kenhock

I've read many of the posts re acura/Honda transmissions. my problem seems slightly different than most. car has 119k miles and a couple of years after I bought it (new) I took it back to the dealer as part of the transmission recall. ever since then I haven't had any problems until very recently. SOMETIMES the car will rev high in 1st gear and then shift hard into 2nd, rev high in 2nd gear and then shift hard into 3rd -- revs high in 3rd but won't shift into 4th -- I have to put the shifter into manual mode to shift into 4th and 5th gears. all downshifts are automatic and smooth. other times the transmission operates as it should and it's very smooth in shifting from gear to gear right up through 5th. this past weekend I added some sea-foam to the transmission fluid but the shifting problems are still there. i'd say I'm having this problem about every 3rd time I drive the car. between the time the transmission was repaired as part of the recall (at about 23,000 miles) and now I have not done any preventive maint on the transmission -- such as having the fluid flushed. before I take it to someone to look at I thought I would get some insight from some of you.

thanks.

PSI GUY

iTrader: (2)

I have seen these cars learn bad habits, odds are there may be some issues with the transmission but I have learned a little trick over the years and it started back with all the V6 auto tranny fun starting in the late 90s. First of all make sure the fluid is clean and red, don't use any additives in a honda tranny as it does more harm than good. Unhook both battery cables from the battery, take a jumper wire or tie both the positive and negative cables together and let it sit for a minute or two. This will drain all the memory and habits/quirks the pcm has picked up over the years and will go back fresh. Hook the battery back up, let the car run from cold with no loads(no headlights, AC, etc) till the radiator fan cycles on, then take it for a drive. The idle should be learned by then and the roadtest will see if it really is a mechanical issue or if it was just a bad habit learned by the pcm.

slowcivic2k

Your concern is textbook blockage in the oil pump circuit. If the filter or another passage to the pump is clogged, severe delays and wear can occur as a result, and will often trigger an incorrect gear code if the shift is greatly prolonged.

Using anything but a compatible ATF may cause problems, mostly because this unit is prone to clutch shedding. Adding anything to the ATF will worsen the condition.

Delayed shifts have a few roots:

1: Low oil level.
2: Restricted oil pump feed.
3: Poor oil pump output.

There are kits available during rebuild time in the aftermarket that address the 1-2 bump specifically, but it sounds like you have one of the three above, the last two require a rebuild.