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Hello all,
I have a 2006 Acura TL 3.2 automatic with just over 100,000 miles on it. Car is very well taken care of and I’ve never had a major issue until just now.
I lost my forward gear in a Pieology parking lot for about 15 seconds. Then the car was able to roll forward and I was able to driving home. On the drive home I lost first gear three or four times at stop lights for about 10 to 15 seconds and then with higher revs (2.5 to 3k) the car would start moving and everything was fine. (weird coincidence was that every time I lost my forward gear the external temperature display would go out a read “- - -“ rather than the external ambient air temperature)
Upon getting at home I found “chocolate milk” in the radiator overflow as well as in the radiator and in the transmission.
There was no white smoke ever so I don’t think it was a head gasket failure.
There was no engine overheating or even getting past the halfway mark on the gauge
After doing some research I figured that it was a failed radiator and the trans cooler was a part of the radiator (like in other Acuras) and an internal wall failed allowing the fluids to mix. The problem is that after I pulled my radiator out of my car I realize that there is no transmission cooler in my radiator. There is nowhere for the lines to connect at all.
What else is weird is that when I checked the transmission dipstick the fluid was a good 3 or 4 inches higher on the dipstick then the “hot” reading. I drained my transmission I pulled out about 6 quarts of brown milky fluid. Yes, 6 quarts!
That’s crazy because to refill it after an oil change is only 3 quarts.
Transmission oil ( it had separated in the picture. It looked more like the other bucket before it separated) in a little container - radiator fluid in big container No transmission cooler connections on radiator. Car does not have a transmission cooler
Not to be a downer, but the question in my mind: if the transmission internals are exposed to fluids other than ATF, what kind of damage can occur? a quick search of "water in automatic transmission" states that the friction pads may become de-laminated from plates in some, but that's with water getting in there.
Regardless, some derivative of the 3x3 fluid change may be in order?
Yeah, from everything I’m reading that’s a very likely possibility. From the first sign of trouble I drove it straight home to switch cars but it was still about 30 miles :/
And then about 5 miles the next day to get it to the transmission shop for the diagnostic.
At that time the problem was intermittent and only happened about four or five times. Only happened in first gear and while the engine was warm.
I’m definitely concerned that permanent damage to the transmission was done during that time.
I say you won't have any problems. The daughter's Hemi Grand, a dipstick seal let go and water was in the fluid for months before the trans went south. She never said anything to anybody and just kept driving the Jeep while we were in Florida.
Just like stated above, do a few drain and refills quickly to try and reduce the water content.
The only place coolant could get into the transmission on the 2004-2006 Acura TL is if the transmission oil warmer failed internally. It’s the round thing in the picture.
( Let me first premise by saying that I’m not a mechanic and that it’s very possible I did more harm than good)
After identifying what was wrong with the help of some people on here I started to wonder if a transmission warmer was even necessary… I live in Phoenix Arizona. I came to the conclusion that the transmission warmer was not necessary and so Instead of buying a $250 part and then paying between $650 and $950 to have a mechanic install the part I thought about ways I could simply bypass it.
After removing the battery, complete air intake system including throttlebody, and disconnecting multiple wiring harnesses I was able to identify the inlet and outlet for the transmission warmer.
So I remove the vacuum hose from the inlet and connected the other hoes in a “U” directly to the outlet. I did this for the coolant line as well as the transmission fluid line on the warmer itself.
In theory that should bypass the transmission warmer altogether.
By far the hardest part was getting the hoses off and back on in the U-shape because they are formed shaped hoses and it’s a very tight area to work in without removing everything.
I have refilled both the radiator and the transmission with new fluid and so far everything is holding together and seems to be working famously.
I spent zero dollars but it did take me about four hours and three beers to complete.
I will post another update after putting a few more miles on it
Just remember that it not only is a heater, but cooler also. The trans temp can rise above the coolant temp and the "warmer" helps in reverse to cool it down.
It is not just a warmer, it's a heat exchanger. Since you are in Arizona, it's ok to bypass it, but you should install an external cooler upfront instead. Better yet, couple the lines going out of the filter and returning to the rear of the trans with a Derale temp control unit that would loop back the fluid when the fluid is cold, but open itself once fluid is up to temp. I run a B&M external cooler upfront.
I would think being in Arizona where the temps soar, one would want the "cooler" functional, or correctly install an aftermarket unit.
No difference than having the ATF run through the radiator for heating/cooling and one wouldn't bypass the rad unless an external cooler is installed, and even then the factory lines remain connected to the rad.
Update: I bypassed the trans warmer several weeks ago. I then flushed out the coolant system and the transmission. I am pleased to report that I put some good miles on the car and it’s working great! Granted I don’t have a transmission temperature gauge but everything seems to be working really well. I did extend the hose from the transmission warmer back into the transmission warmer to get more airflow on the vacuum hose to help cool the fluid. Seems to have worked!
05-05-2019, 09:06 PM
