Brooksy04

I have an 03 Accord Ex V6 Automatic and have had problems with the transmission. I originally took it to Honda where they told me I needed an entirely new transmission. After this, I decided to get a second opinion and took it to a transmission place where I was told that the transmission is probably fine. They told me that the more likely problem is either the throttle position sensor or the vehicle needs a pcm re-flash. They unfortunately did not have the equipment needed to do this and said that I should probably take it back to Honda. When I go back, I just want to be well informed before they try to screw me again. The car generally drives fine but does jerk occasionally especially when the engine gets warm. It will jerk a bit and than drive fine after that. I want to know from others if the 2 things that the Transmission place told me would prevent themselves like a transmission problem and if they are actually the likely problem and the car doesn't need a new transmission. Hopefully, my problem is clear to you all and you can help me, if not just ask me what you don't understand and I will clarify it for you. Thanks in advance guys!

safedriver

iTrader: (1)

I had a 03 v6 accord with 65,000 miles that did this, when it was totally warmed up.

I did two things:

I installed a external transmission cooler and I changed fluid 4 times (gravity method).

The goodyear trans hose cost me about $2 per foot and the cooler cost me $60.

My 2nd gear jerk/slip went away, for good.

Even if you do this and you still have trans trouble, you will have eliminated the chance of your fluid overheating. Just don't buy too large of a cooler.

If you are going to try this I cna find my notes on my project, from a few years ago.

Brooksy04

Okay, yeah, if you can send me those notes, that would be awesome. So you don't think the entire transmission needs to be replaced than? One of the things the mechanic mentioned in his notes was that the vehicle downshifts into second when it gets hot.

safedriver

iTrader: (1)

The accord v6 engines with automatic trans like to get stuck in 2nd gear, when the transmission gets hot.

The cooler I used is : Long Tru-Cool (LPD) Thin Stacked Plate, Transmission Coolers, OC-4451, comes with installation kit
but I could have used the Long Tru-Cool (LPD) Thin Stacked Plate,Transmission Coolers, OC-4452, comes with installation kit.

Don't use anything larger, because you will over cool the fluid and that can be bad.

The hose that came with my kit was long enough to go from the transmission to the Trucool cooler, but I had to buy a hose to go from the cooler back to the transmission. I think that it was 9 or 14 feet and it cost about $2 per foot. Later in the following instructions you will measure how much you need to buy.

The location of the splice:

Stand over the drivers tire and look down on to the transmission (it's almost directly inline with the steering wheel).. you will see a 1/2" to 5/8" outside diameter hose that has a `formed` 90 degree bend. This is a rather short hose, maybe 4 or 5 inches, including the bend.

Now that you see the short bent hose...the end which is closest to the hood (when the hood is closed) is where the fluid comes out of the transmission. To confirm this, you can remove the hose and watch, as someone starts the car, for about 2 seconds.
The transmission will squirt fluid out of one of its two openings (where the hose used to be). This `squirt` is the transmission's output and needs to go to the trucool's input connection.

My Long's Trucooler low pressure cooler had a marking, for fluid going into the cooler and a marking for the fluid that comes out of the cooler.

Take the hose that came with the kit and measure its inside diameter and its outside diameter. Take note that it has nylon threads in its body. You will need this info, when you go to the parts store and buy a longer piece, to finish the job.

Connect the hose that came with the kit to the transmission's (output) connector that is closest to the hood.
Route the hose towards the firewall then sweep the hose towards the car's radiator.
Do not pinch the hose nor make any tight bends that mash the hose.
When you get the end of the hose to front side of the car's radiator, you will know the general area that you have to mount the TruCool.

Mount the trucool and measure back to the remaining transmission (input) connector. Either 9 or 14 feet.
Go buy the hose and install it.
Use tie wraps to keep the hoses from rubbing on any moving parts on the engine compartment.

Wipe everything off, so you can verify that you don't have any leaks.

Take the car for a drive around the block. Check the hose connections for leaks and and check the fluid level
Add fluid and check it again tomorrow.

To do the gravity bleed of the transmission fluid, you have to find the 3/8" square plug, in the transmission.
Get a pan that can hold about 6 quarts and put it under the plug. Remove the plug with a 3/8" ratchet (no socketwill be used) Drain the fluid into the pan.
Reuse the aluminum crush washer and put the plug back at 36 foot pounds of torque. Your trans housing is aluminum and you can easilly strip the threads, so use a torque wrench.
Measure the fluid in the pan and put that much new fluid in the transmission.
You put the new fluid into the transmission's dip stick tube, with a long thin funnel.
Put the dip stick back in.

Start the car and shift through each gear. Drive the car easy. Somewhere around 40 to 45 miles per hour, the car will shift into its economy highway gear. You want the car to shift into the economy gear twice, so you will have to slow down, to let the transmission shift out of the economy gear, then slowly speed back up, to feel the economy shift for the 2nd time.
Take it to a large parking lot and put it in reverse and back up for about 50 feet.

Now you are ready to go back home and do the same gravity bleed process all over again.

Do it a total of four times. On the fourth and final sequence, install a new aluminum crush washer.

I don't have any pictures of the location of the short 90 degree `formed` hose, but if you send me a photo, of the drivers side of your engine compartment, I can open it with paint and circle the hose, in your photo.

Brooksy04

Awesome, this is a huge help and I will definitely try this.