On Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 10:41:44 AM UTC-6, Net-Doctor wrote:
> "motsco_ _" <"motsco_ > wrote in message
> ...
> > Gregg Gruen wrote:
> > > My 1994 Accord seems to do something strange at highway speeds. It
> > > seems that the torque converter is locking up and unlocking
> > > repeatedly. I try to maintain a very steady speed, but I'll feel it
> > > unlock and watch the tach jump up ~250 RPM, then watch it drop it back
> > > down again. This will happen on flat road, but very much more so on a
> > > slight (and I mean slight) incline. If I use cruise control, the
> > > problem it's so bad, but still present. It seems like it's more
> > > sensitive than it should be. It'll just as much as every 5-8 seconds,
> > > especially if the road isn't perfectly flat.
> > >
> > > Otherwise, the trans seems to shift fine. Shifts a little rough,
> > > especially when it's cold, but nothing to really complain about too
> > > much. I did a trans fluid change, but I didn't use Honda fluid
> > > (changing again this weekend w/ Honda fluid after what I've read about
> > > that).
> > >
> > > Can anyone give me a recommended adjustment I can make? Could it be a
> > > bad TC solenoid? Or is this just a standard Honda auto trans? It's
> > > the first one I've owned.
> > >
> > > About 140k miles, no check engine light.
> > >
> > > Also, I've noticed two distinctive clunks when I put the car in drive
> > > from park, especially when it's cold. It's almost as if it's a
> > > two-part shift process. There's a slight delay between the two.
> > >
> > > I'm trying to take it easy on the car. I just bought it, and I'm
> > > afraid of any trans problems coming up already.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > > Gregg
> > --------------------
> >
> > The non-Honda fluid explains everything you described, probably.
> > Especially the really solid shifts. The short delay is famous on
> > Odyssey, but might get better after drain-n-fill. You'll have to do a
> > second drain-n-fill later, and be sure to do both of them when tranny is
> > warmed up, so you get a higher % of the crud into suspension. Let it
> > drain several minutes, then, if you want to be thorough, start the
> > engine for ten seconds and 'pump' out the converter by putting it into
> > reverse / D4. You'll get almost another quart out.
> >
> > Some won't agree with that last part. . . . 'Curly'
> >
> > P.S. Always mention your mileage :-(
>
> Disclaimer: Much of the information I pass on is speculation, based on my
> experience with Honda transmissions. My experience includes 8 years building
> and rebuilding Honda torque convertors, 6 years of
> building/analyzing/rebuilding Honda automatic transmissions, and 10 years as
> owner of Honda Accords(currently 5). Please use this information for
> reference only.
>
> Hi Gregg:
> I also have a '94 Accord that my daughter drives and I have had that
> same hesitation at initial takeoff for over 100,000 miles. It's annoying and
> unsettling, but I don't expect it's gonna get any worse. I have always used
> genuine Honda ATF, and kept it changed at about 33k miles. No other
> transmission troubles, and that car is approaching 175 k miles.
>
> I don't believe the two symptoms are related. The trouble with your
> lockup function is probably electrical; either PCM or external solenoid. I
> don't remember which solenoid(s) control lockup on that model year, (later
> models use a shift solenoid and linear solenoid to control lockup function)
> and I'm not advocating that you start swapping them out. It seems to me that
> the T/C shifting in and out of lockup wouldn't be caused by defect in the
> T/C though. If the friction disk on the lockup piston were worn the slippage
> would probably be so subtle that you wouldn't see it a s a shift in and out
> of lockup. If it were worn badly you would probably experience a jerk when
> lockup was achieved, but once locked it would stay locked until electrically
> shifted out again.
>
> If you really have concerns about gunk in your fluid, strain it through
> a paint strainer after you drain it. Chances are you would find any
> significant solids in it, especially if you are changing it regularly(30~35k
> miles). Also, check it for a burnt smell; that might indicate that something
> has been excessively hot. If you do find much in the way of particles, then
> you might as well plan ahead for a transmission swap in the distant future.
>
> I wonder if it's worth the effort to completely drain your ATF. The
> solids in the ATF have to be awfully small to pass through the strainer, so
> I wouldn't expect very much to be suspended in the oil. You have at least
> two magnets in there to collect ferrous material(one inside and one in the
> drain plug), a strainer with media that has about a 50 micron mesh(I think),
> and numerous screens in the hydraulic path to capture potentially
> troublesome particles in the oil. Changing the ATF isn't going to remove or
> even disturb these trapped particles anyway. Much of the fluid that does not
> drain is kept in the torque convertor, and the T/C check valve is what keeps
> it in. That fluid has not settled in the T/C; oil flow through the T/C is
> very aggressive and there is no settling going on in there. It even has
> centrifugal filtering built in so it captures solids as it turns.
> I find it hard to support the recommendation to run your
> engine/transmission when you have the drain plug open. ATF is lube oil as
> well as hydraulic fluid, and if your running your transmission through gear
> ranges with no fluid you have clutches(probably 1st, potentially all)
> running dry, gears meshing(oil pump, idle gears, drive gears) and bearings
> (shafts, case bearings)turning without the lubrication that was engineered
> in. Inside the torque convertor there are bearings(on stator assembly) and a
> friction disk(lockup clutch) as well.
> The question is how long can they run while dry, (or at least while not
> immersed in ATF), before damage results, and I do not have that answer. I
> suggest that if you are going to run the transmission without ATF in it, do
> not do it for any length of time beyond what Curly recommends. With all due
> respect to Curly; he may very well have experiences that I don't.
> Doc
> PS: Use genuine Honda ATF. These transmissions were designed around it's
> use.

hello name is dale, i have a 94 honda accord and its having some transmission problems (recently replaced with salvage tranny) but when i start it up it shifts just fine and i can go (forward or reverse) but after about 3 minutes (once it warms up a little it drops its self out of gear (false natural) ive change filter (someone told me may be it) but i also found it could be torque converter or pressure solenoid..... i would just like your input sense you seem to have alot of experience with hondas.... thank you for your time.