From Neutral to Drive, takes 2-3 secs

[4-banger]

i just purchased a '99 honda prelude from a friend and i noticed something different, when i shift the automatic transmission from Neutral to Drive, it takes about 2-3 seconds before the gear engages.

it drives well enough on the freeway and shifts fast enough when i use the sport-shift. its just when i move it from neutral to drive

any ideas? or is this just the norm on honda's with high miles?

thanks

[dbebesi]

is you fluid up?

[del]

change your fluid. dont' use anything but HONDA manual tranny fluicd. is your tranny running unusually hot? look into gettin a tranny cooler as well. those things work wonders, especially for high mileage cars.

[Phunyguy]

manual tranny fluid on an auto?

[del]

Originally Posted by Phunyguy

manual tranny fluid on an auto?

good point. haha. thanks for the correction.

[4-banger]

thanks for the advise guys. is anyone familiar with how to replace the transmission fluid on a honda prelude? i've done it on a Ford Escort before, but i don't know where to begin on a honda

thanks

[dbebesi]

i would think the auto's have a pan (manuals don't). you need to drop the pan (bunch or 10mm bolts) change the filter (pop out black thingy). apply new gasket, silicone if you wish, reapply bolts in a crisscross pattern, and the same again to snug them with a tork wrench to spec (i don't know what it would be, call a honda dealership and ask them, they'll tell you), and then fill with fluid (when car is returned to level groud). fluid capacity is in the manual. make sure to check for a while if it is leaking. if so, you messed up putting the gasket on (i've done it a few times ). and always use jack stands, it's time consuming to do this whole change, and jacks can kill ya.

[Black92LudeSI]

the color of the fluid should be a clearish redish color and of a good consistancy(not thin). If your fluid is this color than it's not the fluid its the trans or something else. Regardless you could drop the pan but this does not change out all of the fluid. I would suggest a transmission fluid flush. Basically a shop does it where they circulate new fluid through the entire transmission flushing out ALL of the old fluid. They do this with a special machine that pumps it through at a certain rate. I had this done on my auto 92 at 28,000 miles, (the fluid was turning brown). This usually costs around 80 bucks at a shop. If you do this beware though,,,,if you have never had the fluid changed and the mileage is high than doing this can ruin your tranmission all together. The new fluid will "flood" the transmission. This is a result of metal filings being flushed out with the old fluid. Many shops will not do it if they forsee this problem.
This should help...

[4-banger]

thanks for all your help guys!!! i checked the fluid and it was very low and brownish in color and the consistancy was very very thin, the guy i bought it from probably never even bothered to look at it. i went ahead and got some transmission fluid from honda and drained and refilled it, the improvement was amazing.

i understand that im only replacing the transmission fluid in the reservoir and there's still some more of it inside the tranny. but for now the car runs great (probably coz it was so low) and im thinking ill just let it run a but and let it circulate and drain and refill it again after 10,000 miles.

thanks for all the help guys!!!

[dbebesi]

good deal man, i'm glad that fixed it