Automatic Transmission Fluid problem...creamy pink
 

I have a 1998 Honda Accord 4 cylinder

I have replaced radiator. Brand new.
All coolant hoses replaced (new)

I added Prestone Head Gasket Repair into older radiator ( which I replaced , indicated above)
I believe may be cause of, not sure , below:

My ATF fluid is coming out creamy pink.
I had a leak in a hose going to bottom of radiator (ATF Cooler)
Replaced all hoses to ATF Cooler.

I have run (2) three quart fill sequences through transmission.
Even after new radiator , comes out creamy pink.
So it must not be mixing with coolant now , correct?
(I.e. Brand New Radiator)

Have I not flushed out enough of bad fluid from transmission?

What is causing it to come out creamy pink ?



Only after I fill with new ATF , 3 quarts , does it drive.
It will drive about a quarter mile or so, in Drive, and lower gears 1 & 2.
Reverse will not work.

After about a quarter mile, fluid becomes creamy and pink.
Then transmission will render inoperable.

Again, I fill it and it drives, have done it twice...

Maybe a third or more?
Should I drop transmission?

Any direction will help.
My first Honda...

2 kids, can't afford a mechanic now. Tough times

Thanks for your time & understanding.

Kind Regards,

thomas.wine@ gmail.com

Re: Automatic Transmission Fluid problem...creamy pink
 

If it's still mixing then the new radiator might somehow be bad and allowing the coolant and radiator fluid to mix. Was it doing it before you replaced the radiator ? I can't really imagine a new radiator being bad but if it's a cheapo it's possible. You may just need to do more drain and fills.

Re: Automatic Transmission Fluid problem...creamy pink
 

Unfortunately, Honda Accords of this vintage are pretty legendary for transmission problems. If you haven't used Honda brand transmission fluid, you should definitely try that, because these transmissions don't run right on any other transmission fluid. It probably won't fix it. The creaminess probably means you are getting water into the transmission and no amount of fluid changes is going to fix that. Are you getting any check engine light? If so, you should borrow a code scanner or get it scanned for free at an auto parts store. If it was me and I couldn't afford a mechanic, I would go to a junkyard and try to pull a replacement transmission. There are lots of these cars at junkyards. All 4-cylinder accords built between model years 1998 and 2002 have essentially the same transmission. Some junkyards will even give you a warranty on the transmission. It's a big job and you need an engine puller to get it out but the junkyard will let you use theirs to get the transmission out of the car at the junkyard and maybe you can get them to let you use it in their parking lot to put the transmission in your car. There are lots of YouTube videos on how to work on Accords. Just search. Scotty Kilmer, Ericthecarguy, Chris Fix, and Schrodinger's box are my go-to sources for car help on YouTube. If you can't find it there, for $30 you can get a subscription to www.alldatadiy.com and get the specific dealer-level shop manual information on your exact car.

Re: Automatic Transmission Fluid problem...creamy pink
 

The only place where water/coolant interfaces with the transmission is the ATF cooler in the bottom of the radiator. As Holmesnmanny stated, it's possible (though unlikely) that your new one is still leaking from the antifreeze part of the radiator to the ATF part. you need to eliminate that as a cause in any case.

The other item to be aware of: Draining the transmission from the drain plug will only get about 1/2 of the fluid out. The other half (presumably still creamy pink) stays in all those passages and pumps, and does not drain. Even after two changes, you will still have some percentage of water in the transmission. Short of complete removal/disassembly (or replacement), I think the only other way to get that out is the bleed and feed method of frequent changes over time. An no guarantees that you'll be fixed when all the water contamination is out.

MadMike is very heavy on transmission issues- if he comes on this one, pay close attention to his advice.