Hey guys, I have a 2002 TL with 130,000 miles on the original transmission. Not really having any problems other than a slight, sporadic shuttering between 2nd and 3rd gear. I was gonna do a 3x drain and fill but now I'm thinking maybe I should leave well enough alone. Can I bring on problems doing this at this point? The fluid has never been changed.

 

Yes, I would. Use Honda dw-1 only. Also, for what it's worth, mine shuddered between 1->2 and eventually failed. So I would also pull off your pressure control solenoids and test/clean them. Shuddering is your clutch pack pounding together rapidly and that is NOT good for your trans. You'll want to get that corrected and if you can't, start saving for an av6.

Also it's time to change your external spin on filter, it's black and cylindrical.

 

Ok. I assume this is the same as an oil filter? On final drain/fill, change filter before filling? Is this dealer only or any auto parts store? ( pep boys, autozone, Napa, etc)

 

Here is an example of the filter (most people, even dealers(!), don't know this trans has an external filter):

2000-2008 Acura TL Automatic Transmission Filter - ATP B-265 - - PartsGeek.com

I believe there are youtube videos on how to change it. The filter is located on the transmission adjacent to the air filter box. You'll have more luck and room to work if you remove your battery.

Here's a video on how to check and clean your solenoids:

https://acurazine.com/forums/problem...-again-929434/

The one thing that isn't done in the video is testing the solenoids using the battery. You'll hook the pin with red wire to the positive terminal and the other to negative - the solenoid should 'click' back and forth when connected/disconnected. You can see the valve move, it should snap freely and not be sluggish or catch on anything.

Also post back here and let us know the condition of your fluid, drain plug, and solenoid screens. Good luck!

 

amazon has a great price on the atf filter, its similar in look to a car oil filter but is different
Dont grab something off the shelf and think its going to work!!
Acura wants 25$, zon wants half that

I would buy 2 and install 1 now- do a single drain and fill of 3 qts
Drive a few weeks then do a full 3x3 and install the 2nd new filter

 

When you do the 1st drain, about halfway thru (1.5 qts drained of 3)
grab a 3 ounce sample for Blackstone Labs and send to them with $25 American money for a mass spectrograph reading and human interpretation of the fluid
Call or email them and a sample kit with approved shipping container is sent to you- FREE
pay nothing until you submit a sample for testing

If there is a lot of clutch particulate material it will show, other wear such as shafts or bearings turn up as differing metals
They compare your sample to every sample of that same fluid they have ever tested!

The best way to know how the TL trans is doing!, also great for engine health, motorcycles and boat engines
Do it once to establish a baseline, later you can sample and compare wear patterns

sidenote- the trans holds 7.3 USA qts but will only give up approx 3 to 3.5 at a single draining, then you refill with 3 new qts
If doing 3x3 you drive max 5 minutes using each gear up and down a few times, then drain fluid

Or you can use jackstands and run it thru the gears at 2000-2500 rpm so it pushes old fluid thru and out to the drain.

BUT if you had shudder or hard shifts- anything but smooth- its worth it to find out now whats going on inside!
Might only need to clean solenoids,
OR throw a can of motor purr for trans (NAPA auto parts) or seafoam trans tune and drive 100 miles
Might install new filter before and after use of cleaner!!, amazon has good 2 for 1 type price on the filter

Either will clean the passages and parts quickly. Motor Purr is rumored to be used by some trans shops as a cure-all
for acura shift issues- for customers they wanted to hook up- not screw over!
My experience is from decades ago with their stuff = its awesome!!

 

OP

You should do the ATF 3x3 and AT filter service.

Then replace the following parts.

1. Shift solenoid valve C.

2. Clutch pressure control solenoid valves A/B, 3 0-rings, gasket. Clean the screens at the bottom of the three small pipes.

3. 3rd gear pressure switch.

I recommend oem parts.

 

Ok, so I finally got around to doing the 3x and filter. Much improvement in shifting performance at this point. Oil was kind of dark reddish brown but did not smell burnt. Magnet had some sludge but no metal that I could tell. If it continues to run well I may do a 1x every time I change oil to keep it fresh. Something interesting though, I bought this car from the local Acura dealer as a certified pre owned in 04 with 40k miles, it is a 02. But since I have been poking around Unser the hood lately, I have noticed that some of the bolt heads on the trans are blue, which I have read signals a rebuilt trans! Can someone confirm this? Itl's been 11 years since I bought the car and the dealer ship has since changed hand so I assume I have no recourse. Had I knew it had been rebuilt, I probably would not have bought the car. Is there a good diagram or photos anywhere that show the location of those other parts suggested to replace in the prior post? If I can squeak a few more years out of this car I would be happy.

 

I also removed that lower linear solonoid with the rubber gasket and the dime sized filter screen, it was clean of any gunk or particals. I tried to remove the upper one with the three tube filters but that one would not release from the trans cover and I did not want to pry it up as I didn't have another gasket in case the other got destroyed.

 

Blue bolt trans is a factory rebuilt trans. Which is a good thing, it's an improved design.

You need to change the trans filter and do another 3x3 at next oil change.

If the trans is shifting good you don't need to change those solenoids. Unless you want to do it as preventive maintenance. In that case change #1 & 3... about a $50ea. #2 is in the $250 range.

 

Any idea where I can find these parts online? I found solenoids A and B but not seeing C anywhere. Is there only one needed?

 

^ If acuraoemparts was a snake you be dead now.

 

#6, 11, 12, & 13. You mine as well do #13 too since you're right there, another 15 min.

Oh don't forget the O-rings and gasket for #6 if you were going to change that.

 

You went 11 years and almost 100k so far on that trans so I'd consider that a win.

 

Yea, from what I've read on these forums and heard from others, I am definitely one of the few! I just need to keep this car going with no major issues or costs for a few more years. Getting ready to have the timing belt done in a few weeks and ball joints after the winter. I'll try to replace those solenoids and switches and maybe I'll be good for a few more years as I don't rack up as many miles as most.

 

for what it's worth, i bought my car in june 2014, 196,000 miles, mainly for the color combo, white pearl/ebony trim and the RMK late design transmission. as of today, the mileage is 215,586. initial blackstone lab test on trans fluid indicated no issues with trans. since initial test, i performed two 3x fluid exchanges plus the external filter and the transmission shifts perfectly. Acura, nor Carfax show any record of the trans replacement so i have no idea how long it has been in the car.

 

if you bought the car in 04 and it came with the blue marks = it has a PRE 05 trans replacement.
Those were done as part of recall- if certain damage was found trans replaced,
not certain damage then it got the external oil jet kit install under recall

LATER a separate extended warranty to 109kmiles was court ordered.
the `post feb 2005` units got a new design case for the trans with better oil passages. Before that = its the original design case with new parts inside where needed- acura has a few shops that do all the rebuilds for them- using returned warranty parts- turned into rebuilt parts

keep up on the fluid changes
and avoid full throttle downshifts into 3rd and 2nd gear!

 

acura care-800# often cant find trans info, carfax ONLY knows what it has been told by repair shops or insurance claims!

the dealer service dept can run your vin and know where and when trans was replaced, was it during inspection for recall,
or later it had early clutch failure?

what does your owner account online say?

 

selling dealer "Rosenthal Acura" advised me all service records for my vin were purged in 2008 therefore they can't provide any info regarding repairs prior to 2008. Acura owner's account only displays records i have added beginning with my ownership of the car. Acura customer car could only tell me the transmission was replaced in 2006 and could not provide the mileage at which the replacement occurred.

 

i bought the car in june 2014 with 196,000 miles. it is my understanding that the transmission RMK is indeed the post 2005 unit with a redesigned case for better oiling etc. since purchase, i have put 18,000 miles on the car and currently have no transmission issues.