Howdy folks - looking for a quick diagnosis on the g/f's Honda. I personally drive a Lincoln Mark VIII (Hence the jhaas_lsc username) but her car is a 1988 Accord.

It's the 4-cyl carb w/ the 4-speed auto. Here's what's up with it.

She calls yesterday, says the thing won't go to reverse. I get home, get in and start it, and sure enough, no reverse. So I leave the shift lever in R with the engine running and start to push the car backward with my foot out the door. About 10-15 seconds of slow rolling it went WHAM (I mean loud), killed the motor. Put it in park, started it again, reverse works! Wow. So, I check the tranny fluid - blacker than night itself. We take my car, go get some fluid. Come back, drain out the tranny fluid (which has to be BY FAR the easiest job on this car - changing the oil filter is a NASTY one), fill it back up with fresh Dex. Take it for a spin, feels great! Shifts like a different car (in a better way...). So, we go get some gas, take it out on the highway and as soon as it goes in to 4th it makes a ZzzzzzZZZZZZIIIPPPP noise, kind of like a wire tie makes when you zip it tight. So, put it in D3 (no noise there) and drive it home.

You guessed it - once we get home, no reverse. The rolling trick didn't work this time either.

Time for a new tranny? How nasty is a rebuild on this guy? I know it's a sealed unit, but it doesn't look too hard to get out and I got some skills. Thanks in advance for your help.

Justin C. Haase
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC
black/black
Mason City, IA

 

My condolences on your Lincoln.

It would appear that the tranny is shot, but by no means is that expert. I can only recommend resetting the ECU (unplug the negative terminal on the battery for 15 or so mins and then start the car for 5 mins), but I doubt that'd do the trick. I'm sure you could get a used tranny at a junkyard from an 88-91 Accord relatively cheaply, and if you can pop it in props to you. I'm really not to mechanically savvy, especially with older model Accords, but either way best of luck to you

 

A tranny re-build is around $350. It sounds like that ranny was not taken care of all to well.. To have a shop do all the labor and replace the tranny, you are looking at a lot of money, but if you do most if it yourself, you will save a buck or two.... If you need help, I run a 3rd gen honda accord message board, where people there would be happy to walk you through the process.. Or you can just buy the hayens and Chilton repair manuals for the car..

Good luck..

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