89 LX-i Engine Problems, need HELP plz...

[jay626]

I own a 1989 Lx-i automatic with about 290,000 miles on the original motor and transmission. I'm thinking my problem is my transmission. I was driving today and it was fine, then later I started the car, I noticed I had high rpm like when im doing 30, i have 5k rpm. At a stop sign, I stopped, then i pressed on the gas, it kind of froze and the rpm rose to 4 and then barely started going. I eventually got home and parked it on the street. Then i took it around the block so try to see if it's still like that later. I drove around the block, around the first corner it kind of stalled again when i stopped at the stop sign. Then just before i turn in back home the car stalled at the stop sign again and i gave it gas. It went about only 20 mph with 7k rpm. The car smelled like something was burning on the right side. Thanks in advance guys if you can tell me what's wrong. I need the car for school and work.

[MessyHonda]

anyways sounds like your trans is gone...a quick fix might be changing out the fluid or just replacing it with one from a junkyard for like 150 bucks. and 7k RPM is real bad for the engine...for a stock engine anything after 4k is pointless

[shepherd79]

do the tranny oil flush. try dealer. Honda ATF helped a lot of people on this board.

[Accord88LX]

ouch, i feel for you. Good Luck figuring out what all is wrong

[Blkblurr]

Sounds like the tranny fluid is low.

[2oodoor]

anyways sounds like your trans is gone...a quick fix might be changing out the fluid or just replacing it with one from a junkyard for like 150 bucks. and 7k RPM is real bad for the engine...for a stock engine anything after 4k is pointless

Anything over 4ooo is indeed pointless, I am glad to know my engine is not abby normal then. I seldom rev the accord A20 over 3500 and for that reason, all the torque is down low rpm.
That is what is cool about the civic D motor, at 4000 you get another kick of go go go till you get 7ooo.

Transmission problems jay626, change fluid is all you can do short of replacment. and hope it works. Make sure you flush out cooling lines while you down there, take them both off at transmission and use low air pressure to make sure it is not stopped up.

[MessyHonda]

Anything over 4ooo is indeed pointless, I am glad to know my engine is not abby normal then. I seldom rev the accord A20 over 3500 and for that reason, all the torque is down low rpm.
That is what is cool about the civic D motor, at 4000 you get another kick of go go go till you get 7ooo.
Transmission problems jay626, change fluid is all you can do short of replacment. and hope it works. Make sure you flush out cooling lines while you down there, take them both off at transmission and use low air pressure to make sure it is not stopped up.

my engine is not stock...i have adjusted it for top end...im only talking about my dx...cuz i only have a k&N filter and upgraded spark plugs...but yeah...after 4k i dont get any thing more...plus its a waste of gas.

[2oodoor]

my engine is not stock...i have adjusted it for top end...im only talking about my dx...cuz i only have a k&N filter and upgraded spark plugs...but yeah...after 4k i dont get any thing more...plus its a waste of gas.

I have not got the secondaries functional right now on mine, just trying to tell if the 300kplus engine was going to hold up, so far, I just need to adjust the linkage and maybe have a little more up past 4500 rpm. that may happen real soon cuz when all the folks get in , the car is way slow, like a 1000 pound worth of humans , lol
So Jesse does your lx-i have extra power band past 3500? just curious, ive never driven one....yet.

[MessyHonda]

I have not got the secondaries functional right now on mine, just trying to tell if the 300kplus engine was going to hold up, so far, I just need to adjust the linkage and maybe have a little more up past 4500 rpm. that may happen real soon cuz when all the folks get in , the car is way slow, like a 1000 pound worth of humans , lol
So Jesse does your lx-i have extra power band past 3500? just curious, ive never driven one....yet.

yes....ask geddy i have him a ride yesterday...

[2oodoor]

yes....ask geddy i have him a ride yesterday...

cool , maybe one day when I grow up I will get one
my car has mind of its own yet even though thee thou twixxed it is frankensteined, like this morning it was cold again but it fired up and ran like a SOB. Had power almost to redline, its an automatic so maybe it is when i baby it that it gets flat but when I just stay in it like a five speed, it holds better. needs jet work im sure
Jay626 started the thread but title is engine, but you complained about transmission. So now what

[azazel_18_2]

HOnestly, I am suprised you auto lasted that long. I mean my auto went out with my car only having 119k on it. I would change the fluid with HONDA fluid and if that doesn't fix her then do a manual transmission swap. You will get better mileage and better take off. When I changed from auto to manual I went from 25mpg to 32mpg and that is with the prelude transmission.

[2oodoor]

HOnestly, I am suprised you auto lasted that long. I mean my auto went out with my car only having 119k on it. I would change the fluid with HONDA fluid and if that doesn't fix her then do a manual transmission swap. You will get better mileage and better take off. When I changed from auto to manual I went from 25mpg to 32mpg and that is with the prelude transmission.

Yea, its a constant battle to keep the transmission cable just so so right. But when it is right it is sweet. If it aint just right the torque converter swallows up a good bit of my power and sends it to squishy land.. joke funny haha, if you understand the principals of torque converters.
I have two civics with five speeds one is close ratio D16z motor, wish the tranny would bolt up to A20. Naw, I am going to make it a dirt tracker.
Im getting average 29 mpg consistantly.

[MessyHonda]

HOnestly, I am suprised you auto lasted that long. I mean my auto went out with my car only having 119k on it. I would change the fluid with HONDA fluid and if that doesn't fix her then do a manual transmission swap. You will get better mileage and better take off. When I changed from auto to manual I went from 25mpg to 32mpg and that is with the prelude transmission.

on my dx i get close to like 33mpg this is on a carbed auto. on my lx-i i cant tell since i allways gun the engine even when i dont try...but i get a good 28mpg...maybe more in a long trip...also rims and tires make a diff

[azazel_18_2]

When I first got mine it was bone stock and it never got over 25mpg with the auto. ???

[MessyHonda]

When I first got mine it was bone stock and it never got over 25mpg with the auto. ???

damn that blows.....i put 20 bucks of gas into my dx and it got me like 8.2 gals...i drove it till it was empty and i counted the miles it was around 268miles on 8.2 gals of fuel...so that is around 32mpg...like 80% of it is freeway driving like 65-75mph...some times 80 for short burts. but yeah...also the engine could of been the problem if it runs too rich.

[POS carb]

I think you have very low fluid. don't keep driving the car without ATF or you will burn off the friction material on the clutches.

make sure the level is correct (in park, engine off, level ground)
make sure the two small hoses that connect to the bottom of the radiator are not leaking
and of course, make sure your drain plug has not fallen off. Normally this bolt is really on there. The first time I tried to do it I ended up using the car's weight on the ratchet (resting on a brick) to snap the screw loose. Since then it is a lot easier. You jack up the car, slide a brick under the bolt, put a 3/8 ratchet on the bolt head (use a craftsman or something good), make sure it is set to loosen, and you let the ratchet handle sit on the brick. imagine if you are looking at the drain bolt with the passenger wheel removed. if the ratchet was a clock it should be pointing to 4 o'clock. let the car drop slowly until you hear the pop, then raise it back up and remove the brick.

[2oodoor]

I think you have very low fluid. don't keep driving the car without ATF or you will burn off the friction material on the clutches.
make sure the level is correct (in park, engine off, level ground)
make sure the two small hoses that connect to the bottom of the radiator are not leaking
and of course, make sure your drain plug has not fallen off. Normally this bolt is really on there. The first time I tried to do it I ended up using the car's weight on the ratchet (resting on a brick) to snap the screw loose. Since then it is a lot easier. You jack up the car, slide a brick under the bolt, put a 3/8 ratchet on the bolt head (use a craftsman or something good), make sure it is set to loosen, and you let the ratchet handle sit on the brick. imagine if you are looking at the drain bolt with the passenger wheel removed. if the ratchet was a clock it should be pointing to 4 o'clock. let the car drop slowly until you hear the pop, then raise it back up and remove the brick.

nice trick



I could get more than 29 outta my current setup, it really needs some more fine tuning, so 32 sounds like a reasonable mpg estimate. I have to stay in it to make motion, if i granny foot it the car seems to just get slower and slower, the exhaust set up on the car may not be just right for slow driving
automatic, i just hold it and it stays around 3500rpm and it does fine. if i try to drive it at 2500rpm it feels like its dragging a sled.