99 and some 2000 Ody Transmission Defect

My 2001 LX has made the "CLUNK!" a few times in this first year that I've owned it. Maybe 4 times?

It rarely happens but can be disconcerting when heard.

I think if you MAKE SURE to wait a few seconds after stopping, before shifting to R (or through R to P), it won't make the noise. Also, I make sure I don't thrust the shifter from D4 to P. I move it one by one (kinda quickly, I don't stop at each point) through N-R-P.



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Nelson
2001 Odyssey LX - Silver
2001 Civic EX Sedan - Silver
1990 Mustang LX Coupe - Titanium
http://fiveoh.homestead.com/main.html

I posted this in the "Transmission Clunk when shifting into Reverse" thread. I think this may be what DTKWOK was referring to as far as the "semi-auto" design thing.
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I've been saving these replies for a while.
The questions come up occasionally.
From www.edmunds.com:
#525 of 1409 odyfan by auburn63 Mar 10, 2001 (07:49 pm)
Honda does feel that their trans design will last longer than that of a stacked trans. I don't think it is a dollar thing because Honda transmissions parts are some what expensive.
Internaly they are set up alot like a manual trans is but the clutch packs don't do as good of a job as a syncro does.Most of the engagement noise is because of a lack of a syncro of some sort and the straight cut of a reverse gear.They don't always line up and as the gear is trying to engage it sometimes loads up until it pops in.In the older ones it would make a bad ratcheting sound as it played roulet falling into gear : ).
Don't know the answer the the towing question so i will have to check out the book and if I remember I will ask tech line..

After some researching, I believe that I've found the cause of the reverse engagement noise from D4. It's coming from the "counter-shaft reverse selector" smashing the counter-shaft reverse gear while trying to engage into it from counter-shaft 4th gear. The reason for noise to occur only from D4 is "reverse selector" being moved only when direction is changed. This also explains why Honda advice when towing an Ody with the front wheel on ground, the van needs to be shifted to D4 first, then into N. Otherwise, reverse gear would be engaged insteads of the 4th gear by reverse selector. I've noticed that neither counter-shaft reverse gear nor counter-shaft 4th gear have synchros to ease the engagements. Due to this particular "BAD??" design, therefore, slight movement of countershaft while shifting from D to R or R to D will cause extreme loud engagement noises and will do major damage to both set of gear.
Also, the infamous "Bang in Reverse" is caused by - guess what? - "reverse selector" not fully engaging the counter-shaft reverse gear. The TSB# is A00-065, issued by Honda on 8/22/2000.



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Nelson
2001 Odyssey LX - Silver
2001 Civic EX Sedan - Silver
1990 Mustang LX Coupe - Titanium
http://fiveoh.homestead.com/main.html