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Hey gang, I have a question. If I need to replace my transmission are there any alternatives to what our cars use now? I have the Civic EX Auto 2002 and would prefer to install something else in my car if anything is available. Not so much manual tranny but a better performance auto kind or something. Our current transmissions suck! So, when it comes time to replace mine, which I think is nearing, what options do I have if any? Is this even possible or do I have to replace it with the same kind?

Anyone know?

Thanks.

 
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good question, ill have to wait and see what people say too

 
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my tranny was getting REALLY rough over the last 3K miles, so i just did the 45K (really at 50K) mile service and with new fluid it runs alot better. I can see myself doing this at 75K and 100K to keep it running well. Also im thiking about doing oil changes every 1500 miles just for the winter. its like 3000 cause of all the idling to warm it up! (brrr NE pennsylvania is 30 degrees right now here)

 
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hmm, do you mean like just normal upgrade kits for transmissions?

 
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Uh, time to replace yours? On a 2002? Have you been driving around the world for the past 3 years or something? Don't see how it could be time to replace your transmission unless you have abused it.

 
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Level Ten Performance makes bullet proof kits that you install yourself. They say they make products for the Civic but I'm not exactly sure what items are for our cars. Lets say yourebuilt your tranny with a bullet proof kit, got the computer that allows you to change all your shift points, and got a tranny cooler, that would be one bad *** auto. I want to do this with my Integra.

 
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For your info, I do a ton of driving (I have 90K already on my car) and NO, I do not abuse my car. In fact, it's quite the opposite, especially the way I have to drive to keep my clunky tranny happy. I won't go into detail... you can read my other post about my transmission. I posted a new topic to see what else could be installed besides the faulty stock tranny. BTW, I drive so much because of my job, not by choice.

Another thing... I can't so this myself, nor do I want to. I want to take it to a tranny specialist and have something different installed. Maybe a better performance kind or something. This is why I posted this topic, to gain more knowledge and hopefully someone might know.

I live in the Cincinnati area and I'm looking for a shop who can install something like this to give me a better performing transmission.

Thanks.

 
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Again, can't do this myself. Thanks for the info though!

 
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You don't have to do it yourself. You can buy the kit and have a tranny shop install it.

 
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Ok, thanks. Any idea how much this might cost for the kit? What about installation?

I'd keep my Civic if I could enjoy a better ride. I like everything else about my car but trying to drive around this current tranny really makes it annoying to drive, sometimes to the point where it stresses me too much. I drive all day long for my company so you can imagine why I don't want to deal with it.

 
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http://www.levelten.com/

 
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yeah, level ten makes a complete tranny that is supposed to be damn nice. altho there is a guy on the sentra ser boards that got one on his turbod-SeR and the tranny failed.

 
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You could try installing a grounding kit. I noticed my tranny running a lot smoother after I did this.

 
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Well first of all 90k is still not near an amount of miles requiring a new tranny. However, I did read the other thread and it appears as though many people have the same complaint. Could you maybe be more descriptive with what this "clunk" is? I'm trying to decern wether you are just dissapointed in Honda's usual transimission antics. I have owned 3 hondas... 2 accords and my 04 civic. In each of the vehicles the transmissions are quite a bit different feeling than other vehicles. Even crappy domestic cars seem to shift smoother. I really, really thought something was wrong with my 89 accord because it was pretty jerky, but I was assured and reassured that there was nothing wrong with it. It had 197,000 miles on it when I sold it and was still performing as it always had. Hondas have very distinct transmissions and very picky maintenance requirements. I'm wondering if some people are just not accustomed to Honda transimissions. People that have driven my car think it shifts like crap, but it shifts just like any other Honda I've ever driven. I find this to be a very defining characteristic of Hondas. Some like it, some don't. I know many, many people who don't. I'm not sure of the severity of your problems though, so perhaps there is a genuine design or manufacturing flaw here, but I threw this advice out so that people realize the odd attributes of Honda transmissions. I also once heard that the rough shifting in Honda transimssions was a key design characteristic. The theory was that more energy is dissipated in the moving parts in order to make a shift smooth. Hence, a rough shift dissipates less energy and is more efficient. This could be total B.S., I haven't really taken the time to look into the physics behind it. Just a thought.

 
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^^^^I agree about the hard shifting characteristics. I have an Integra Auto from '94. The tranny shifts VERY hard to the point where I thought something was very wrong. When I was having the tranny checked out, the dealership lent me a 2000 LS and the tranny was alot smoother but the shifts took longer and the torque wasn't quite the same as mine. I found the harder shift was better and quicker. The only problem I have with it is when the car is started cold. The engine has a quick idle when cold so when I put the car in gear it has this crazy SLAM. But, the car has done it since the day it rolled off the line and the dealer said it was in great shape from top to bottom. Just look at Honda's record. That pretty much says it all.

 
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My 89 and 85 accords both had that slam you are talking about. It was actually pretty scary sounding sometimes. It did it on a daily basis for 9 months out of the year with 197,000 miles on it so I can only assume that it wasn't doing any damge. Many a passenger were pretty shocked by the cars behavior.

 
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Update: I've been reading around, and it appears as though this "hard shifting" design feature is based more on wear than energy efficiency. Supposedly harder shifts reduce slippage and increase the lifetime of the transmission components. Again...this could be total b.s, but it does sound plausable.

 
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Not only does my car shift longer and more deliberate than other cars I've owned, the most annoying part is the "clunk" when slowing down to a red light, then speeding up again if it turns green before you come to a stop. Let's say you are going a normal speed, then see a red light so you start to slow down, then the light turns green and you hit the gas again. "CLUNK" It seems like the transmission is not catching up to the slow down or something. Maybe it's a torque issue, maybe not. I am no expert but I know it doesn't seem right and no other car I ever owned or driven even came close to doing this. If this is a "normal" thing then I do not understand why people keep buying Hondas. I'll never, ever own another one. And.. I don't think I am being picky. Even people who ride with me notice it and I don't even have to point it out. Again, maybe mine is worse than most, who knows. I am making an appointment next weekend to have it looked at AGAIN. I may try synthetic tranny fluid if they still can't find anything wrong. If that doesn't work I either live with it and bitch the whole time I own it or trade it in and lose my shirt. Nobody in their right mind would buy this thing if they test drove it. Now, it did not do this right when I purchased it. It slowly over time has gotten worse. I'd say after a few months of ownership did I start to really notice it. The first time I took it back to Honda they made up some lousy excuse and said it was because of the torque and how the tranny was designed. So, I ignored it. About 12 months into ownership it got much worse. I took it back to Honda again and they just said I needed a tranny fluid change. Again, it helped slightly but after a few weeks it was even worse. I just continue to live with it but now it's to the point where it seems broke for God's sake. I am NOT going to Honda anymore. I will take it to either Danco or AAMCO next weekend to get an honest opinion.

So now you know my story. Again, I am seeking info on a totally different, third-party transmission. Thanks for the advice so far and keep the comments coming. Hopefully someone will see this and experienced the same thing and can lead us to another type of transmission.

BTW, I will contact Level 10 and get some pricing. Thanks again.

 
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I am very curious about level ten products so please keep us informed. I forgot if you said but have you consulted a tranny specialist?

 
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Not yet, but that's my next step... a specialist. I have given up on Honda for they just ignore the issue and are very difficult to deal with. I know they know what's going on but they can't do anything about it so it doesn't really surprise me.

Maybe the transmission specialists will give me an honest answer to why this happens and they might be able to lead me to a better design or replacement tranny. We'll see what happens.