Transmission Rebuild Time - 88 carb model

[oldsub86]

It appears that we are about to rebuild the transmission in our 88 Accord. It has been making a noise when shifted into drive when cold for a couple of years. That noise has gradually gotten worse and as of Friday evening, it refuses to back up. We still have forward drive in the lower gears. My younger son who was driving when it started to act up tells us that it lacks drive in OD as well.
First question - Anyone experience this sort of problem and have any solution apart from pulling and rebuilding it?

Second question - has anyone rebuilt one of these automatics themselves? How complicated are they? I note the kit can be acquired for about $200.

Randy

[shepherd79]

unless you know automatic trannies i wouldn't even consider to open it.
this trannies are very complicated. i know people who tried to rebuild a few of them on their own and end up just getting a new one. it is not something you want to do at your own garage.
i would just say get a new one or tick up one from a junk yard.

[SHURIK]

this is what is wating when u do the trany i had a doner car and i did it on 30$ budjet
https://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=38408 this is what i went threw it was fun took a week and it was worth it

[POS carb]

i rebuilt mine and i managed OK however I spent a lot of time and money sourcing out parts since I didn't have the contacts. No really worth the trouble it's better to just get a used tranny

[BlueBead]

It could be the filter... try running a search on auto tranny stuff.... I seem to remember that if the filter is plugged its a quick fix......
good luck

[POS carb]

to change the filter you have to take the tranny apart
you can always flush it but you are basically just giving the car life support, it'll probably die soon. I got mine to live for 1 month acting all crazy like that before I bit the bullet

[AccordEpicenter]

no the problem is the selector gears, you can do them without taking the entire tranny apart, just take apart the end cover and get the gears

[DanG86LX]

Yah, I done mine here: https://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?t=39112
Cost: $110 for Master Kit, $100 for an used 2nd/4th clutch from a local autotrans parts/rebuilder..
If u do it yourself, u may take ur time, after all it is YOUR car. Mine took 2 weeks in cold weather (last fall).
Is it worth ? For me yes, the alternative being to junk the car. Now is shifting like butter, never before!
Look at Paul's manual, u may download it from here on this board. The useful info is in both manual and the supplement. The reverse is the 1st one u check on an autotranny and the culprit is the servo-valve.
But maybe is just the adjustment of the cable at the shifter stick - look in the manual again.
Good luck.

[88Accord-DX]

If your pretty mechanically inclined, go for it, if not, it wouldn't be worth the trouble. There are powerbands and clutches to mess with, gearsets (planetary) & so on. Be prepared to learn something if you allready don't know. Good luck.