Hi,

I have a 2003 TL Original Tranny with an Oil Jet installed. 270k KMs (168 k miles)

I've been experiencing jerking when I let off and reapply the gas when going very slow speeds like in stop and go traffic. (30-40 km/h 20-25mph). Seems to be worse when the engine is warmed up. And it's better if I leave it in first gear using the trip-tronic mode.

It feels like the torque converter lock up, but I'm not sure if it will lock up at such a low speed. No other driveability issues, shifts fine when driving in normal conditions.

I have already done, new engine mounts, rear main seal and a single fluid drain and fill (with Z1 fluid, had some lying around).

Any suggestions, or maybe it's normal. Thanks

 

I experience this too, but I didn't ever think it was a problem. I know what you're talking about, I drive in sport shift 100% of the time and thought this jerking was because I tend to hold the gears (I live in the back roads where there are hills everywhere so instead of using breaks I just leave it in third instead of the car wanting it to shift to 4th or 5th) This "jerking" feels exactly like driving a manual when you let off the gas and then barely put your foot back on. My street bike does this a lot too. It's like the clutch spins freely and rubs or slips for a second before it grabs....honestly though, I don't know, thats just what I thought. I don't know much about engines so don't trust me, I'm sure someone who knows their stuff will put in their input soon.

 

Carson, breaks are a shit ton cheaper to replace than a tranny is. You should use your brakes not the transmission to slow the car

 

No no no, I'm not down shifting. Its 35 usually on those hills, so I drive towards them in 3rd then leave it in third and coast down, theres no point where I'm engine breaking and shifting down on the hill. Sorry I should have elaborated. I know how dangerous it is to down shift on these trans.

 

3rd is the clutch pack that doesnt get much oil to cool it!
use the brake to slow the car, trans to make it go faster~..even coasting downhill

was the jerking before the 1 drain and refill of atf?
how old is the fluid in trans- before partial change?

to really know it its just dirty selenoids or failing clutches, take a 3 ounce sample and mail to blackstone labs with 25 bucks
a mass spectrograph reading will tell you exactly whats going on,,things that belong in fluid or things that dont!

I would not mix old and new honda atf- do it all or dont do it
of course if its SLIPPING as it shifts- no amount of fluid is going to help

note oil jet kit has zero to do with our main prob of clutch pack wearout

 

lol, leaving it in 3rd is the last thing you want to do to try to preserve the life of your tranny

 

The jerk just started in the last month or so, didn't happen much when the weather was cold, we had a few warm days and I started noticing it. Fluid change was about 8-10k kms ago, it drove fine after the change. Plug magnetic had a very thin layer of crap on it, nothing concerning. The change before that was probably 25-30k ago. I'm sure the tranny still has ATF Z1 in it. The fluid I drained wasn't dark, still had a red tinge to it.
http://www.magna-guard.com/Images/ATF1.jpg (looks just like the good dot)

There's no slipping, it shifts fine when you drive it normally. Only jerks in slow stop and go traffic mostly when you let off the gas and sometimes when put your foot back down. On a normal drive 1-2 shift is perfect with very little shift shock (I had a 99 tl that had a rough 1-2 shift).

Example: stopped, gas, speed up normally (1st gear rpm up to 2k or so), take foot off gas, then the jerk (feels like a bad shift), rpms drop to 800 or so. I'll try to take a video one day.

 

Perhaps the shift solenoids are hanging up, try cleaning them and replace the tranny filter.

 

I orderd the can filter on the outside, will replace in the spring. Can I use DW1 to refill the trans after draining it? or is it bad to mix it with the Z1. Dealer no longer has Z1 in stock.

Which solenoid should I be cleaning?

 

Just to throw something else at you: the clutch assembly of the torque converter. Maybe a problem with that is causing the jerking.

Anyway, you can mix DW-1 with Z1, that's the standard procedure. And clean all the solenoids you can find...3 & 4th gear....and apparently there is a 2nd gear one too, I'm not sure where it's located.....hope someone chimes in.

 

Torque converter clutch assembly, isn't that internal to the TQ? I'd have to take it all apart to get at it.

 

You can't get a it, it's welded inside the tc housing. If that's the problem, you need a new tc....but in our case....it's more cost-effective in the long run to replace the tranny. Anyway, just a suggestion you may want to diagnose and see if that's the problem.

 

dealer doesnt have the old stuff because its discontinued !!
and all of us are encouraged to get on the new formula,,all of it in the trans= not a mix
very differant fluids

you get better shift in SS because higher line pressure is generated forcing shift,
that points to dirty lines and dirty system/selenoids(pressure switches)

I would do the blackstone lab exam of fluid, if all ok for metal and clutch material readings, do a full 3x3 one right after the other = 5 minute drive MAX between drains
or use `the accord method` as seen here and youtube for engine running method

note: vid suggest using an additive--NOT for the TL!!
accords can do what they want, but we need to stay on stock honda fluid, the new stuff, for best shifting

If report good, may want to run seafoam trans tune or simillar product by Motor Purr
200 miles then change ALL the fluid and install new filter then
cleans selenoids and lines for you
NOT for trans with problems!!

 

I'm going to do a 3x3 drain (or flush into a bucket) with DW1 then swap out the filter and clean the screens on the two solenoids (only two have screen as per the service manual). We'll see how it goes. Probably be another week at lease before I get the filter.

 

Can you please post the location of those 2 screens when you find them?

 

Here's the photos from the Service Manual.



The little tubes that look like M are the screens (you'll see in the next image)

 

Yeah, that's good info which would be beneficial to include with the "DIY" stuff !!!!!