(CL9) Sticky third gear

**someon3** · 13-08-2012 10:35 AM

Hi all

I just got myself a 2004 Accord Euro (auto), touch wood, the car run well ,I like it a lot.

It's only the battery was re-surrected (probably gonna get change soon) after it'd been left un-move for a year and the third gear is a little sticky (doesn't go into 4th gear, driving in city around 2200rpm/approximately 60km) unless being force to shift into 4th gear. But it doesn't do this all the time, and high way driving is no problem. Love the V-tec at 4000rpm

Anyone else experiencing the same problem? (gear box and engine oil looks clear still, between markers when engine is cold)

Also I'm curious to find out your mileage. I'm averaging 11.1l/100km city driving mostly and I don't drive like a lunatic (floor it after red light).

**melbeuro** · 13-08-2012 10:45 AM

lol. do you mean your battery was re wired? as in the terminals were replaced and in turn the battery too? doesn't go into 4th gear? That doesn't sound right at all. have you tried to start your car. remain still for a while and put the car into first and go through all the gears one by one including reverse? see if you can get it in. Now correct me if I'm wrong but I thought vtec on cl9s are implemented at 6000rpm.

**someon3** · 13-08-2012 10:56 AM

I'm an absolutely noob, this's the first Honda for me. But I thought Vtec kicks in at 4krmp? I'm surely feel it flies around that mark. so pls correct me if I'm wrong too.

I forgot to mention I have an auto.

Hehe do I write that difficult to understand? I meant the car run fine. Just sometime it doesn't go from 3rd gear into 4th gear automatically and I can feel the engine revving a little, and when I notice that I put it into 4th gear manually then it could shift without drama.

Regarding the battery, I meant when I picked up the car the battery was flat because the car hasn't been driven for a year. I just jump started the car and drive on. In your opinion, do I need to replace the battery? It start with a tiny tiny "lag", I don't know if replacing the battery would fix it or if the battery would die out on me.

**roony** · 14-08-2012 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by someon3

I'm an absolutely noob, this's the first Honda for me. But I thought Vtec kicks in at 4krmp? I'm surely feel it flies around that mark. so pls correct me if I'm wrong too.

the cl9 ivtec kicks in at 6000rpm. Its different for every model/engine.

As far as tiny lag while starting, that is normal. I at first I thought the same when I bought this, but that is how it is.

And your car was off for a year? I hope you did a service to change the oil (+filter) and other fluids as necessary.

**Fredoops** · 14-08-2012 11:28 PM

change the auto fluid...

jUst do it.

**someon3** · 15-08-2012 12:44 AM

the tranny fuild is getting changed this weekend.

Any got a service manual and user manual for a CL9 that I can have a copy pls. Mine doesn't come with one when I got it.

This's gonna be the first time I'm changing fluid for any car. Shall I stick with normal drain and refill? Or should I attempt the "drain, re-fill, remove connection at radiator, start car and wait for the old fuild to be pump out while keep pouring new ATF DW1 in and stop engine once the fluid is clean, put back hose to radiator?" I saw that on youtube I'd like that if possible. Would that be too extreme for a noob?

I'm looking to get some ATF DW1, where do you get your ATF DW1 from? And do I need about 7L for the whole flush and change?

**Fredoops** · 15-08-2012 05:25 AM

Do the drain drive fill instead of the pipe disconnect "hot flush method" cause it's more risky

ATF dw1 is avail from Honda spare parts

**someon3** · 16-08-2012 04:19 PM

I just got the car look at by a mechanic I've gone to in the last couple of year. He said only the engine oil (it was nasty) and filter and break fluid needed to be changed despite that I told him I want a big service at 80Km.

I saw him replace the oil with castrol 10-40w and just an OEM Toya (no it's not a typo it's not Toyota) oil filter, he checked the tranny fluid and drive test it quickly and said transmission is ok, fluid is clear red (i see it too). I think the guy is ok, however, should I be worry about tranny fluid? or the oil grade he put in and non Honda filter? I notice everyone is using 5-30 grade oil.

I'm still getting some ATF DW1 from Collins Honda in rockdale today and will drain some and top up some in the weekend and update if the sticky gear goes away. I reckon having peace of mind that ATF DW1 is gonna be in the tranny totally worth it.

**HunterZero** · 16-08-2012 04:37 PM

Do you have the service history of the car? Was the transmission fluid replaced before? Was non-Honda ATF fluid used? If you don't have the service history, it's probably a good idea to flush and replace ALL the ATF to make sure you have the right fluid in there and don't have a mix.

I'd recommend you top off the charge in the battery with a charger too, if it was completely flat, or at least get it checked. Disconnect the -ve black terminal, then the +ve terminal before you charge. Reconnect the terminals in the reverse order. Disconnecting the battery will reset some of the settings in the engine like the fuel trims, the car will re-learn as you drive it afterwards.

- HZ

**ChaosMaster** · 16-08-2012 05:01 PM

I don't own an Auto CL9, but I would say that a reason for the engine not wanting to shift to 4th could be based on the previous owners driving style, of which may have been a more aggressive style, which is why the gearbox is holding gears a bit longer. A reset would fix that. Another thing could possibly be because the K24 doesn't really have that much torque below 2k rpm, which is why the transmission isn't really programmed to shift unless you're cruising and no acceleration is needed.

**aaronng** · 17-08-2012 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by someon3

I saw him replace the oil with castrol 10-40w and just an OEM Toya (no it's not a typo it's not Toyota) oil filter, he checked the tranny fluid and drive test it quickly and said transmission is ok, fluid is clear red (i see it too). I think the guy is ok, however, should I be worry about tranny fluid? or the oil grade he put in and non Honda filter? I notice everyone is using 5-30 grade oil.

10w-40 is fine, but I suspect he used Magnatec, which is a mineral oil that starts breaking down at about 7000km. You should be able to feel the engine becoming rough by then.

**aaronng** · 17-08-2012 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by someon3

Hi all

I just got myself a 2004 Accord Euro (auto), touch wood, the car run well ,I like it a lot.

It's only the battery was re-surrected (probably gonna get change soon) after it'd been left un-move for a year and the third gear is a little sticky (doesn't go into 4th gear, driving in city around 2200rpm/approximately 60km) unless being force to shift into 4th gear.

Sounds normal for Honda's smart autobox. Because the engine doesn't make mountains of torque at low RPM, the ECU doesn't let the gearbox shift into 4th when you are at 2200rpm and it detects city-type driving because it would take it down to about 1300-1500rpm and cause engine lugging. If you do do the same speed in 3rd gear downhill, then it should detect the downhill and shift into 4th. This is a feature called Honda Grade Logic.