dougdeep

My transmission is toast at 148k miles. It's been slipping for a few months, and I expected it to go this year, but the last bit of failure happened real fast.

Here's some observations:

It really started slipping after I did a drain/refill x 3 flush. Then start slipping, and got worse and worse. Finally, I decided to test the solenoids last weekend, and they all appeared okay.

For shits, since I had the cooler lines disconnected to pull the solenoids, I decided to blow out my transmission "cooler", the radiator, with compressed air. It was plugged! Only took a second or two, and a pile of thick black fluid ended up in my jar. I really don't know if the clog is the original cause of the transmission failure, or if it's just another symptom.

Anyhow, I made one last final stupid mistake: I road tested the transmission. Poor move stall testing it, that was the final blow and it only ran for about 3 more days.

Now, it drops into neutral when shifting from 1st to 2nd for about 3-4 seconds. It slips bad during all shifts, and it will even drop gears randomly at speed. Not good.

What to do? Well, I'm cheap, so I'm keeping the car. Another few grand to keep a good car running at least 3 more years will make me happy.

I wanted to order a Honda remanuf from either an online Acura/Honda dealer, or local. They all informed me that it has been discontinued. One said he found it, but it was $4500. He called it "RL expensive". So that option is out.

Advance Auto and Carquest both offered $2200 remanuf transmission with 3Y/36K warranties, but they do not come with any solenoids, switches, or sensors. They do come with a Torque Converter. $2200 seems like a lot for that.

Finally, i found a transmission at a junk yard with 91k miles on it, but it's $900 freaking dollars. I do feel better now because the car is in tact and I can test drive the transmission before buying. Someone took the whole side of the car against a guard rail and sold it to the junk yard.

I'll install the inline filter and upgraded transmission cooler when I put in the used transmission. Hopefully it at least hits 148k too, but it's anybodies guess.

Btw, i was very tempted to rebuild it myself, but talked myself out of it.

South Jersey CL

i wouldn't buy a used tranny, especially with 91k miles on it. it seems like too much of a gamble for me.

fliplyricist1

This makes me sad

Real sorry to hear...I'm at the crossroads too. Tranny has been slipping for the last 4 or so years, but only recently has it appeared to get even worse in all gears.

Can you explain the symptoms? For me, accelerating is pretty smooth shifting, so long as I don't gas it hard. But it's coasting/letting my foot off my gas that causes all sorts of slipping out of gear. My RPM's never 'jump' and the car never 'lunges'...just a lot of slipping in and out of gears on decelleration.

Wow, so it got worse after you drain and refilled? I think this thread may have just prevented me from doing that this weekend, then. My fluid smells burned to hell, as well. I have an aftermarket Hayden cooler, but have not checked the lines for clogs. Probably going to do that tomorrow and see if both entry and exit tubes are at least warm to the touch.

Do you have a local AAMCO? They usually offer full rebuilds for around 1800. I may end up going that route.

Good luck on the junkyard tranny, and that's good to hear you can test drive it before buying it. But like Jersey said, 91k is setting yourself up for a failure pretty soon if it's the original tranny.

It might be in your best interest to just check your local craigslist too for any used 2.3 manuals...you may just get lucky and score one for just a tad more than it would take to rebuild your 3.0 tranny. And the peace of mind of having a 5 speed is even more valuable.

I think ebay offers the same ACURA OEM 'white box' trannies for our 97's for around 2k...then figure in another few hundred for installation. I was quoted 3700 for it at my local Acura stealership during my last oil change about 7 months ago with 3 year warranty, so I do think they're still available.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-....if only these trannies weren't so horrible.


p.s.: sorry, just curious...but how do you check the selenoids?

DaInFaMMuS1

If you're set on getting the used tranny, I'd rebuild the one currently in the car yourself since it seems you have the technical ability/resources.

fliplyricist1

lol, man...I know there's the guy on here that's been promising to do a diy writeup on this. I'm not calling him out or anything, but I think a LOT of members could benefit from it

Does anyone know if the Haynes manual for CL's has a detailed writeup on tranny rebuilds?

I feel competent, but my lack of tools is what's keeping me away at this point. Plus the better tranny shops have expensive testing equipment strictly for these sorts of things

South Jersey CL

i agree with flip. get a manual CL and call it a day. you still get to have a CL, but you get the fun of a 5spd and the peace of mind knowing that you never have to deal with the tranny problems of the auto CLs.

btw, where in NC are you?

Kyanite

Every time I read one of these topics (been reading a lot recently) I cringe and wonder when or if mine will start to experience these symptoms or crap out all together. Especially since my 3.0 is on the original transmission nearing 155K.

Good luck with the fix and keep us updated. Same with yours as well Flip.

cl-baller201

Man, these 3.0 transmission horror stories dont stop !

dougdeep

Had I not messed with it, I promise you I would have seen another 10k out of it, at least. I'm willing to bet my clutches were wearing, normally, and when I flushed the transmission, I clogged some hydraulic valve or screen. That clog dropped pressure and likely caused my clutches to slip more, and wear rapidly.

My recommendation now is to do a single 3qt drain/refill every 30k miles; don't get fancy.

I ended up buying the 91.5k used transmission, and I'll install it as soon as the odds and ends parts come in from Acura. The car it came out of was in perfect shape (except the accident), and drove well. Somebody took damn good care of it. My car has 148k miles on it, and any decision is a gamble. If the used transmission starts to show signs of wear, I'll decide if I want to buy another car, or start rebuilding my spare transmission.

dougdeep

Best just to remove them. On the bench, measure the electrical resistance, and compare to what the book says. For the A/B solenoid, the book annoying just says 5 Ohms = spec. Well, what if it's 5.5? Really wish it gave tolerances.

But the real test is how they behave with current. Apply 12V to the leads, the book says which is + and which is -. The solenoids should engage and the valves in the body should move smoothly.

dougdeep

I agree, manual > auto. There's an old saying, something about the problems you know are better than the problems you don't know. I know the condition of the rest of the car, pretty much inside and out. Anyhow, in 3-4 years, the next car I buy is going to be 10-15 years newer .

I'm in Raleigh. Btw, if you need parts, that 3.0 at RPM of Lumberton is in great shape. A bit of a haul though. Light blue exterior with black leather interior. The leather is in particularly good shape.

fliplyricist1

This thread comes at such an ironic time, as just in the last 3 days I've began to trace a 'burnt smell' in the cabin after about 30 minutes of driving. Check my tranny fluid, and sure enough its the exact same smell. It's been slipping something horrible these last few days as well.

I know I'm probably stupid for even asking this, but since I already have the ATF fluid and a bottle of Lucas tranny fix, do you think I should even attempt to one drain and refill and see how it goes? Then possibly do a second drain and refill then add the lucas tranny fix?


I would put it off if I could, since the tranny has been slipping for years, but it's just within these last few days where I really felt the car could actually 'go' on me at any time.

Guynlidia2006

I just rebuilt mine... I have a 2.2 though... 1150 later I had a full rebuild.. Worth every penny..

P0401

iTrader: (1)

this guy started a DIY for the trans, don't know what happened though https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-cl-1997-1999-56/inside-3-0cl-automatic-transmission-492261/ he said to get the Helms manual if you are going to do this

If anyone has any junk CL's near them with leather seats, I would love a plug that plugs into the bottom of the heated seat switch with a little length of wire I can splice into, none around here in the Charlotte area that I can find

since i have other vehicles I can drive if my transmission ever goes out again I am determined to get all the parts I know of that is necessary and do a manual swap in the 3.0 no matter what it consists of, even if cutting and re-welding parts just to do it and show it can be done. I will also be sure to take plenty of pics to show what is involved. I know TehCL did a 3.2 auto to 6 speed manual swap so I am guessing all the parts he changed in the 3.2 will need to be changed in the 3.0 as well. so that is a start, the fitting it to the body is another story I will have to tackle when I get that far. I really like the car and I have more money in some of the other cars I own than I would ever be able to get out of them just because I liked them so this will just be another one of those stories if it makes it until the trans goes out without getting crashed or something else

TAco23

Hey if you go back to the junk yard email me....joemthreetwothreeeight zero at hotmail dot com.

JDMCRX

Hey guys that guy thats gonna do the DIY is me. Im trying been busy. The tranny is finlay built. Its not for the faint of heart tho ill tell you that. You need some bench space and mechanical know how in the advance area. You put in one of the valves in the valve body wrong and that trans will gernade.


From what ive seen and talked to few trans shops. Its always the same thing.

Clutch material cloggs up the valvebody ports and strainers causing low pressure on the clutchs and burning them out.

$2200 sound like alot but i would not rebuild this tranny off the car for anything less then 15-20 hours. Thats no bull shit. You cant just strip it and drop all the pieces in the parts washer. Alot of the valve body slugs are same but with slight detents here and there. A convertor from honda will run you 500us.

JDMCRX

BTW here is the build so far.

http://www..net/forums/6g-performanc...y-rebuild.html

Abtrusi

in all 4 of my cars i've never changed the tranny fluid. i have a 1993 toyota camry, 1997 acura CL, 1995 subaru SVX, 1995 chevrolet silverado

and they never had any transmission problems..i was told at wyotech that flushing the tranny fluid in automatics made them slip more because it lost whatever sediment built up in them over time. you either flush your fluid every 10k miles or never do it at all..

that's just what they said, not sure if it has any fact behind it

fliplyricist1

I think if you haven't done a tranny fluid change in awhile, and you plan to do it...the only way is to a drain and refill. And on the last refill use one or two bottles of lucas transmission fix. It'll greatly thicken the viscosity of the ATF and act almost like a 'better replacement' for those metal shavings that are currently holding a slipping tranny from dying.

Again, it's all a temporary fix...but at least worth a shot. I'm going to be doing this to mine this saturday...not much to lose.

dougdeep

K kids, here's an update on the situation. Nearly 4 days of work and I'm done. I swapped out the M7ZA for a B7ZA, also replaced the lower ball joints, as well as the front struts. Added a B&M tranny cooler and remote filter.

Shifts like butter, but there's some steering, suspension, or brake issues I need to work out. I'm hoping it's just badly out of alignment after I pulled off both front knuckles, struts, and radius rods. There's a little wah wah wah, shimmy or vibration while moving. You can slightly feel it too while braking. Also noticed that when driving on the highway, turn the wheel slightly left and you can feel a rubbing feeling.

Btw, all my pain and suffering was around the wheels and not the transmission. Any one knows, ball joints and wheels hubs are a pain in the ass. Swapping the transmission is a 2 or 3 day job.

My biggest concern was raising the vehicle high enough to drop the transmission out. That turned out to be easy. I backed the rear wheels onto ramps. Jacked the front under the center member, then put jack stands under the front tow hooks. Then, I put one set of red bricks under a couple of 2x10s, and put the jack on that. Jacked it up, and moved the jack stands under the proper jack points behind the front wheels. Nothing fancy, just the 3 ton jack and stand craftsman special that is always on sale. Almost forgot, my jack stands were on one layer of 2x6 with MDF on top. I just threw the MDF on there so that the stands wouldn't sink into the 2x6.

We'll see, for 4 days of work, I hope I get 40k more miles, or more.

Edit: Also replaced driver side CV axle. Outer boot had been torn loose for a while, but interesting enough, after removing it, the inner boot was spewing brown goop (water in the grease).

fliplyricist1

good to hear, and congrats

what is the difference between b7 and m7 trannies, if I may ask?


Might as well also order a magnetic inline tranny filter...which is great preventative measure for a perfectly working tranny.

dougdeep

FYI, it's the wheel bearing. While beating the wheel hub assembly loose from the knuckle, I must have loosened up the the part with the lug nuts from the bearing.

To confirm, I jacked up each side of the vehicle, and ran it in gear. Noise was independent of side. Then, I did something I should have done first, I tried wabbling the wheel from top to bottom. It had tons of play, and the play was not a loose lug. You could see the entire brake disc and wheel moving together as one.

So, now I gotta do the wheel hub assembly, which includes the bearing. Question is, do I bite the bullet and have a shop do it, or do I do it myself, but have a machine shop do the pressing?

dougdeep

Update: Hmm, although the pictures at Autozone/Advance dont' show the wheel lug assembly on the bearing/hub assembly, the description seems to indicate it comes as one. If that's the case, I don't need a machine shop. Going to stop on the way home from work and do some recon.

dougdeep

Wanted to give another update, in case someone else sees these problems. The wheel bearings were bad, and replacing them solved most of my remaining issues. Cost per front wheel was $69 for bearing + $40 for machine shop to press hub on/off. I could not find a full assembly at auto parts store. Some said they had it, but when pulling the part, they only had the bearing assembly.

One last issue remains, from 35-45 mph, under acceleration only, the car vibrates some. Sounds like my new CV axle is at fault, but I understand that it may also be some other suspension component, or motor mount. I'm sort of doubting a motor mount.

Mansen

I'll through in .02 here. I worked for Ford dealers for years. No longer, just got tired of it. Any way. In the shops I ran I would not change fluid and filter on an auto if it had not been changed per the abnormal use maint sched. Changing the fluid on an older tranny would clean the dirt out from around the seals and make them leak like. I never had them make a c4 c6 or AOD slip. But the valve bodies could take more crap than these cl's.
My cl 30 is at 148k and looks like it will need an OHaul.

Sorry I don't think I have done and intro. Just and old guy that can't give up a car habit.