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79 Posts
I've been watching all the transmission threads with great interest. Our 2002 EXL trans crapped the bed at 72k with the usual symptoms...flaring between shifts, 3rd gear free revving, setting of the $$$ code, etc. Dealer wanted almost $5k and Honda wouldn't give more than a couple hundred in goodwill since I had done my own fluid/filter change (at 45k). After I told them both what I thought of their service, I tried another 3X drain/refill and also cleaned all the solenoid screens. This helped a little bit and we got to 75k, but the symptoms returned.
Not wanting to spend $3-5k on a trans, and wanting even less to have a car payment, I decided to attempt to rebuild it myself. I will say up front that I've been wrenching as a hobby all my life...I've rebuilt engines, swapped drivetrains, built kit-cars (see my avatar!), etc. If you don't consider yourself a pretty advanced wrencher, this is not a job for you!
You'll need a couple of floorjacks, jackstands, an engine hoist or trans jack, an engine cradle, gear pullers, slide hammer, etc...along with some special Honda tools like an input shaft holder, clutch spring compressors (I built one out of scrap), etc.
I suscribed to ALLDATAdiy.com for $26 and can highly recommend it. They have very good step-by-step instructions for removal, overhaul, and installation. I also took a zillion digital pictures as I disassembled the trans and referred back to them often when re-assembling.
It took a full day to remove the trans, and a week's worth of evenings to clean/rebuild. Cleaning was the worst part since I don't own a parts-washer. Finally, another day and a half to re-install. I used a Transtec master rebuild kit from Makco Distributing and purchased the needed hard-parts from Bernardi. I did have one major setback when the threads on the countershaft galled on reassembly ($237 plus almost 2 weeks wait!), so the van was down over 3 weeks total.
From Makco Distributing:
Master Rebuild kit.....$358.31
External filter....$17.45
Internal filter....$16.91
Tru-Cool LPD external cooler.....$56.40
Magnefine filter.....$15.44
When I opened the trans up, everything looked like new EXCEPT the 3rd gear clutch pack. It was fully worn out...metal-on-metal. I'm not why it didn't slip 100% of the time, but it didn't. The complete wearing away of the friction material allowed the 3rd gear clutch piston to over-stroke, which deforms the 3rd gear clutch return spring enough that it can contact the inside of the 3rd gear....then it spins (it's not supposed to!) and takes out the spring, piston, spring seat, retainer clip, etc. My 3rd gear clutch pack had gotten so hot that the end plate turned a nice shade of purple/blue!
The spring, piston, and seat needed to be replaced. I played it safe and also replaced 3rd gear, thrust washer, and the thrust and needle bearings. Parts were sourced from Bernardi and totalled about $200.
I completely disassembled the valvebody and removed every single piston, check-ball, spring, etc. A couple of the valvebody bores and a couple of the accumulator piston bores had very minor scuffing that cleaned up with some light wet-sanding (600 grit paper w/ ATF).
During re-assembly, I ignored the ALLDATA instructions not to use an impact wrench to install the big end nuts on the mainshaft, countershaft, and secondary shaft because I didn't have the special Honda tool to hold the input shaft. Unfortunately, the threads on the countershaft galled...lesson learned. $60 for the special tool and $237 for the countershaft, and 2 weeks later, I then got to disassemble the trans AGAIN to replace the countershaft. The input shaft holder made the reassembly much easier and everything went together smoothly.
One other hugely interesting observation.....I cracked open the internal oil pick-up filter and found the filter media had become COMPLETELY clogged with clutch material and the pump suction had caused the media to balloon itself against the inside of the housing. This caused the media to rip at the seam, allowing full unfiltered oil flow to the trans. In retrospect, I'm pretty happy I decided to open this thing up when I did or the damage would have extended well beyond the 3rd gear clutch pack.
I added the trans cooler and Magnefine when I put everything back together. Knocking on wood here...but it's all back together and shifting fine. It was a very tedious, but very satisfying project, and I saved myself a bunch of money.
Some interesting pics will follow.......
Inside shot after splitting the case
Not wanting to spend $3-5k on a trans, and wanting even less to have a car payment, I decided to attempt to rebuild it myself. I will say up front that I've been wrenching as a hobby all my life...I've rebuilt engines, swapped drivetrains, built kit-cars (see my avatar!), etc. If you don't consider yourself a pretty advanced wrencher, this is not a job for you!
You'll need a couple of floorjacks, jackstands, an engine hoist or trans jack, an engine cradle, gear pullers, slide hammer, etc...along with some special Honda tools like an input shaft holder, clutch spring compressors (I built one out of scrap), etc.I suscribed to ALLDATAdiy.com for $26 and can highly recommend it. They have very good step-by-step instructions for removal, overhaul, and installation. I also took a zillion digital pictures as I disassembled the trans and referred back to them often when re-assembling.
It took a full day to remove the trans, and a week's worth of evenings to clean/rebuild. Cleaning was the worst part since I don't own a parts-washer. Finally, another day and a half to re-install. I used a Transtec master rebuild kit from Makco Distributing and purchased the needed hard-parts from Bernardi. I did have one major setback when the threads on the countershaft galled on reassembly ($237 plus almost 2 weeks wait!), so the van was down over 3 weeks total.
From Makco Distributing:
Master Rebuild kit.....$358.31
External filter....$17.45
Internal filter....$16.91
Tru-Cool LPD external cooler.....$56.40
Magnefine filter.....$15.44
When I opened the trans up, everything looked like new EXCEPT the 3rd gear clutch pack. It was fully worn out...metal-on-metal. I'm not why it didn't slip 100% of the time, but it didn't. The complete wearing away of the friction material allowed the 3rd gear clutch piston to over-stroke, which deforms the 3rd gear clutch return spring enough that it can contact the inside of the 3rd gear....then it spins (it's not supposed to!) and takes out the spring, piston, spring seat, retainer clip, etc. My 3rd gear clutch pack had gotten so hot that the end plate turned a nice shade of purple/blue!
The spring, piston, and seat needed to be replaced. I played it safe and also replaced 3rd gear, thrust washer, and the thrust and needle bearings. Parts were sourced from Bernardi and totalled about $200.
I completely disassembled the valvebody and removed every single piston, check-ball, spring, etc. A couple of the valvebody bores and a couple of the accumulator piston bores had very minor scuffing that cleaned up with some light wet-sanding (600 grit paper w/ ATF).
During re-assembly, I ignored the ALLDATA instructions not to use an impact wrench to install the big end nuts on the mainshaft, countershaft, and secondary shaft because I didn't have the special Honda tool to hold the input shaft. Unfortunately, the threads on the countershaft galled...lesson learned. $60 for the special tool and $237 for the countershaft, and 2 weeks later, I then got to disassemble the trans AGAIN to replace the countershaft.
The input shaft holder made the reassembly much easier and everything went together smoothly.One other hugely interesting observation.....I cracked open the internal oil pick-up filter and found the filter media had become COMPLETELY clogged with clutch material and the pump suction had caused the media to balloon itself against the inside of the housing. This caused the media to rip at the seam, allowing full unfiltered oil flow to the trans. In retrospect, I'm pretty happy I decided to open this thing up when I did or the damage would have extended well beyond the 3rd gear clutch pack.
I added the trans cooler and Magnefine when I put everything back together. Knocking on wood here...but it's all back together and shifting fine. It was a very tedious, but very satisfying project, and I saved myself a bunch of money.
Some interesting pics will follow.......
Inside shot after splitting the case
