Oh no! 88 Accord AT Problems!

Ok, I have a Lincoln so this isn't really my forte, but for the sake of being the knowledgable boyfriend, I guess I need to look for some answers. :)

My g/f's 1988 Accord (4-cyl carb, 4-spd AT) doesn't go in to reverse. At all. Here's some background.

Yesterday she calls me, says no reverse. I come home, try it, sure enough - not there. So, I leave the lever in reverse and start to push the car backward with my foot out the door. About 5 feet later, WHAMMO - it slams in to gear, kills the motor. So I put it in neutral, start it again, and VOILA! reverse works. So, I say new tranny fluid time for you, girl (pulled the dipstick, it was blacker than night). Go to the parts store, get what we need. Drain the fluid, put new in. Take it out on the highway and it's great! Haven't felt this car shift so nicely in 3 years. (Scary thing - probably original fluid, 160k on the car)

So I'm hot-roddin' it a little (I love how that motor sounds at 6k) and when it goes into fourth (not at high RPMs, mind you - but I got to 55 pretty quick) it makes a ZZZZZZZZIP noise, like one of those wire ties. Sure enough, after driving home in D3, reverse no longer works.

Right now, we have no reverse and no OD.

What's up w/ this car? Is this a known issue? Can't dig in to the TSB's (I see one that looks possible) - what can we do?? (If someone sez replace transmission, please post some more detailed instructions than the Haynes manual, it SUCKS! :) )

Thanks in advance for your help - I am a member of the Lincoln "cult" as my g/f calls it (www.markviii.org) and boards like this are GREAT for answering questions like this.

Justin C. Haase
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC :super:
black/black
Mason City, IA

You can try changing the fluid again, drive a little, change the fluid again. Or, take it in for a complete fluid flush. you only get three quarts out of the six in the system out when you drain it.

If it is still acting up it is probably transmission overhaul time. If you let it go too long eventually you pay the price. There are fluid circuits that get plugged up, or the main screen could be partially blocked leaving you without enough pressure to engage specific clutch packs.

Since the main screen in internal and inaccessible without removing and disassembling the tranny you are looking at a rebuild there as well.

Maybe you will get lucky with the fluid change. There is another board I visit periodically where the guru there recommends a product called "Trans X." You can get it at just about any automotive store. He claims it has worked like magic. You might try that, too. You've got nothing to lose at this point.

:cool: if fluid change dont work as suggested.......you can try a "stall test"......you'll need to find out what the procedure is for ur model....some u can't "stall test"........or find someone to do a trans pressure test for you which will give a good indication of prob.......hope this is of some help.

p.s............is it 4spd with lockup(OD)?:bandit: