I just bought a 98 Civic with a bad tranny(no fourth gear). I put a junkyard transmission in it ; not sure if it was EX,DX,LX and a brand new torque converter. My question is when I'm driving 60mph its at about 3k RPM. and about 3500 at 70mph. Is this correct rpm for that mph? Seems to me like the converter isn't locking up? There is no CEL and the D4 doesn't flash. Fluid is full, I've drained and filled about 3 times since the tranny had been setting for a while with Castrol Multi Import ATF supposed to be compatible with ATF-Z1. I'm going to purchase OEM honda fluid after I put a few miles on the car.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

Bump.

 

Unfortunately, we don't have very many automatic drivers here, so please don't feel snubbed for not getting a lot of answers quickly.

If it was a manual transmission, I'd say that's about right on the rpms. I'm honestly not sure on a Civic automatic, but my automatic CRV is right about there at 70mph, maybe a little lower. I know that sounds high, but these Hondas tend to have very short gearing to make up for the small engines.

Again, I've never had an auto Civic, but I've got an auto CRV and had an auto Accord, and I know that neither of them shifted right with anything other than Honda ATF. Hondas seem to be very sensitive to that.

 

I might be driving my 98 Auto hatchback this weekend, I will check it out and let you know.

 

Well that sounds about right for a automatic. My car when it was automatic was at about that RPM I think. Especially if its a EX

 

Thanks for your input guys, I am going to swap the lock-up solenoid off my old tranny just to see if it makes any difference.