86 LX-i automatic with no second gear!

[nhl72]

Just picked up my LX-i hatchback from a buddy. He sold it to me for the low low price of $0.00. I'm beginning to think I got ripped off LOL. Driving the car around and I noticed that it would start out in first, rev up to about 4-5k and finally shift into third completely skipping second gear. I pulled the car into a parking lot and tried putting the car manually into "2" and it acted like it was in neutral.

I sat there for a while and kept moving it back and forth from "2" to neutral with no success. I then tried leaving it in "2" and revving it up a little bit. It made kind of a clunking sound and finally went into second gear, Yay! I circled the parking lot a couple times and then stopped, put the car in park and then tried putting it into "2" again with no success. All of the other gears work fine except for second. Is my second gear gone or what? Has anyone else had this problem? Desperate to fix, as this is going to be my to and from work vehicle. Thanks for your input!

[Hauntd ca3]

check the fluid level in the trans.
but i'm thinking time for another trans

[2oodoor]

You can check the TV cable going to the transmsisson from the throttle. It could be disconnected, froze, way way out of adjustment, or broken.

Once mine was set way out of adjustment and the transmission acted something like that.

Other wise it sounds terminal...

[nhl72]

What exactly am I looking for on the TV cable? How is it adjusted? I am very new to this and not too learned on tranny's. What should I use to un-freeze it? simple WD-40? Remember, I don't know much a bout these things. Is it possible a TV cable would effect only one gear? Thanks for the quick reply!!!

[AccordB20A]

Does it drive when you put it in 2 on the gear lever? if so drive it like a manual

[2oodoor]

yeah if it won't go when you try to start it off in D2 then it likely is toast, but you have to make sure the cable doesn't have the lever pulled up so much it won't let it enguage into gear even manually.
I don't have the hydro schematics in front of me to say if that is even possible though.

Just look under there under the transmission, towards the front of the car and you will see a lever thing with a cable going to it, just pull up the lever and slide the cable out then try it in second but I dont recommend driving it. Just testing to see if the cable is stuck.

The TV cable moves when you move the throttle.

A simplified explanation, there are three ways the transmission detects what gear is appropriate: the shifter, torque from the engine resulting from rpm of course, and throttle position. I do know that throttle position (through TV cable which is merely an indexing device attached to a pressure valve) can overide the other two under some condtions but only in D3 and 4 am I certain of that.

[Dr_Snooz]

I had a good half page written before the board blew it all into the ether. Thanks.

Start with a TV cable check like Roodoo says. It's free. Most likely, it's a valve body problem though. If your friend is the Speed Racer, power shifting type, then it's probably a broken hard part in the transmission. In that case, throw the transmission away. If your friend is the mellow yellow, peace and love type, it could just be gunk built up on the valve from him never changing the oil. You can try a flush or two. My last one cost $100 at Pep Boys. You might also try Seafoam's Trans Tune just before a flush. I generally don't recommend Seafoam, but in this case, you don't have a lot to lose. If that doesn't do it, then start investigating rebuilt options.

If you're super broke, do a fluid change using the best high-detergent, synthetic ATF you can afford. Get Mobil 1 if you can. Then do just what you did. Sit in a parking lot and keep working 2nd gear. Try to get it engaged and then drive it as long as you can. You're trying to get new, clean fluid moving through the circuit so it will clean it up. Try to daily drive the car and replace the fluid every 5,000 miles or so. You can try the Seafoam, but only if the possibility of it working outweighs the risk of it rendering the car completely inoperable.

Given the fact that 2nd isn't working at all, you're most likely looking at a new transmission though.

[gp02a0083]

I had a good half page written before the board blew it all into the ether. Thanks.

Start with a TV cable check like Roodoo says. It's free. Most likely, it's a valve body problem though. If your friend is the Speed Racer, power shifting type, then it's probably a broken hard part in the transmission. In that case, throw the transmission away. If your friend is the mellow yellow, peace and love type, it could just gunk built up on the valve from him never changing the oil. You can try a flush or two. My last one cost $100 at Pep Boys. You might also try Seafoam's Trans Tune just before a flush. I generally don't recommend Seafoam, but in this case, you don't have a lot to lose. If that doesn't do it, then start investigating rebuilt options.

If you're super broke, do a fluid change using the best high-detergent, synthetic ATF you can afford. Get Mobil 1 if you can. Then do just what you did. Sit in a parking lot and keep working 2nd gear. Try to get it engaged and then drive it as long as you can. You're trying to get new, clean fluid moving through the circuit so it will clean it up. Try to daily drive the car and replace the fluid every 5,000 miles or so. You can try the Seafoam, but only if the possibility of it working outweighs the risk of it rendering the car completely inoperable.

Given the fact that 2nd isn't working at all, you're most likely looking at a new transmission though.


i agree with snooz. IIRC the auto trans on out accords have two drums/clutch baskets, one for the 1-2 gear set and another for the 3-4 gears. What happened originally with the trans in my 87 hatch was the clutch material was gone and the 3-4 drum was cracked. This left me without 4th but i still had 1-3 however it still didn't move too well.

Thats the main issue with most of the 3rd gens, no-one changes the fluid. I have only seen very few auto box's last well beyond the 150k mile mark.

[nhl72]

Once again, thanks for the quick replies! One of the questions you guys asked was whether or not the car went manually in to second by shifting to "2" well unfortunately, it doesn't. I'm beginning to think that it is the transmission, but until I can get under the car and check the status of the TV cable, I won't know for sure. I am curious as to how much of a price difference is there between replacing an auto tranny to doing a MT swap. I really want to go stick, but not if it's going to break me. Thanks for your input!!!

[1987AccordLx-i]

my autobox made it to 200k on my first 3rd gen :cool: but what it sounds like is a very badly sticking valve.. once you rev it high enough the pressure kinda forces the valve open then it "pops" into gear... try flushing the trans a few times and see if that helps... if not... start planning a swap bro

[nhl72]

Is there a way of getting to the valves and cleaning them without taking the tranny apart? I really would like to avoid a swap as long as possible as I am trying to use this car to get to and from work. A complete motor and tranny swap will come later, but as for now, looking/hoping for a cheap fix. Thanks for your insight bro!

[nhl72]

Weird thing happened today. Backed out of my driveway, and while backing up I dropped the shifter all the way down to 2 and it went into second gear! Drove down the street a little ways and came to the stop sign. I put the shifter back up to D4 since the road to turn on was pretty busy. After that the car wouldn't go into second gear again. On the way back home, I repeated the process with no success. The car acts like it is trying to go into second so I think it is a stuck valve (fingers crossed)I'm going to flush the tranny as soon as I get the car over to my cousins house since I live in an apartment and we aren't allowed to do any mechanic work in our parking lot. Any more advise would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys!

[2oodoor]

Im still thinking TV cable/mechanism needs some attention ok.

That actually is a "valve" ok, that sets the parameters of pressure so to speak for the internal valves... not just a kickdown for passing, it needs to be indexed in a sweet spot. If nothing else just get some WD 40 or something and use the tube to spray the thing where the cable slides in the cable housing. You can access it up at the plenum and down at the trans at the lever it is attached to.

Not saying that is it for sure but from here it really sounds like it. Also if you change fluid and use Honda ATF fluid or if not use synthetic ATF that is approved for Honda.

[nhl72]

I'll give that a shot. I'll keep ya posted on my results. Gonna go down to the dollar store and buy a can of WD-40. Just to be clear, I can just spray it into the shielding of the cable? The lever on the tranny that the cable is attatched to is kinda rusty. Is that a good indicator that it needs some lube? Thanks for your help!

[nhl72]

Tried removing the TV cable and then putting it into 2 but nothing happened. :-( Going to do the flush tomorrow and hope it works. If not, Does anyone have a Manual tranny for sale? LOL A whole MT swap perhaps? I'm getting frustrated!!!!