89 Honda Accord Automatic

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Never had a problem like this one. My son called me this am and said he was at Mickey Dees and his car won't go forward.<br /><br />Went to the place and checked it out. There seems to be no park, neutral, or any drive. Just reverse. One time in moving the shifter, I did manage to find either neutral or Park. Give it the gas and the car still seemed to be in a gear, but wouldn't move either forward or reverse, but you could feel that the torque converter was loading up like it is surpose to. Moved the shifter again, and now all I get is reverse in all positions. My son did say he heard a bang just before the problem happened. <br /><br />It is not the shifter cable becauce all the linkages are moving like they are surpose to. Seems to be an internal problem. <br /><br />Has anyone had this problem with a honda auto. I think the trans is a F4 model. Thanks...SS

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

SS, might look at bottom of pan and see if there is not a dent in it from the inside.<br /><br />Sounds like a valve in the valve body has let go and the loud bang he heard might have been it hitting the pan.<br /><br />Don't know, just my .00065 worth.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

I didn't look underneath due to the snow on the ground. Going to wait for Lonnie to haul it back to my shop on his rollback tomorrow.<br /><br />I think my son is just plain hard on stuff. Skateboards, bikes, go-karts, and now cars. He tears them all up. I'd get him an anvil for christmas, but I think he could tear that up with a rubber mallet. <br /><br />SS

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

You gave us the magic clue: SNOW. Snow, young people, and cars equal stupid driving and broken parts. Ask him if he had been stuck earlier, or doing silly things in the snow. It is possible that the internal linkage broke, or there could be an issue with the valve body. Either way, the pan has to be dropped. If it were me I would probably just let a shop fix it. Working on automatic trannies can be daunting, as there are a billion small parts, and everything must be clean. Good luck....

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

I've been into two of them. They're a pretty easy straightforward transmission.<br />Goodluck dropping the pan.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

Its getting towed home today. He tells me so many stories that it is hard to know when he is telling the truth. (A canidate for the democratic primary?) He said it happened in the morning when I first posted about the problem. There was snow that night, but the funny thing was that there wasn't any under his car So I told him all I had to do was go in and look at the security tapes from the night before since there is a camera on the back lot. Whala and behold, he admitted that it happened before it started snowing. BUSTED! Why do teens lie? <br /><br />I'll get it tore down once it is back to the shop. Probably just get a boneyard unit, and then give a shot at rebuilding this one for a spare. I have done chevy trannies with great success, but front wheel drive units is a new territory for me. Thanks.....SS

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

SS I worked for Honda in the late 80s and the cars are great if you do 2 things.#1 a timing belt service at 60,000 mile intervales including drive belts and water pump #2 you cant treat the transmissions like Gen motors trannies.When you are in reverse in a honad you must come to a full stop before you go to fwd.Same thing when going from fwd to rev.The GM trannies are very forgiving and make a smoothe transition when you shift while still moving.In the snow you cant rock a honda to get moving it will kill the tranny.If you are going to the wreckers for a replacement make sure you get it from the correct model.The dx and lx models are the same.The lxi trans is different if I remember correctly.Charlie

 

[JasonJ]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

CrazyCharlie, I always felt Honda made too much room when they mounted that drivetrain. I mean, there had to be at least an inch of space when you replace that timing belt. Trying to shove my adult american arm down in there was way too fun. For whatever reason, it seemed like everybody I knew that owned Hondas wanted me to change their timing belts. So much suffering....

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

Thanks Charlie. I noticed that it seems that there are differences in the filler/dipstick. This one has a plug that screws in with a flat tab on the top of it. The car is a DX. To the best that I can find, the tranny is a model F4. Does that sound right?<br /><br />At the time it broke, there wasn't any snow on the roads yet. It snowed right after it broke. The pavement was bare underneath the car. So I don't think he was mistreating it. I had already went through 2 trannys in an escort. It died because of laziness to check the oil plus his loud stereo, he couldn't hear the engine knocking He swears he is taking better care of this car. I just don't know until I tear the tranny down.<br /><br />SS

 

[11 footer]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

Wow,<br /> gotta hand it to you SS, your a cool dad, you must really love him.<br /><br />I think my dad would have rung my neck if he caught me lieing to him.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: 89 Honda Accord Automatic

SS ,if I remember correctly the trans fluid check is on the pass side between the radiator and the motor.You can reach straight down if you are standing in front of the car.The drain plug is on the pass side and it is like a pipe thread.Just pop a rachet on it .I doubt he killed it in 1 shot.It may have been from not coming to a full stop before shifting day after day.When those trannys went they usuall started by not up shifting.What you described sounds like it could be something else.I will also recommend one other thing.Dont use any parts except Honda parts,especially tune up parts.And never take the rotors off the vehicle for cutting.Good luck.Charlie