[masonc]

Hello Piloteers, I'm back to finish the story. Didn't mean to leave anybody (who may have cared at all) hanging.

Everything I discussed doing made no difference - especially when it started getting warm. I knew the risks when I bought the car - that I may have to either get a new transmission or scrap it. Since I've put so much time and effort in - I decided to bite the bullet and take it in.

The shop I chose was a smaller one in town with excellent reviews - two very cool guys running it. Since I showed interest in the process, they showed me around a bit and have been very welcoming. The owner said he just rebuilt the transmission on his '02 MDX last year having the same issues - so I said "You've done this before then" and he laughed and said yes.

The trip to the shop was fairly uneventful - so I was really hoping that when it warmed up later they would notice the issues while driving it. Luckily, they were able to reproduce all of the issues in their test drive (including the weird "downshift" thing while going up a hill).

The guy tore it apart over the weekend and found quite a few issues with it. The biggest one being that third gear was pretty much completely shot. The clutch material was completely worn off in spots and there was some metal-on-metal action going on.

There were also a few cracked rings (? not sure what the term is for them)

And as for the weirdness on the hills - he started to explain this to me before a customer came in and I had to leave for work, but it had something to do with it trying to stay in third and this piece here (and a spring-looking piece)

The entire transmission:

He is replacing the remaining 2 shift solenoids - proactively, but I would prefer it be done if we're doing everything else. He also plans to change out the 2 pressure switches because apparently they will throw codes if you leave the old ones in with the rest of it rebuilt. I bought an OEM dual linear solenoid for this as well - I do not trust the generic one in a new transmission. You buy cheap - you buy twice.

I said "So pretty much nothing I was doing was going to fix this then" and he chuckled and said "Yeah, pretty much".

So - will hopefully be getting it back this week. He said he was going to take some pictures along the way for me, so I should be able to get more posted here once I get it back.

 

[plplplpl]

Didn't mean to leave anybody (who may have cared at all) hanging.

I'm following with interest.

 

[andywatson]

Thanks for the update, I think mine suffered the same fate as yours based on your description of how it was acting up. I'm glad I replaced my transmission with a reman one instead of trying to rebuild it. Care to share how much it cost you? I'm guessing at least 4k?

 

[road2cycle]

Glad that you found a shop where you get to talk to the person who works on your vehicle, and that they were able to show you the cause of the issues. Keep us posted how the tranny feels after it’s put back together.

 

[masonc]

Thanks for the update, I think mine suffered the same fate as yours based on your description of how it was acting up. I'm glad I replaced my transmission with a reman one instead of trying to rebuild it. Care to share how much it cost you? I'm guessing at least 4k?

Not sure of the exact cost until it's done, but I was quoted $2,800-3,200. A lot more than I was hoping to spend, but a lot less than some other quotes I got.

Glad that you found a shop where you get to talk to the person who works on your vehicle, and that they were able to show you the cause of the issues. Keep us posted how the tranny feels after it’s put back together.

Yes, the owner is awesome - I assume most people don't ask many questions/care what's wrong ("Just fix it"), so they seemed intrigued by my curiousness. Will update once she's driving again.

 

[Tacoma'03Pilot]

Great update. Thanks!

I had pretty much the same conversation with the guy that did mine. There's a lot of motivation to hope for an easy fix in this scenario. It's great that you found someone to take care of it.

 

[headknocker]

I was getting the dreaded Flashing D on my '05 Pilot around four years ago and it had me stumped for awhile although I was on the right path from the very beginning. It turned out the thin ground wires which went to the wiring harness which connects to shift solenoids A,B,C were corroded and not supplying enough current to the two solenoids which were farther down the circuit. I stupidly only checked for continuity although I would've figured it immediately if I had checked the resistance of the two lower solenoid connectors. I cut the three(?) thin ground wires which attach to the top/side on the left side of the trans and crimped on new wires and connectors. Problem solved and I drove it that way until the new wiring harness arrived from a reputable ebay seller. Before I installed the new harness I applied three layers of liquid tape to the exposed ground wires so it wouldn't happen again. You live and learn.

 

[plplplpl]

^^^That's a good solution path to add to our collective knowledge base. Thanks for sharing.

If you still can find diagrams for their locations as well as a link to the harness you got and presumably still works well, that would be great.

 

[masonc]

Today was the day - I got it back. It drives like a new car.

The final list of parts that were used

So, now we're ready for the summer. I have big plans with some camping, kayaking, and fishing this summer that I would have a much harder time doing in my '13 Accord.

I'm glad I was able to save this vehicle from being scrapped - the previous owner was about to do it. The guys at the shop looked over everything else and said it was mechanically in great shape. There is something going on with the 4WD - makes noises on tight turns. That's for another day though. I should get many more miles out of this car with some TLC.

 

[road2cycle]

Glad the shop got the tranny up and running.

The rear differential has been known to make noises if non-VTM-4 fluid was used. If you’re not sure what fluid is in there I’d do a drain and fill. Takes 3 quarts, but you have to buy the gallon jug.

 

[plplplpl]

A thing of beauty.

Here's your well-deserved Piloteers Dancing Banana of Success, two of them, actually, for saving a deserving Pilot from the crusher. Have a great summer.

 

[aggrex]

I'm glad I was able to save this vehicle from being scrapped - the previous owner was about to do it. The guys at the shop looked over everything else and said it was mechanically in great shape. There is something going on with the 4WD - makes noises on tight turns. That's for another day though. I should get many more miles out of this car with some TLC.

Congrats on the transmission repair! Noises on tight turns could be a number of issues like CV axles, BJ, bushings etc

 

[plplplpl]

etc. = wheel bearings

 

[masonc]

Thank you, everyone. I've had fun being able to actually drive it places I wanted to take it.

Congrats on the transmission repair! Noises on tight turns could be a number of issues like CV axles, BJ, bushings etc

I might start another thread on this - I had a front bearing replaced and the transmission shop installed new CV axles for me so I think it's coming from the back. The guy brought it up as he noticed it while driving. He believed it's something to do with 4WD - I already have some VTM fluid so I may swap that tomorrow when I do some other work on it.

 

[plplplpl]

I already have some VTM fluid so I may swap that tomorrow when I do some other work on it.

That would indeed be a good place to start.

Here's the how-to, if you've never done it before.

 

[plplplpl]

And one of these gravity-defying hand pumps will be your friend.

SEDY Lubricant Fluid Transfer Pump for Gallon Bottles and Wide Mouth Quart Bottles Hand Transfer Gear Oil, Transmission and Differential Fluid with 3rd Hand Adapter to Secure Fill Tube While Pumping

Buy SEDY Lubricant Fluid Transfer Pump for Gallon Bottles and Wide Mouth Quart Bottles Hand Transfer Gear Oil, Transmission and Differential Fluid with 3rd Hand Adapter to Secure Fill Tube While Pumping at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase...

www.amazon.com

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002952612423.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.105.679d1802uN32VT

 

[masonc]

That would indeed be a good place to start.

Here's the how-to, if you've never done it before.

This had me super worried as I found evidence that a previous owner towed this car - there is an electric connection for the brake lights that runs to the front and the page "Towing your car" was bookmarked in the manual.

Luckily, when I stuck my finger in the fill hole as suggested by the manual, I felt no fluid - so it was low. I drained it and it didn't look too bad coming out - I would have compared but I ended up mixing old and new in the oil pan with spillage. But I filled it until it started to flow back out of the fill hole, sealed it up, and now the sounds are completely gone.

So - now she drives like a new car. Time for new tires and it should be a great vehicle to tackle the rugged terrain awaiting it.

 

[plplplpl]

Happy for your fix, and you therefore are awarded the Piloteers Dancing Banana of Success.

You'll probably get all sorts of recommendations for new tires for the Pilot, but let me start by recommending a good price/quality ratio for a quiet tire that handles well, the:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/kumho-crugen-ht51

I've actually got my long-lasting but somewhat noisier Michelin LTX tires, and am happy with them, which I switch over to my Nokian Hakkapeliittas in the winter up here, but I put the Kumho Crugen HT51s on my daughter's 2007 Pilot, keep them on year-round because they have the 3PMSF symbol

, and would buy them again.

 

[plplplpl]

As a reminder, the manual says to always flatbed your Pilot if you need it towed.

 

[andywatson]

As a reminder, the manual says to always flatbed your Pilot if you need it towed.

Flatbed = all 4 tires flat on the ground, transmission in Neutral. Got it.