Here is my problem as I mention before. Shifting problems when going from 3rd to 4th in a Automatic it seems to jerk and then when I'm coming to a stop it pulls/jerks when I get to 20mph. What do you think the problem might be? :mad::(

Change transmission fluid, using Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF.

Thanks a bunch Texas Grease Monkey.. Are you online everyday? I'm going to Change the Tranny Fluid and then I'll keep my fingers crossed. From Charlene

Yes.

I helped a friend change the transmission fluid and filter in a 1995 F-150 about two months ago. It had 185,000 miles on it and was not well maintained. You could barely even feel the transmission shift, prior to working on it. After dropping and cleaning the pan, draining the torque converter, installing a new filter, and refilling with Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF, it shifted like a new truck. My buddy couldn't believe the difference.

Hopefully, you'll experience the same results. Up and downshifts are sooo much better with synthetic ATF.

It's best to drain all of the old fluid. This link should help:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-trucks/faq-how-troubleshoot-repair-maintain-hondas-46563-5.html#post552241

Cool I sure hope this works out for me. I've already changed the Shifting Solenoid thinking this might be the problem and then I just changed the VSS thinking that might be the problem but no luck.. Okay now do you know where the tranny plug is on this? I am a female that's why so many questions...

Should be on the passenger's side of the transaxle. Likely a 3/8" plug. Be sure to change the fluid, after the car reaches normal operating temperature. This provides a faster and more complete drain, where dirt doesn't adhere to the sides of the transmission. After refilling, be sure to run the gear shift selector through each gear, pausing five seconds each time. Check final fluid level, when the transmission is hot and in Park. Remove transmission dip stick, prior to removing the drain plug.

Once you solve this problem and determine the car is a "keeper," start using Mobil 1 5W-30 in the engine. This is particularly important for single women, to prevent major engine/transmission problems.

I'm going to give it a shot on Friday since I have the day off. Oh by the way does the mileage matter on this vehicle? It has 246,000, but we just put another tranny in it that has 100,000 on it. When we got the car the tranny was shot, so we got a used tranny from a friend and had it installed. So I'm going to stop at Wal-Mart on my way home from work today and get the Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. Oh yeah by the way Happy Thanksgiving. Any other advice is always welcome.

Mileage should not be an issue.

Be sure to change all of the brake fluid--very important. Here are some recommended preventive maintenance items:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-trucks/faq-how-troubleshoot-repair-maintain-hondas-46563.html#post219991

Find out if your transmission pan has a screen inside that needs cleaning.

If it has a screen inside of it does it need to come out? If so this means dealing with the tranny.. I hope not then it turns into $$$. I hope by just changing the fluid and the brake fluid will do the job.

Just remove the drain plug (3/8" ratchet) and drain the fluid. Tighten drain plug to 36 lb-ft. Skip cleaning the screen.

Only change the brake fluid, if you know how to properly bleed brakes. It's a very important item to do--I just don't want you doing it, unless you have help.

You got it, I know how to bleed brakes, I've done those before and actually we haven't done anything with the brakes on this car since we got it. This car did sit for a while too. What is the purpose of bleeding the brakes?

Eliminate moisture, air, prevent vapor lock, and ensure brakes work really well. It also replaces the lubricity of the fluid, insuring the calipers and wheel cylinders fuction properly and last a long time.

When you remove the transmission drain plug, you will only drain half the fluid. The other half will remain in the torque converter.

WOW all that huh... Okay I will let you know the outcome of the job. Maybe I'll email you on Friday when all is done. Not unless I have something else to ask you today.

So only half of the fluid will come out then and the rest will stay in the torque converter or do I need to stop it with something?

It should be an easy job. If you want to change all of the fluid, read the link I gave you earlier. Otherwise, change it now and change it again later.

I didn't get it, not all of the fluid will come out? The fluid remaining in the tranny will be what's in the torque? So the link says to clean out tranny pan with brake cleaner and so on. Will do... I'm signed on all day just in case you need to let me know something else.

Yes, the remaining fluid will be in the torque converter.

I don't think your transmission has a pan. Therefore, remove the drain plug and drain as much fluid as possible. Then, replace the drain plug and add 2.5 quarts (initial fill) through the fill tube. Disconnect the transmission return line from the bottom of the radiator, start the engine and pump out an additional 3.9 quarts of fluid. For each quart pumped out, add a quart to the fill tube.

Initial fill: 2.5 quarts
Total fill: 6.4 quarts

As you can see, removing the drain plug will only remove 2.5 quarts of old fluid--3.9 quarts of dirty fluid will remain in the torque converter and transmission lines.

One final thought. Remove the negative battery cable overnight. This will reset the ECM and force the computer to relearn all of the proper shift points for how you drive. Do this after you change the transmission fluid.

I knew you would think of something else.. You don't know how much I appreciate your help in this matter.. I'll be around until 3:30pm California time.

Hello there I did the tranny change and I drained 3 quarts out of it. It seems to be a little better, but it still jerks a little, I'm thinking once I change the fluid again then all of the old fluid will come out and it should do better. So when should I change the tranny fluid again? That stuff is expensive here $7.00 a quart.

Drain it again in a month or so. Give the detergents in the Mobil 1 a chance to clean things out. Remember to disconnect the negative battery terminal overnight and force the ECM to relearn shift points.

I disconnected the terminal cable overnight, so do I do this every time I drain the tranny fluid?

I would. Did it seem to help?

It did help some, but I figured there is still old tranny fluid in it, and when I took off the plug it was really dirty so I cleaned it up.

If the old fluid was brown, black or smelled burned, then I would drain it again right away.

Mobil 1 might be expensive, but it's the cheapest thing you can do to get maximum life, performance, and gas mileage from the transmission. Obviously, it's best to use it when the vehicle is new.

It was still redish when I drained it.

I would let it go, then, for a month or two and see if the shifting steadily improves.

I know that's why I got it. It was very hard to find too. At Wal-mart they only had like 3 quarts in stock and then at Autozone they only had a few too.. Must be high in demand too.. Oh yeah would you happen to know what kind of gear fluid I would use for a 1998 Saturn SL1 Manual tranny 5 speed? I'm going to do this car next. Mind you I drive like 160 miles round trip to work and home so I do rack in the miles.

My son's wife drives a Saturn Coupe in Los Angeles and we use Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in it.

Is this Saturn a Automatic or Manual? I have a Manual 5 speed. So wouldn't it be called gear oil or is it called something else?

Her's is a manual 5-speed. I used to have a 1992 Saturn and it also used ATF in the manual transmission. It's common these days for ATF to be used in manual trannys--it improves gas mileage (lower viscosity) and they shift easier. It's super simple to change the transaxle fluid on Saturns.

Where do I fill it back up at? I guess I would just drain it like I drained the other. I thought since it's a manual tranny I would do something different.

There was a red dipstick on my Saturn. Lift it up to unlock it a just pull it out. It was located on the driver's side of the transaxle. Use a long-neck funnel to refill (likely just under two quarts).

If you are putting that kind of mileage on your Saturn each day, be sure to use 5W-30 Mobil 1 in the engine. Change it every 6,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first.

Actually I just had the oil changed and I did use 5 -30 but it wasn't Mobil 1, so on my next oil change I'll switch to Mobil 1. I did the oil change on Sunday for the Saturn.

I'm proud of you. You are doing the right thing. Using top-quality lubricants helps you avoid the big, unexpected expense in life (surprise engine or tranmission repair). It allows you to get ahead. It's penny-wise and pound foolish to use conventional lubricants, instead of synthetics.

Wow, I work at a Law Firm here in Menlo Park, California as a Records Supervisor. The Traffic in LA a nightmare, it's a good thing they have you to help them out.

I always wanted my son to be interested in working on cars, but it wasn't to be.

I used to live in the Santa Monica mountains, just north of Malibu. I still miss the place a lot. I have to come out and get my "fix" regularly.

Yep it's a good trade to know. Especially when you go to a dealership and they tell you some outrageous price on a repair and the majority of the cost goes to labor.

What made you move to Texas? You heard about all of the fires they have been having down south? Crazy

You got that right. I use to live here in the bay area closer to work, but the price of housing here is horrible, so that's why I moved to Modesto and bought a house, but this was before the economy got so bad. If only I could find a job here in modest to pay me what I get paid in the bay area it would be a life saver.

L.A. traffic is brutal on cars. I used to work on Wilshire Blvd. and remember only too well what it was like.

With the price of labor these days, you can't afford not to use synthetics.

Yep the Labor is something like $65 t0 $75 an hour and that's if you are a return customer and you know someone.

Usually $100+/hour.

Either way it goes you got to pay the $$$, Just like DMV and the Court house. Something you can't get out of paying.

So since I put the 5-30w in this weekend I shouldn't change it for 6,000 miles or 6 months? The reason is because this is a much thicker oil.

With the helps on this site, you can keep a car going strong for 250,000 to 350,000 miles and not spend much money doing it. At most games, you win by playing good defense. It's the same thing with the game of life.

Update: Well on my way home last night it seems like the car was still doing the same thing it was doing before I drained the tranny fluid. On the way into work it seemed fine, but I think after it gets warmed up/stop-n-go traffic it starts the same old act. When I drained the tranny fluid I just drained it from the tranny and not the radiator lines, would this have something to do with it? I didn't do the brakes yet either, will do them on Sunday. Since the plug was so dirty I might have to see if this tranny has a screen and clean it now huh? I hope not.

I would drive it more and see if it improves. It may have been somewhat sludged up. Driving it may help dissolve any varnish and sludge that developed. Internal hydraulic pressures may improve, over time, and it will start shifting better.

Okay, but its not going to hurt anything. I usually drive it 2 days and then drive the Saturn 3 days. So I should drive the Honda the rest of the week then?

Go with your gut, but I would try it.

I'm going too. I'm going to drive it the rest of the week, by letting it sit at home its not going to mix the new tranny fluid up and run through it. I see you are a pretty busy guy on here. I saw all of the other answers you give out too. It must be a full time job for you.

Dropping and cleaning the pan, changing the filter/screen, and replacing the fluid is all most people can do to maintain transmissions. If it's beyond that, you are locking at a big repair bill.

I forgot it doesn't have a pan.

Your's just has a housing--no pan. I think all you will be able to do is to drain it again or undo the return line from the radiator and flush out what's in the converter and lines. After what you've done, I would just drain the housing again, refill it, and let it go at that.

Well I'm going to run it the rest of the week and then I'm going to undo the return line and see what happens. If some improvement then I will redrain all of it.

That's about all you can do. If you think it may be really sludged up, look into Auto-Rx. It is an ester-based product that will safely clean engines and transmissions. Check it out online. I would give the Mobil 1, first, a chance.

Keep in mind that you changed less than half of the fluid last time. Having all of it changed may affect internal hydraulic pressures, so that it will shift properly.

I dropped and cleaned the pan, installed a new filter, and drained the torque converter on a buddy's F-150, with 185,000 miles on it, several months ago. Before you could not even feel it shift; afterwards, it shifted like a new truck. I used Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. He still can't get over the difference.

So with the Auto-RX should I get the one for Tranny?

I would only Auto-Rx your tranny, if the current "game plan" doesn't work. There's no guarantee even Auto-Rx will solve the problem--it could be something more seriously wrong with it.

This is why having a good preventive maintenance program, where you use the best lubricants right from the start, is the best (and cheapest) way to go. As a records supervisor, start a Maintenance Log on each of your vehicles. Just have Date, Mileage, and Maintenance Performed. Look at it regularly. I keep mine on Microsoft Word--it makes it very easy to stay on top of things. It turns it into a game.

I do keep a record on the cars, but since we just got this one I'm going to create one this car too. Yeah I'm going to do the other draining through the radiator and then my last result will be to do the Auto-Rx. So I'm wondering by the end of the week the Mobil 1 that I put in will have at least work its way through some of the tranny. Well I guess it looks like another Sunday of working on cars. So my first step: Drain fluid from radiator hose, now should I drain it out of the tranny again too? I already know to disconnect the battery cable overnight. (neg)

At this stage, I don't think you need to disconnect the return line from the radiator. I would just drain it again and refill it. That should be more than good enough to see if the old ATF was responsible for poor shifting.

If you decide to Auto-Rx the transmission, they don't recommend using it with synthetic ATF. Auto-Rx prefers conventional ATF. Afterwards, you can certainly use your Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. You just need to reflect on whether you believe sludge/varnish could be responsible for the poor shifting or whether there's something fundamentally wrong with it.

k, will do it this Sunday. Now I noticed when we got the Mobil 1 they had 2 different kinds one was Mercon and the other was for import cars. The guy at Autozone said it didn't matter what one we used.

I would also take a battery squeeze bulb (turkey baster) and partially change the power steering fluid on each car. Your Saturn can use Valvoline SynPower Power Steering Fluid, which is a partial synthetic. It's approved for GM applications. On your Honda, use only Genuine Honda Power Steering Fluid. Power steering gear and rack assemblies can run $2,000 if they go. With the mileage you put on your cars, this area should not be overlooked.

This is the one I would use:

Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF (http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_1_Synthetic_ATF.aspx)

I'm not familiar with the one for imports. Always check the car manufacturer's requirements with the fluid you are buying. I would never rely on auto parts clerks, quick change outfits, or most mechanics for advice on lubricants. I can't believe what I've heard over the years.

This is the one I used, but I did notice the other kind Mobil 1 - Mercon V.

It is Mercon and Mercon V approved. Ford specifies Mercon and Mercon V. My 2000 Ford Taurus requires Mercon V in the transmission. I use the Mobil 1 product in the link. On Fords, you can use the Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in the transmission and the power steering unit, which I do.

I know when the guy at Auto Zone told me it doesn't matter which one you use, I was like oh no, he doesn't know what he's talking about. It stated on the back of the ATF Jug for Hondas

Most of these guy don't know what they are talking about, unfortunately. Best thing to do is check your Owner's Manual, or possibly transmission dip stick, and see what's specified.

It sounds like you are fine.

The car didn't come with the owners manual so it's a hit and miss situation. I looked on eBay to purchase one, but nothing yet.

This link, then, should help you:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-trucks/faq-how-troubleshoot-repair-maintain-hondas-46563.html#post219991

So for the Oil in both cars "Honda & Saturn" use 5-30W Mobil 1? So then I won't need to change the oil as often as I do now. I change it every 3000 miles, but this is a quaker state oil.

Correct. Change it every 6,000 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. I would also recommend that you use one of the premium oil filters that are on the market; e.g. Purolator's Pure One or the Mobil 1 filter. They have a synthetic filtering medium that filters to 10 microns, rather than 20-30 microns on regular filters. It's not necessary but, if you can get them on sale, it's definitely worth it in the long-run.

Chemistry has a lot to do with properly maintaining a car. Synthetic oil consists of "designer" molecules, precisely engineered for the application. Conventional oil consists of oil molecules of an assortment of sizes and shapes. The light molecules evaporate or oxidize first on conventional oil, which are burned in the cylinders or begin to contaminate the emission system. Since synthetic oil molecules are the same size and shape, they have less friction and are much more chemically stable at high and low temperatures. It's like marbles of the same size versus varying size. All military and commercial jets only use synthetic turbine oil--there's a reason for it. Since the chemistry of synthetic oil is much more stable than conventional oil, service intervals can be safely extended. In Europe, where many drivers have used synthetics for years, the average drain interval is 10,000+ miles.

Similarly, using the proper antifreeze and distilled water affects the car's ability to cool--again, it's chemistry. Distilled water is pure and doesn't have minerals, which will buildup and block the radiator. The wrong antifreeze can attack gaskets and metals in the engine and cooling system. Huge damage can result. I can go on and on from brake fluid to grease. You get the picture.

k, will do. So now I have another Sunday of working on cars.. Yippee..

Using synthetics will reduce your time taking care of your cars by a lot. Synthetics in the engine and transmission should increase gas mileage by 8 to 10%.