JohnBoy0002

I have a 1998 Civic LX with at D16Y7 engine and a B4RA transmission (US built 4 speed auto). I drove it for about year with regular maintenance and never had a transmission problem, not even a rough shift. Then I had to park it for a year, covered but outside. The ATF dipstick / rubber filler plug was loose and I am worried it let moisture into the transmission while parked. There was a bit of milky residue on the end of the dipstick when I first checked it.

When I first started the car it would not go into any gear at all. So I dumped the fluid and refilled with Castrol Import ATF. The old fluid was pretty dark and there was sludge on the drain plug, but I strained the old fluid and there was no metal, no shavings or anything. I refilled it, let it run in park for twenty minutes and then dumped the fluid again, and then a third time.

Now it will shift between Park, Reverse and Neutral; but will only go into D4, D3 or 2 during the first minute that car is running. I let it crawl forward a bit, but I have not tried to drive it yet. After a minute in drive with brakes on, it falls out of gear. The dealership service manual has nothing in hydraulic troubleshooting for this set of problems. I really want to avoid pulling the transmission if I don't have to, especially if it is not mechanical and just bad fluid or a stuck valve. Moreover, I have never done transmission work and would have to take it to a shop.

Any advice you guys can offer would be awesome. Do I keep draining, idling and refilling until the fluid comes out clean and red? Next time I would use Honda DW1. Do I try to drive it and hope it cycles through the fluid better that way and maybe then replace the fluid? Do I bite the bullet and pull the transmission? Also, why didn't Honda put in a fluid pan so I could check the filter without removing the whole thing?

Thanks for all your time and help with this.