This is a new one on me. I started my car yesterday to get it ready to go into the shop in a few days for it's 5th transmission and as it sat idling, after a few minutes, it started to surge. It would go from 900RPM up to about 1500-1700RPM and back down....over and over and wouldn't stop. It was up to operating temp at the time and just wouldn't stop even after I revved it a few times to see if anything was stuck. Then I turned it off for 15 minutes and restarted it again and it continued to do it.

Any ideas?

Thanks guys!

 

lubeman- you PMd me and had full mailbox!!

pzhoward had this surge a few times on a 99, looks like MAP sensor is failing
as banging on it restores idle~
hers was extreme erratic-- idle to rev limiter!! right before and after trans job

try an ECU reset = pull CLOCK fuse on passenger end of dash

other possible is master vac line is left off after seafoam-clamp left off hose?
or other vac line is off
front and rear motor mounts are vac boosted and when they break its usually a small vac leak

 

I wonder if crud in the TQ is causing that surge

piggy, kris --other trans internal gurus? ideas?

 

01tl4tl...sorry. I guess since the site was upgraded/moved...I only had 1 message in my mailbox...the one I sent to you and that caused it to get full. I cleared it out since. Thanks for the feedback!

Long story short. I took the car to Aamco for the tranny work after Acura gave me the middle finger and basically told me to go away...no help what so ever, even to a small degree. Aamco did the job, I picked it up ($3,974.90 w/36mth/36K warranty) and it ran worst than before I brought it in....after driving it about 100 yards! The Traction Control light came on and the car had severe nose dive when decelerating and squealed when put into reverse. Took it right back, the owner of the place took it for a test ride, and they kept it another day.

I picked it up again and they said they replaced an "Idle Air Control Switch"...cost, $197.00 plus tax...NO CHARGE for the labor to put it in. Now, I don't know if this was what it was or if this part even exists on a 3.2L engine, but the car runs perfectly now. It shifts like new (you can feel the solid shifts due to the new plates under heavy acceleration) and the idle is fine. I did buy that extra warranty for $500.00 figuring that was money well spent...because, since my original tranny went at 77K, I've never gotten remotely close to 36,000 miles before the replacement tranny crapped out!

There you go guys...4K+ and I'm back in business...what a fiasco for a car that should never have these kinds of issues.

Thanks 01tl4tl for your help.

 

I had replied to your PM but box was full--make sure to uncheck the box that says Save A Copy

my words then, which were the same day it went to the shop: aamco is bending you over- way too high a price,,, as acura will sell you one in a new case for that!
plus it will not be fixed the first time~

and what happened....
sometimes I hate being right

 

77 on an original is right on schedule for failure~ per the head tech at my local dealer

as they were telling me when mine died- thankfully back in warranty

 

Thanks for your feedback...

I hear you about Aamco, but at the point I was at, I figured it was my only alternative....Acura wanted 5k to do the job and wouldn't budge on the price...and Corp Acura wasn't willing to kick in a nickel to help me out after jerking me around for 3 months. No 'Good will"...nothing! I had tranny's that only lasted a few thousand miles before crapping out only to get another rebuilt that would last a few thousand more. The last one from Acura went about 20K...that's why I went for the extra money to cover this rebuild from Aamco for 36mths/36k miles...I'm not convinced that these things can be fixed to last more than 20-30k miles at best...at least that's my experience. We'll see....

 

they are doing much better now with the new case design
still its a matter of installer ability and care for the job
20-30 is very low for failures--do you drive in a heavy manner, lots of 2nd gear use for some reason.. like lives on mountain?