Meek32v6

iTrader: (7)

It really is - I've never heard of this before

EvoToTL

iTrader: (6)

cant wait to see your review! hope everything goes smoothly

BLKURA

How long did it take to make adjustments?

Anarchy919

iTrader: (4)

All in all took me about 1hr not to bad.

Well drove Home after the Solenoid Adj. and the first thing I notice off the bat is it shifts faster and smother, nothing like OMFG type thing but cause I drive the car every day I notice the small change in how the car drives. So the next thing I try is a WOT pass from 30mph and just floor it again nothing anyone else would notice but me but my two test tell me the time I took to do this and the $20 I spent on the tool was and is well worth it. I still have a shift from 2nd to 3rd that I’d like to make feel like the rest of the shifts but hay can’t win them all it didn’t get worse after the Adj. just the same before and after. I’m going to order the gasket on my way to work Fri and try another ¼ turn maybe more on the Solenoid that controls the 2/3 shift.

doughboy247

interesting!

jisleyjr

What do you mean by sensitivity? Gears are not sensitive.

If you look at the pdf links from Rnader you'll see what these solenoids do. If you are referring to the 3rd and 4th gear pressure sensors they are just sensors that tell the computer the pressure. These is more detail in that thread.

Rnader

keep us updated, everything seems fine on my car but i might turn them back 1/4. it seems to shif to hard at full throttle but i cant reall tell, I need a second opinion.

NedShneebly

OK. by sensitivity I meant the speed of shifts that there adjusting. Maybe not the best term but, I don't think it's totally off base.
I think using 'sensitivity' to describe the sensors pressure point is an accurate term.

whatev. I just want to be sure it's possible to adjust each gear change point, not just 3/4.

and I think smilies are gey.

I hate cars

This is NOT something I would mess with unless you have an expert understanding of the auto trans....

Adjusting solenoid “A” will affect:
• Reverse servo control and reverse engagement
• 1st clutch forward engagement
• 3rd clutch feed and 2-3 upshift
• TCC lockup RPM slip rate in 3rd only
Adjusting solenoid “B” will affect:
• 2nd clutch and 1-2 upshift
• 4th clutch and 3-4 upshift

• TCC slip rate in 4th

Going from this info you're adjusting the apply/release of the clutches. Just as I thought in the other thread you can run into bind or slip depending on how you adjust. You can end up with a flare or a clunk on downshifts also. The poetntial is there to severely effect the life of the clutch packs.

I mean, if you have a flare in one of the gears, you might tweak one of the solenoids a little but don't adjust just to adjust.

To the OP, the effects that you mention describe the pulley to a "T". I would feel more comfortable hearing input from someone who changed only the solenoid settings.

Rnader

Thanks for the great info.

NedShneebly

at this point, I'm gonna have to choose longevity. I don't like reverse actuation being affected with solenoid A.

I hate cars

What's funny is I was thinking of marking the stock point and tweaking solenoid A just a little to see if it gets rid of some of the reverse delay, just to see, and then put it back to stock.

It's tempting because mine also locks the convertor very gradually but I guess that's the way it's supposed to work.

NedShneebly

very same thing crossed my mind about the reverse delay when you posted those bullets about solenoid A.

talked with a couple other members on another thread about the delay going to reverse and drive. It's standard. Must do it for a reason. fawk is it annoying, though.

I hate cars

I'm thinking these adjustments are there to compensate for normal wear and changes in flow. I may ask my trans builder if he knows any specifics.

Anarchy919

iTrader: (4)

At this point it’s been two days now and if there are any detrimental effects from the ¼ turn I put on Solenoid A & B I can’t feel it, see it or smell it. The Adjustment seems to put that extra bit of performance in the way the Tranny feels all the time. It reminds me of my Friends 05 GTO when we put in a Torque converter and a Diablo tuner to bump up line presser and firm up the shift points. But hay I like to try new things and see how they work out and since I have a nice new Tranny at the Shop ready to go in soon I guess it’s all fun and games till I kill this tranny.

NAiL05

Good info. Even though I do not own a auto car. Sonnax is a good and reputable company too!

Anarchy919

iTrader: (4)

Also on a side Note Sonnax recommeds this Solenoid Adjustment. Take a look at link.

http://www.sonnax.com/tech-articles/TB-VOL1-NO8.pdf

Chad05TL

So, if I have a problem with my car shifting really hard from first into 2nd gear at a very light (if any) acceleration, then I would need to adjust the B solenoid? I get no slipping in any gears as far as I know. But if I am just gradually increasing speed from 10 to 20mph and it shifts into 2nd, I often get a huge THUNK! Like really bad. I've almost thought that the motor mount(s) may need to be looked at. Like it shifts so hard, my keys might even jiggle a little. But if i get on it, it shifts fine. I do wish it would down shift faster like if I want to take off quicker at highway speeds, but thats something else completely.

I hate cars

You need to replace the 3rd and 4th shift solenoids, not this adjustment, assuming you've already got fresh fluid in there.

Chad05TL

It has 49k miles. I bought the car at 36k. I have never put in new fluid. Remember, its not slipping. Its just shifting too hard from first to second under very very light acceleration. When I take off normally, but still not hard, it feels ok. Just when I go slow it doesnt seem to know to not smack it into 2nd.

Chad05TL

correction: the hard shift happens from 2nd to 3rd, not from 1st to 2nd. I was mistaken. So you're probably right about those the 3rd and 4th shift solenoids

daneo

do you have the part number for those shift solenoids? My car is doing the same as chad05tl.

I hate cars

I meant to say sensors, not solenoids. There's a thread in here that I started that has all the DIY and part numbers with pictures. Couldn't be easier.

You'll notice better shifts in all gears even though they're labeled 3rd and 4th gear sensors. Even torque convertor lockup is improved. You tend to forget how well the cars shifted when new because it degrades slowly. Once you install these, you quickly remember how it used to shift.

I hate cars

If the fluid has never been changed I would definately start there. The stock Z1 fluid is toast by 20K and by toast I'm talking oxidized badly with the frictional characteristics changed.

These sensors help control shift timing and firmness. One of the things they do is measure in miliseconds how long and what volume of fluid it takes to apply the clutches in all gears. This is mostly there to compensate for clutch wear as they age and take a larger volume (and more time) to apply. You can imagine the release is just as important and is also measured. If they're off even a little you can imagine how easily it would be to have too harsh or too soft of a shift.

Mine shifted too hard at part throttle and not hard enough at full throttle before the sensors.

Chad05TL

btw, those solenoids are like 300 bux aren't they? too much.. And I've heard bad things about changing fluid. Causes slippage in some cases. I used to have an IROC way back in they day, and the car had less than 50k miles and I changes the fluid and it started slipping in less than 15 miles.

evoman

Hey, I bought a 2003 honda accord for my sister and it has a really long delayed up shift 1-2 sec and then a hard clunk between 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. The rpms do not rise during the shift. However, at WOT it shifts fine...Do you think this solenoid adjustment would fix this? Or could it be the pressure sensors or something mechanically bad

I have already done the 3x3 fluid change and am waiting to do the filter.

I hate cars

Depends on how the transmission is shifted. I've never really gotten into the Hondas too much.

What it really sounds like is a TV cable or vacuum modulator being out of adjustment. Is the '03 Accord fully electronic or does it use a TV cable/vacuum modulator? If it uses the cable it would be on the throttlebody and go down to the trans.

If it's electronic I would lean more toward a sensor, not necessarily the typical 3rd and 4th gear sensors. It sounds like the trans thinks there's more throttle being applied than there really is. This results in late and harsh upshifts.

evoman

I think the accord automatic is electronic because the diagrams look really similar to the 04 TL automatic. If i manually shift the gears it still does the same thing....the long delay followed by a harsh bump clunk sound into the next gear. Is this called a bump shift? Also thanks for your quick response!

NedShneebly

evoman,

found a really good thread about overhauling the linear & shift lock out solenoids on odyclub .com
again, overall consensus is once you sense shift trouble on these earlier 5 sp auto...you're just delaying the innevitable. some had luck with pulling these, cleaning the filter screens and small tubes, adding a trans cooler and magnefine cooler, then 3x3 drain and fill.

Since AHC denied helping me with my Pilot, I'll probably be giving this a shot to limp it along a bit longer.

evoman

oh goody! Can you post the link? Sorry to hear that AHC didnt want to help you. I ordered a trans filter and waiting to change that out to see if it is a clogged filter that is preventing enough ATF fluid to the solenoids. Hopefully, it is a clogged filter...but i suspect it is more then that. I'd love to overhaul the solenoids as it is easier then pulling out the tranny.

NedShneebly

evo,

odyclub trans overhaul and get some popcorn, cause it's about 30 pages long.

yeah, can't say I was that surprised about getting the shaft from AHC. actually went back to the local dealer and asked them to see what they can do through their regional rep. highly rated dealer and the guy that was working my case was very cool. actually gaining some ground there but again, won't hold my breath.

I'll replace the tranny if the offer is good enough or I'll overhaul and trade it in. Either way I'm not keeping it because most that have had a replacement end up right back in the shop. I know shit brakes but I've gone through hundreds of posts on multiple threads about this particular tranny design and they should just fess up and bite the bullet.

Selling my TL, but that was only to save money. I'm gun shy of Honda transmissions now. Odyssey's, early TL's, Pilots, MDX's... Next one will have 10 yr/100K power train warranty.

Man, I even bought an Element for my back and fourth car! Think the 4's hold up better but now I just ride along in it with the radio off, listening to the engine and trying to sense everything the transmission is doing. Sucks.

evoman

Thanks for the link, i'm gonnna make some pop corn now. Im interested in trying this out cos i just rebuilt my power steering pump which was not too hard. Most likely i will take out the solenoids and just clean out all the junk in there like you've mentioned and hope that will cure the problem.

evoman

ok just read that entire post....finished eating the pop corn before the i completed reading alll the posts....damn it was long. I'll still try to clean the solenoids but it seems like you were right. I think that by the time you get rough shifts...it is probably too late. ITs going to be alot of work to try and rebuild this tranny but if i cant do it then im going to call and shop around for a used one from a accidented honda or see how much a rebuilt one cost.

Anyhow, for now going to let her drive it for now....until i have the time to do it.

Bender

Ah drive by wire was so much easier when all you had to do was adjust the throttle cable on the TB.

PCweber

Anyone else have any feedback on how this went after making an adjsutment? My 2nd-> 3rd gear shift is looooong and slippy at times when cold. I may try getting this tool and adjusting solenoid "A".

I hate cars

3rd and 4th gear switches are the answer, not this adjustment.

Shifts are supposed to be long when cold but not sloppy.

A good fluid like Redline D4 or Amsoil ATD and the switches will cure it.

Chad05TL

I have not had any problems really this winter. not sure why. Maybe its getting used to the way I drive? who knows? colder weather effects? I guess I'll find out this summer.

I hate cars

It's good that you're not having problems. Hopefully it stays that way through the summer.

Here's some good reading with some of the research we've been doing on racing fluid and non approved fluid over the last 80,000 miles. Basically you can use whatever fluid you want in the TL and it's not going to make it last longer than with the factory fluid. In fact it's much more likely to slip with the facotry Z1.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/racing-atf-764322/

Switches are about $90.

PCweber

cheapest site i found for tool.

http://www.trnw.net/estore/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=88950-T

Anarchy919

iTrader: (4)

40K since I Adj. it and still feels good, as the Day it was done. Going in for a Full T- belt job this weekend.