Guys, I have a 2002 CL with 160K miles on it .... Honda replaced the transmission @ around 50K.... Since recently, when the car goes in the next gear (Especially from 2-3), the engine hesitates, almost like the gas to the engine is getting cut and the whole car shakes. This happens maybe for 2 seconds then the next gear catches on and the ride is smooth.... Any idea of whats going on here?

BTW... I haven't done the timing belt till yet. I know its looooong over due, however I didn't have the money for it. Could this be the timing belt slipping? What does the timing belt do anyways?

 

Most likely it's time for transmission #3

 

the timing belt syncronizes the camshaft and valves to the crankshaft.. and on our cars it also controls the water pump. so if it goes on you, you will be motorLESS.

the symptom u are explaining is obviously transmission related cause it only happens when the car is switching gears.

are there any engine codes?

it could be a switch on the fritz.. they get clogged up when u go through transmissions cause all the clutch material flows through all the switches and then gums up.. this can lead to them not doing their job and can create symptoms like u are describing. for eg it could be your lock-up solenoid... i dont have my 3.2CL bible beside me right now. but there are several pages dedicated to troubleshooting exact symptoms like u are describing....

i highly reccommend u get that book...

but those GENUINE acura replacement transmissions are literally rebuilt ones that have died before and are just garbage IMHO... my mechanic who did mine told me he sees more of them come back than stay out there.. this is because the clutches are horrible and the transmission is heat prone , neither of these issues are addressed when they rebuild them to put back on the road.

that's why i got him to rebuild mine with a different tq converter and ordered a clutch and seal pack from levelten.com.. then i added a trans cooler and temp gauge to boot.. so far the car is a soldier.. i am at 60000miles right now on it.

one time i disconnected the trans cooler to see what some spirited driving would do on a fairly hot day. it was at 300ish and still climbing before i stopped. With the cooler on the car has never seen past 225. and that only happenes when it is 30C out and in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour.

on your next tranny, get a cooler and i would get that clutch kit i got too (cause they are specifically designed for high heat applications)... I think is was the best 500$ i ever spent on my car personally.

 

Please Say It Isn't So

 

Man I really appreciate your response. Problem is that I don't have money to dump in this CL anymore. Whatever I have, I might as well put it down on a new Accord. But I will miss the CL's power. And I am NEVER buying an auto again... I'm done with them!

 

how about we start with the simple stuff

clean your intake and idle control valve. I had the exact same stumble and shake routine at 110K. removed intake hose and cleaned up all the gunk and ICV with carb cleaner. Reassembled everything and now at 131K no issues.

 

Thanks for the pointer bud... I think my weekend is gonna be spent under the hood..

 

Does the engine do anything weird when parked with no load on the trans?

Also when u drive the car does it only happen when the car is warm? Does engine heat play any factor. When mine was on its way out it was better whn u first started driving then once everything got hotter it got worse.


Look at your rpm when it shifts between gears. Are the revs going up and the car not moving like it should? As if u were in a standard and had the clutch half on in a sense)

Check those things out and let us know.

 

Im sure there is already a thread about this, but how do you clean the idle control valve?

 

easiest way is to remove it from the TB and clean it. it is sort of a PITA but it is worth it

 

Change the ATF fluid and see what happens. You'll need 3 quarts.