Automatic Transmission Problem?

Hey,

I have a 1992 Honda Civic DX automatic with 110,000 miles on it.
The car runs and drives great except for a slight transmission problem.
When coming up to a stop, if i down shift from D4 to D3 its fine, from
D3 to 2nd its fine, but from 2nd to 1st the trans will grind or clunk.
The owners manual says that it is perfectly fine to up shift and down
shift, it even says i can operate this trans like a manual without a
clutch. So is the noise normal or am I harming the transmission and
has anyone else had this experience? Thanks in advance!

Paul

 

Not totally sure what your purpose is in doing this, but I would NEVER
shift into first like this unless totally stopped. Generally, when
downshifting a manual transmission, you rev the engine so that when you
shift into the lower gear, you are matching the engine speed to what
the transmission can handle. With an automatic, that doesn't happen and
a so you have no idea what engine speed will be (and therefore
transmission speed) when you 'downshift'. I would say you should stop
doing this, and if you want to shift yourself, buy a car with a manual
trans.

Dan D
'07 Odyssey Slate Green
'04 Audi A4 quattro 6-speed

 

the transmission is protected - it won't allow shifts that damage it.

 

Perhaps - but are you saying that a 'grind' or 'clunk' is normal? I
don't think so. And if the transmission is starting to develop
problems, then manually shifting it certainly won't help it. Again, I
would let it perform as designed and shift for itself - that's the best
way to protect it.

Dan D
'07 Odyssey

 

how does that work? you're not actuating anything in the box by moving
the shift lever - all you're doing is changing from autonomous shift
control to non-autonomous. all internals of the box function /exactly/
as before. if there is a "clunk" it's more likely a broken engine
mount. or maybe a worn driveshaft or final drive, but the driver alone
can't influence how the shifter mechanism behaves to make a noise like
that - that bit is fully automatic under all conditions. /and/ there
are safety over-rides to protect it from driver mistakes.

 

I agree with what you say, and yes the trans is protected, it
specifically explains in the manual what you said, but the cluck and
sometimes a grind only happens when i manually shift. Don't get me
wrong, 99% of the time i let the trans shift on its own, but if the
trans is developing problems wouldn't they be there all the time? again
i cant figure out why it grinds only when i manually shift.

 

is it a "grind" like when your cousin drives your stick and doesn't use
the clutch properly, or some other kind of noise? i ask because there
is no mechanism inside the transmission that really allows for "grind"
unless it's major failure. and have you checked the motor mounts?

 

I guess "grind" wasnt the best word, its more like a cluck, not very
loud and i can feel it too. you say to check the motor mounts, are you
thinking that when i downshift the motor is, i guess, "rocking" and
making a cluck? That would explain why i can sort of feel it. Also,
how would i check the mounts? Just put a socket on them and tighten the
bolts?

 

that's it.

put it in park [on level ground], lift the hood, and with the parking
brake OFF, rock the car back and forth. you'll see the motor move and
the cracks should open up to be visible. if you can get an angle to see
them. if not, you might need to have an assistant help you rock the car
while you poke about with a mirror.

 

Should the motor mounts be totally replaced? Or is it just a case of
them loosening up over the years?

 

replaced - the rubber breaks apart. usually you can get away with just
the rear and front [if yours has a front]. also check for gotchas like
bent exhaust touching chassis, loose heat shields, etc.