mharmes

147K miles, one owner (Middle aged lady school teacher - my wife), always garaged, dealer serviced ... bla bla bla. This car has had a darn easy life. Starting at about 140K, the shift from 1st to 2nd was like a missed gear w/ a stick. Under light acceleration (Always!), the shift to 2nd produced a sound like a boats outdrive cavitating, engine RPM climbs, and no power to the wheels. Backing off the gas sometimes makes the shift complete. Jabbing the sports shifter and going either up or down also "resets" the problem. This problem occurs approximately once every 100 shift sequences. Acura dealer's suggestion is a $3700 reman. tranny plus $1100 ECU. Dealer's contention is they have no procedure or tech doc for breaking into a transmission, so they want to replace. I'm thinking B.S!!! If 100 shift sequences are good, 2nd pulls every time, then one shift goes haywire, I'm thinking a solenoid/valve is miss firing or the controller for same is failing. I've read here about "shift solenoids", but that's always in the context of hard shifts, not "missed shifts".
Anybody recognize my scenario? My wife likes her car. I like that she likes her car, but $4800 is a lot of dough to fix a rig that's only worth $2k in trade.
Mike

celynka

Hard shifts , miss shifts, slippages - all can be caused by shift solenoids or clutch pressure control valves or torque converter lock up solenoid.(shift solenoids and CPC valve are servicable from the outside, lockup solenoid is not). Since it happens once every 100 shifts, I would say these might be the cause but get it checked out quick or your clutch packs will go toast

YeuEmMaiMai

ur trans is on the way out. inspect your fluid and if it is anything other than light pink, bye bye transmission (assuming that you change your fluid on a regular basis.

Edit: your car should be worth more than 2K on trade in proper working order

ChucksCL-S

147K miles is great service actually; a local good transmission shop may do it for a better price. A lot of these trannys go after just 80K miles.

YeuEmMaiMai

my cars and their transmissions

1. 1982 chrysler 5th avenue 380K miles on original transmission when engine croaked
2. 1984 oldsmobile 98 broughm 1st trans 55K, second at 115K car sold at 148K
3. 1986 sable 80K on original trans when it blew up because ford tech did not put in 3 of the six bellhousing bolts, the other 3 snapped causing severe damage to engine and transmission.
4. 1982 cultass cierra 121K on original trans when engine timing chain broke, sold for junk
5. 1989 sable 196K on orignal trans, egine blew a hg so it again was sold for scrap
6. 1992 mercury sable 143K on original trans when totalled in accident
7. 1994 honda accord 200+ K on original trans, my friend drives it now
8. 1998 honda accord V6 first trans rebuilt at 89K 4 more rebuilds within 11K car sold after last rebuild at 100K
9. 2002 Acura CL-S first trans was burining fluid by 40K, changed at 71K second trans burning fluid at 87K.....

There was only 1 car that was american made that had a crappier transmission than honda does but GM was smart enough to fix it and it is to this day a very solid unit. ( TH 200R4 )

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I would have t agree the trans is on its way out... I had the same thing happen to me.. started with 1st to 2nd the rpms would go up and no shift unless i let off the gass... then it got worse, then I was 40 miles from home and it wouldn't hit a gear anymore unless I COMPLETELY let off the gas in TIPTRONIC mode and then slowly gasses it to get moving...

SHITTY FEELING... so i turned around and headed home so I wouldn't be in bumper to bumper traffic. and then the VSA light and engine light came on simultaneously. It was HEAT related, and the trans was burning inside cause there was no fluid in pacs 1 and 2 therefore gears 2 and 3 were TOAST... literally there was 1/2 the metal left on the gears.

My guy cleaned the switches and everything right up and rebuilt/replaced everything and now it's like new with the exception of 1st to 2nd at one particular throttle position it doesn't engage 100% like butter. but that's just my tranny ecu screwing around and I compensate by not throttling it at that position anymore so it's back to perfect. tranny ecu is 1000 so F that

tranny rebuild was 1700.. and 280 more for a trans mount and a low hold gear.

SHOP around for a good rebuild shop... if you don't it'll be ur worst nightmare, if you do you will save urself a shit load of $

mharmes

Thanks to all for your feedback. I'm not hearing "happy" feedback ... more like tough love. Perhaps I'll give my wife a new transmission for Christmas ... that ought to secure my passage on the barge plying the river Stix.
Thanks!!

ChucksCL-S

Think of how many times the clutches have gone thru the shifting cycle; they wear out like anything else.

StonedCL

iTrader: (1)

I just paid $3200 for a rebuilt tranny and now my rear main seal is leaking.. If it drives still dump it right away... I just sold my car for $3400 so I just barely paid for the tranny and with all the other $$ i put into the car in the last year it makes me sick to my stomach when the DLR offerred me $500

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iTrader: (2)

500!!!!!!!! WTF i would knock that guy right between the eyes.

YeuEmMaiMai

was that with the busted trans or in working order

and soon my sig will read like yours

1 trans 71K
2 trans 89K....lol

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iTrader: (2)

^^^^ are you going to switch the place you get your work done dude??

dn't you think it plays a roll in ur tranny.

Cause LUCK is a word we make up to make ourselves feel like we got the shaft FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. when really their is always a reason, especially with a car.

Live near ontario canada?

I got a guy that'll rebuild the shit out of ur trans for like 1700 and you'll never even know ur car got opened up, it's amazing.

e30cabrio

iTrader: (6)

My transmission was shifting oddly, just like yours the issue was "repairable" by restarting the car.

The issue turned out to be the TPS (throttle position sensor).

The general consensus here was your transmission is dying.

My contention is and was mechanical devices do not "heal" they are broken or not.

Acura wants to sell the entire throttle body for over 200.00 the TPS is available all over the internet for 50.00 and less.

My point is it sounds to me like you have a sensor issue. I'd find a Honda shop that knows these cars. It is better to spend a few hundred and be sure you need the transmissive than replace it (using most of the sensors you currently have) and still have the issue.

Just my 2centavos.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

^^ you got a good point... I was worried I was gonna rebuild mine for nothing, but turned out my tranny was just about the WORST one my mechanic had ever seen. He was impressed (not in a good way) lol.

Showed me the gears (what was left of them), and how my low hold gear was even worn down.

now if I get another problem it's sensor time, but i drive her easy and i'm not in traffic usually at all.

my car came from the heart of toronto so it's WHOLE life was stop and go which destroyed the tranny!

StonedCL

iTrader: (1)

$500 after the tranny was rebuilt for over $3000!

mharmes

Okay, I've shopped it locally (So. Oregon); dealer (Butler Acura) $4800 Acura reman trans + ECU, Bob Thomas $4130 Jasper reman trans, Aaron's $3650 Howard Engr. reman trans. Respectively, the warranties are 36mo/36k, 36 mo/100k, & 50mo/50k. I'm inclined to go with Aaron's/Howard Engr. if I can determine the reman process addressed the 2nd gear no-lub/overheating issue. Aaron's "feels right".
Wish me luck Men, I'm goin' in.

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iTrader: (2)

GOOD LUCK BRO...

if I were you I'd stop by with some coffees and donuts for everyone just so ur in there good books... and will make sure they do an extra good job on you since your gonna be remembered for SURE

TRUST ME ;-)

that shit is ingrained in my blood. That's how I do things, make friends, and save money when it comes to my car and Shops.

you'll be fine

mharmes

CL-S progression, Excellent idea, grease the deal w/ sweets & treats. Since it's the wife's car, she'll need to bake something ... oh say a big ol' pecan pie. I'll drop that sucker off w/ a baggie of plastic forks. It'll be a perfect bribe. Thanks for the suggestion.

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iTrader: (2)

NP man, it never hurts to make sure ur in people's (who you need) good books ;-)

mharmes

In summation, $3870, 2 months, and three transmissions later, I'm down the road w/ an Acura reman trans and no new ECU (Acura dealer wanted to sell me a $1000 ECU with the rebuild). Trans #1 & #2 came from Howard Engineering, So. Cal. #1 had a crack next to a test port; spewed oil ... someone gorilla'd a fitting into the port and cracked the adjacent housing. Howard said "Glue it!" Aaron, my mechanic, said "BS, send us a good tranny." 3 weeks later, tranny #2 shows up. After about 50 miles, #2 started to slip frantically between 2nd & 3rd. After several unsuccessful remedial fixes, I asked Aaron to install an Acura rebuilt. Long story short, after a struggle, Aaron got his money back from Howard (I'm pretty sure Howard's just a bunch of jokers). The Acura trans is working fine. I'd use Aaron again, but I'd also be prepared to exercise lots of patience.
PS CL-S progression, the pie up front seemed like a good idea, but I don't think it helped. I should have kept the pie, frozen the sucker, and ate a slice a week until the car was fixed. 8 slices ... 8 weeks.

Cascio

Hello all, I came on here tonight because I thought Someone on here may be able to help me I seen this thread was already talking about TPS sensor issues so I thought I would ask here. I actaully build cars and had a shop for sometime in Vegas So I feel silly asking. Although I'm sure I can figure it out my self, before I start looking into it I figured it couldnt hurt to ask. On my wifes 2002 Accord turbo w/CL Type S swap it has been throwing a TPS code. I replaced the TPS and set properly; it still sets the code after a couple drive cycles??? I haven't looked into yet as I said, I am going to check the ground and resistance etc..but I wasnt sure if this is an issue someone else has had to save sometime..


Also I have a 2001 Cl Type S 5speed Auto Transmission that was starting to shift a little loose so I just replaced it. It is available with sensors if anyone wants to buy it cheap, so they can rebuild on the side while they keep driving their car. Or if anyone needs some sensors or solenoids let me know.


Just for some knowledge, I installed a 2004 TL trans and it is holding up really well to the Turbo, I'm not sure if these tranys are built any different inside and of coarse everyone says they wont go into the Cl Type S but the only difference was a place on the TL trans to bolt on a mount the Cl didn't have. I don't know if that is info someone might need someday

Cascio

I had a CL customer a few years back that was having almost the same issue and I replaced the pressure switches (both of them) they are like $40 a piece. If it doesn't fix the problem you can just brake clean them out and use them on your new trans. After I replaced them the trans shifted like brand new, literally. It is crazy how much an effect the pressure switches have on these trannys. For the money its worth a try, I think.

p.diddy

iTrader: (3)

were way ahead of you.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-problems-fixes-70/another-solution-my-auto-cl-guys-758220/