My 2002 Honda Accord has about 85k miles and has been driven in severe mid-west weather for the past 5 years. On a recent examination, the dealer pointed out that the transmission fluid was contaminated/burnt and recommended a transmission fluid exchange. Is this necessary? Also, is this same as a transmission fluid flush - some online forums suggest that a flush can itself result in transmission issues.Thanks!
There are a couple companies out there. Ridley comes to mind. You could also put a centrifugal clutch on any bike. That lets you shift gears without a clutch lever. You could convert the foot shifter to a suicide shifter. It wouldn't be the easiest bike to ride but you could at least get the bike you wanted.
Replacing burnt or near burnt fluid CAN help the transmission. keeping the fluid in will only make things worse. My Jeeps transmission stopped shifting at around 90k miles, the fluid was brown, we had it flushed and replaced the filter and the transmission worked great again. It now has 180k miles on it, and has had 2 fluid changes (from the pan) since that incident. Dont listen to people who say replacing the fluid can make things worse leaving the fluid in there can make things worse. and if your transmission is slipping and not shifting anymore flushing it isnt going to make it any worse lol. in fact its the only thing you can try before a rebuild. When you do a flush make sure the flush isnt with a cleaning agent, the flush needs to be done with the transmission fluid. DO NOT let them flush it with a cleaning agent first. have them flush it with fresh fluid only. And only fluid recomended by Honda. dont let shops use Dextron.
You can try doing a fluid exchange. But make sure they do not use cleaners. Should only be done by using transmission fluid. The an 02 Accord does not have a trans pan. The filter is not serviceable with the transmission in the car. If it is giving you any shifting problems this will probably not work. Most common problems with these units is the converter clutch, 2nd gear pressure switch and the 1/2 drums are bad about cracking at the weld. If the fluid is burnt like you said go ahead and start saving your money now. It will need rebuilding eventually.
do not do a flush or use any cleaning agents in a can. This can do more harm than good. Its best to do what the manufacturer recommends, which is usually droppin,g the pan, replacing the filter and gasket cleaning and replacing pan and just replacing fluid that was in the pan. I would pay for two transmission services 20,000 miles apart before doing a flush. Transmission fluid is high detergent already, and introducing harsh chemicals can cause more problems than they solve. Keeping up on the transmission service and oil changes is the key to longevity in most cars and trucks today. I would not use a dealer for this, most are known for upselling routine maintenance more often than necessary which is what a lot of those jiffy lube type places do to. I find this practice pathetic its in the name of greed to replace something that is fine for a few years in some cases, I have even had one shop put clean oil on a dirt smudge to make the gear oil look dirty. When I informed him it was just changed, he never said a word, but the next day I smelled gear oil, and went straight to my mechanic, and the little prick at jiffy lube had left the bolt out of the rear end when he checked it. Do not go to any place but a trusted mechanic, there is no honor anymore, just greedy lube shops stealing from hard working people.
Honda makes autmatics but you still need to hold the bike up. Try the Can Am Spyder, it may have an auto.
