1985 Accord 3 door Transmission issue ??

[eastwoodgeek]

OK, so here’s my problem. I just picked up a 1985 Accord 3-Door, Automatic, pretty good shape, 106K miles, really cheap. It runs pretty smooth, but once it shifts into D4 (about 50 MPH) if the slightest pressure is taken off the accelerator, then it will downshift to D3, and the engine speed will increase a few hundred rpm. Adding pressure to the accelerator will shift it back down, but then the car will speed up, and when you let off the accelerator to stay under 80, then the tranny shifts back down. And so on and so on. You get the picture It’s a little irritating, because the rest of the car is pretty nice. It’s also wasting fuel, and that’s not such a good idea right now. I think it’s going to make a good ‘project’ car, and get me to work and back, as well. I know it needs half-shafts, because there’s a really nice clunk shifting between 1st & 2nd and again a smaller one between 2nd & 3rd. and I’m planning on new struts all around, but want to wait till spring to start that.

Any hint’s where to start with this tranny issue??