I have a 1998 Honda Accord EX V6 with the stock 4 speed automatic transmission. Recently, my check engine light came on, code P0740, with a definition of "Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Malfunction." Very shortly after it developed a shifting problem. I have searched and searched and searched through these forums, I've found stuff here and there, but everything seemed to contradict something else. So, I decided to make my own thread.

At first, it would only occur when the engine was at idle temperature for any given amount of time. What it would do is when I would come completely stopped at a light, the car would give a hard kick, as if downshifting into 1st after I had been stopped for 2-3 seconds. When I would go to take off, though, it would act as if it were in a higher gear, maybe 2nd, and rev up REALLY high to about 3k RPMs before it would give a kick and shift into the gear it was supposed to be in, and it would chirp the tires. As I would drive on, it would rev up a couple thousand RPMs before it would shift into the appropriate gear.

As the days went on, it got progressively worse. Soon, starting out, the car would act up. I would go from park to reverse, and the car would give a kick before it would go into gear. And as I drove it, it would constantly rev up a couple grand before it would shift.

I didn't know whether to think it was mechanical or electrical (because of what the engine code was). Well, before it got as bad as it is, the engine code disappeared, as if it were never there. Also, it developed a kind of clunking sound in park and neutral. It is not there in reverse, 1, 2, D3, or D4. It's sort of a fast "clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk" sound, and I believe I've pinpointed it to the transmission area.

My question to you is, does this sound like a torque converter HARDWARE problem, or something electrical?

I am sorry to make this so long, and I know it's hard to diagnose a problem without actually driving or seeing the vehicle, but your response is greatly appreciated.

Maybe I can supply a video later... You know... When it's not 3:00 in the morning. Also, I'm going to go down to a Honda dealership and get some transmission fluid later today, and see if that SOMEWHAT helps.

EDIT: Also, I am NOT a transmission person, as you can see. They are very complicated, and I've never worked on one before, but I have worked on several other things on my Accord, as well as my old vehicles ('87 Crown Vic, '95 F-150, and friend's vehicles as well). Would you recommend that I have a professional do this, or do it myself? I have the time, as I am in between jobs (f*** Walgreens), and have all the necessary tools, and a shop manual. It's just that there are not very many trustworthy transmission mechanics around me, and I know from experience...

 

How many miles on the car? If you have looked around on here you'll sewe that the 98-02 Auto Transmissions are notorious for being bad. Lots of folks have gotten free transmissions from Honda because of this. I would contact Honda. They may replacethe whole trannyfor free.

 

I doubt your 98 is covered under warranty since my 99 wasn't. I think it's like 00-02. Sorry you had to go through what so many of us have already gone through.

I don't know about working on it by yourself. Maybe do a swap on your own, but working on the internals of the tranny i'd be wary, but if you feel confident enough go for it.

 

It's got 114,000, so, I doubt it's covered. From my understanding, the torque converter is at the front of the transmission, so there wouldn't be much internal work. Now a rebuild, on the other hand, pssh... Leave that to the professionals.

 

I remember when I had transmission problems, somebody told me it was 100 bucks to rebuild the torque convertor. If it's that cheap, might want to just let someone do it.

 

call your local dealer,, Honda has been having a lot of issues with trannies on the v6,,
explain your discontent , Honda might help you out , if not fully, partially ... it is worth a phone call

 

I was actually thinking about doing that. I went down there today and bought some transmission fluid. I drained it, and it was black (to me, I'm colorblind though, my friend said it was dark brown). The drain plug had gunk caked to it that looked and felt like mud. When I was pouring the new ATF in, I could clearly see that it was bright red. So, I was just astonished that the stuff that came out of it looked that horrible. Alas, it did nothing with the problem.

I contacted the Rezlo guy, who builds torque converters with basically the exact same thing I said in this thread.

His response:

"
Hey Brandon, That’s a tough one bud, its hard for me to say, it could well be the converter having a problem with the clutch piston but it could just as easily be the solenoid pack that’s actuator valve for that circuit that’s messing around,
If you take it to a transmission shop they will try tell you it’s an internal problem with the transmission, but honestly this really does sound 50/50. I don’t want to sell you a converter, you go threw all the work of putting it in and your still at square 1. Maybe try post your problem on a few of the accord forums and see if anyone has had a similar problem and what their remedy was. If you work out that it is more than likely a converter problem I will need you to take the little inspection over off the transmission to reveal the converter and read the little ink and metal stamp numbers and letters to me, this takes about 5 minutes to do with a jack and a 10mm spanner (no oil involved at all) so I can be sure to give you a quote on the correct converter as the V6 has a few variations, alternatively you could send ure old unit in to me and I could cut it open and inspect it. If you send ure current unit in to me it will be about $300 odd, if I send you a unit once you have given me the numbers it will be about $350, if you want to make it a high stall unit its about $50 more on each. Cheers"

 

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...t=102_0410.flv

If you notice, I don't floor it, I just slowly give it some throttle, and at about redline, time to shift, it just revs like it's in neutral for maybe a second, and I let off the gas. So, after a second or two, I give it some gas again, and it just revs back up to redline, which means it did not shift to the next gear.

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...t=102_0411.flv

Same as above, except at the end you can see what happens when I brake. Once I hit 0, the car is still for a second or two, and then it gives a hard kick, like it's shifting into 2nd. I assume it's 2nd, because when I go to take off, it immediately revs up really high, and shifts. I hate transmission problems.

 

ur trans got the main filter clogged causing the shift problems and the lock up problems. The solenoid got jammed most likely due to metal debris in the trans fluid before it got to the filter.....

do not rebuild it. GO STRAIGHT TO HONDA and politely ask for some assistance. Even if they do not help you, still get a NEW TRANS.

 

[:'(] Haven't even had the car a year yet, dammit. Would you recommend the same type of transmission? I've read somewhere that it's possible to put an Acura 6sp manual on my year, is that true?