Hi everyone,
I own a 2001 Honda Odyssey with 67,000 miles. I have the factory manual and a code reader. The MIL, or check engine light, turned on a few months ago and I discovered a trouble code (P0 740) which is is the torque converter clutch solenoid circuit code. I drove the car thinking if the code was valid I'd notice a problem with converter lock-up. The only problem displayed by the transmission was a delayed 1/2 upshift -- accelerate at any rate other than slowly, and the transmission refuses to shift until 3500 to 4000 RPM is reached. From that point on, the transmission performs normally, including lock-up. At least it appears to be locking up -- engine RPM at highway speeds seems normal. Finding no problem with converter lock-up, I erased the code. I did have to replace all motor mounts, however. The engine was flopping around like a fish out of water--apparently a common problem with Hondas.
Not much later, the check engine light came on again, and the same trouble code is displayed on my reader. I read the Honda service manual section pertaining to checking the Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid Valve-Shift Solenoid Valve A, and it checks OK. Going back to the manual, I reread the section pertaining to diagnostics procedures following display of the DTC 740 code and it says to check the transmission line pressure -- before doing much of anything else. Checking line pressure requires about five pressure gages, jacking the car off the ground, and running it through an acceleration sequence during which you are to record the pressures of the various clutch circuits. The manual advises that the transmission is to be replaced if any of the line pressures are found to be low. Elsewhere in the manual, it advises to check the converter O-ring and install a new one if it's found to be missing or bad. If it looks okay, we're back to replacing the transmission.
At this point, I'm wondering what to do next. I suppose the line-pressure test is feasible, but I'll have to buy the gages and adapt them to do the test. I don't want to go to that trouble, if it's likely the transmission will have to be replaced anyway. Does anyone know if the DTC 740 code is triggered when the line pressure is low? It seems logical that some other sensor would report a pressure problem and that the DTC 740 code would pertain specifically to the torque converter clutch solenoid. Any suggestions? Thanks for any help in advance...
Ron in Chandler, AZ
