[randar]

Sometimes while driving my 90LS, the car won't downshift when I accelerate say... to pass someone. It's been doing it for a while. I just flushed the tranny and put some Honda ATF in it. It does shift better now in normal driving but still doesn't always downshift when I accelerate. I'm talking about speeds around 35-45 mph.

Anyone have this problem?

 

[89LCoupe]

kickdown cable

Sounds like the kickdown cable, it determines the change point depending on the throttle position and can have too much play in it, meaning the tranny stays in higher gears. It's the cable off the throttle body which goes over the top of the intake piping.
Others with manuals will be able to tell you the correct amount of play in the cable but I think it is an easy adjust.

might want to check to see if the AT computer is holding any codes just in case anything else is wrong.

on the coupe the at comp is next to the ECU under the passenger seat carpet (under glovebox). It is the yellow lamp.

good luck

rich

 

[bob b]

89 Coupe, could you explain some more about the AT computer and the meaning of the codes? My tranny sometimes shudders at low speeds but not when in S3 mode. Thanks

 

[Bukowski=Legend]

Re: kickdown cable

Sounds like the kickdown cable, it determines the change point depending on the throttle position and can have too much play in it, meaning the tranny stays in higher gears. It's the cable off the throttle body which goes over the top of the intake piping.
Others with manuals will be able to tell you the correct amount of play in the cable but I think it is an easy adjust.
...
good luck

rich

gotta go with rich on the cable... went through that when I rigged up my BA K&N...

 

[AcuraGuy]

yes my car does that as well, but only at speeds above 60. i found out that i have to fully floor it into the fibers of the carpet in order for it to downshift at speeds above 60. normally i can near floor it and it will downshift. i thinik thats just how the car is designed. but for your problem i guess id go with what every1 else is saying.

 

[jd's1990coupe]

im not sure so ive gotta ask...

you driving a manual or an automatic? the way you are describing downshifting is confusing me. maybe im just tired today..

in my 5speed, if im in say 5th gear on the freeway and I need more torque/rpm I'll drop it into 4th or even 3rd to gain that extra power which allows me to pass. Thats downshifting.

 

[mad_bishop]

common L5 transmission problems:

downshifting problem: most likly the kickdown cable.

Upshifting probems: shift solenoid, bad countershaft, bad in-out shaft, or clutchpacks.

these are mosted over and over again. The L5 just wasn't that well designed IMHO, since everyone I know with a G1 auto experiences all the same problems. I don't like Honda AT's at all after this car and a few others I've tested.

 

[89LCoupe]

trannyu codes

I'm not sure I can add too much to what I said before. AT's have a computer with a diagnostic led which holds the codes when there is a fault. Like I said, on the coupe it's next to the ECU nder the carpet by the passenger's feet. its an amber bulb so you dont confuse it with the red ECU.
You don't need to go poking around there unless your d4 light on the gear position indicator starts flashing. This is the equivalent of the check engine light coming on. D4 will flash when the tranny comp picks up a fault code, and if it's a hard fault it gets displayed as a number of flashes by the tranny comp.
However, my manual has no listing of these codes, so I can't diagnose shyyt myself. My D4 flashed for a bout a minute a few weeks ago and I had the car into a tranny specialist quick smart as I am paranoid about dropping the AT. Turned out to be nothing a fluid change couldn't sort out.

re downshifting - the cable is reasonably sensitive to adjustment, and excess play will definately cause the downshifting stickiness described. I experienced this when I moved the bracket holding the downshift cable to play around with some CAI piping a while back. Again, sorry I can't tell you how much play this cableshould have as I don't have my manual at work.

Rich