[Char92dj8]

Hey everyone, names Charles and im 18
I Have a 1998 Honda van that i inherited
from my grandmother, who was the original owner
and i got the van with 78K miles
Ive had it for awhile now, and its up to 134k miles
and the trans is really starting to screw up.
Last time i changed the trans fluid, there was quite
a bit of metal shavings, and what looked to be half
of some kind of metal ring.
I do not understand what happed, it was driven lightly
by my grandmother, and garage kept almost its whole
life, Maintained by the local Honda Stealership
And i do not drive it hard at all. i baby it because i was
very close to my grandmother. Its pretty much in Mint condition
Usually when you put it in drive, it starts to move
but it dosent, it just sits there until l give it some fuel
and then it jumps and starts to move.
Once its moving, It shifts through all the gears smoothly
Basically im wondering if the trans is trashed
I was told, that it could just be the torque converter?
ATM im still driving it everyday. and cant really afford
a new trans =/ Thanks for all your help. charles

 

[chrisarnt]

If you are handy there are a few things you could do to nurse this Trans along. The following are pretty darn easy and shouldn't cost you more than $125 if you buy online.
Tose metal shavings are acting like sand paper in there and are making it worse.
1. Install an inline magentic filter(magnaflow). It grabs the metal shavings and keeps them from grinding up the guts of the transmission. It is easy to install, snip the trans line and shove the hoses over each nipple on the filter/secure with hose clamps make sure the fluid is flowing in the right direction through the filter.

Also, I don't know if your trans has an external filter, but you should probably change it if it has one. The deal may not know either. Mine has one and the dealer does not know. Search the forum for that one.

Pull your trans dipstick and smell the fluid. Does it smell burnt, is it murky looking? If you don't know ask a mechanic, not the stealer.

If it smells burnt you should do the following steps.

2. Use amsoil synthetic trans fluid. The bottle has a red cap(not the blue one) Drain and fill three times.
3. Add lube guard red to the fluid.
4. Add a trans cooler ( this installs almost exactly like the magnetic filter.

Steps two, three and fourwill keep you trans fluid from burning and will allow you to keep driving with a failing torque connverter.

Plenty of people will say you need a new trans. THEY ARE RIGHT.
But if you do the above steps you can probly squeaze another 10 to 15k miles out of it.

Last resort, transmedic, but that will get you about 7k miles more at most and then lights out.

 

[IDTwinHauler]

Char92dj8,

First off, welcome to the club!

The transmissions in the first generation Odyssey's (RA1) are very stout but require periodic fluid changes (I think every 25,000 miles).

I would approach your situation by (pardon my step by step process...I'm helping the future new members in case they perform a search on a similar transmission problem):

1. Perform 3 drain and fill of the transmission fluid using genuine Honda ATF fluid. (This is my preference and if you desire to use other ATF Dextron III fluid that it up to you). Buy 8 bottles of ATF. Drain the fluid (The drain "plug" is located by the passenger front tire. It is a bolt with a square in the middle and a 3/8" ratchet will fit in the square to loosen and tighten the plug). Remove the plug and look at the plug. You may find grey to black looking particles on the plug. Clean it off and reinstall it after all of the fluid is done emptying from the transmission. The plug is different so people don't confuse it with the oil pan plug. About 2.5 to 2.8 ounces of old ATF fluid will flow out of the transmission. Remove the transmission dipstick, insert a long funnel and add approximately 2.5 to 2.8 ounces of ATF fluid. Let the fluid settle for about 5 minutes and check the transmission fluid level then go for a 10 minute test drive and perform the ATF fluid change procedure another 2 times. The whole procedure will take about an hour or so.

I'm pretty sure performing the drain and fill will help with your problems. If it doesn't here is the next step.

There are 2 filters on the transmission that is accessible that can be cleaned or replaced.

They are:
-Lock-up Control Solenoid Valve A/B (the filter/gasket part number is 28320-PX4-010)
-Shift Control Solenoid Valve A/B (the filter/gasket part number is 28220-PX4-010)

also buy another 3 bottles of ATF fluid too.

These filters are under the valves and the valves are located on the transmission. How to find them: Open the hood and look on the passenger side of the of the Odyssey. You'll see the valves on the transmission. One is toward the firewall and I think that one is the Lock-up Control Solenoid Valve and the one toward the radiator is the Shift Control Solenoid Valve. They look like 2 D cell batteries standing up together. There are 2 bolts holding the valves to the transmission (I think they are 10mm). Remove the bolts and wiggle the valve to get it off of the transmission. Gently remove the filter (beware b/c you may tear the gasket b/c it'll probably be dried and brittle. Hence the reason why I'd buy a set of filters in case) and clean the filters with carb or brake cleaner. Dry the filter with compressed air and reinstall them.

Drain and fill the transmission and go for a drive.

Personally, I wouldn't install an in-line filter on the transmission lines. I also wouldn't install a transmission cooler unless you perform alot of towing with the RA1.

From here on out I would suggest that you drain and fill the transmission fluid at the same time that you do an engine oil/filter change. Why? 1. Its easy to do. 2. At approximately the 3rd oil/filter/ATF fluid change you'd essentially changed all the fluid in the transmission. 3. Changing the ATF fluid at oil change intervals will help prolong the transmission and keep it running for a very long time. It probably adds maybe an additional 10 minutes to the oil/filter change time and maybe an additional $24 (if you use Honda ATF). Cheap insurance if you ask me and I have 167,000 on my Odyssey (which is pretty low miles in my opinion) and no transmission problems.

Good Luck,
Dennis

 

[Char92dj8]

WOW, thx guys, im pretty handy myself
I have a 98 f150 thats me and my dad are restoring, And a 89 jeep Cherokee 4x4 thats pretty built.
But anyway i have been changing the fluids alot
with Honda fluid from the dealership.
And my van im pretty sure has already has a trans cooler
Correct me if im wrong.
Also, if its the TC, could i just replace it?
And do you have a part number for the magnetic
Filter... i do not want to get the wrong one, Thx charles.
I do have access to a ASE certified mechanic.

 

[yakuza]

I change my trans fluid every 15K miles, but thats why still even after 260,000 miles it still shifting like butter I don't beat on it, but when I drain the fluid, it is still clean.

 

[Char92dj8]

I change my trans fluid every 15K miles, but thats why still even after 260,000 miles it still shifting like butter I don't beat on it, but when I drain the fluid, it is still clean.

Im not sure how much the trans was changed when my grandmother had it
But i did it every time i changed the engine oil, which was quite often
about every 10k miles. Which is why the 2.3l in it runs like it did brand new
and the trans fluid always came out clean.
And my grandmother always got everything done not at the Honda
stealership

 

[yakuza]

You guys crack me up calling dealerships "stealerships"

If you don't want the service, don't pay for it. Simple as that.

 

[Char92dj8]

You guys crack me up calling dealerships "stealerships"

If you don't want the service, don't pay for it. Simple as that.

I believe i can call it what i like.

 

[yakuza]

Well oooook