overheated transmission
 

has anyone had problems with overheating their transmissions with grill blocks? I think i may have overheated the kitten's (my car) transmission. Now the transmission is slipping and searching for gears then slamming back into gear.

Is it all gears? you usually loose one gear or sometimes two seemingly unrelated gears, due to a clutch or band going bad and starting to slip.

If, once it finds the gear, it stays there without issue, it may be something in the valve body, like contamination causing a valve to stick.

Being in Canada, I wouldn't expect you to manage to overheat the trans unless towing or loaded to the limit quite often.

I have an automatic transmission 1993 Civic that now has transmission problems.
I made a habit of LOW SPEED engine on coasting in neutral.

At anything below 45 mph the engine would always have to rev high to match the transmission.
Above 45 mph, the transmission and engine matched seamlessly .

The transmission now works fine until around 14 miles when it warms up. Then the speedometer stops working as well as the odometer. The car won't shift into high gear and the mileage drops to mid twenties versus mid forties.

When using a grille block the transmission warms much faster .

Not sure if I just have s bad transmission or if there is a connection.

I'd search for common problems related to the focus before blaming the grill block. External cooler or in radiator cooler?

Sounds like a bad speed sensor if that model does not have a cable driven speedometer.

regards
Mech

On the grill block I made for an a/t vehicle I left a hole in it right in front of the trans cooler. Transmissions and excess heat do not get along.

I added a transmission oil cooler and additional fans (9" & 7")
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...02-00050-1.jpg

http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...02-00049-1.jpg

also installed a trans oil temperature guage:
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...q45mods006.jpg

all of this sitsas low as possible in front of the radiator. it is in the flow of the lower grill opening which is not blocked
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v.../mpgq45132.jpg
lower frill is open:
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...lowergrill.jpg

The gauge is digital, cost about $30. works nicely
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...IMG_2418-1.jpg

Does the trans fluid look or smell different?

If you mean a Vehicle Speed Sensor ( VSS ), I replaced that part already.


The transmission seems to work fine untill it warms up, then the speedometer and odometer both die.

Fluid level is fine and not burnt smelling. I tried replacing the filter to the transmission, but this generation of Civic does not have a serviceable filter for the transmission.

Should I start a dedicated thread ? Or if you feel up to it perhaps you can PM me OldMech.
You were helpful once before in the past when I needed advice on the car.

You KNOW burnt smelling fluid! It is one of the worst smells!

Cel?

have you check your transmission fluid level, usually it is low when it produce a lot of heat.

Something is toasted whether by heat, mileage or driving technique. I have heard that heat is what wears many slush boxes out. Perhaps a fluid change and a transmission cooler might bring it back for a while. Remove that grill block to see if that helps. If you are using your AC turn it off. Run the heater. What does your Scan gauge show? Any codes?

You have been making your transmission do things it was not designed for. ei: shifting into N and back to Drive. I am sure that the manufacturer did not anticipate owners doing that. Quit shifting your auto into N and back to D while rolling.

Looks like even mcrews expensive car must have a cooling issue with a grill block.

Everything is fixable. Keep telling yourself that you want to learn what the inside of your transmission looks like. :)

It may be different for honda, but most transmissions have an input and an output speed sensor. when you say the gauges go dead the first thing i think of is electrical.

I removed my lower grill block and already it is shifting better. I might add some seafoam tansmission cleaner to see if that helps more, but I have an apointment for a flush, filter and fill.

Have a look at the car's internals to see where the transmission fluid radiator is, and leave (at least) that end of the grille block open.

The tranny cooler is one of the things NOT to block when closing off the lower grille openings

If you are going to just have the fluid flushed out do it yourself since the trans filter is not being changed. Get a transfer pump and pump the fluid out replace the fluid drive it for a day and do it again. The torque converter will have old fluid in it even with a shop flushing it unless they have the trans running.

I just thought being a Ford you might have one of there sealed trans and I'm not sure how to access the fluid that way.

the fluid and filter were changed and there is no longer any hesitation. they said the fluid was a bit dark but didnt smell burnt. it was a former lease vehicle and i dont know when ithad the fluid changed last so i guess it cant hurt much but my wallet. after i got the fluid changed i filled the gas tank and added a can of Seafoam. I took a spirited drive through the gaspereau valley road to mix the seafoam into the fuel and to give it an italian tuneup. it felt like it got more responsive after about 5 kms. It could just be a placebo effect!

Valid concern. Not all vehicles route the tranny cooler through the radiator coolant which means if the coolant over heats so does the tranny fluid. Some just use a metal tube or a small core off to the side or in front of or below the drivers side head lamp behind the bumper. :eek:

This!
I was having radiator probelrms (ranch road dirt and dust had clogged it up!) and installed the coolers and the gauge to keep an I on it.