Transmission rebuild with external transmission cooler
12-05-2009, 02:55 PM
#1
9th Gear
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Transmission rebuild with external transmission cooler
My car has 150,000 miles on it. Obviously, it has too much mileage for a "goodwill" transmission service from the dealership.
I did a good bit of looking around and after talking to a few mechanics I found one that claims that the cooling system is the problem with the transmissions and that he can do a full rebuild, replace my front motor mount, and install an external transmission cooler. All of this for under $2000 and it includes a 36,000 mile warranty.
Has anyone heard of using an external transmission cooler to fix the CL's transmission problem? Is this guy full of crap?
The car is an 01 CL type-s.
I am seeing that people here are going through multiple transmissions. Am I just wasting my time?
I did a good bit of looking around and after talking to a few mechanics I found one that claims that the cooling system is the problem with the transmissions and that he can do a full rebuild, replace my front motor mount, and install an external transmission cooler. All of this for under $2000 and it includes a 36,000 mile warranty.
Has anyone heard of using an external transmission cooler to fix the CL's transmission problem? Is this guy full of crap?
The car is an 01 CL type-s.
I am seeing that people here are going through multiple transmissions. Am I just wasting my time?
12-05-2009, 03:07 PM
#2
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I posted this before I did enough searching. This car is crap. I am now in the hole with this car and am about to take a few thousand dollar hit to sell it as fast as possible as soon as it gets back from the mechanic.
I really should have done my research before buying this.
I really should have done my research before buying this.
12-05-2009, 03:50 PM
#3
^^^^ i didn't do my hmw and my cars tranny went in the first 25000kms of owning it.
got her rebuild for 1980 (new gears and tranny mount also)
and now the car is mint...
I would never think of selling this puppy. and plus now i know my tranny will last since i am changing the oil every 30K no matter what.
got her rebuild for 1980 (new gears and tranny mount also)
and now the car is mint...
I would never think of selling this puppy. and plus now i know my tranny will last since i am changing the oil every 30K no matter what.
12-05-2009, 03:56 PM
#4
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^^^^ i didn't do my hmw and my cars tranny went in the first 25000kms of owning it.
got her rebuild for 1980 (new gears and tranny mount also)
and now the car is mint...
I would never think of selling this puppy. and plus now i know my tranny will last since i am changing the oil every 30K no matter what.
got her rebuild for 1980 (new gears and tranny mount also)
and now the car is mint...
I would never think of selling this puppy. and plus now i know my tranny will last since i am changing the oil every 30K no matter what.
Do you think the car would be reliable if I changed it every 30k miles with the new rebuild and external cooler?
I do like the car and it is in great shape, overall. I definitely baby it. I am just seriously concerned about the transmission. I don't want to be one of the guys who have went through multiple transmissions.
Thanks for the reply!
12-05-2009, 04:20 PM
#5
YES definitely 100%
the ONLY reason out cars trannys "suck"
is cause acura reccomends 96000kms (i think) for each tranny change, they only did this to keep up with GM and FORD or else they look like they are HIGH MAINTENANCE..
but really it should be every 30000kms for us. (annually for me)
cause there is a filter INSIDE the tranny and once that is clogged u have NO FLOW of oil to ur clutch packs and then u MELT GEARS...
like i did on mine.
my builder said he's done countless of my trannys without a single return cause he tellls them SPECIFICALLY...
CHANGE tranny fluid ever 30000kms and change out the ATF filter and u'll be fine, no worries he said.
he's got one guy in particular with 300000kms on the rebuild... so that's proof enough he knows wtf he's doing and talking about.
IF u can find a GOOD builder then u'll be fine, but THAT should be your ONLY CONCERN
and use a transtar tq converter... costs 150 or 250 more than the reg tq converters cause it is the TOP of the line. I got that in my car :-)
just hunt for that build bro and u'll be back to LOVING ur CL.... as we ALL DO
the ONLY reason out cars trannys "suck"
is cause acura reccomends 96000kms (i think) for each tranny change, they only did this to keep up with GM and FORD or else they look like they are HIGH MAINTENANCE..
but really it should be every 30000kms for us. (annually for me)
cause there is a filter INSIDE the tranny and once that is clogged u have NO FLOW of oil to ur clutch packs and then u MELT GEARS...
like i did on mine.
my builder said he's done countless of my trannys without a single return cause he tellls them SPECIFICALLY...
CHANGE tranny fluid ever 30000kms and change out the ATF filter and u'll be fine, no worries he said.
he's got one guy in particular with 300000kms on the rebuild... so that's proof enough he knows wtf he's doing and talking about.
IF u can find a GOOD builder then u'll be fine, but THAT should be your ONLY CONCERN
and use a transtar tq converter... costs 150 or 250 more than the reg tq converters cause it is the TOP of the line. I got that in my car :-)
just hunt for that build bro and u'll be back to LOVING ur CL.... as we ALL DO
12-05-2009, 04:24 PM
#6
Erm... how would I know when the last owner changed the fluid? Or should I just change it maybe at my next motor oil change? Since he most likely got his servicing done at the dealer, I'm sure they also followed what the manual says.
12-05-2009, 04:32 PM
#7
Suzuka Master
hate to disappoint you but transmission cooler does not solve the problem. The problem is the design of 3rd gear clutch pack and the lubrication around it. There are no real solutions, just improvements to the materials used. 30K miles or 3 years is a good idea to change transmission fluid.
BTW, when filter gets clogged it usually means your gears are starting to come apart. Even if you change filter, it will die shortly.
BTW, when filter gets clogged it usually means your gears are starting to come apart. Even if you change filter, it will die shortly.
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12-05-2009, 04:40 PM
#8
Wait, 30k miles or 30k kilometers?
12-05-2009, 04:42 PM
#9
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hate to disappoint you but transmission cooler does not solve the problem. The problem is the design of 3rd gear clutch pack and the lubrication around it. There are no real solutions, just improvements to the materials used. 30K miles or 3 years is a good idea to change transmission fluid.
BTW, when filter gets clogged it usually means your gears are starting to come apart. Even if you change filter, it will die shortly.
BTW, when filter gets clogged it usually means your gears are starting to come apart. Even if you change filter, it will die shortly.
So, that is the extent of the preventative maintenance for the transmission? Just change the transmission fluid at 30k? Just from your experience, does changing the fluid at those intervals give me a somewhat decent guarantee that the transmission will hold up? Is it out of the ordinary for these transmissions to fail even if you change the fluid at 30k?
12-05-2009, 04:49 PM
#11
12-05-2009, 04:52 PM
#13
i got auto cause this car isn't a race car... lol
and all the rubber i'd be laying down would be $$$$ and i cannot afford to get caught speed which I would do ALLLL the time with a CLS6
this car is a cruiser in my mind, the perfect road trip car
and all the rubber i'd be laying down would be $$$$ and i cannot afford to get caught speed which I would do ALLLL the time with a CLS6
this car is a cruiser in my mind, the perfect road trip car
12-05-2009, 05:00 PM
#14
I Drive Like A Dick 8≈
tell that to thinjim and his RWD CL
12-05-2009, 05:13 PM
#15
Suzuka Master
Nice. Thanks for telling me that.
So, that is the extent of the preventative maintenance for the transmission? Just change the transmission fluid at 30k? Just from your experience, does changing the fluid at those intervals give me a somewhat decent guarantee that the transmission will hold up? Is it out of the ordinary for these transmissions to fail even if you change the fluid at 30k?
So, that is the extent of the preventative maintenance for the transmission? Just change the transmission fluid at 30k? Just from your experience, does changing the fluid at those intervals give me a somewhat decent guarantee that the transmission will hold up? Is it out of the ordinary for these transmissions to fail even if you change the fluid at 30k?
The good news that if your transmission was replaced after 2005 Feb, then it should be improved unit that is less likely to fail (Acura made some revisions to internal parts, but nothing major), but they still fail, just less likely. On the other hand, rebuilds have problems of their own (human factor and etc).
12-05-2009, 05:18 PM
#16
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Well, my transmission failed at 70K, and I changed fluid at 15K, 45K, 65K. Read last few pages of transmission failure thread. Transmissions for Acura Cl/TL 2000-2003 all have a very good chance of failing at around 70-80K miles (seems to be an average), some people are more lucky than others and get to 150K miles, others get 20K miles, but the longer you drive the more chance it will fail. Changing fluid every 30K miles does not guarantee anything, but this is the best you can do for your transmission. I was also gonna say "dont use 3rd gear", but you might as well not drive at all
The good news that if your transmission was replaced after 2005 Feb, then it should be improved unit that is less likely to fail (Acura made some revisions to internal parts, but nothing major), but they still fail, just less likely. On the other hand, rebuilds have problems of their own (human factor and etc).
The good news that if your transmission was replaced after 2005 Feb, then it should be improved unit that is less likely to fail (Acura made some revisions to internal parts, but nothing major), but they still fail, just less likely. On the other hand, rebuilds have problems of their own (human factor and etc).
Thanks a bunch for all of your help.
12-05-2009, 05:52 PM
#17
Well, my transmission failed at 70K, and I changed fluid at 15K, 45K, 65K. Read last few pages of transmission failure thread. Transmissions for Acura Cl/TL 2000-2003 all have a very good chance of failing at around 70-80K miles (seems to be an average), some people are more lucky than others and get to 150K miles, others get 20K miles, but the longer you drive the more chance it will fail. Changing fluid every 30K miles does not guarantee anything, but this is the best you can do for your transmission. I was also gonna say "dont use 3rd gear", but you might as well not drive at all
The good news that if your transmission was replaced after 2005 Feb, then it should be improved unit that is less likely to fail (Acura made some revisions to internal parts, but nothing major), but they still fail, just less likely. On the other hand, rebuilds have problems of their own (human factor and etc).
The good news that if your transmission was replaced after 2005 Feb, then it should be improved unit that is less likely to fail (Acura made some revisions to internal parts, but nothing major), but they still fail, just less likely. On the other hand, rebuilds have problems of their own (human factor and etc).
12-05-2009, 06:29 PM
#18
Suzuka Master
the originals were mostly made by robots on assembly line. The re-manufactured Acura installs are mostly done by human. They take broken transmissions, remove all parts, throw away all "soft" parts, inspect all hard parts to make sure they match the specifications, install all updates required by Honda. Car companies usually outsource this job to a different company. So even if they are installing some upgraded/improved parts, there is always a chance someone might do something wrong. Rebuilds are known to have more defects, this is just the nature of rebuilds/remans. items.
Last edited by russianDude; 12-05-2009 at 06:33 PM.
12-05-2009, 07:05 PM
#20
the originals were mostly made by robots on assembly line. The re-manufactured Acura installs are mostly done by human. They take broken transmissions, remove all parts, throw away all "soft" parts, inspect all hard parts to make sure they match the specifications, install all updates required by Honda. Car companies usually outsource this job to a different company. So even if they are installing some upgraded/improved parts, there is always a chance someone might do something wrong. Rebuilds are known to have more defects, this is just the nature of rebuilds/remans. items.
there was still quite a bit of human building of it when it was new, but not nearly as much as the actually rebuilding of one,
for defects some also has to do with the fact that they have to inspect all the parts for damage and such vs just putting in all new parts
it's better but correct in that they are still band-aided
12-05-2009, 08:54 PM
#21
the originals were mostly made by robots on assembly line. The re-manufactured Acura installs are mostly done by human. They take broken transmissions, remove all parts, throw away all "soft" parts, inspect all hard parts to make sure they match the specifications, install all updates required by Honda. Car companies usually outsource this job to a different company. So even if they are installing some upgraded/improved parts, there is always a chance someone might do something wrong. Rebuilds are known to have more defects, this is just the nature of rebuilds/remans. items.
12-05-2009, 08:55 PM
#22
no, the case was redesigned with larger oiling passages to alleviate the clutch packs and 2nd gear getting toasted issues......
12-06-2009, 07:42 AM
#23
Suzuka Master
yes, but we don't know if they reuse the same case. They could take old case and machine oil passages in it. They definitely reuse something from the old case.
12-06-2009, 07:44 AM
#24
Suzuka Master
12-06-2009, 08:02 AM
#25
Yes the transmission was poorly designed, no a cooler is not a fix. That said reducing the temperature on anything that generates heat doing it's job is a good thing.
My 12/05 transmission currently has 116,xxx I put a cooler in about 10k ago after replacing the external filter.
The car runs great, is fun to drive, is comfortable and I enjoy the hell out of it.
I bought it as a daily to save gas money over my 13mpg on the freeway if i was lucky Landcruiser and it has given me 18 months of 23mpg driving enjoyment.
Sorry your transmission is going op, it sucks.
My 12/05 transmission currently has 116,xxx I put a cooler in about 10k ago after replacing the external filter.
The car runs great, is fun to drive, is comfortable and I enjoy the hell out of it.
I bought it as a daily to save gas money over my 13mpg on the freeway if i was lucky Landcruiser and it has given me 18 months of 23mpg driving enjoyment.
Sorry your transmission is going op, it sucks.
12-06-2009, 08:02 AM
#26
Three Wheelin'
Yes, the trannies are faulty, no doubt about it.
Only suggestion I have, is to ask.. Have you even tried to call Acura even though your 41k miles outside the warraty?
It really doesn't hurt to try, you may be surprised.
Only suggestion I have, is to ask.. Have you even tried to call Acura even though your 41k miles outside the warraty?
It really doesn't hurt to try, you may be surprised.
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