Before I get slammed for complaining about driving an automatic, be advised that I had to give up my manual cars to share a vehicle with my finacee -- who has tried, many times, without success in driving a stick. Now I have her LS that she bought new in '98.

My last car was a 2003 Lancer Evo VIII and since gave it up and came to terms with driving an older automatic. I basically inherited the '98 LS/Auto (94K Miles) and always noticed the transmission doesn't really anticipate my needs and is rather harsh. When the timing belt was replaced recently, I had the transmission fluid changed...more on that in a moment...

On this car...

I like:
*Having the choice to manually shift down to D3 without pushing the button
*When going up a hill, the transmission doesn't go "hunting" up-and-down
*If L2 is selected, 2nd gear will hold regardless of speed or pedal pressure

I dislike:
*If the tranny is cool, it shifts hard (espesically 3-4 lately)
*Of course, power loss to the wheels
*Not being able to hold other gears despite pedal pressure
*3-2 downshift on decel makes a metallic clunk (always has)
*Giving it gas while cornering in 3rd sometimes revs like it wants to shift to 2nd, but goes back to 3rd (I'm told it has done that since it was new)

Naturally I drive pretty aggressively and monkey-around with 4-3 downshifts (it sucks not being able to rev-match -- not that talented) and 2nd gear holds in corners. I had the fluid changed and now notice some issues:

*3-4 shifts, when the tranny temp is cold, is now HARD unless acceleration pressure is on it (for example letting up on the gas to let it shift)
*I used to be able to make it up a certain hill in 4th at 55 mph. Now it kicks down to 3rd (similar A/C load, and same 90+ degree temp and humidity).

A few questions:

*In 4th, there are 2 points where it will half-upshift (at 55 mph, it will go from 2400 to 2500, then as additional pressure is given on the gas, another small shift up from 2500 to 2600 rpms) between 3rd gear. What is this -- the torque converter? Now, after the fluid change, I can't stay in this "sweet spot" before 3rd dramatically comes in un-invited and revs up to 3500.

*Is there a way to wire-in a gear-hold switch: for example, if I'm in 4th, I want to give it full-throttle without it downshifting to 3rd.

Thanks for reading and sorry for being long-winded. I miss driving a manual.

-RH77

*Before folks post to sell the car and get a manual, that option, unfortunately does not exist at this time.

 

what's wrong with her?
She an amputee or something?

 

Yo Momma's an Amputee hfawk:


-Any real help from anyone? Can a gear-hold switch be wired-in? Any Honda automatic transmission experts out there?

RH77 :cheers:

 

I would offer help, but I'm not too fimiliar with G3 autos.

Have you ever had the chance to drive a G2 auto with the S3/S4 choice? Those are my favorite autos so far, since mashing the pedal will always predicably downshift, and it will run to redline for you if you want it to.

The easy solution: keep trying to teach her manual. It may take a while, but she will eventually catch on. Maybe pick up an old 84-87 manual Civic for the job, it's cheap, reliable, and won't matter if she burns out the clutch.

 

work the gas pedal like park of the shift, if you slam it down, it down shifts into three, let go really quick and tap it down again, then ur back in 4. it takes practice and open highway but it works.
and yeah that sounds like the torque converter to me, and it should be holding, i hope ur tranny isnt slipping, or maybee it just knows you don't like it.

 

it may be slipping or you just might not be used to the automatic feel. I used to have an auto G3 before I swapped a manual into it. It did the same stuff you did under normal and slipping conditions.

 

i also have an auto and it sucks the big one. but i can't do anything about it because everything else on the car was perfect.