Auto Transmission Problem

[DBMaster]

My transmission does not readily shift into fourth gear until warmed up completely. I used to be able to get it back to normal by changing the fluid (I have changed the fluid every 15K miles since the car was new). Now changing it does not seem to help. It shifts just fine and smoothly in the other three gears and shifts smoothly into fourth once warmed up. If it is not completely warmed up I can usually still get it to upshift into fourth once the RPM's get past 3,500.

Is this something I should just live with, or is it the result of some neglected adjustment that I don't know about?

[89queludesi]

did you use honda transmission fluid or aftermarket. sometimes certain brands of tranny fluid just dont cut it for honda. if you did then it could be a variety of things...ie:vacuum, computer, sensors...check for codes. good luck

[SiR]

IT dosent seem serious. All auto work better when its warmer. But it seems that it changed on you like you said. 3500 seems a little high. If all your gears did that, then it would just need to be adjusted, buts only the 4th, strange. Hell i woudn't worry about it since you still have 4th and the torque-converter still locks.

[Vinny]

my just be a sign of age, the manuals say change the fluid every 24k I think, and I do know clutches wear after time and the alot of times the worn particles are what keeps the tranny working right. What I mean by that is if you've ever seen a tranny that didn't have the fluid changed for a long period of time but it worked fine, then someone changes their fluid and fliter and it slips like crazy or shifts screwy thats why, the flushed all the debris out of it that helped the clutches and internals grab and work better. If its shifting hard or late into 4th then a it may be 3rd orrifice control valve sticking or 3/4th clutch packs getting worn or a torque converter. Just guesses, but being a 14 year old car, it may just be showing its age

[DBMaster]

I am leaning toward the theory presented by Vinny. Though I have not used Honda fluid I have used only synthetic fluid or synthetic blend fluid since 1993. Prior to that I used Valvoline.

I have heard the thing about changing the fluid after it has not been changed for a long time being bad, but I know from experience if you change it regularly it last quite a lot longer than not changing it at all.

Thanks for the responses. I was just hoping maybe someone else had a similar issue and was able to resolve it.

[circusboy90210]

I disagree, particles only cut the friction cluctches they are basically paper.. the new fluid was probably incompatible

[POS carb]

you can double check the adjustment on the throttle valve cable but other than that it sounds like the valves are sticking due to wear and sediments.

[DBMaster]

LOL! I just noticed that this eight-year-old post was resurrected. My transmission started slipping now and then about five years after my original post. In June of 2009 it gave up completely. I really can't complain as it had 305,000 miles on it. I had a rebuilt unit installed. It came from Howard Engineering in California. It's the only rebuilt unit my mechanic will use and I understand why.

http://hecreman.com/

Two years and about 40,000 miles later it still shifts like my old one did when the car was much newer. If you read through the site you will understand why as well. It was not cheap! Also, interestingly, to maintain the 36,000 mile warranty I was required to use Honda Z1 fluid every 30K miles. I am going to stick with it from now on.

[2oodoor]

I still swear by tweeking the TV cable adjustment, and ensuring that cable is free moving with no binding, and that the housing for the cable is NOT attached in any way to the throttle cable's housing.
Also you won't get it quite right ever if you have the idle stops adjusted to compensate for another issue.
As well the internal part of the shift valves (pressure) are also sensative to motor torque which is why any changes in the tune of the engine will affect shifting. Sometimes a minor tweek of the TV adjustment is needed for that.

[doc]

i got a tranny need one