The Trannie growls (lol)

[Toohardtohandle]

Like I'm sure most of you have experenced this (with an auto)...when I put my car into park when it is still cold it often grinds. It was really alarming when I first bought the car and of course I took it into the shop, but the mechanic said it was common with this year and make. But now I'm noticing it when the car is warm as well. And only when I'm in reverse. If I go slow...no problem but if I give it a little gas, it starts to growl.

Anyone have any suggestions to what it might be? Is it as simple as an adjustment or am I looking at the beginning of the end of the trannie?

[russiankid]

Have you changed the fluid yet?

[shepherd79]

check the fluid level and make sure it doesn't smell like burned oil. if the oil is black and not deep red color, take it to place that can do trans oil flush.
if that doesn't fix. you need new tranny.

[HondaBoy]

what do you mean by growl? i know almost every car i've ever driven, automatic or manual, makes a winding like noise in reverse due to strait cut gears for reverse. my auto has given me problems from the time i got it. but it still works fairly well. i'm planning on putting another one in, or finding a manual to swap but havent yet found anything complete. i should get a parts car, that'd make things easier.

[Toohardtohandle]

Yeah I know what you mean about the reverse "whir" but this is different, it's definately a growl. Not quite a grind, but more of a growl. I'll check the fluid...my concern is that with the added mods, my trannie can't take the extra HP. I haven't dyno'd it yet, but I suspect I might be in the 150 mark? This is what I've done:
Pacesetter Header
6th gen CAI
Colt Cam (stage 1)
2.25 custom exhaust without the cat

What do you think?

[MessyHonda]

yeah our auto trannies dont like the abuse of the added power

[LX-incredible]

My A/T does that as well, only when going from reverse to park or neutral. Dont expect it to go away when you change the fluid, it didn't for me. It's been doing this since I got the car 40K ago. Tranny is still strong and I have been using the car for delivering since I got it. I wouldn't worry about it.

[shepherd79]

Yeah I know what you mean about the reverse "whir" but this is different, it's definately a growl. Not quite a grind, but more of a growl. I'll check the fluid...my concern is that with the added mods, my trannie can't take the extra HP. I haven't dyno'd it yet, but I suspect I might be in the 150 mark? This is what I've done:
Pacesetter Header
6th gen CAI
Colt Cam (stage 1)
2.25 custom exhaust without the cat
What do you think?

you are not even close.
to get to 150hp at the wheels mark you have to convert to OBD1 and tune the shit out of your car.
your mods probably put you around 110-115hp at the wheels if you had 5 speed. but since you have auto it is probably close to 105-110hp at the wheels.

if you want your tranny last longer, i would recomend adding aftermarket oil cooler. it will prolong your tranny life by a long shot.

[MessyHonda]

yeah....with thoes mods maybe like 110 whp tops...you would need to rebuild the engine with higher compression pistons and stuff.

[Toohardtohandle]

My bad...I was thinking more along the lines of 150 total, not at the wheels. And you'll have to excuse my ignorance, but there is a difference between total horsepower and horsepower at the wheels, right? From what I can gather I'd need to be pushing close to 200hp total to get 150 at the wheels?

[shepherd79]

My bad...I was thinking more along the lines of 150 total, not at the wheels. And you'll have to excuse my ignorance, but there is a difference between total horsepower and horsepower at the wheels, right? From what I can gather I'd need to be pushing close to 200hp total to get 150 at the wheels?

you are wrong.
it is 15% drive train power loss. if you have 170hp at the wheels you will have around 200hp at the flywheel. youare probably pushing 120-130 hp at the flywheel. you have to subtract 15% from that to get Hp at the wheels.

[Toohardtohandle]

Hold on a second. If the stock motor comes with 120hp at the flywheel (105 whp) and you guys are suggesting that with my mods I now have 110-115 at the wheels. That would mean with all the mods I've made I've only gained 10 hp total??? Surely you jest (lol). Shouldn't the cam alone given me 10-15 and another 10-15 for the CAI and Custom Exhaust? Don't make me start crying, but I was hoping for 20-30 horse more (at the flywheel).

[MessyHonda]

Hold on a second. If the stock motor comes with 120hp at the flywheel (105 whp) and you guys are suggesting that with my mods I now have 110-115 at the wheels. That would mean with all the mods I've made I've only gained 10 hp total??? Surely you jest (lol). Shouldn't the cam alone given me 10-15 and another 10-15 for the CAI and Custom Exhaust? Don't make me start crying, but I was hoping for 20-30 horse more (at the flywheel).

lol you are a advertisement sucker.....no CAI will give you 10-15hp... even on high end car with tuned AEM intakes the k20 only got like 7hp gain....i saw the reviews.


also the cam does not give you alot of hp...it just moves your powerband to the higher RPMs


the ONLY way is to take it to a Dyno....

[njpeter]

a couple of my accords have made that sound also, my 87 made a sickening thunk going into gear when cold, but the only a/t I ever had fail was in the ebay rip off lx ( and that was making noises as soon as it came off the delivery truck)

[Toohardtohandle]

I wasn't just thinking that the CAI would give me 10-15 but when you combine the CAI and the exhaust? And you're right I'll have to take it to the dyno to see for sure. But as usual I'm trusting you guys, I value your opinions and experiences. So now what? How do I obtain 170 hp at the flywheel. If I convert to an OBD1, what does that entail? Can I have it done at any mechanic shop or is it specialized?

I know, I know..."what a newbie"