I got this 1991 Accord wagon last weekend. It drives great, but I've noticed that it has a tendency to change gears rather abruptly. It's kinda' hard to describe, but almost like there is a shift kit installed. It doesn't bark 'em or anything like that, it's just not smooth. It's kinda irritating when I am in traffic (usually around 30 - 40 MPH).
I've been driving stick for years now, maybe I'm just not used to it?

 

Good job, you actually found a decent auto tranny Don't complain about it, revel in it

 

Okay. I can live with that.

 

Do you know cars history and if the person that had it last drove it hard

 

The title is clean. It looks like only two people have owned it. It has 119K miles. Very clean car on the inside. Almost mint (you can tell the previous owner liked to drive with his left hand and keep his right arm on the rest). Outside looks pretty good except for the fact that the rustmonster has been chewing on the rear wheelwells for a while. I'd have to say that it seems to have been very well maintained. Tranny fluid is clean and doesn't have any burnt smell to it. Doubt it has been diven like a taxi, but I don't know for sure.

 

change the fluid. When I first got my car it shifted really hard (94 LX with 87K on it at the time) I changed the fluid and that solved my hard shifting problems. I change my fluid once a year

 

Sounds like a reasonable plan.
I'll do that after I get the timing belt checked next weekend.
(I thought about doing the timing belt myself, but wussed out).

 

i have a 95 LX i started noticing a problem like that too, it only happens during slow speed(20-40) i think its normal, i changed my tranny fluid and problem still there...i dunt think its anything serious

 

try driving it in D3 in heavy traffic or school zones, then shift back to D4 once faster then 45 mphs. It helps out on the over shifting, remember your car is trying to save gas so it will shift as ofen as it needs to keep the rpms down.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shadow_ridge &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try driving it in D3 in heavy traffic or school zones, then shift back to D4 once faster then 45 mphs. It helps out on the over shifting, remember your car is trying to save gas so it will shift as ofen as it needs to keep the rpms down.</TD></TR></TABLE>

tried dat, doesnt help...i only experiance the harsh shifting in low sppeds..so im assuming its 1-2 or 2-3 thats where the harsh shifting happens

 

Change your tranny fluid.

REMEMBER use HONDA ATF!

 

whats so special about the honda fluid isnt it just dextron 3?

 

it is slighly thinner and trust us when we tell you that you do not want to use anything else.

My car used to shift hard and as the trans neared the time for the fluid change my car would shift funny like goowakjai's car. I changed the fluid and now everything is back to normal with my car shifting.

 

What do you guys think about the "fluid exchange" service offered at places like Jiffy Lube as opposed to a traditional drain and fill?

Here is what JL claims: " Safely and completely exchanges virtually all of the fluid in the transmission system, including the torque converter."

Is it worth the extra $?

 

ok kool I bought some motomaster stuff but Ill get some honda instead