OK, quick question guys. I have had my 1999 Honda accord V6 sedan for three years. I got it when it had 130,000 miles on it. It currently just rolled over 209,000 today. The transmission has always shifted kinda rough from first to second gear ever since I bought the car and thought the transmission was gonna so shortly after i purchased the car. Needless to say it hasn't yet which I am very grateful for. My question is should I flush the transmission using the drain and fill 3x method? Or will that cause problems? I have read on some post where people say don't do it and others say do it. I am very weary about doing anything to my transmission fluid other than changing it out every 10,000 miles which I believe has what made my transmission last so long. Any knowledgeable input is greatly appriciated.

 

If I'm reading this correctly, you have been changing the trans fluid every 10K. If that is the case I would just do one drain and fill on that same schedule and call if a day?

Or am I missing something?

 

Yes, I do change out the transmission fluid every 10k. Recently though, if I take off slow my trans will slip for a second and catch, but if I take off normally it shifts like it always has shifted. My question is more or less would a drain and fill help improve the lifespan of the trans? It is the original trans. My car goes to Economy Honda on tuesday to have the oil pump replaced, the timing belt/water pump replaced, and the leak from the real main seal replaced. Im about to to put some money in this car and dont want the trans to give out in 10k miles or so.

 

Do you mean the trans shifts to drive slowly, coming from R -D, or slips in drive when you accelerate slowly?

I've noticed on my 94Ex that first time shifts in the morning can be slow from R-D and I wait for the familiar slight jerk to know the trans has shifted to D before I accelerate. No other shifting symptoms on my 250K mile Accord.

More ATF changes are unlikely to make any difference IMO. Taking care to avoid hard shifts and slipping between shifts (ease up on accelerator to allow shift w/o slip) can extend life almost indefinitely in my experience.

good luck

 

No, from R-D is fine. When accelerating from 1st to 2nd it slips for like half a sec. It doesn't rev up to 3000k or anything like that either. It may go up 200rpm if that. It only happens under certain circumstances as well. Most of the time when there is a slight incline on the road. Another question for anyone who wants to answer. Say I go to honda and tell them to replace the trans......will they replace it with one that will have the same problem "on down the road" so to speak? Or will they have fixed the faulty torque converters in the new transmission? Just wondering. BTW I love my car. Its dark emerald green, and was completely repainted (insurance paid) last year. I get constant looks when out and about.

 

What you describe is common for a high mileage auto trans. If you give a little lift on accelerator, the trans will shift fine. It could last another 100K like this.

I have no experience w/ rebuilt Auto Trans to offer.

good luck

 

My torque converter slips from time to time too. I believe if its gonna go its gonna go. I just beat on the tranny for acouple days and it quits for a while. It does it cold which makes me think the fluid may be too thick to pump through the screens to the torque converter. After I get 1 or 2 good slips from it in the morning its done for the day. I changed my fluid every other oil change. And I decided to quit changing it for a while and it actually got alittle better. Letting the new fluid break in to the way the tranny shifts

 

I think with a history of 10k-mile ATF changes, there's little to be gained by doing a 2x or 3x change. I'm gonna bet that every 10k your fluid that you drain out probably looks pretty clean.

The whole idea for the 2x or 3x or 4x changes, are for those transmissions that haven't had any new ATF for years.

 

when you slow to a stop do you notice the transmission drop into first hard? Does it feel like a someone bumped your rear bumper? This is a sign of a failing transmission. I would be concerned. You are looking at 2500 or so to rebuild it. It might be better to sell it now before you are completely aware of a problem, then buy a different car.

 

WOW. Every 10k? I strongly believe you may be throwing away perfectly good oil. You might want to at least stretch the interval to 20k and make it half as easier on your wallet.

I think they're right, if you do a 3x drain and fill now it probably wouldn't matter because you've done a lifetime of drain and fills already. The oil is probably already as good as it would be if you were to do a 3x drain and fill now.