Honda Transmission Problem Root Cause and a Fix??

[New Dad New Van]

Yes, and that is why it is widely recommended NOT to have a transmission flush. It will stir up the debris and clog/starve your transmission. Best from the get-go to install an external ATF filter. Otherwise, drain and fill X 4 is the way to go.

[wxjp792]

Said goodbye in April, 2011 to our 2000 Odyssey LX after driving the odometer from 3 to 180,000 miles. Its rough shifting transmission couldn't be fixed with a 4X flush or new EGR valve. We never pulled anything behind it, and never had an external transmission cooler. Rather than putting more money into the 11-year old van, we bought a new Honda to get the latest safety equipment. All the creative ideas and solutions from the members on this web site truly enhanced our ownership of the 2000 LX. Separately, we look forward to keeping our 2006 Odyssey LX for a long time with your help and advice. Thanks, everyone!

[davedrivesody]

If these tubes are clogged with debris would it not mean there's other stuff in the tranny you can't get to?

I would say, yes. The screens are just to catch particles that could bind the solenoids and cause major shifting problems. There are still many other places where debris could build up inside the transmission and cause more subtle problems. Changing the fluid regularly and installing a Magnefine filter will reduce the particles in the ATF and therefore reduce sludge buildup inside the transmission.

[Motsyball]

Should the mods thumbtack this post to the top?

[Lead Foot 60]

I would say, yes. The screens are just to catch particles that could bind the solenoids and cause major shifting problems. There are still many other places where debris could build up inside the transmission and cause more subtle problems. Changing the fluid regularly and installing a Magnefine filter will reduce the particles in the ATF and therefore reduce sludge buildup inside the transmission.

Along with regularly changing the Magnefine external filter, be aware there is an external canister HONDA tranny filter (like those on the engine but it's a special Honda AT Filter: Part # 25450-P7W-003, AT Filter O-Ring: Part # 91301-P7W-003), which should also be changed regularly. This is a DIY thing, but you'll have to remove the battery holder to get to it. There are instructions on this forum about this.

If anyone is interested, I can probably dig up my instructions on this. I changed this Honda filter at 70K miles and the Ody now has about 127K miles on it...no tranny issues yet!

[bruce2]

Here are some pics on the installation:

Transmission Filter - AcuraZine Community

[johnkalajian]

Today I changed the screens and filters on the solenoids as suggested on this thread. Wanted to add my input to the others. So far, a happy story.

A little over a year ago, while in Oregon (on vacation from Southern California), the car threw a check engine light and went into limp mode. We had 140,000 miles on the odometer. We were planning on driving back to Southern California the next day as everybody had plans and commitments to be home for New Years. I was going to fly the family home, and have the dealer in Grants Pass replace the transmission and then drive the van back by myself.

Just on a hunch, I pulled the fuse for the diagnostic system inside on the passenger side and let the car sit for around ten minutes. I plugged the fuse back in. The check engine light was out and the car drove normally.

The next day, I loaded up the family, held my breath and drove the 900 miles home without incident.

The car threw the check engine light again several times in the past year. I was able to pull the PO740 code. Each time, I would clear the code and the car drove normally. We put another 9000 miles on it since the incident in Oregon. With all that I have read here, I assumed I was going to have to replace the transmission sooner or later and throwing the po740 code was the kiss of death for the transmission.

Just recently, it started shifting weird, sometimes it would be ok, and sometimes it seemed to hesitate before shifting. Downshifts were sometimes hard. My wife wasn't feeling confident that the car was dependable and we started weighing our options on what to do. I started going to various shops, getting estimates ranging from $1,000 to $4,500 for a rebuild. The van is maybe worth $4500, so putting in a rebuilt transmission for $4500 made no sense. Every shop I talked to told me the van needed a new transmission given the mileage and none of them test drove the van before telling me that.

I read with interest the "fix" for the tranny, purchased the parts recommended at Bernardi. The parts were $53 delivered. Today, I started the job at 8:00 a.m. Took me exactly one hour to get the battery tray out! The car has 149,000 miles on it as of today. Only one of the small tubes had any debris on the screen. The gasket probably did not need to be changed. I replaced the all the tubes with screens and the gasket since I had purchased them already. I moved onto the the lock up solenoid. Actually, aside from the battery tray and the electrical connectors, this was a pretty straightforward project. Having good light source and a 1/4" drive socket set with extensions made getting to the hard to reach bolts fairly easy. Thanks to the Honda engineers for putting holes in the adjacent mounting brackets so you can access the bolts. The screen filter on the lock up solenoid had some debris on it, but nothing along the lines of what I was expecting. I don't think the amount of stuff on the screen would have affected pressure or oil flow. Actually, I was encouraged that there wasn't more stuff on the screens but on the other hand, discouraged that I had not found the screens blocked with disintegrated clutch materials which I had assumed was the problem with the transmission.

I then moved onto the flush and drain service on the transmission. I found only some gunk on the magnet on the drain plug, no obvious metal shavings. The last trans service I did was in 2007 at 70,000 miles so I was way overdue. I used to be pretty diligent about dumping the atf and replacing fairly regularly, but I guess I slacked off. I was shocked to realize it had been almost six years since I last did it. I used Mobil 1 Synthetic back then, but the current variety of Mobil 1 does not say it is compatible with Honda, so I used Valvoline Max Life instead. I bought nine quarts at $7 quart. The old fluid was dark, but not burnt.

I've test driven the van three times today since doing the service. It drives fine. Shifts great. No hesitation between shifts, engagement is crisp and quick, goes into lock up fine at 60 mph, a light tap on the throttle brings it out of lock up on the freeway, and a little heavier throttle downshifts to third.

I am unable to detect any problems at all with the function of the transmission. If I had paid somebody $4500 for a rebuild and it drove the way it does tonight, I would be pleased with the rebuild job! Instead of $4500, I spent $116 and six hours of my day.

I would be surprised if replacing the screens on the solenoids had anything to do with it. If I had to do it again, I probably would not purchase the new parts, the old parts could have easily been cleaned up with brake cleaner or solvent. You might want to use some gasket sealer like rtf but that would be the only thing you would need other than cleaning materials.

Hopefully, I am going to drive it until the wheels fall off. Still drives as good today as the day we bought it back in December, 2000.

I just assumed it was a given that the van would need a new transmission. It still might, but it doesn't need one as of today. I recently spoke with a woman with a 2000 LX Ody and she said she has almost 200,000 miles on it and never had any transmission work done on it-she does however have the car serviced regularly at the dealership.

Before I replaced the battery tray, I cut the two bottom bolts holes out to make them slots, so I could just drop the tray onto the bottom two pre-theaded bolts. Took me maybe five minutes to put it back on and will make taking it back off again a lot easier.

If I didn't have such a problem getting the electrical connectors apart, and the battery tray out, this could be done in two hours with the right tools.

Thanks to all who posted before.

[herrhaus]

Well, I sincerely wish you good luck there. Hopefully your work created good "Car"-ma. We know someone with a 2000 LX that had 230K on the original tranny, so, it certainly is possible.

On my the last ATF drain/fill in June, I put about 3.5 qts of Amsoil ATF in ours. No shifting issues thus far. 'The next drain/fill with have another 3.5 qts of Amsoil.

[joemooch]

Well, you got the Ody that we all expected from Honda! On my 3rd tranny recently, just put in a Magnefine on the return. Need to bleed a little more DW-1 so I can add the proper amount of LubeGard Platinum. Changed out IACV and PS fluid in reserve for 1st time at 118K.
If someone would import a reaonable diesel mini-van to the US, I'd buy it tomorrow. VW and all other EU builders have one there. There is the diesel Vito which I rented in Europe and it is sweet. However, the US Sprinter starts at over $40K, and everything, even cupholders are extra("did you want a steering wheel too?"). And then there's the MB $500 oil change, etc.
Thanks to all of the experts/amateurs on this forum...
Joe

[sontakke]

why are you doing LG platinum? shouldn't you stay with LG red?

[Motsyball]

If someone would import a reaonable diesel mini-van to the US, I'd buy it tomorrow.

No doubt. My other car is a 2002 VW Jetta TDI (diesel) and I have been saying this for many years.

[joemooch]

My take on LubeGard is...if red is good, platinum is better. True or not, who knows? Platinum has been getting great reviews on many sites. And it is only $24 for 32 oz, only a couple bucks more than red. Does it work? Ask me in 60K miles, that's when both of my previous trannys blew. It's in my old Acura TL too.

Drove the VW Jetta SW TDI as a possible replacement for the Ody. It just doesn't have the height I need for big kennels.
In addition to the Vito, I've also rented the Citroen and Peugot diesel minis in EU. I'd buy either one of those too. Vito's only US competitor is the Nissan NV, but it's huge, great for taking 41 illegals to a construction site, but that should probably be on another forum, lol.
Joe

[rondtroy]

So exactly what parts did you replace, and did you get any indication of how your work caused the trannie to start functioning properly again?

[Rockwood]

I'm a major fan of frequent tranny fluid changes as the best way to ensure smooth shifting and long life. After all a typical drain and refill only draws out less than half of the fluid in the box. Doing 15k changes and am at 150k. Use Redline D4.


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[rondtroy]

I got the rebuild in May 2010. Afterwards we have tried to use that car as little as possible, using my 2003 low mileage Forester more. Starting May 2012 we added the Magnefine filter and Haydn cooler and with that began annual filter and fluid changes for the trannie - right before we drive about 1000 miles round trip to bring a child back from college. I have already picked up the next Magnefine.

What bugs me, besides Honda not having a better standard cooler, and discouraging regular fluid changes, is the gross incompetence of our dealer (at repairs and maintenance) and the many lies from Honda and the dealer. If the car came equipped with a decent cooler and easy to change filter, and if Honda suggested more frequent changes, maybe even the known design defect wouldn't cause as much trouble. But even more upsetting is that they didn't change the part once they knew they had a problem- not even in rebuilds.

Question for anyone; how hard is it and how expensive should it be to replace the valve that causes the problem? Is there any easy to get set of parts and instructions?