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Car comes to an immediate stall when shifted into gear

Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 HONDA ACCORD
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 242,000 MILES
I have the car listed above EX model and it runs perfectly fine at park and neutral gears. Able to rev and basically let it do it's thing. However, when I out the car into drive it instantly jerks and comes to a halt and shuts off. Almost as if the engine just seized up.

I can put it back into park and or neutral and it will instantly start again as if nothing were wrong. Until I try to go back into gear.

At first it would sputter to a stop and eventually manifested into this seize halt. I did disconnect the solenoids and at one point it would go into drive and choke and I could switch it out keeping it alive but it would grind almost as if you were trying to shift and your foot slipped off the clutch to soon.

Fluid color is still bright red as it first came. There are no leaks that I can see unless it's so trivial it isn't causing any drips.

Also at one point I took the VSS out and back in (cleaned it) upon reinstalling the speedometer would read 10 mph at a stop and when out into drive it did the same grind and started choking. When I took it out and it started working correctly (The VSS) it did the same seize up with no attempt to stay alive

Details on vehicle:
F22a4 natural aspiration motor with a 1991 Accord LX transmission. Currently using my EX torque converter. (Not sure if mixing the converters is causing this lock up) this is all happening after a rebuild. At
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Friday, May 22nd, 2020 AT 8:07 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Long story short, yes this is most likely the torque converter. I am not sure if it is due to being from a different model but it is most likely from the converter.

What happens is most likely the converter is locked up all the time. So when in park and neutral the transmission is not connected due to the converter being disengaged, same thing in reverse. However, when shifting to forward gears it is applying the converter when it shouldn't. This is the same effect as in a manual transmission when you put it in gear and let the clutch out without accelerating, it just stalls.

When you rebuilt the transmission, was the valve-body taken apart and rebuilt or was it replaced, or just left alone?

This may not be just the converter, it may be the control side that is applying the converter at the wrong time. So just give a little more detail on what was done during the rebuild and we can go from there. Thanks
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 7:58 AM
Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
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  • 6 POSTS
Oh the transmission wasn't rebuilt. I purchased it used. I rebuilt the engine.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 1:27 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
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Okay. There is no easy way to do this on your vehicle. On more modern vehicles, we can monitor with a scan tool for RPM but I don't think that is monitored on your vehicle.

If it were me and you bought the transmission used, I would replace the converter and go from there. This is based on experience but if you want to confirm this, then we will need to inspect the system including the lock up solenoids.

The other option, is if you purchased the unit from a business or at least not "as is" contact them and tell them it is stuck in lock up.

Let me know what questions you have. Thanks
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 9:06 PM
Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
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  • 6 POSTS
I was just about to start taking it apart. The solenoid is an easy start what should I look for? Now I was going to switch the converters to see. However the lx drive plate nor the converter have timing marks. Can I trust if I set before I tare down the timing would hold sound using the little notch on the crankshaft journal that the drive plate seats to? Also I don't recall filling the TC fluid prior to installing. I know it always has some in it but a lot did spill out due to me sitting it on its "neck" could that cause this issue? Regardless I guess we'll never know until it's apart. Is there any way to manually "unlock" it via some analog mechanism just to see if that's possible as a issue?

Also I don't remember if I seated it correctly. But regardless wouldn't connected the engine to the transmission finish seating it up? Also regardless would that cause this locking issue?
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 9:37 PM
Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
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  • 6 POSTS
I found something odd probably overlooked it on install. Is this vacuum tube just a vent? It is right underneath the transmission side mount passenger.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 AT 11:52 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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  • 18,907 POSTS
As for the torque converter and timing, I am not sure what you are referring too. You do not need to worry about timing on a converter because it just goes into the transmission and then bolts to the engine via the flex plate. The engine is the only thing that needs to be timed, not timed to the transmission.

As for the fluid, it is a good idea to put some fluid in it so that it doesn't take as long to fill the unit after the install. However, if you put the minimum amount in and then warm the engine and top it off, you will be just fine.

Lastly, I don't recognize that line. It looks like a vent but what is it coming off of?
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Sunday, May 24th, 2020 AT 7:46 PM
Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
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I got to the converter earlier today and it turns out it was not seated fully on the transmission shaft. For the timing I was referring to the drive plate that connects the converter to the crank shaft. It doesn't have timing marks on the drive plate to time it via the engine access hole in the block below the radiator to cylinder head hose. I'll throw a picture up(those marks aren't on the lx plate but are on the ex plate and was wondering if that'd effect setting the end timing. Also the ex plate doesn't fit on the lx converter it is a little bit smaller a diameter.

As for the hose I am not sure but it is directly under the transmission passenger side mount. I'm not home to look currently but I will double look. I didn't plan on pulling the transmission since the drive plate not being seated hopefully was the issue.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2020 AT 8:01 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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Okay. Yeah. I would retest it before you do anything else because that is definitely an issue that would cause this. Let us know whenever you get back to it. Thanks for the update.
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Monday, May 25th, 2020 AT 4:20 PM
Tiny
BRIAN GREEN2
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I would like to confirm. The immediate stall upon putting into gear was due to me not having the torque converter seated properly during reassembly. Car now smoothly goes into R/N/D very smoothly and torque from engine is successfully being transferred to the transmission.(At least as far as a roll back and forth a few feet inside a garage allows). Regardless my initial problem is solved. Now for the sensor wires I snapped in the process haha soldering and splicing the next chapter! Thanks for talking it out with my Kenny. Much appreciated. You helped when I found no solution with hours of searching the web or "watching"(wasting time) videos online. It's nice to know we can still find help online without feeling like a puppet trying to wrestle through strings. Stay safe and have a great day Kenny! Until the next time.
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Thursday, May 28th, 2020 AT 9:06 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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Haha. Totally understand how that stuff happens.

Thanks for the update and the kind words. We are here to help. Please come back if you need help in the future. Thanks!
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Friday, May 29th, 2020 AT 4:39 PM

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