved. There were a few other small things to change out like the hood release cable. Then I took it for another test drive around the block. When it was cold, I noticed that the trans seemed to be slipping especially on hard acceleration but was still shifting. I checked the trans fluid while warm and engine off and saw that there was nothing on the dipstick. I took my truck up to the auto parts store and picked up 2 quarts of Valvoline Import synthetic trans fluid and ended up using just over a quart and a half to get it filled. I again took it around the block and now it shifted like it should. I was a little concerned about the low trans fluid but couldn't find any leaks. I thought, great, its taken care of. Tonight I started doing some research online and started seeing a bunch of info about these Accords having issues of leaking trans fluid into the radiators and remembered the fact that a new radiator had been installed. Now I am worried.

My guess is that the radiator had to be changed because of this issue even though the previous owner didn't mention the reason why. It didn't seem like there was any coolant in the trans from what I could see. What would be the next thing I should do? When the transmission fluid would leak into the radiators, did it usually result in coolant leaking back into the transmissions as well? The obvious thing to do would probably change the trans fluid now but how would I make sure to completely drain the trans? I have some mechanical skills but have never done anything with transmissions before and this is the first Honda car I have ever dealt with. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

MAD_MIKE

It would be a good idea to drain and refill the transmission. It will take 2.5-3quarts per drain/refill, and the common ideal is to drain/refill three times to get the majority of the old fluid out. Drain/refill, drive around through all gears, and repeat. If you are worried about contamination, add a pint of Sea Foams Tran Tune. This is not a stop leak, but a cleaner/dryer that breaks down the varnish and sludge that can build up.

Do not use a flush machine, H4A transmissions are low pressure units, they have more in common with a typical manual transmission than an automatic.
I use Dexron III in my '95 and '97. I usually just change out the fluid in the pan every 10-15K miles. I have found no difference in performance compared to the uber pricey Honda ATF. FWIW the H4A dipstick has 'DEXRON II' embossed on it, not Honda DW-1 or Z1.

If you live in a hilly area, I'd advise to fill the transmission up to the upper portion of the hash marked area. Start the car on a level surface and place it into every gear for 5 seconds, P>R>N>...D1. Place it back into Park, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, and pull to check the level. I live in a hilly area with a few steep sections, and off camber turns. If the fluid level is below halfway on the hash mark, I can sometimes get a slight shift flare around one down hill off camber corner. If the fluid is closer to the top of the hash mark, I do not encounter this shift flare.

The biggest killer of these transmissions is lack of maintenance. Most owners never change the fluid. What happens is a slurry of metal and clutch material particles builds up in the sump and eventually clogs the sump pickup. The identifier of this type of failure is the transmission no longer works and there is whining from the front of the transmission as there is no longer fluid flowing. There is no serviceable filter, as there is no removable pan. One would have to remove the transmission and open the case to replace the sump pickup filter.

If the shifting seems erratic or a bit rough, check the NM/NC sensors in the right side covers. This is the cover above the drain plug. At the 10 and 2 O'clock positions are two magnetic pickups. These monitor the shaft speeds inside the transmission, which then the TCU uses these signals when to command an upshift. If the above mentioned magnetic goo has coated the sensors, then some hunting and erratic shifts may occur as the TCU is 'blind' to the shaft speeds. Pull these two sensors and make sure they are clean of any junk.

If the shift points seem early/late check the throttle valve cable attached between the throttle body and transmission. There should be no tension on the cable and no slack. You can adjust the cable using two 12mm open end box wrenches. And there is some allowable adjustment if you wish for later/earlier shifts. Looser=early shifting, tigher = later shifts. But do not over adjust these either way as this may cause premature wear.

While checking the throttle valve cable to the transmission, also check the slack in the throttle body pedal cable. If there is slack in the cable take it out by adjusting the cable.

If your idle still seems a bit rough check that the FITV is clean and snugged down. There are several writeups in the FAQ at the top of the forum on how to clean/adjust it.

With over 100K miles on the clock, the front wheel bearings may need to be replaced. Use Timken bearings from Rock Auto. The bearings are actually made by NTN, which is the OEM bearing. When worn front wheel bearings do not make noticeable noise, or howling sounds. You may encounter some light growling or it may sound like when driving on sand. Other indicator is even with proper alignment/proper tire pressure the inside tire tread blocking will wear evenly by scalloping every other tread block. Backing off the stub axle nut and retorquing it to 181lbft. If the car is quieter the bearing may be worn or if no noise, was loose.
If you do have the wheel bearings done, this would also be the opportune time to replace the lower balljoint, as it is pressed into the knuckle directly below the wheel bearing.

94 accord typeR

i drained and refilled my trans with genuine honda ATF $8 per qt should last 2 yrs so its cool
2.5 qt whole system no need for three changes
3/8" socket/breaker bar under car pass side near front
u want to clean the magnet on drain plug
hand tight or torque to spec
remember its a honda not a big luxury car

pwhoever

All good info. Thanks. And I have already used some of the stickies to help me get stuff done. This is a great site with a wealth of info. I just wish I had found it before doing the car shopping.
It looks like the general consensus is to drain/refill the trans fluid and I dont think I will feel comfortable without doing at least that to get mostly fresh stuff in there. As far as Honda trans fluid, I am a little pressed for time. My daughter is picking up the car tomorrow and there are no Honda places open today so it looks like I will have to go with an alternative. She lives only about a 2 hour ride away but needs to leave tomorrow morning. After just bringing the trans fluid up to the proper level, it was shifting fine with no whine so hopefully once I drain/refill, I will have dodged a bullet. And with the change of sparkplugs, pcv valve, iacv cleanout, and valve lash adjust, I am pretty happy with the idle so I will save the fitv cleaning for a later time. I also dont hear any grinding coming from the wheels and it seems smooth enough so I think the bearings are fine for now but will keep that in mind for later down the road as well. The way it handleS and the steering seems nice and tight, it seems like it had suspension work done not too long ago. No knocking or bumping when going down the road so I am pretty happy there.

And again thank you for the responses.

Lost Again

You can find Honda trans fluid at carquest for $7.99 a quart.....OEF 08200-9008

augustus

check the lines going into the trans cooler... i work at a shop and we had 3 or 4 5th gen accords come in with leaks there.