mlb_73

Sorry for the long write up below

And, THANKS in advance for reviewing my below thread and offering assistance!

I have a 2002 TL Type S with 190K miles. I bought the car when it had 82K miles back in 2007. Within a week of buying the car, my tranny broke down. Acura was nice to fix/replace (?) the tranny back then, even though it was past the recall period.

So, I've put about 110K+ miles on the new/fixed (?) tranny. My 4 engine mounts have gone bad (except the rear mount). I thought my tranny was slipping, as I used to hear a shuddering sound when I was pressed low on the gas pedal @ about 40 miles per hour. One mechanic told me that my tranny is slipping and told me he can rebuilt it for $2200. Took my car to Mr. Transmission in Roswell, GA and the owner told me that the tranny is fine and the shudderring would go away when I got my engine mount replaced.

Got a few quotes for engine mounts, and the cheapest was @ Mr. Transmission for $600 (mounts + labor) + $125 (to drain and refill the tranny fluid).

I also have a 2000 Mazda Miata 5-speed with 92K miles and have spent about $3K in the past 2 years and would like to keep the car

So,
0. Did Aucra fix my tranny in 2007 or put a new tranny?
1. Should I keep the TL car and get new mounts for $725?
1.5 If I keep the car, how long will it last without too many problems that would cost me too much $$$?
2. Sell the TL car (given the fact that the tranny could fail eventually soon?)
3. Anything else I should be considering?

Thanks again!

Chojun

Hi mlb

0: Check the transmission for blue bolts on it. If so - it's a warranty replacement unit, these are much more reliable than the original units (but can still fail - just not AS common). Otherwise, it's hard to know.
1: You should be able to find OEM mounts cheaper than that. Or you can go with solid performance mounts (you will get a little vibration in the cabin at idle) and never have to replace them again. If you can turn a wrench you might be able to replace the passenger and front mounts yourself and save some $ - check our DIY. The rear mount is a jerk though.
1.5: Keeping your car almost always is the most financially prudent decision. So you have to ask yourself a question -

Why do you want a new car? (Peace of mind/reliability, want something newer/fancier, just because, etc. All are valid reasons to buy a new car) Keep in mind that buying a car often is an inherently emotional decision so if you can clear the allure of a new car from your head then you'll be in a better position to make the right decision. This is why car salesmen are high-pressure - they want you to quickly make an emotional decision without weighing the facts. And the fact is that most of the time keeping your car is the better decision if finances are important to you.

At your car's age/mileage, you'll need some maintenance done to it. EGR port/passage cleaning, O2 sensors, and rear main seal are some that will come up. Also, you may need to replace many suspension components in the future. If you haven't had your valves adjusted, now is a good time. You'll basically have a brand new car after that.

How much farther you can drive without problems depends on a few factors. Yes, the transmission will be a looming factor. If you do a 3qt drain/fill every ~15K miles (every other oil change) with honda DW-1 then you'll avoid some problems. Also you can pull off your pressure control solenoids (A/B, C) on your trans and clean the screens inside (moderately easy to do, takes 1hr, DIY on the site). Also we have an external trans filter, replace it for ~25, also easy to do.

On top of this, you can always find a '06-'07 honda accord V6 transmission and put it in your car and be done with transmission issues forever.

Future problems depend on the climate where you drive your car. If you live in a salty climate (sea or heavy road salt) or you run your A/C most of the year, you may have rust issues, especially in the sub frame.

Other than these somewhat minor issues, the engine in our cars, if cared for properly, will last through Armageddon. The Iranians will be seriously pissed when they nuked everything but your engine still runs great.

Groovemaster

I have a 2003 TL-S, with 165K on the clock. I have been experiencing the same shuddering you are. I did the 3X3 twice, still had the shuddering. I knew my mounts were bad. I bought the XLR8 kit (62) and installed just the side and front mount. Voilà, no more shuddering (although I am still waiting for the mounts to break in, everything in my car vibrates a bit on acceleration). Good luck.

02tlnate

I have the same car and my tranny was replaced at 87k with updated design blue bolt in 2006 and it currently has 209k and most are city miles. Also do replace the tranny filter and also the 3rd and 4th gear pressure switches. Mine use to shudder in the morning. I hope to get at least 200k out of the updated tranny as I have maintained it and also been easy on it. But I will say even if the trans gives up I'll swap in a av6 trans and I know I'll have a super reliable car that should last a lifetime.

Tosh

Condition of fluid? Do a one time 3 qt drain and fill yourself and then report back?

If you like the car and it's rustfree then keep it.

01tl4tl

you were in the extended warranty group for trans with a 2002 model- we got 7 years + 9 months on that! Are you keeping up with fluid changes and filter for trans?
a 3 ounce sample to click here ---> Blackstone Labs gets a mass spectrograph reading of whats happening in the trans- will tell if problems are around the corner for only $25

Blue bolts mean warranty trans from acura installed- does NOT mean when it was made!!
post 2005 units are better internally

Meet some ziners in your area- or the local honda lowered Integra racers, they can DIY the mounts for way less than what you are being told
You can buy the parts from one of our sponsoring dealers for way less than retail!!

Did you replace the timing belt etc at 105kmiles? or since then? ever?
Thats the biggest concern, and what will make your cars sale value 1500 dollars!