'92 CB9 stuck in Sport mode

[hondamikk]

Now before you go correcting me that a '92 doesn't have sport mode, admit I got ya and laugh about it , then maybe help me out. As stated above, I have a '92 CB9 which is acting like it's stuck in sport mode. It shifts high, around 300 rpm, unless I do like a stick and back off the gas for a second. Downshifting is a pretty hard shift, and seems to hesitate before it does shift. I've done a trans flush, not just the drain and fill, and have removed both shifting solenoids, cleaned them out and installed new gaskets. Anyone have any ideas other than putting another trans in my car? Thanks.

p.s.-and if the 92 wagon DOES have a sport mode, then please accept my apologies for saying I got ya. Thanks again.

[dayzielynn]

my boyfriends old cb7 has sport mode there should be a button on the shifter on the side of it to put it on sport mode or have it normal.

[accordztech]

Open up the TCU and look for burnt resistors

[STOCKa6]

There is a lever on the front of the transmission that has the throttle cable attached to it. It could very well be out of adjustment, the lever controls at what throttle positions the car will shift up or down.

[hondamikk]

my boyfriends old cb7 has sport mode there should be a button on the shifter on the side of it to put it on sport mode or have it normal.

I wish it were so simple. Unfortunately, I don't have a Sport button.

There is a lever on the front of the transmission that has the throttle cable attached to it. It could very well be out of adjustment, the lever controls at what throttle positions the car will shift up or down.

I will definitely check that adjustment. Thanks dude!

Open up the TCU and look for burnt resistors

I'll double check those as well. Had read that somewhere but forgot about checking them out. Thanks bro.

[deevergote]

92 has no sport mode. No sport button, no sport mode. That was a 90-91 feature.

Is your D4 light flashing or constantly on when it should not be? That is an indication of a TCU error code, and possibly of a bad TCU. That should be the first thing you look at, before you go adjusting cables.

[hondamikk]

92 has no sport mode. No sport button, no sport mode. That was a 90-91 feature.

Is your D4 light flashing or constantly on when it should not be? That is an indication of a TCU error code, and possibly of a bad TCU. That should be the first thing you look at, before you go adjusting cables.

I didn't think '92 had a sport mode. That's too bad, it would be fun in the ol grocery getter. No D4 light either, that was the first thing I looked for after researching some. It's also why I hadn't checked for burnt diodes. Figures they'd be related. Is that correct or should I give them a look see anyway just to be thorough?

[deevergote]

A damaged TCU should result in a D4 error code... but I suppose it's possible that it wouldn't. Are you positive your D4 light works? I've helped people in the past that insisted their TCU or ECU were not throwing error codes, and the reason behind it was that the bulb that would be showing the code was burned out!

How did you do the trans flush? Multiple drain and fill, or did you hook it up to a machine? If you hooked it up to a machine, you may have caused damage. That sort of flush is absolutely terrible for these automatics at this age. Multiple drain and fill is the correct way to do it. What fluid did you use? Honda ATF is the ONLY fluid I would ever trust in a CB's automatic.


Also, there was nothing "sporty" about sport mode. All it did was allow the engine to rev higher before shifting to the next gear at partial throttle. Useful for hills, but not much else. Full throttle should still allow the engine to approach redline before shifting with or without sport mode activated.
The 92-93 TCU programming incorporated that logic without the need for a button.

[STOCKa6]

It is possible that the ECU has a code to throw, but not cause a flashing D4 lamp. When my TCU went the light only flashed when it was extraordinarily hot in the car, but would try to throw error codes in diagnostic mode. I add that it never really flashed, but rather just flickered randomly, the TCU was GONE in my car.

The reason I first suggested the cable was because it didn't sound like the typical problem, and It sounded like Hondamikk knew his stuff well enough to include the D4 lamp if it were present, and that cable will certainly make the car hard to downshift and choose to be in a higher gear than is appropriate.

[deevergote]

I've known experienced tuners and mechanics to overlook such things, though. Someone might look for an error code and not see one, but not look to make sure the bulb works. It's simple, easily overlooked, and can cause MANY headaches.

[hondamikk]

A damaged TCU should result in a D4 error code... but I suppose it's possible that it wouldn't. Are you positive your D4 light works? I've helped people in the past that insisted their TCU or ECU were not throwing error codes, and the reason behind it was that the bulb that would be showing the code was burned out!

How did you do the trans flush? Multiple drain and fill, or did you hook it up to a machine? If you hooked it up to a machine, you may have caused damage. That sort of flush is absolutely terrible for these automatics at this age. Multiple drain and fill is the correct way to do it. What fluid did you use? Honda ATF is the ONLY fluid I would ever trust in a CB's automatic.


Also, there was nothing "sporty" about sport mode. All it did was allow the engine to rev higher before shifting to the next gear at partial throttle. Useful for hills, but not much else. Full throttle should still allow the engine to approach redline before shifting with or without sport mode activated.
The 92-93 TCU programming incorporated that logic without the need for a button.

One of the things I made sure to look for was a blinking D4 light. It is operational, and, as of yet, hasn't blinked.

I went to a shop for the flush, and I'm pretty sure they used a machine. Hopefully that didn't cause my damage. I would've done the drain and fills in my driveway if my dang trans drain bolt would come out, it's crazy stuck. Like breaking adapters, starting to round out the square when I put serious torque on it stuck.

Not sure what kind of fluid was used, but I doubt it was OEM fluid.

Yeah, sport mode isn't even sporty? Like an early predecessor of vtec or something? Well that stinks...

[deevergote]

Nothing at all like VTEC. It just shifts later. That's it. Instead of "bwaaaaa-shift-bwaaaaaa" it's "bwaaaaaaaaaaaa-shift-bwaaaaaaaaaaaa"



See if you can find a way to get that drain plug off. Even if you have to take it to a shop just to have that done. Drain out the new stuff they put in there. Fill it with Honda ATF. Drive it around the block a few times. Drain it again. Refill it with new Honda ATF.
If no major internal damage is done, and no damage has been done to you TCU or other shift-related parts, then the ATF should help, if not fix things completely. Honda automatics are very sensitive to what fluid is used.

[hondamikk]

Nothing at all like VTEC. It just shifts later. That's it. Instead of "bwaaaaa-shift-bwaaaaaa" it's "bwaaaaaaaaaaaa-shift-bwaaaaaaaaaaaa"



See if you can find a way to get that drain plug off. Even if you have to take it to a shop just to have that done. Drain out the new stuff they put in there. Fill it with Honda ATF. Drive it around the block a few times. Drain it again. Refill it with new Honda ATF.
If no major internal damage is done, and no damage has been done to you TCU or other shift-related parts, then the ATF should help, if not fix things completely. Honda automatics are very sensitive to what fluid is used.

Hahahahaha that's about right.

I'll do what I can about that plug. Maybe take it to a shop and have them put some heat to it and see if that might do the trick. Fingers crossed

As always, thanks for the advise Deev

[Ralphie]

Wait...

so if you were unable to get the plug out, was the shop able to?

You're talking as if the bolt never came off, but the ran the paces on your tranny with a machine???

Im confused...

but no more advice is needed, Mike's is spot on.

Over 100k, no more tran flushes. Drain/refill/repeat.

That's it.

And at this point, you might as well use OEM fluids for everything, but if nothing else, the trans.

[hondamikk]

Wait...

so if you were unable to get the plug out, was the shop able to?

You're talking as if the bolt never came off, but the ran the paces on your tranny with a machine???

Im confused...

but no more advice is needed, Mike's is spot on.

Over 100k, no more tran flushes. Drain/refill/repeat.

That's it.

And at this point, you might as well use OEM fluids for everything, but if nothing else, the trans.

Some flush using the fill hole and the hoses from the cooler. I didn't see exactly how they hooked it up. I basically told the shop I couldn't get the plug out, and asked if they could still flush it, and they said yeah, no problem.