I'm having problems with my 94 honda civic, everything was working fine before but then the radiator broke, we fixed the radiator got new head gasket etc. So now I drive and the transmission doesn't shift to 4. It goes to 3 but before it's going to shift to 4th it stays neutral. The car also doesn't reverse. Also, white smoke comes out of the muffler, sometimes alot sometimes a bit. How can I fix this problem?

Also, the car doesn't reheat. We tried changing the transmission fluid, the first time we emptied it, 1 gallion of transmission fluid poured out. We refilled it, for a while it was able to go on reverse and 4th, but after a while when the engine like gets heated (car doesnt overheat) it doesn't go to 4th it stays neutral.

Today we were told to buy the tranmission fluid from the dealer itself, empty it out completely, turn on the car, and after a while fill the car with transmission fluid again. Only now this time it won't even go to reverse and 4th, not even sometimes, that sometimes is gone lol. We're back to where we started in the first place, any ideas how to fix this? :S

Sorry, I don't know the codes and stuff so..ya

 

when the radiator was replaced, did the trans cooler lines get reconnected to the bottom of the radiator..? that's the only link i can think of between you putting a new radiator in and then the trans screwing up.

did you do all the work yourself, new rad, head gasket?

 

Yeah, first two times the radiator broke we paid a mechanic. Third time we did it ourself, but after the second time it was repaired was when the transmission messed up, not after the first time.

Edit: People have suggested that it could be the trans clutch, the transmission shifter linkage need adjustment and the modulator diaphram being broken. So ya :s.



Modified by ssj4trunks09 at 6:49 PM 8/25/2007

 

92-95 civics do not use vacuum modulators, they have a TV cable.

Whoever told you to refill the transmission with the engine on after draining it is a retard. You must always have fluid in the transmission, if its low the torque converter will not fill up all the way, and if that is the case, the car wont move anywhere. Let me guess a domestic guy told you that?

A flush is ideal, since it will get almost all particles out of the transmission, a flush/fill can sometimes cause more harm than good on an older transmission, since now the new oil is knocking old particles off, into the clutches and valve body orifices. This is why routine fluid changes are a must for automatics, doing so will make them last a very long time.

What kind of fluid, and how did it look when it came out? Dirty, burnt, milkshake like?

Are you meaning when it shifts to 4th (assuming no CEL for the transmission) it rev out of control? If so clutches are gonna die quick, if not already, and you could have a restriction in the valve body between the shift valve and the clutch. The 4th clutch controls both 4th and reverse.


Modified by slowcivic2k at 10:55 PM 8/25/2007

 

Well, after the liquid came out it looked pretty normal to me. Only thing was that before it was red and when it came out it was black. So idk.

When it shifts to the 4th, I'm not sure what you mean by rev out of control but it seems to me like the car goes on neutral. So basically it goes from 3 to neutral and it stays on neutral to whole ride :S.

 

90% of transmission failure is caused by overheating. if the fluid went in red and just a couple days later came out black... guess what? your transmission is overheating. Sounds like you need to make sure your lines are hooked up to the radiator and if they are, make sure they are working. You probably already toasted your tranny if it can turn the good fluid black in such a short time...

 

Ok thanks, we just finished checking the lines but we're pretty sure it's connected properly.

So would that mean I need a new transmission? I still need to know if the transmission shifter linkage need adjustment and the modulator diaphram being broken could also be the problem.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by loudandlow &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">90% of transmission failure is caused by overheating. if the fluid went in red and just a couple days later came out black... guess what?</TD></TR></TABLE>

That means he didn't flush the system which means that even the next few changes are going to be just as disgusting as the first.


ssj4trunks09, you do not have a modulator diaphram, you have a TV cable.

If the shifter linkage can engage every position on the cluster, from top to bottom, the shift linkage is fine.

 

So when I flush the system, do I do it with the car on or do it off? Also, for how long do I do? and after I flush the system (with water right?) what type of transmission fluid do I use?

 

To do a flush, a machine must be used. Take it to a place to get the fluid flushed completely. Simply changing the fluid will not get everything out, as the torque converter and valve body still has older oil in it, which will mix with the new, and make it look just as bad as before. I don't know who is telling you to flush the transmission with water, but I would advise you to not listen to that person ever again.

You can also do just a drain and fill by yourself:

Drain the tranny.
Fill with new Honda ATF.
Start the engine, and shift through every gear on the selector, idle until engine is fully warm.
Turn off engine and wait 1 minute, then check the ATF level, and top off.

This will get some of the gunk out, but not all of it.

The point of a flush is that the transmission pumps all the old fluid out, and replaces it will all new fluid, which is a more complete job.