I have a 1993 honda accord ex automatic. I just had my timing belt changed and a full tune-up. $Cost 1,000.

So here is my problem. Immediately after getting my car back, I noticed the rpms are higher for shift changes. Driving at 70 mph my RPM is at 3200. It used to be at about 2600. I noticed while driving up a hill that it would go from 3200 rpm to 2600 rpm up and down. It would just keep changing back up to 3200 then down to 2600 over and over.

I took the car back to the shop that changed the belt and did my tune-up and they looked it over and said everything looks OK to them and that it is probably my transmission and that transmissions are their lowpoint and I need to take it to a transmission shop and have it looked over.

How can it be that all of a sudden when I have NEVER had any problems at all with my transmission...that it is having problems. Is it possible that something went wrong with the timing?

Please help...I am so stressed....both my husband and I are on unemployment through no fault of our own and we just want to keep our only car maintained so we take it in...spend 1,000 on it and now this happens...geeez ((

 

I should have said that I have been going to this shop for years with everything on this car and have never had any problems. He did tell me that if I take it to a transmission shop and they say that there is nothing wrong with the transmission to take it back to him and he will do his best to fix anything that he may have done. The thing is it cost 75 bucks to take it to a tranny shop just to have it looked at.

 

I would recommend checking the transmission fluid level and noting its condition. The fluid should be a nice red color.

 

He probably removed the throttle cables... How about a mis-adjusted downshift cable (from the throttle to the tranny)?

 

UPDATE:

Took the car to the tranny shop and he said he didn't think it was the transmission but did recommend getting the fluid changed. He called the shop where I had the timing work done and told him he didn't think it was the transmission. SO...I took the car back to the shop that changed the timing belt and he told me he would look further to see if he could see what the problem was. Will update when he calls me back.

 

"He probably removed the throttle cables" Why would the shop need to remove them for a tune up or timing belt?

 

I figured maybe the throttle cables were in the way, if he removed the valve cover to adjust valve lash. Not real sure about that 'cause I never owned a 93.

But some of the problem described in the original post reminds me of a mis-adjusted downshift cable.

 

This is where I would put my money.

I suspect they removed the shifter cable and did not adjust it back properly. It is not that hard to adjust the shifting points on an automatic transmission by playing with the shifter linkage.

Why they were removed.

As you mentioned they may have been in the way for what they were doing.

OP,

Was the cylinder head removed by chance?

As suggested I would check the transmission fluid dipstick. For it to be shifting like that is strange.

I know some vehicles ie) The dodge dakots 96-99 models have very confused auto transmissions. They do not know where they want to be when driving. But this is not the case.

You can always do a drain and fill. This wil get most of the junk out.

You can pick up the transmission fluid from walmart or a local parts store. You do not need the "honda stuff" All the products out there are required to meet a minimum specification. Truth is, most of these manufacturers will produce this stuff and put it in different bottles and sell it to retailers.

 

Hi and thank you for your reply!

My shop guy looked the whole car over and said he couldn't find anything wrong after his second lookover and suggested I have him Flush the transmission. He told me he usually charges 160 for this but would only charge me 120. I called some other shops and they said they would charge me 80. So I called my guy back and he said the that he found that you HAVE to use the Honda fluid because if you don't it WILL have problems and that is why he charges so much. Anyway I asked him to meet me in the middle and charge me 100 and he said okay.

Should I ask him about the shifter cable and the cylinder head?

Thanks again!

 

Sure, why not? If it turns out he didn't touch the cable, then I guess that rules out that idea. Remember, I wasn't talking about the shifter cable from the shift-lever out to the tranny. It's the downshift cable from the throttlebody down to the tranny.

Most people around here say you gotta use Honda fluid. $8 a quart doesn't add up to an extra $80, but whatever...
For some reason Honda autos don't like being "flushed". Better to drain/fill a few times. That DOES add up to some labor time.