hey guys im new to this site and i could really use some help. I have a 99 acura tl it has a lil over 253,000 miles on it, a couple months ago I was driving and all of a sudden it would be in drive then feel like it would go neutral and rev everytime i hit the gas then the car would start bucking like it was downshifting ..well here's the kicker i can pull over and turn the car off and it will drive fine for 3 to 5 mins perfectly like nothing never happend then it will start all over again..so this makes me believe its something electronic acting up ..ive changed the computer thinking that was it cause it wouldnt let me pull up codes.
i think it might be the tps sensor but please tell me what yall thank it might be.. any help is very much appreciated

 

sounds like clutch material getting slung into the outflow filter screen of torque convertor
that's not good
letting it sit 15+ minutes allows the material to gravity drain back off the screens and allow fluid passage. that usually gets another 15+ minutes of driving to get you off the freeway--to safe parking place

do you ever change the atf fluid? use Honda fluid?
what color and smell is fluid now- fluid level correct per owner book method- what temp to ck at- some are cold, some warm, is on owner book - www.owners.acura.com if you don't have one
should read BETWEEN the dots, not at either

I would take a 3 ounce sample of the atf and send to blackstone labs with 20 bucks for mass spectrograph analysis and human interpretation of results- it will show whats in fluid- if excess metals- what type mean different failure
if excess clutch material- that means the trans has given its all for you

the 99 4 speeds did very well compared to the 5 speeds of 00 and on

 

well i have changed the fluid.. i used the castrol honda tranny fluid and everything is level and its still clean fluid .. but u know i can turn it off and start it right back up immediately and its fine again for a few mins i still think its something electrical

 

Disclaimer: I know nothing about the inner workings of an automatic transmission.

That said. I had a Bonneville act like that once. I drained the fluid and changed filter. Fluid looked bad. I drove for a week and drained it again, fluid didn't look as bad, but not great.

Drove it for a month without anymore symptoms and one day, about 10 miles from home, it started slipping. I had a spare motor and tranny from a car my brother wrecked so I decided to try and make it home. I had rolled several stop signs on my rural road trying to squeeze the last few miles out of it, but the last one, a mile from home, was a busy road and there was cross traffic so I came to a complete stop.

When I tried to go, it slipped like crazy, so I just stomped on the gas and barely crawled forward and through the intersection. I made it about a hundred feet before the loud BOOM. As it coasted to a stop, I looked in the rearview mirror to see various parts of the transmission scattered on the road in a large slick of oil.

A shaft that had a gear on each end and was retained by a snap ring on one end had lost it's snap ring. The shaft had slowly worked it's way out and every time it made a revolution, it removed a little bit of material from the inside of the housing, just like a lathe tool. It completely cut through what I would describe as the tailshaft end of the housing and dumped it's contents on the road.

Your transmission is probably at a point where it could be saved if you were so inclined. I have personally never bothered trying have one repaired, especially at high mileage. Junkyard tranny and replace it myself was always my preferred strategy.

 

Its not. You have solenoids clogging up from clutch material and worn parts not allowing it to hold gear. Unfortunately your trans is on its way out. You also have bad fluid in there.

 

the OP is new here so we will excuse them not knowing the cardinal rule
USE ONLY HONDA DW-1 ATF
not Honda compatible or other nonsense printed on a bottle label

the other post re: trans parts fell out of car, that 20$ blackstone labs mass spectrograph test- when the noise and funny stuff began- would have revealed wear on the shaft and possible fix before meltdown

While junkyard trans are avail for most cars- we are talking a 99 TL- with the 4 speed
a rare find would be the same trans in good useable condition, at this many years and likely miles of any 99

 

you think its solenoid clogs kris- rather than tc outflow screen clogging?
or maybe its both? either way is toast
Sorry OP its time to find another ride or spend the $$ to rebuild yours, Might find one already built at trans shop and do a straight exchange= busted + $$ for repaired!
or look online for exchange units already built- I have seen them for the 5 speed claiming to be made by Hondas rebuild shop and sent in plain `white box` without Honda stamped on it

you got nearly 300kmiles and 15 years from her- that's not bad

 

I appreciate the responses yall..i think ill tinker with it a lil bit more before giving up..i bought the car 2 years ago with 240,xxx on her and ive replaced a few things on it..ill prolly junk the damn thing if the transmission is done..it just sucks cause this car was pretty good on gas but it is what it is..well i guess its back to driving my good ole f150 again only problem is she likes to drink lol..thanks again guys i appreciate the help.

 

the only thing to try is switch it to Honda dw1 atf and clean the external shift selenoids (assuming 99 has those- '00+ 5 speeds do)
use SS mode to generate higher line pressure and force a shift if needed

your problem is the same as wearing out the clutch plate on manual trans car, once the grip material is gone its gone
no other tinkering/fluid additive will do anything for repair