Auto tranny acting odd

[miataspeed]

Car is an 88 LX auto with 172,xxx on it. The trans acts funny when selecting the gears, and when driving.

First, when I select the gears the car JUMPS in the direction I select. The car doesn't roll, but it feels like the brakes are trying as best they can to make it stay. Also when I go from P to D, it makes a quiet grind. When I go from D to P, it grinds loud enough for my neighbors to hear.

Second, when I'm driving the car seems to not want to use 4th gear. 1st and 2nd gear work just fine. When in 3rd, sometimes I have to let off the gas for it to shift to 4th. Other times I need to give it gas. Once in 4th it drives for a while, then it just kicks down to 3rd. I haven't checked the fluid, so who knows. Just wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I'm tempted to just leave it until it breaks, its worked this long...might just keep going? (its a winter beater, so I don't want to spend $$ if I don't have to.)

[POS carb]

change the fluid is all you can really do with these... the grinding noises from D to P are definately not normal and are indicators that your tranny only has a few more months to live (unless you get lucky). You can tell because as the damage progresses it will stop shifting into 4th and it'll start doing the same with 3rd and eventually 2nd gear.

The kickdown adjustment is something you can try but it's probably fine as-is.... I'd just do the oil change.

[denhonda]

Drain the transmission fluid & replenish with new Hondamatic fluid (essential). Does it do it more when the engine/trans is cold - if so a chink/grind hoise from reverse to neutral is a normal characteristic but shouldn't make any untoward noises when warm. The car shouldn't lunge at all - is choke operating correctly & idle speed not too high? 800-900 rpm ideal for an auto when warm.

Think fluid change should make a difference - refer to a workshop manual before doing as it ain't as simple as a regular oil change...

Ok, a quick summary... warm up & drive car, park up, put lever slowly from 'P' all the way to '1' & slowly back to 'P' again. Switch off, remove drain plug & let old fluid drain out into a suitable container for authorised disposal. Check for an excess of metal flakes. Replace plug with new washer if poss/required. Put in correct amount of new Hondamatic fluid & that should be it. Check level by starting car & putting the lever through the gears again & check the dipstick with the car still running.

[Jasonf860]

I'd like to chime in... You DO NOT check the tranny fluid level with the car running. You are supposed to do basically as stated above but you are supposed to check the fluid level with the engine and tranny at normal operating temps within one minute of shuting the car down. the tranny takes Aprox. 3.2 US quarts at fluid change. When i did mine, i added 3, warmed it back up to operating temp and checked it again. i did have to add some, but not much. You don't want it overfull or underfull.

[KrazyKlown]

I too am having a simular problem and have my own thread about it from yesterday.(check it out Miataspeed, has useful info) These auto's are a pain! The fluid and filter change w/Honda only fluid may help. The dealer charges $140 to do that btw, if you are not planning on doing it yourself.
**Your NOT supposed to check fluid while running????** Did I understand that right, Jasonnf860??

[Jasonf860]

I too am having a simular problem and have my own thread about it from yesterday.(check it out Miataspeed, has useful info) These auto's are a pain! The fluid and filter change w/Honda only fluid may help. The dealer charges $140 to do that btw, if you are not planning on doing it yourself.
**Your NOT supposed to check fluid while running????** Did I understand that right, Jasonnf860??
Correct. Fluid level should be checked with engine and tranny at normal operating temp within one minute of shutting off the car.
P.S. you can't change the filter without pulling the tranny and taking it apart.

[MessyHonda]

use the honda fluid...i heard its oen of the best you can get.

[Jasonf860]

use the honda fluid...i heard its oen of the best you can get.
I have heard the same but since i had no acess when i decided to do mine, i used Hurst HoT shift and have had no ill effects in the 3000 miles since.

[miataspeed]

I will check the fluid when I get home tommorow. Hopefully it will survive long enough to make it to spring, then I can put in a new trans + rebuild the motor. Tommorow I will report back! Thanks for the fast answers!

[88Accord-DX]

I'd like to chime in. Look at the condition of the tranny fluid. Burned transmission fluid will be black or dark brown color & will have a burned odor. Usually, when you find burned transmission oil accompanied by slipping or shifting problems, serious damaged has occured. Typically, the transmission will need major repairs.

Transmission oil varnish is evident when a light coating is found on the dipstick. Tranny oil has boken down & coating the internal parts of the transmission with a sticky, glue like substance. It can cause hydralic valves, servos, & pistons to stick. With extreme varnish buildup, the transmission filter can clog. With a very light tarnish, changing the fluid may prevent futher problems.

(I have lots of technical jargon working in the field)

Edit- you will not get all the tranny fluid out without a tranny flushing machine hooked up to the cooler lines.

[KrazyKlown]

Thanks for the techno jargon ddude2uc.

[88Accord-DX]

Thanks for the techno jargon ddude2uc.
No problem , apologize I didn't see your thread. I work long hours & can't answer every thread. Seems like you want to do a swap cause of your issues with the tranny.. Anyhow, hope it works out for you. :welcome: to the forum.

[MECM]

Why don't you just swap in a 5 speed like me? :).......But yeah mine lunges sometimes and yeah it does click or grind into neutral or drive :( damnit I can't win anymore with this trans!

[MessyHonda]

Why don't you just swap in a 5 speed like me? :).......But yeah mine lunges sometimes and yeah it does click or grind into neutral or drive :( damnit I can't win anymore with this trans!

that sucks....mine doesnt do that...yet i believe..lol

[miataspeed]

I checked the fluid right after pulling in the driveway with the car turned off. Its at the line and its a clear red. However today was different. Only twice it switched between 3rd and 4th. When I put it in park at home, it didn't grind. I think it may be from sitting for a while? Was only 2 months, and I drove it for 20 min every saturday. I think it may be ok, I'll let you know tommorow if it gets better or worse. And for the record, this car is so nice to just sit and drive in. The Miata is peaky and needs to be shifted alot, super stiff suspension. The Accord just takes it easy, and the front seat puts me to sleep lol.

[HondaBoy]

i really do hate these damn hydrolic trannys. they just plain suck to work on. my trans, since i've had the car, has always hard shifted and had problems with 2nd and 3rd gear. i changed out the fluid once and it helped some but i need to do it again. anyways, i've beat the transmission pretty well over the 5 years i've had the car and its still going strong. sometimes it'll lose 3rd, but i have a trick i like to call an italian tune up to fix that. lol. i wonder why honda didnt make a removable fluid pan and easily accesible filter on these transissions? pretty stupid if you as me.

[Jasonf860]

I checked the fluid right after pulling in the driveway with the car turned off. Its at the line and its a clear red. However today was different. Only twice it switched between 3rd and 4th. When I put it in park at home, it didn't grind. I think it may be from sitting for a while? Was only 2 months, and I drove it for 20 min every saturday. I think it may be ok, I'll let you know tommorow if it gets better or worse. And for the record, this car is so nice to just sit and drive in. The Miata is peaky and needs to be shifted alot, super stiff suspension. The Accord just takes it easy, and the front seat puts me to sleep lol.
When the Tranny went in my SHO it slipped bad on take off. this is why I bout my Accord. After the SHO sat for 6 months, the tranny worked perfect again. When it was slipping, i could check the fluid level and see tons of metal flake in the fluid. after 6 monbths of sitting, no flakes. i suspect that the long period of sitting let the flakes settle out of the fluid and allowed it to flow properly once again. I did a complete fluid change before i sold the car along with a filter too. When i sold the car, i told the guy it had tranny issues and that I had changed the fluid and since then it was acting fine, but i warned him that a tranny rebuild was in the cars near future.

[MessyHonda]

When the Tranny went in my SHO it slipped bad on take off. this is why I bout my Accord. After the SHO sat for 6 months, the tranny worked perfect again. When it was slipping, i could check the fluid level and see tons of metal flake in the fluid. after 6 monbths of sitting, no flakes. i suspect that the long period of sitting let the flakes settle out of the fluid and allowed it to flow properly once again. I did a complete fluid change before i sold the car along with a filter too. When i sold the car, i told the guy it had tranny issues and that I had changed the fluid and since then it was acting fine, but i warned him that a tranny rebuild was in the cars near future.

at least you are a honest seller. :thumbup:

[Jasonf860]

at least you are a honest seller. :thumbup:
He got a good deal anyway since I just wanted it gone. The car books for $4200 still and I sold it for $1800 after I just spent hours custom making a 3' CAI for it, cleaning and polishing the entire engine bay, and making a test pipe to remove the third cat. Yep, stupid car had 3 cats on it. the third one is not even monitored by O2 sensors or anything.

[MessyHonda]

He got a good deal anyway since I just wanted it gone. The car books for $4200 still and I sold it for $1800 after I just spent hours custom making a 3' CAI for it, cleaning and polishing the entire engine bay, and making a test pipe to remove the third cat. Yep, stupid car had 3 cats on it. the third one is not even monitored by O2 sensors or anything.


lol fords :rofl:

[Amreekan]

In my opinion, trying to get an idea of the condition of the tranny fluid by using the dipstick is not really a good way. Since the dipstick is really short, it doesnt pull that much fluid. At a glance, the fluid may look clean, but once you pull the drain plug, you'll really notice how bad the fluid really looks. I've experienced this many times.

[miataspeed]

I've driven the car for a week now and the trans has smoothed out a bit. The funny shifting between 3rd and 4th is gone. Now when it's cold it grinds from park to reverse, and reverse OR park to drive. Nothing major, just a little grind. Once it's warm, it only grinds when going into drive. Also my cold idle is 2,000rpm. I took a look under the hood and found a vacuum line blocked off with a bolt!:wtf:
No idea what it is, suppose I'll trace it when I get the chance. Once the car is warm it idles in neutral at 1,200 and in drive at 900ish. I think I'm going to say "it ain't broke, don't fix it" for now. I'm in love with driving the car, so nice to just float along.

[KrazyKlown]

I know miataspeed, I am still amazed how nice this 20yr old car rides.....even with 4 mis-matched worn tires and my tranny issues besides the point (will take care of it soon, but when its warmed up...you'd never know).