Automatic Transmission: Clogged Filter?

[KitsunEX-R]

Hey guys, Help me figure out if I'm getting ripped off:

My 91 coupe's automatic transmission has gone into Lock-Up mode (only 1st gear available if you put it in D1 or D2, only 3rd gear available if you put it in D3 or D4). There are NO codes coming from the TCM or the ECU.

The first tranny shop I took it to gave it a look and told me it was the Transmission Control Module that was fried and that I should replace it. Did that, and there was absolutely no change in behaviour. Swapped out the ECU for a new one just to be sure and that didn't help either.

Now, the second tranny specialist I've taken it to thinks that there's a filter in the transmission case itself that is clogged and that this is cutting off tranny fluid from reaching the shift solenoids. Says he found a similar case on some Mechanics Hotline database or something.

Unfortunately for me, he says this filter is somewhere inside the transmission, which means they have to spend 4-6 hours of labour dropping the tranny from the car, opening the transmission casing and changing the filter then putting everything back together again.

So my question to all you kind folks is this: Does this sound like its for real? I don't know anything about the internal design of this transmission, and so I have no idea if the filter is actually in there, if there is a filter at all and how long it would take to change it.

Is this guy ripping me off for 6 hours of labour? I'm a student and have very limited $$$ to be sinking into this, and at Canadian labour rates of almost 70$/hour this is going to cost me all my book money for this semester

[Legacy Accord]

did you change the TCM or only the ECU ? if you want bring it by my place I can take a look since your in the W.I

[KitsunEX-R]

did you change the TCM or only the ECU ? if you want bring it by my place I can take a look since your in the W.I

I changed both. I appreciate the offer, where are you exactly? I'm supposed to take it to Eastern Transmission on Henri-Bourassa tomorrow morning so they can check it out on the lift before I commit to having them take out the transmission.

[Legacy Accord]

Im in Pointe-Claire, Eastern Transmission do good work I have sent many trannys there

[KitsunEX-R]

Im in Pointe-Claire, Eastern Transmission do good work I have sent many trannys there

Well, that reassures me quite a bit

I'll take it to them and see what they say, but I really do appreciate the offer to help! I may yet take you up on it... especially if you have any input about this other little problem: http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=31401

[mrvinyl33]

I don't remember hearing of a filter for the transmission.

[hpaccord91]

as far as i knwo there is no filter in out trannys get the fluid changed and try the tcu use only honda tranny fluid if u are goig to change it check any connections in the shifter that send anything to the tranny

[wrichards2005]

There is a non serviceable filter inside the tranny. I wouldn't believe that would be the problem though. Flush the tranny, and put in new fluid. If its nothing computerized, maybe its the shift selenoids or shift cables. Start with the basics.

[accordmaniac]

There is a non serviceable filter inside the tranny. I wouldn't believe that would be the problem though. Flush the tranny, and put in new fluid. If its nothing computerized, maybe its the shift selenoids or shift cables. Start with the basics.

Yup.. no filter!

We only have magnatic bolt (drain plug) that catches metal grins..

[Turbo Dave]

naw man ur trannys gone, same thing hhappened to mine i got all these mechanics telling me all these other problems chraging me to fix it but dude mine did the same thing, i used to pull out the fuse for the computer and restart the car once it was back in and the car would drive fine till u shut it off then go back into lock up mode but yeah you need a new transmission. dude its easy to chagne an auto tranny on an accord. like six bolts and a couple of wires and you drop it out from the bottom.

[zelseman]

on mine it was the TCM, replaced it and now it works fine, hope u get urs fixed.

[ukaccord92]

i gotta a question too ..ive asked before but no reply

.ive done a f22 swap in my car and used the f20 auto tranny . i find that at times when i start the car then shift into reverse or drive the motor jolts/ jerks its very rough like it want to jump off the spot . also while driving along the change out is not smooth, the motor shakes while gear change you can feel this somtimes . ive changed the tcm to a f22 type but its rather worst its almost as if the motor is not balance it hard to explain as i dont know the tech words . but can f20 torgue converter be different from the f22 ? im almost thinking of changing to a f22 auto tranny .. im i making any sense here ?

[xaxis360]

First of all, there is no servicable "transmission filter" in any of Honda's MXPA line of transmissions. That's really an "Amarican" car thing..

Like someone else said, there is a magnetic drain bolt that collects shavings from the gears and clutches that should be cleaned off when the fluid is replaced. As far as filters, there are solenoid "screens" that can get clogged. The solenoids are cleverly located on the outside of the transmission housing. There are four solenoids on these transmissions that control shifting (2) and the torque converter(2). You can clearly see two of them when you open the hood and look down on the transmission. They are (originally) gold in colour. First off, the solenoids can DEFINATELY go bad and cause HUGE problems that make the trans. feel like its "junk" and needs replaced including gears not working and the lock-up torque converter acting crazy. You can remove the solenoids and test to them with 12 V to hear a "click." If they're not bad, they each have a seperate screen which can get clogged after 100,000+ miles and cause HUGE problems. I would check that before listening to a transmission shop.