What a Day! (Long and Venting/Shitting a Brick)

[Pacman]

It all started off good, met with my friend and continued our conversation of getting a place together, went to CSK and picked up my 30mm calipers (traded my crapped out 26mm) and came home.

All was good until the ride home.

I've been driving my moms '98 Prelude. I had knee surgery last Wednesday so I can't drive my car yet, too much on my knee. The car is the SS (sequential shift) automatic so I can drive it no problem. Its a great car and fun to drive for being stock and looks good (has the rare and discontinued HFP lip kit) so I don't really mind it.

Well, she moved to Florida last month and trusted me with the car (I'm a technician so she trusts me with her baby) until it gets shipped out there. I'm the only one driving it (parents split and doesn't want my dad driving it; brothers a bad driver). I was getting the last little things fixed on it (sway bar bushings, shifter light, etc.) and all is good with it now, until today...

On my way home coming from CSK, I was stopped on a hill waiting for the light. It turned green and I pressed the gas and the engine revved, car rolled back and car jerked forward. Odd, so I watched the tach. Kept driving and switched into SS mode. I went through the gears and all felt ok. I stopped at the stop sign and sure as shit, engine revved and jerked forward. I was about a mile home, at another stop sign, pressed the gas lightly, 2500rpm jerked into gear and scretched the tires.

I went on and off the throttle rapidly and watched the engine rev and no acceleration. I got it home ok. Each time from stop to accel, tires scretched, jerked into gear and moved forward; feels like it has a shift kit. I know the SS autos are crap and since its a '98, it has the high stall T/C and inferior bearings/clutch packs.

Now, I get to call my mom tomorrow, tell her that the cars transmission went out (which she just paid off two month ago), and get to deal with this all over again. I've been online on different Honda forums reading all sorts of woes about the SS Preludes. I just serviced (drain/fill) the transmission 5800 miles ago when I did the timing belt/water pump/thermostat. The car only has 119k on it. I flipping out right now!!!

And no 5-speed swaps, her thoracic outlet syndrome/carpal tunnel won't allow the shifting; she doesn't know how to drive a standard anyway.

:END RANT:

[Gnnr]

This is not worth flipping out over.

Chill out.

And go post on Honda-Tech or something

[Mister.E]

i dont see why your mom would trip if the trannies on that particular car are known to be shitty.

[tricky_ab]

i dont see why your mom would trip if the trannies on that particular car are known to be shitty.

THIS! I know it sucks that she recently finished paying it off but this stuff can happen...

[ayuaddict]

She trusted him.

Most likely she wont understand and jump to conclusions that he was abusing it, although its just a classic case of bad luck.

i think that's why he is upset.

[Mister.E]

that's understandable. just explain the situation to her and see what see says. it's better to tell her sooner than later.

what's done is done and it isn't your fault man. i would hope that she has enough sense to trust her son and believe what he is telling her.

not to mention it's a 98. it was bound to have some sort of problem soon, it's a 12 year old vehicle.

[Tearlessj]

Having owned a 01 TL and 99 Prelude in the family at the same time. I agree with the SS blowing dick.

[BustedS13]

it's a late 90's automatic honda. this happens.
i'm driving around in a '97 CL, and it just rolled over 100k... that thing's a time bomb.

[WanganRunner]

AFAIK the Prelude is the only 4cyl Honda automatic from that era that has lots of issues, but I may well be misinformed. I thought the normal 4cyl 4AT Accords and Civics were fine.

The auto on the 6cyl cars (RL1 Odyssey, Acura RL, etc) is a piece of shit.

[RiversideS13]

It just a typical prelude automatic tranny failure that i read at prelude forum everyday. I am currently own a 97 5 speed and it runs just beautiful.

I think you can safely said honda's SS automatic from 97-03 blows .....prelude, TL, CL, MDX all known to have tranny issue. my friend's 02 TL type-S already went thru three transmissions already.

[240sxrb25]

i spent 2 days trying to get my car to run so i can get it out of storage, and its still there.

VENT VENT VENT hahaha

[Antihero983]

it's a late 90's automatic honda. This happens.
I'm driving around in a '97 cl, and it just rolled over 100k... That thing's a time bomb.

tick tock muthafuckah!

[Pacman]

I just got off the phone with mom, shes cool about it and said that its better that it happened to me here then with her there 'PHEW'!

I'm gonna take it to Honda for them to re-diagnose what I diag'd so MAYBE Corp. Honda can help. If not I'll take it to work and replace it myself. I called Corp and they said that it needs to go to a dealer and possibly they may help. We'll see.

Damn, I didn't know these were such sucky transmissions. I come to find out that the TL and the Preludes of this era were 'test subjects' with the SS transmissions. Talking to the used car advisor at my job, the 5-speed Honda autos are shit too, third gear overheats and take the transmission out in those. Good to know if you guys are looking for a daily.

Weight has lifted now...