I have a 2002 Accord with an automatic transmission that has started to have an intermitment "flare shift" between 1st and 2nd when cold. One person told me that it may be the piston lip seal which has gotten hard and may have shrunk some. They suggested trying a "transmission conditioner" like the Lucas or LubeGuard products. The transmission has 128K on it, and the transmission fluid was flushed at ~120K by the Honda dealer. Problem was occuring before the flush and is basically the same now.

Any comments on the possible diagnosis or use of the conditioner?

 

That's a sign of aging, not sure about the conditioner. Piston lip seal sounds good, you need a tranny rebuild for long term.

 

Thanks for the reply. Hope some others comment. I am thinking the Lubeguard couldn't hurt, but have read various comments about putting "stuff" into the tranny. I think as long as it doesn't have solvents/cleaners it shouldn't hurt anything.

 

honda transmissions don't have lip seals. there are 4 different kinds of lubeguard,none will fix your trans. It does however have external electonic's(depending on the trans model) .you could try the linar motors(EPC),or the pressure switches. prolly needs to be rebuilt

 

How then is the "piston" sealed?

 

honda transmissions use o-rings in there pistons.a flare is likly too much clearance on that clutch pak,do too worn clutches. the worn clutches are proly due to slipping on the shift from a lack of pressure (liniar motor)

 

What would cause it to be intermitment or cold temp dependent. The thought that the o-ring (rubber material) has gotten hard and is not sealing as well and allowing tranny fluid to port past the piston, causing it to loose "hydraulic" power, and an over reving (flare shift) seems to make some sense.

Not sure why the clutch pack would be sensistive to temps or the linear motor?

 

You got it. Fluid escapes by the pistons due to worn O-rings (or the old lips), and the pressure on the clutch discs is less. More so when hot, oil more fluid. The flare is the initial shift where the discs are pushed against the plates but don't catch the first time. No linear motor at work here, just not enough piston pressure.

 

when an automatic in a honda doesn't have enough pressure it is sensed by the pressure switches then the tcu adjusts with the liniars. We could debate this for days i'm sure .I rebuild transmission for a living. I would bet you that the clutch seals are not Hard(i'll never know) but you will when you get it rebuilt (and you will). the root of the problem is probly the screens through out the unit (and there are many) are pluged with clutch material.many trans problems show when the unit is cold. oh and the liniars (epc'c electronic pressure control) are constantly working (thats way they wearout)

 

Thanks for the discussion guys. I like having good tech discussions when no one attacks anyones. That is a problem with the Honda tranny's from what I have read. Fricken screens are inside the unit so you have to crack the case to get to them, once you do that, might as well overhaul it. Sort of like putting the oil filter on the inside of the engine block...dumb...dumb...dumb...That engineer should be fired and his degree taken away!

I think there is merit in what you both are saying. I'd like to try to get about 4 more months out of the car before trading in. The symptoms disappeared over the last two days, but occured again a little today.

Do either of you think adding a conditioner would hurt anything? Any experience with either LubeGuard or Lucas conditioner?