2005 Acura TL 5AT, starting to slip gears while accelerating (power in and out very quickly). Does this once every 5 to 10 minutes. Happens mostly in 3rd gear, also in 4th.

Is this the beginning of the end?

Here's some history:

155k miles
Purchased used at 70k miles - mostly highway
Maintenance completed
71k - Amsoil D4 1 x 3
80k - Amsoil D4 1 x 3
90k - Amsoil D4 1 x 3
120k - Amsoil D4 1 x 3 , 3rd and 4th pressure switch (i honestly felt no difference when changing the switches).

Dipstick still looking mostly 90% rose, 10% brownish
Any advice? I've started looking for transmission shops in LA/OC. If anyone can advise anything, I am all ears.

 

Meant to say Redline D4 for all the Amsoils

 

check your pressure switches, when mine failed I would get a similar pulsating like that.

 

Yeah but he changed them already. He'd be pretty unlucky if they failed again. Although I guess 80$ in parts is better than a new tranny.

 

it's possible, my 4th gear one was defective from the get go...

 

1. it's a used car. You have no idea how hard the previous owner hammered that throttle.
2. it's TEN YEARS OLD. Trade it off on something new/er.

 

I have a heavy foot for sure. However, I'm pretty certain the old 78 year old man, that sold me the car was light on the gas, though I could be wrong.

Driving a car for a long time is one of the best ways you can save money, (unless the tranny keeps blowing out at 3k a piece), however you get my point. See any financial investment/retirement savings book and they will for the most part say the same thing. I plan to be well into a millionaire at retirement.

 

both of my cars are

1. 13+ years old
2. Paid off

having an old car does not mean much as long as you take care of it...

 

Yes but sometimes when the cost of repair financially negates the savings of owning a paid off car, then it changes the equation. I was in a similar predicament but I got goodwill from Acura and only paid $250 for transmission replacement at 110k and then another tranny replacement for free at 120k. But if I had to shell out a few thousand dollars, I would've traded it in.

I'm looking to get another 6 months out of this and Im gonna trade in. I feel like Im on borrowed time now cuz the next tranny replacement if it needs one will be on me.