Had my '98 Accord 4 banger totaled so bought a '99 Accord 4dr with 3.0. The 4 cyl was trouble free but this 3.0 seems to idle rough even after TChain, oil pressure switch and valve adj. I'm wondering what issues are typical with this motor. Anyone?

 

Transmissions are complete garbage. It's not a matter of if it will fail, but a matter of when.

 

 

My mech thinks this car has already had a replacement tranny but it does clunk when it goes into reverse first time of the day when cold. Are there any options for upgrading in the event I it fails and I have to choose between rebuild and replacement?

 

There is a company that exists that supposedly rebuilds them and fixes the major failure point. I don't remember their name though as it's been awhile since I've worked on one. It is pricey from what I remember. With the age ever increasing on these cars, the best option upon failure would likely be to just get rid of it. For now your best bet would just be to keep up with the maintenance and do the drain/fill services at the recommended intervals. You can have an aftermarket external transmission cooler installed which may help with longevity. That's really all you can do as these transmissions aren't very serviceable.