Auto tranny issues

[budrick85]

so i've got a 91 ex its got a tad over 200 thousand cars in nice shape can tell it wasn't owned or drivin by a young teenage driver but........... just the other day i ran into some major issue's i started leaking tranny fluid like a mother the cooler lines aren't broke so what gives? and on top of that the sport light started blinking and the only gears im getting like 4th gear and i think first its like in a limp mode when i first caught the leaky tranny i topped off and it was good to go well then i drove 15 miles and didn't have the dipstick in the right place "forgive me it was dark cold and really late" so im guessin i was blowing fluid all over the place going down the road but when i topped it off that time the sport light just kept blinking at me and it never started shifting right again now when it shifted in the limp mode it was a solid shift and what things can i do to check this thing before i take it to the tranny shop and spend big bucks i have heard that if my coolant level isn't full enough it can mess with the tranny or if there is air in the coolant system any help would be awesome thanks all

[Jkid]

sounds like me and u have the same prob. shift solenoids.......jump thev code to make sure tho.

[budrick85]

so i kno u jump the blue connecter for ecu codes but is it the same connector to check the tranny codes to and do u read the sport light for your blinks i haven't been able to find any specifics on this so it would be helpful and wat do u do just drop the pan and take off the solenoids and clean em or what? or do u have 2 buy new ones

[super sox]

so i kno u jump the blue connecter for ecu codes but is it the same connector to check the tranny codes to and do u read the sport light for your blinks i haven't been able to find any specifics on this so it would be helpful and wat do u do just drop the pan and take off the solenoids and clean em or what? or do u have 2 buy new ones

I have the same prob as well mine is throwing code 18 or 1&8 not sure , to answer your ? Yes you read the trans codes with the sport light good luck .

[budrick85]

and would reseting my ecu also reset my tcu???? and is it possible that my solenoids are ok and that what i need to do is fix my leak and reset the ecu/tcu, which isn't astronomical but its noticeable by the lil spot it leaves when parked for 2 days it was at an angle and was only half a quart low at the time so is it possible for me 2 reset my ecu/tcu and get everything strait and running right and sorry im not makin much sense i have been sick for days with a fever on top of trying to get everything with my ride strait to

[super sox]

Yes resetting the ecu will reset the tcu . And what codes did your trans throw that will let you know if your solenoids are ok!

and would reseting my ecu also reset my tcu???? and is it possible that my solenoids are ok and that what i need to do is fix my leak and reset the ecu/tcu, which isn't astronomical but its noticeable by the lil spot it leaves when parked for 2 days it was at an angle and was only half a quart low at the time so is it possible for me 2 reset my ecu/tcu and get everything strait and running right and sorry im not makin much sense i have been sick for days with a fever on top of trying to get everything with my ride strait to

[budrick85]

it was only a ? where gettin like almost a foot of snow here and i don't have a shop i used to work at a buy here pay here owned by rich greedy bastards but i had full useage of the shop and tools at anytime day and night and that was fing awesome but anyways sorry back to the subject haven't been able 2 check i did more research like i should have in the first place, i was thinkin hey i'll ask and get all my answers in return.... WRONG lol so now when i pull my codes if its says nething bout the solenoids imma pull them both off and clean them now do u kno which wire is gonna be hot and which one is gonna be ground anyone?? bc i would think the best way to clean them would be 2 acuate them with a battery while spraying them with brake parts cleaner correct?? cuz i don't have the cash for used or new ones and is it hard to get the rubber seals for those and have ppl had problem with those ripping when they pull em off the tranny ?

[budrick85]

and also what speed sensor would make my cruise control not work even tho it says its engaged on dash, just wondering if there is a certain one that is the culpurit

[budrick85]

so got a chance to run the codes it seems 2 me like its saying 6 which would be she shifter circuit open???? don't understand how that could make me only have 2 gears and i hope im reading the light right cuz there was one blink so short and quick u barley see it and then six more blinks a little longer then that i don't kno if the short one was first or last or if its tellin me its restarting the sequence and btw i reset the ecu/tcu sucessfully and the blinking s light came back immediately before i ever put the car in gear so any help with this would be awesome hit me back pplz!!!!

[budrick85]

so new development, pulled tcu just in case it was faulty , known issue with these cars as i've read. Mine had been replaced with a 93 4dr accord with sport mode which was clean not one spot of burning , so moving on from there i pulled off the solenoids and low and behold one of em wasn't actuating at all . The top one was my culprit lock up solenoid i believe, don't understand the codes i was getting but this has to be it hope I'm right gonna get a good working one from the junkyard tomorrow. And yes i know that i should buy a new one but i don't have the cash for that so this is gonna have 2 do , I'll also clean it . I'll post what happens after i get it all changed.

[stretch JDM]

used ones will work , but for how long ? i hope this solves your problem . i have had a simuliar issue before .keep us posted on any updates.

[budrick85]

Called all the tranny shops in my area today, no one had one lying around. And i also called are only junkyard in the area, they only sell tranny's as a whole. I even asked if they might have some busted case's laying around with no luck. So i had to order the lock up solenoids from a tranny shop in town.........drum roll .... over 200 hundred bucks..... 235 from the dealership an hour away. But i will be replacing it new and this better be it lol for that much cash i'd be ok if it was used for like 50 bucks lol. Its gotta be it tho i've gone through it all read the codes realized the short blink was for lock solenoid one, which is why when i took it off it would not actuate when i tried putting electricity to it during the cleaning process. The shift solenoid i could barely hear clicking at first but then in the middle of the cleaning process started to click really loud, i was like sucess might have saved that one. My other code 6 is prolly why i was never able 2 make my sport shift go on and off with the button, im gonna clean the contacts after i get the solenoid put back on. And also does anyone kno if the import tranny fluid that u can get from advance auto parts is ok to use in our cars? I kno we can't use generic brand fluid or additives bc that will burn up the tranny real quick. The reason i ask is the place im getting my new solenoid from is a good tranny shop and thats what they use instead of honda atf.

[AbsurdNY]

Does your indicator lights on the dash display what gear you are in correctly? From what I remember, TCU code 6 is Shift Lever Position Switch circuit open. You might just have a loose connection under the center console.

[budrick85]

I am seeing what gear i am in correctly well before all the tranny issue's popped up and its still telling me the correct gear i have the lever put it on the dash, the light in the center console works it i tap on it then it just shuts off again. Would any of those symptoms have anything to do with the sport mode not working correctly? And also anybody with advice on advance auto's import tranny fluid being ok to use hit me up.

[AbsurdNY]

The reason the sport light is not working right is because the TCU is putting the tranny in limp mode. When the tranny is in limp mode the sport light will go on by itself or blink. On some cars i have heard the D4 light will blink. When the tranny is in limp mode, it will only use 2nd and 3rd gear. Go to the junkyard and take a out a shift lever switch and your problem should go away. I'm not sure if you can just take the switch out or if you need to replace your whole shifter assembly but either way, it should be relatively cheap.