Justcaring

Hello everybody.

My son's 2003 TL S which we got on the road last year will not shift into 3rd now. He is using the sport shift to get it to 4th gear with high revs.

Just would like to confirm, this problem is the 3rd gear clutch pack problem. When I got the car a year a go, I did a external tranny filter change, and a 3X3 tranny fluid change. Fluid was burnt then, much better now with a 20,000km on it from last year.

I have not done the solenoid filter clean yet. Will this clear up the 3 gear problem? Or do we have have replace the transmission now?

If we replace the transmission, I have seen full rebuild kits from RockAuto for $350. Is it worth it to do our own rebuild, or should we look for the 05-06 accord tranny swap. Son is tight for money!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Richard

Skirmich

Hi!

Just wanna review some things first.
1.- Is there a OBDII Code present? and if so which one is it?
2.- Does the transmission slip? Slip = Car losing momentum and RPM jumps like depressing a clutch in a manual while pressing the gas.
3.- Do you need to left off the gas so 3rd can engage? or does it Slam into gear?
4.- Do you know if the transmission was replaced before?

In the case the transmission is dead your best bet will be to swap the AV6 trans but seeing that your Son is tight on money then that is out of the question..
AV6 Trans usually go for around 800-1200 bucks which is cheaper than a Rebuild which hovers around 2-3K.

If the trans is really dead fixing it wont be cheap unless you rebuild it yourself which is not recommended anyway because the trans will die again.

Iggy

Most preferable would be 06-07 accord V6 transmission with code BAYA. It seems there were a few 06's out there with a slightly different torque converter setup that don't match our flex plate but I've only read about 1 instance of this. If the car is otherwise in good shape, go for the swap and your son will have a nice reliable vehicle.

Justcaring

Thanks for the response. Not sure of the codes, but that is a good tip to check. From what he tells me and what I had seen yesterday. 3rd is gone. He has to get the revs high in manual mode to get it to 4 gear. History on the car is sketchy but it does have a oil jet kit in it. My worry is going for a 06 swap. which is a $500 to $800 more here in Canada. I have a close friend who is tranny mechanic (25 years +) whom I would take the tranny to actually do the rebuild once I get it out of the car. That is why the $325 rebuild kit looked more attractive. Just wondering what else I would need with the rebuild kit to fix this problem?

Cheers

SuperGreg

Tranny rebuild is not a simple job. If you mess up one single part, you drop it and tear it all down again. If you've got the time and expertise, it can be done.

Skirmich

You will need the rebuild kit (Friction and Metal Discs), ATF Filter (Internal and External) and a new Torque Converter to get it working again..
Do not re-use your current TC as its full of clutch material debris, You don´t want that junk in a newly rebuilt trans.
But that is a band aid to give you some years of use, If you really want to say goodbye to the trans issues your best bet is the AV6 Swap.

musiclevelz5

Its only a matter of time before the car is not drivable. Your risking getting stranded on the road driving the car in its current condition. The transmission needs rebuilt or swapped with an av6 immediately. I recommend an av6 but a rebuild of the original unit will get you on the road again for a couple of years.