My 92 Accord EX Automatic was running fine on the freeway...my son was driving and as he tried to accelerate we noticed the RPM's shot up but the speed did not increase. He said he felt a weird grinding when he tried to accelerate. We got it to the emergency lane, left it running and I got under the hood to listen while he gave steady pressure to gas pedal...(first thought was transmission problem) there where no smells coming from the car, no smoke and no leaks , the engine sounded pretty much normal (hard to hear on the freeway of course) I released emergency brake & attempted to put the car in each gear - it just rolled backwards as if in Neutral. I then turned the engine off and attempted to restart it. I get full dash lights but nothing more then a smooth steady humming or buzzing sound from the engine. I know the timing belt was due to be replaced however I am stumped by the fact that the engine seemed to be running pretty close to normal after we lost the ability to accelerate.
Car has been VERY reliable, full vehicle inspect 8 months ago indicate the engine and transmission were in GREAT shape. 4 days ago I took it in for a 100,000 mile check (($105)) at a local garage we trust. Any input would be appreciated cause this one has me stumped?!?!?!

 

if the timing belt would have broke, you would have not had the car running at all. the 105 dollar check should be either refunded or the shop should put that toward the labor for the repairs. if you were my customer i would-no problem. but checks like that are free with any major service in my shop. for 25 bucks i do a multi-point inspection....honestly there are like over 200 things on the vehicle check list for that. but if they only look at stuff and dont take things apart to see...like the timing belt cover or the transmission, then they cant tell. basically they checked your suspension looking for worn and leaking parts. same for the engine. most of that was a visual insection but they may have gone a step further and done a compression test. for 105 bucks i woud have checked your fuel pressure too. and brake checks are free here as are vehicle checks. we quickly look at stuff like fluids and do a visual inspection. the wheels obviously come off for brake pad/shoe inspection unless you got wheels that we can see clearly the brakes and rotors are fine. but it kinda sounds like you got taken on the inspection. and it sounds like a trans issue...like a torque converter possibly

 

agreed, if the belt broke it would not be running, if it slipped (which it shouldnt with a manual tensioner), it would be running extremely poorly or not running at all, depending on how many teeth it jumped. kinda sounds like a transmission problem by how you described. im assuming the humming you heard was the fuel pump priming.

 

if its an auto you could have a bad tq converter. if a manual then clutch issue. check the master and slave cylinders first.

these are interference motors so if that timing belt snaps you are ****ed, especially if it breaks when driving on the freeway. the car will not run without the timing belt.

 

Pull the dipstick in the transmission, just to the right and below the battery, check your fluid.
If there's nothing there you could have sheared the splines on the torque converter that drive the pump for your vehicles transmission.
Also try removing the metal access panel under the transmission,
its held on by a few 10mm bolts, and make sure the converter is still attached to the engines flexplate.
If that's all good you could have also have a misaligned shift cable.
When I finished my engine rebuild, my accord would roll backwards and grind when in park until I properly adjusted it.
Hope this helps, Good Luck!!

 

so did you figure out what it was? we're bored and wanna tell you more of our ideas if we havent gottin it solved already

 

Thanks for all the input. I called my dad in Texas (I'm in CA) and he said the same thing...Torque Converter! One of you mentioned a 10 MM bolt which is interesting cause I found one in my driveway the afternoon that this happened. Maybe they didn't tighten it down???? I am having the car towed to Matt's Caddy Shack today. Not the same guy that did my 100K check. I trust Matt just didn't use him for the check since he is a little more expensive....LESSON LEARNED!!!

 

Obviously, a drive train problem. Flex plate bolts may have come out. Flex plate may be broken. Axle may be broken, CV joint etc. Stripped torque converter splines. Stripped axle splines/hub splines. Many problems, just don't let someone tell you it was the timing belt and that you need a major service.

 

Thanks you brought up a couple of possibilities I hadn't heard yet...still waiting for the garage to call me with the diagnosis....keepin my fingers crossed cause I love my little Honda and she only has 109K so I know I should get another 90 or so out of her.

 

so where are you in cali? i think i have heard of matts caddy shop LOL. i havent heard anything negative or positive though so dont worry LOL it shouldnt be too bad though. i wanna hear more about the bolt you found..was it broken off? if so it could be a torque converter bolt. they could have been snapping off...or the guys workin onit at some point while doing trans work could have broken a few and not replaced them...i think theres 6 or 8 bolts holding the torque converter to the flex plate. but i've broken them before (not payin attention), but i replaced them with new grade 8 bolts. i didnt just look the other way on it. but we still wanna know what the issue was..or at least i'm curious. nothin better to do right now LOL

 

I'm in Santee...The bolt was not broken at all...still had a large washer on it and the wrench marks looked fresh. I didn't think much of it cause I had the mechanic work done Monday and another guy came over Friday (hours before she died on the freeway) and replaced my windshield. I figured the bolt must have been from that. Right now I am anxiously waiting to hear back from Matt's...I HATE waiting! LOL I will post the results when I get them...I plan on having them do the timing belt as well so I figure this will run me about a thousand...OUCH!

 

damn that sounds like alot. i do timing belts for alot less i know i'm only 65 an hour for labor. parts are like 150 about (i only use dealer timing belts) but i'm in lancaster...how far is santee? i'm curious thats all. but damn matts...souds familiar and i still cant place it LOL

 

If you maintain your car you should get a good 500k miles out of it. Assuming only qualified people work on it, mind you.

 

If I recall Lancaster is way North of here...LA area right? Santee is in San Diego. I learned my lesson about "qualified technicians"...still waiting for the garage...BOOO! Matt's is in El Cajon...my ex husband is in the same Network Group which is how I came to use him.

 

Mechanic called said they are leaning toward it being the flex plate...but the worst case scenario is the crank shaft. They can't say for sure till they drop the transmission...$600 JUST for that...BOOOOO!

 

Good luck !!

 

The flex plate bolts that go into the torque converter are visible and accessable by removing an inspection cover. The flex plate mounting bolts that go into the crankshaft can be inspected by simply removing the flex plate/torque converter bolts and seeing if the flex plate rotates independently of the crankshaft. You don't need to remove the trans for that.
Actually, you don't even need to remove the small torque converter bolts to see if the flex plate moves independently of the crank shaft...
I'm curious about their methods and what they expect to find. I'm sure they'll find it, eventually...

 

By the way, that transmission takes about an hour and a half to remove... 600 dollars is a lot, if that cost is only for the removal...

 

i agree with you. the testing methods sound strange and the cost sounds high...hopefully it includes the timing belt. i havent looked up the labor time though on my system (alldata) but still it sounds odd. crankshaft?? i guess theyre thinking a main bearing spun....but IDK. sounds odd. thats a rebuild and a LOT more than 1000 bucks. still sounds strange...god i hate shady *** shops!!

 

yeah lancaster is north LOL i used to work all over the state though with diesel emissions equipment and regulations for companies with diesel engine equipment. trucks, tractors, etc. this was a bunch of stuff i worked with CARB on. waste management, united rentals, park house tires, volcan industries, JB hunt trucking, the port of los angeles, los angeles county, GSA (government services assosiation-they move stuff between bases like camp pendleton, seal beach naval base, etc), los angeles unified school district and a bunch of other companies. this may be how i heard of matts. i'm always lookin at shops as i drive around LOL. damn i hope they arent tryin to burn you. hell hit me up for the labor rates for whatever services theyre tying to charge you for. then you can see if theyre even close to the dealer labor times. the hours to charge-not the actual dealer labor fees.

 

I don't know if I would have taken my car to this guy!


http://www.ripoffreport.com/Auto-Mec...poff-dacqa.htm

Best of luck to you.

 

damn thats where i heard of him!! we were gonna bust him for illegal smog on cars and he was tryin to get in the diesel smog testing (which is called opacity smoke testing) but illegally. testers are required to be CCDET certified and he aint certified. damn we sent people to his shop undercover for CARB to have diesel testing he called it back then. got fined i think 50,000 bucks. IDK when he paid it but now i remember. damn jen. get your car outta there. it sucks now because you cant trust whatever he says is wrong and you gotta pay for another diagnosis. a quality shop should put the diagnosis in to the labor fees if you choose to do it so the diagnosis is free OR included. i do that here. sorry i told you i had heard nothing negative. i just remembered when i seen the address in that rip off complaint. then t all came back

 

Thanks for the input guys...I'm taking what you said into serious consideration. I am waiting for a call from Matt (my ex's friend) to review everything. He was not in the shop yesterday and so I dealt with someone else. I could be misunderstanding what the guy was saying (possible but not likely). I do know for sure that he said it was a 6 1/2 hour job...I believe that includes the timing belt and flex plate replacement...also recommended the water pump...parts for that are not included in the $600. It is my understanding that IF the crankshaft is shot (which he doesn't believe it is) then the cost will go up...he couldn't tell me the amount which is why I am waiting to talk to Matt. I'll make a few calls and see what other prices I get to replace the timing belt, flex plate and water pump. Keep ya'll posted and thanks for the input...it's nerve racking being a chic and needing a mechanic...I always worry about getting ripped off.

 

$1,400 replace the flex plate, torque converter, timing belt and water pump....thoughts?

 

yeah i seen the new post then was looking up the labor and now i seen this...hang on and i'll break it down to you