94 Accord AT going bad?

I wonder if any of you, '94 Accord owners have had the Automatic
Transmission going bad and what the symptoms were. I suspect mine is
showing the symptoms but I'm not sure. I hear noticeable whining coming
from under the hood and some additional grounding sound during initial
acceleration, especially when I momentarily lift my foot off the gas
pedal and the car is in "engine brake" condition. The automatic
shifting betwen the gears is also not as smooth as it used to be,
especially in the lower gears. Do these symptoms sound familiar? The
car has been running without any serious trouble in the first 200 K
miles and I had it serviced at every 7,500 miles, with oil changes in
between. It's now past that by about 4 K miles.

If it turns out to be indeed AT problem, I wonder what kind of bill
would I be looking for at an authorized Honda service shop. Do they
normally repair the tranny or they just want to install a new one? I'm
afraid a new one would cost me more than the car is worth.

Thanks,
Rudy

R. P. wrote:
> I wonder if any of you, '94 Accord owners have had the Automatic
> Transmission going bad and what the symptoms were. I suspect mine is
> showing the symptoms but I'm not sure. I hear noticeable whining coming
> from under the hood and some additional grounding sound during initial
> acceleration, especially when I momentarily lift my foot off the gas
> pedal and the car is in "engine brake" condition. The automatic
> shifting betwen the gears is also not as smooth as it used to be,
> especially in the lower gears. Do these symptoms sound familiar? The
> car has been running without any serious trouble in the first 200 K
> miles and I had it serviced at every 7,500 miles, with oil changes in
> between. It's now past that by about 4 K miles.
>
> If it turns out to be indeed AT problem, I wonder what kind of bill
> would I be looking for at an authorized Honda service shop. Do they
> normally repair the tranny or they just want to install a new one? I'm
> afraid a new one would cost me more than the car is worth.
>
> Thanks,
> Rudy

-------------------

It sounds like somebody has put non-Honda tranny fluid in it. Get it
drained and refilled at least twice, ASAP. Use only Honda Z1, and
nothing else. The 'grounding' noise sounds like a motor mount might be shot.

'Curly'

motsco_ _ wrote:
> R. P. wrote:
>
>> I wonder if any of you, '94 Accord owners have had the Automatic
>> Transmission going bad and what the symptoms were. I suspect mine is
>> showing the symptoms but I'm not sure. I hear noticeable whining
>> coming from under the hood and some additional grounding sound during
>> initial acceleration, especially when I momentarily lift my foot off
>> the gas pedal and the car is in "engine brake" condition. The
>> automatic shifting betwen the gears is also not as smooth as it used
>> to be, especially in the lower gears. Do these symptoms sound
>> familiar? The car has been running without any serious trouble in the
>> first 200 K miles and I had it serviced at every 7,500 miles, with oil
>> changes in between. It's now past that by about 4 K miles.
>>
>> If it turns out to be indeed AT problem, I wonder what kind of bill
>> would I be looking for at an authorized Honda service shop. Do they
>> normally repair the tranny or they just want to install a new one?
>> I'm afraid a new one would cost me more than the car is worth.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Rudy
>
>
> -------------------
>
> It sounds like somebody has put non-Honda tranny fluid in it. Get it
> drained and refilled at least twice, ASAP. Use only Honda Z1, and
> nothing else. The 'grounding' noise sounds like a motor mount might be
> shot.
>
> 'Curly'
>
concur with curly. check the motor mounts and change the fluid a couple
of times - a couple of weeks apart.

regarding whining, be sure it's not the timing belt.

"motsco_ _" <"motsco_ > wrote:
> It sounds like somebody has put non-Honda tranny fluid in it. Get it
> drained and refilled at least twice, ASAP. Use only Honda Z1, and
> nothing else. The 'grounding' noise sounds like a motor mount might be
> shot.

Man, you (and Jim) are good! I was just checking the AT fluid level and
it was way high! It was about as for above the upper measuring hole as
the lower hole is. About half inch or so. So I'm not sure how much of
the symptoms I mentioned is due to the high fluid level and how much
might be due to wrong AT fluid. Looks like I keep having the
consequences of that one maintenance visit to an independent that has
"Japanese Auto Repair" in its name and tells customers that they employ
several former Honda Service Technicians. Maybe there is a reason why
they no longer work for authorized Honda dealers?! But it's not what
these independents will tell you.

Now the question: how in the hell do I drain that AT fluid and how much
fluid do I need to fill it properly?

Thanks,
Rudy

R. P. wrote:
>
> Man, you (and Jim) are good! I was just checking the AT fluid level and
> it was way high! It was about as for above the upper measuring hole as
> the lower hole is. About half inch or so. So I'm not sure how much of
> the symptoms I mentioned is due to the high fluid level and how much
> might be due to wrong AT fluid. Looks like I keep having the
> consequences of that one maintenance visit to an independent that has
> "Japanese Auto Repair" in its name and tells customers that they employ
> several former Honda Service Technicians. Maybe there is a reason why
> they no longer work for authorized Honda dealers?! But it's not what
> these independents will tell you.
>
> Now the question: how in the hell do I drain that AT fluid and how much
> fluid do I need to fill it properly?
>
> Thanks,
> Rudy

---------------

The drain plug has a 3/8" square hole in it, so you just put a ratchet
handle, or better, swing handle into the hole. When you remove the plug
it will shoot straight at the inside of your front-right tire. Now you
know where it is located. Here's a link to a forum for CR-v.
Instructions are basically the same for you
http://www.hondasuv.com/crv/viewtopic.php?t=65
You should do it twice, maybe a week apart, and the plug should be
removed just seconds after shutting engine off, so you get as much of
the 'floating' particles out.

'Curly'

"jim beam" > wrote:
>> It sounds like somebody has put non-Honda tranny fluid in it. Get it
>> drained and refilled at least twice, ASAP. Use only Honda Z1, and
>> nothing else. The 'grounding' noise sounds like a motor mount might
>> be shot.
>>
>> 'Curly'
>>
> concur with curly. check the motor mounts and change the fluid a
> couple of times - a couple of weeks apart.
>
> regarding whining, be sure it's not the timing belt.

OK, but I still wonder if any of the symptoms I described can also be
caused by too much ATF. What would be the symptoms from that?

Rudy

R. P. wrote:
> "jim beam" > wrote:
>
>>> It sounds like somebody has put non-Honda tranny fluid in it. Get it
>>> drained and refilled at least twice, ASAP. Use only Honda Z1, and
>>> nothing else. The 'grounding' noise sounds like a motor mount might
>>> be shot.
>>>
>>> 'Curly'
>>>
>> concur with curly. check the motor mounts and change the fluid a
>> couple of times - a couple of weeks apart.
>>
>> regarding whining, be sure it's not the timing belt.
>
>
> OK, but I still wonder if any of the symptoms I described can also be
> caused by too much ATF. What would be the symptoms from that?
>
> Rudy
>
too much atf would mean all kinds of wierdness on the shift and fluid
leakage - assuming you didn't blow any control valves.

when you say there's too much, are you measuring with the motor running?
on a honda, the motor is supposed to be *off*, unlike almost every
other automatic out there...

if there is too much, it's easy to fix - just drain & refill with the
correct amount of honda atf. sounds like you need to do that anyway.

regarding growling, it could be a bearing. but check the motor mounts
first. put it in park, with the brake off, then rock the car back &
forth & see how the mounts behave.

R. P. wrote:
> I wonder if any of you, '94 Accord owners have had the Automatic
> Transmission going bad and what the symptoms were. I suspect mine is
> showing the symptoms but I'm not sure. I hear noticeable whining coming
> from under the hood and some additional grounding sound during initial
> acceleration, especially when I momentarily lift my foot off the gas
> pedal and the car is in "engine brake" condition. The automatic
> shifting betwen the gears is also not as smooth as it used to be,
> especially in the lower gears. Do these symptoms sound familiar? The
> car has been running without any serious trouble in the first 200 K
> miles and I had it serviced at every 7,500 miles, with oil changes in
> between. It's now past that by about 4 K miles.
>
> If it turns out to be indeed AT problem, I wonder what kind of bill
> would I be looking for at an authorized Honda service shop. Do they
> normally repair the tranny or they just want to install a new one? I'm
> afraid a new one would cost me more than the car is worth.
>
> Thanks,
> Rudy

-------------------

Read the first two parts of this post, and see how easily an automatic
tranny can sound 'wrecked', but still be easy to fix . .
http://www.hondasuv.com/stg/viewtopic.php?t=9406&

I'm suggesting you procede with caution. It might be something simple.

'Curly'

"motsco_ _" <"motsco_ > wrote:
> Read the first two parts of this post, and see how easily an automatic
> tranny can sound 'wrecked', but still be easy to fix . .
> http://www.hondasuv.com/stg/viewtopic.php?t=9406&
>
> I'm suggesting you procede with caution. It might be something simple.

I've read it but I don't think my case is anything like those. I hope
it's all just due to too much of the wrong ATF being used but it may be
a wishful thinking. Given my situation, I could not drain that sucker
without having the car on a lift, so I'll need it done at a Honda
dealer. I'll probably ask for a complete tranny flush before a proper
refill with Honda brand ATF.

Rudy

"jim beam" > wrote:
> too much atf would mean all kinds of wierdness on the shift and fluid
> leakage - assuming you didn't blow any control valves.
>
> when you say there's too much, are you measuring with the motor
> running? on a honda, the motor is supposed to be *off*, unlike almost
> every other automatic out there...

I measured it with the engine off but still warm. That's how the Owner's
Guide specifies it.

> if there is too much, it's easy to fix - just drain & refill with the
> correct amount of honda atf. sounds like you need to do that anyway.

It sure looks like I need it.

> regarding growling, it could be a bearing. but check the motor mounts
> first. put it in park, with the brake off, then rock the car back &
> forth & see how the mounts behave.

It's not that kind of growling. It's more like something related to
belts and only when I am accelerating or slowing down with engine brake.
Once I am at a steady speed on a straight stretch of road I cannot hear
it. Gear shifting is also rougher than usual.

Rudy