SEAFOAM TRANS TUNE just added to Fragile Honda 5-speed Automatic Transmission

[discountdon]

I have 180,000+ miles on a Honda BVGA 5-speed Automatic Transmission behind the 3.5L SOHC V6, unknown service if any, has some shudder, some flares, the flashing 'D' light on the gear indicator, some clunking into reverse sometimes. Originally added a bottle of Lubegard Red, it eliminated pretty much all the shudder and flares. So I did a drain & refill 2x with Valvoline MaxLife Full Synthetic ATF. Obviously the original factory ZF-1 fill was blackened and very dirty to say the least. The transmission either didn't really like the thinner viscosity ML or maybe I disturbed alotta clutch material debris, and the flashing 'D' came on more frequently. A third or 3x drain & refill was done with Valvoline Import Full Synthetic ATF, much higher viscosity and the tranny liked it much better, the flashing 'D' only came on twice. All 3x drain & refills where done within 500 miles. Auto-RX Plus was ordered, mainly for this. After some research and thought I decided to go SEAFOAM TRANS TUNE before starting the RX. So this morning I drained about 16 oz of existing ATF and added 16 oz of Seafoam TT. 50 miles in today, I can feel a slight improvement, as in smoother shifting. I reason I went this route because Seafoam TT has been around much longer, purports to be safe, and other anonymous users on the interwebs testify it's effectiveness. I'm not looking for a hail-mary as my tranny isn't 100% shot. I'm thinking a double pronged attack using solvents and esters in two separate steps, with some minor overlap unavoidable. The end goal is to end up having the tranny completely filled wiith OEM Honda DW-1 ATF with LG Red at a concentration of between 1-2 oz per quart. My question is how long should I keep the Seafoam TT before dumping it? SF says as a preflush, drive at least 30 miles, and it can be left in as a conditioner, with it having such a Low Flashpoint... I can just keep it in for say for the next 300 - 1000 miles and it will eventually complete burn off right and leave me with 16 oz less in volume right??? I'm mainly using the third party universal ATF as prolonged carrier for this cleaning regime! Currently I'm just trying to figure how more many drain & refills before I start the RX, as Seafoam TT does have isopropanol in it. Will remnants of solvent and alcohol interfere or compete for space with RX? I know I gotta do at least another 1x (or maybe 2x) drain & refill before I start the second phase on RX for 1000 miles - then more drain & refills - YAY! Your thoughts? Or am I just wasting jugs and jugs of good ATF? THANKS for READING!

 

[kschachn]

Wow, just wow. I have no idea how you could ever decipher what you did or didn't do. If there is a problem with shuddering and flaring with the proper ATF then Seafoam isn't going to fix it. Remembering your previous posts is there anything you don't add a plethora of additives to?

 

[Mad_Hatter]

I've got no "advice" as I've seen or heard of more tranny's being ruined by a chemical flush than fixed, but maybe at this point you've got nothing to lose... (this is because most people I've seen resorting to a chemical flush are doing so on a worn tranny on it's last leg) Good luck...

 

[tdpark]

flashing D is usually 3rd and 4th pressure switches going bad. Easy and cheap fix as they are right next to driver side tire. Get the codes read if you can otherwise you are shooting in the dark.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Q: if the Lubegard eliminated all the shudder/flare, why did you drain it? Lubegard has additives that'll "replenish" a degraded fill... sure it'll be dirty but if it's running, why bother with a D&F??.. it's not like you're expecting to get another 100k out of it are you?

 

[vwmaniaman]

I used Berrymans B12 in the powerglide of a Corvair I bought at Amoco that they got from the owner for an estimate. It wouldn't shift into 2nd gear. Used 1/2 a bottle in it and drained it after it worked and drove about 50 miles and changed the fluid. Never had another problem with it.

 

[discountdon]

Originally Posted by kschachn

Wow, just wow. I have no idea how you could ever decipher what you did or didn't do. If there is a problem with shuddering and flaring with the proper ATF then Seafoam isn't going to fix it. Remembering your previous posts is there anything you don't add a plethora of additives to?

Like many here on BITOG, we go OCD!

Originally Posted by tdpark

flashing D is usually 3rd and 4th pressure switches going bad. Easy and cheap fix as they are right next to driver side tire. Get the codes read if you can otherwise you are shooting in the dark.

+1 absolutely, all very well detailed on odyclub & piloteers forumz

 

[discountdon]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Q: if the Lubegard eliminated all the shudder/flare, why did you drain it? Lubegard has additives that'll "replenish" a degraded fill... sure it'll be dirty but if it's running, why bother with a D&F??.. it's not like you're expecting to get another 100k out of it are you?

Because it was wicked dirty. After the initial 3x drain & fill, they never came back, currently I have no LG Red. I actually am expecting to get another 100k *wink *wink, the motor is strong and smooth, chasis straight.

 

[discountdon]

Originally Posted by vwmaniaman

I used Berrymans B12 in the powerglide of a Corvair I bought at Amoco that they got from the owner for an estimate. It wouldn't shift into 2nd gear. Used 1/2 a bottle in it and drained it after it worked and drove about 50 miles and changed the fluid. Never had another problem with it.

+1 PROPS for thinking outside the box, going against the grain and professional recommendations! Sure it was risky, but the rewards you harvested. Kind of like back in the day when B-12 had instructions for engine flush, like 15 minutes at idle.

 

[discountdon]

- I also contacted the manufacturer regarding what I can expect or an idea of evaporation of the Seafoam TT, just out of curiosity, which really was my main question I had. I post the reply from them if any soon. What I'm doing isn't exactly shocking nor drastic, it's just back to back treatments very close together. If was desperate, I would run KREEN in the tranny

 

[joegreen]

I don't have experience with the 5 speed but i do with the 4 speed baxa in my 2002 Accord 4cyl. My transmission has flaring issues. I tried amsoil, castrol import, dex 6, type f, and dw1. I tried the Honda fluid last because i find it hard to believe that it has to have honda fluid like alot of people say. Anyway so far i really like the dw1. It seems to shift best with it. Now as far as the seafoam transtune i would not worry about how long it says you can keep it in there. I put a can of transtune in and the transmission got much better. After running it a while i drained out some fluid and added another can. The transmission felt even better. I started to get concerned about the transtune thinning out the fluid so i left it as it was. I ran the transtune for 30k-40k miles and never had any adverse effects.

 

[demarpaint]

Wow. I'd be worried after adding all of that. I would have stuck with LG red OE fluid and a couple of 1000 mile runs then drain and fill. IMO the transmission is not long to this world.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by demarpaint

Wow. I'd be worried after adding all of that. I would have stuck with LG red OE fluid and a couple of 1000 mile runs then drain and fill. IMO the transmission is not long to this world.

+1 A few gentle flushes would either do it good or bring on the inevitable... Ive heard of old transmissions doing well with use of trans-x solvent, but it's always just chance.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by discountdon

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Q: if the Lubegard eliminated all the shudder/flare, why did you drain it? Lubegard has additives that'll "replenish" a degraded fill... sure it'll be dirty but if it's running, why bother with a D&F??.. it's not like you're expecting to get another 100k out of it are you?

Because it was wicked dirty. After the initial 3x drain & fill, they never came back, currently I have no LG Red. I actually am expecting to get another 100k *wink *wink, the motor is strong and smooth, chasis straight.

I know LG makes a "flush" but it doesn't contain any solvents and I think Amsoil makes a similar product. The LG product is all detergents and dispersants in esters, so it takes a "softer" approach than solvent based flushes. I woulda tried that first..but anywho, moving forward. Keep us posted, I'm curious to see how it works. If the engines still runs smooth maybe it's worth trying to keep that tranny running. I know at some point you have nothing to lose, right?

 

[HangFire]

discountdon, Your transmission shows the classic symptoms of the 4/5 and 4/5 shift sensors going bad, a common and inexpensive repair, I did mine (at 100K miles) for less than $100, and the Blinking D, shift flares and clunking into Reverse went away for another 100K miles. The transmission was toast 214K miles. Replacing the sensors is about as hard as an easy spark plug replacement.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by tdpark

flashing D is usually 3rd and 4th pressure switches going bad. Easy and cheap fix as they are right next to driver side tire. Get the codes read if you can otherwise you are shooting in the dark.

Several have mentioned this potential fix. I'd do this. Should take care of the flashing "D". Next I'd dump the current mix in the transmission and be doing a bunch of drain and fills with Honda DW-1. I wouldn't use any more additives or non-OEM fluids in the transmission. The correct fresh ATF may fix the shudder.

 

[mk378]

Flashing D light means that the computer has stored a code, which you should investigate before buying any more stuff.

 

[BAJA_05]

Agreed with dumping all in the tranny now & going with Honda DW-1 paired with Lube Guard Red. Of course, posters mentioned about fixing the sensors also. My Acura has strictly Honda DW-1 & Lube Guard Red, likes/luvs that combo.

 

[discountdon]

So I got a response from the manufacturer for my question: "Due to heat you will loose the lighter ends of Sea Foam and some volume but the cleaning oil that will dissolve and prevent varnish formation as the fluid ages will remain in the fluid many miles" I personally think Seafoam's line of products are overpriced, they are always 2x to 2.5x more expensive than Berryman's B-12 Chemtool. They both probably have less than $0.35 worth of raw materials inside their little cans. Their marketing in the additive industry to maintain such high prices and volume is nothing short of impressive, worth to teach in business school

 

[HangFire]

OK, so why do you go on and on about an additive (first positive and now negative) and refuse to address the probable mechanical issue that has been pointed out to you by 3 forum members? This seems to be a common thing with new low-post forum members.