My 05 TL with 103,000 is shifting a little hard from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th.

I have read many recommendations here about changing fluid 1 quart at a time etc but they are all different. Any opinions on how to do this, and what type of fluid to use. Also, should I change the switches. If so, before, after, during??

 

When you change the fluid, you drain out about 3 quarts and put back in 3 quarts. This does 40ish percent of the fluid. Do this 2 more times (3 total) and you get most of the old out. 4 times and you get 90+ percent. Be sure and drive 10+ miles in-between each change to mix the fluid up again, or else you will just drain out the new stuff that you put in.

The switches might help. They are easy to do. Will you be doing them yourself? If so, I can take some pics to post to help. If you will be having a shop do them, then don't let them charge your for more than 1 hour's labor - they take about 15 minutes (seriously).

I would do the switches spearate from the fluid so that you can tell what makes a difference.

 

I'm having similar problems with my transmission. If you don't mind spending $80 for peace of mind, go ahead and do the sensors. Doing mine didn't solve the problem but it does give me peace of mind knowing they are done.

You can easily do the sensors. The hardest part for me was the tools, I didn't have a metric set of wrenches with me when I did mine so I ended up having to use an adjustable crescent for everything since I couldn't fit a socket in most places. The next hardest part was disconnecting the electrical connector (for some reason the way it held together around the metal hanger baffled me for a couple minutes)

Just make sure if you decide to do them yourself you have a 10mm wrench, 10mm socket, 22mm wrench (or an adjustable crescent works pretty well here), the two sensors, and two 10mm gaskets. Its pretty easy work.

 

replacing the sensors will only solve the problem for a short time beucase it does not address the reason why they are getting clogged up in the first place.

changing your fluid and sensors will work short term problem is what are you going to do long term?

 

the correct way to change the fluid is NOT to mix it with extended driving--how are you getting old fluid out that way???
per acura book:
5 minute drive in the neighborhood- below 45mph is fine
The important part is to move the shifter thru each gear while the car is moving, and P and N too when stopped-then back up in R as able- go forward and repeat up and down thru all the gears a few more times
Get home and drain

that method moves old fluid out of the TQ- where a good 3qts hides out- and thru the various tubes and piping along the way--new fluid pushes old forward and to the drain

do a 15 minute warmup freeway drive before first draining so crud is in fluid suspension- not settled on the bottem and unable to drain

Note -before you do anything- make sure the fill and drain plugs can be removed.
Once its hot thats a real PITA to work with a stuck filler

also- reason for 5 minute drive is to limit the heat buildup under the car- so you can get back under and remove drain plug

 

You need to stop spreading misinformation. You show up in every transmission thread with the gloom and doom. It's like you don't want people to solve their issues easily.

As I posted before and you ignored, they do not get plugged up. I disected mine and they were perfectly clean. Up to that point my car had 12 drains and refills so it would be really hard for them to get "plugged". Electrical resistance starts to change over time and that's what causes the degrade in shift quality.

At least qualify your statement with "I think".

 

All that's required is to hit every gear including lockup and take it home and drain again. It could be one run up to 65mph, let it sit there for a few seconds to make sure the convertor locks and take it home. Don't forget to use reverse at some point.

All the fluid gets thoroughly mixed in the first 30 seconds of running. The only way to prevent this is to pull a cooler line (if you've added one) and drain one end into a bucket while filling at the dipstick.

 

has your fluid ever been changed before? What color is it currently?

Do at least one drain and refill with some good fluid. I Hate Cars has a really good thread on fluids and they are running either Redline Fluid or Amsoil Fluid and report MUCH better shifts! I'd check into those and get a good quality fluid versus the Z1 fluid that Honda uses.

 

I don't know when/if it has ever been changed. I bought the car with around 92,000 on it so I have no idea.

The fluid is basically the color of new motor oil, slightly darker and does smell a little burnt. Is honda ATF fluid not red when new?

 

Well Guys, I am getting my 3-4 sensors changed tomorrow. I have been getting the "stuttering" when in auto shift. If I shift manually, if I hold it in 3rd, at 3k RPM, it will "stutter" about 50% of the time. Unless I take it to the dealer then of course, it never happens. Will let you know what it feels like after changing the sensors.

 

Went ahead and bought some Honda ATF. As soon as I figure out my means to get under the car I will change 3 and drive it for a week or so to see how it takes. Any suggestions / objections to that let me know. Thanks for all the help so far.

 

you come in here stating that replacing the sensors will solve the problem and you do not know for a fact that it does. need to start reading about the people who have replaced their sensors and fluid and still have had their trans fail. matter of fact one of them posted in this thread....

good luck cause I am going to stand by my statement that there is very little one can do to make these things last........

 

Are you for real? The guy that posted in this thread *thought* the transmission shifted too high. It turned out after driving another TL that his did not shift too high. Obviously the switches did not help in his case. I can't believe you have the nerve to consider that a failure.

That's what this board is for. People helping people. Solutions to problems are suggested everyday but you have made myself and transmission problems your personal vendetta. You had bad luck. Get over it. The 3rd gens are light years ahead of the 2nd gens in trans reliability and yes, 95% of the time fluid and switches cure all issues.

If you go back, there's a 7:1 ratio of people the switches helped vs people they did not help yet you feel the need to come into every thread and tell people they won't work because they do not have a100% success rate. . You're on what, the 4th or 5th trans? Why would anyone listen to you?

It's almost as if you're jealous. I don't know if it's jealousy that you did not figure out the switches or jealousy that our transmission are holding up well. it really does not matter as long as you stop telling people that all they can do is sit back and wait like you did.

And you look like an ass doing so with all of the high mileage 3Gs still on the original transmissions and all of the transmissions the switches have helped.

It's never guaranteed to fix the problem but the success rate is amazing.

 

Thanks for coming in and trashing my thread guys.

 

Listen to YeuEmMaiMai he knows what he's talking about. Don't change the fluid or switches, it's going to fail anyway.

 

I'm not listening to that guy. No need in not trying anyway. It's not that bad just a little more firm of a shift then I think it should have. Not like it's jerking and giving me whiplash.

 

That's exactly what the switches will help out with. They actually make the shifts quicker yet you no longer feel them. They are especially helpful with harsh downshifts when using the manual mode.

You kind of forget what the car felt like when new. When you first install the switches you instantly remember again.

There's no way I would recommend these things and let you guys waste your money if I didn't think there would be a 90% or greater chance of them solving your issues.

Of course, the fluid is the other piece of the puzzle. Replacing it with factory fluid would likely help a little...temporarily. But if you want consistant shift quality over the entire change interval and quicker but more comfortable shifts I would go with any DexIII fluid like Amsoil ATD, Redline D4 or for even better (but not harsh) shifts, Redline racing. I still can't feel the shifts with the racing fluid yet it's amazing how quickly it shifts.

 

Where is the best place to order the switches? Dealer?
If I go with say Amsoil ATD, is it ok to mix with the factory ATF or do I need to get it all out the same day, say quick 3X3?

 

Mixing is fine. You can do a few 1x3s spaced out by weeks or months or you can do a 3x3 with a quick drive around the block in between each one. If you're lazy like me, I actually did the first drain and fill, started it up and put it in D1, D2, and reverse and then drained again. It's not quite as effective as doing the drive but you're only missing 10% of the fluid this way. On the final drain and fill you should do the drive.

There's a Acura OEM vendor on here. I forget the name but everything is around 20% off.

 

Honda fluid is pinkish red, used motor oil coloring with a slight burnt most likely means it has not been changed in a while.

I'd stick with using the Honda ATF you just bought for the first drain and refill since only 40% of the old fluid will come out each time you drain it and refill it.

Drain and refill and let it sit in the car for a few days and mix well, then do it again but this time with better fluid. This way you'll give the transmission a chance to adapt to the new fluid over time so it isn't a "shock".

Also contact our vendor here! They give a great price, I believe 20% off list price to members!

 

Meh I still need to do this..

 

Do it!
Based on IHC's advice, I swapped out the sensors (not too much of a difference) and went with Redline D4. Amazing difference. I was at about half of your mileage when I did it. Car is much smoother now.

 

Even some Mobil 1 Synthetic Dex/Merc makes a big difference over the Z1. Heck, if your fluid is black, then any fluid could make a big difference.

I would change the filter if there are shavings on the end of the magnetic plug - you can bet that the filter is full of that same stuff and likely not doing anything anymore. ...better filtered than not. It is not a spin-off, but a fairly easy job. When I did mine, it was black and full with about 60K (assuming it was never changed since I bought the car used).

I changed the switches and there was about a 25% difference in resistance from the new to the old. I have numbers at home if anybody cares.

The reason that I recommend a 20 mile drive in-between drains is to get the fluid hot again and get any (hopefully not too much) particles firmly up in the fluid. None of us would change cold oil, right? Why do this with the tranny too? Once there is stuff in on your magnetic plug, there is stuff in your fluid... and you can bet that your filter is full.

 

So I am curious is this the same parts etc on the type S transmission? I have a type S with 66K and I bought it used so i dont know what a new one feels like. On my 99 V6 Accord the transmission went out with a flashing D at 99K and was replaced by Honda.

 

no, the TLS got the RL transmission which is pretty rock solid.

 

Going to purchase the sensors and gaskets on the 15th, when I get paid. Still trying to find the time/place to do the tranny fluid. I live at apartments....
I will post back results when I get these done.

 

I've dealt with apartments for way too long myself. It's worse because I used to have a house and a nice garage. Luckily the parents are 5 miles away and my father loves it when I come over to change the oil. You could always pull up to a spray car wash and let her drain.....kidding. But I did watch a red neck pull his truck up, take the drain bolt out and let the oil drain into the car wash drain. Unbelievable.

 

Off topic. I'm that guy and my shifts are at appropriate times but I never said they were correct in the way they were shifting. This is not saying my trans has failed just saying the sensors didn't fix it. I am impartial to the sensors since they didn't do anything for me; but I won't rule them out as a possible fix. My car is with a mechanic as we speak. Hoping to hear back some news to take to Acura to avoid the diagnostic fee.


On topic. To the OP: like I said before if you think it could help, will give you peace of mind, and can spare some time to jack the car up go for it. If your skeptical, get a second opinion; its not a sure thing that its the sensors.

 

Well... I glad i did mine

 

That was my point, the sensors can't fix what's not broken.

 

Again, not saying I am thinking the tranny is going out. It is just a little more firm than I would like. The sensors can't hurt. As for the fluid, I have no history from the previous owner, so it needs to be done

 

Changed my sensors and did a 1x3 Wednesday. 04 TL with 58.4k miles. I was having "studder" or as I liked to say "rumple strip" feel between 3rd and 4th. You could make it happen by putting it in 3rd and holding at 3k rpm (except when I took it to the dealer, of course). Long story short, it ain't doin' it no more!! I drove about 250 miles yesterday in every type of situation and everything seems great. Thanks for all of the information and research everybody.