94 Honda Accord 2.2L non v tech auto shift points?

[antiqueshell]

I'm curious about the shift points on my auto box Accord LX non v tech.

I'd like to know the correct factory RPMs when the box shifts up.

My car on a level road with the car at normal operating temps, 1st to second happens at about 2900 rpm. Is this normal?

For some reason I remember it shifting into first lower in rpms before I had it in for service. Maybe it was shifting at about 2500 or so.

Tegger you seem to be the go to guy for anything about Honda so I'm going to page you on this one too. Please forgive me for having so many questions about this car. But your answers are always GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Tegger]

I've accumulated a large amount of Honda documentation over the years, but nowhere do I find engine speeds in gears, only VEHICLE speeds in gears. This is probably because engine-speed at upshift depends entirely on throttle-position: The more open the throttle, the higher the revs when a shift will occur. Your 2,900rpm sounds perfectly normal, but that would depend on how hard you were accelerating.

If you're worried about problems, then you're looking for a phenomenon called "flare": When a properly-operating transmission shifts, engine-revs will rise in lock-step with increase in vehicle-speed, then they will immediately fall as the shift occurs. If, instead, the revs suddenly increase without any corresponding gas-pedal movement or increase in vehicle-speed during the shift interval, then drop, that's called "flare".

Flaring is a sign of several possibilities:
1) worn clutches;
2) deposits in the hydraulic circuitry;
3) defects in the control solenoids or their wiring;
4) other mechanical problems in the transmission (often evidenced by metallic particles in the fluid).

 

[antiqueshell]

I definitely don't see any sign of flare. I know exactly what you are talking about. So I think I can forget that issue.

Car is driven gently most of the time with highway operation being most common.

Would you happen to have the MPH that the car should shift from 1 to 2 at on a level road at operating temp?

I would say that I am at 1/3- 1/2 throttle pedal travel @2900 rpms when the car shifts into 2nd. I tend to be light on the throttle because I like to reduce gas consumption, I assume that this also applies to auto boxes as well and manual.

More FYI....trans fluid is at the correct level and is clear red. Was replaced about 15k miles ago.

I will go back and look at the MPH that the car shifts from 1st to 2nd. Thanks for the tip.

FYI my other daily is a MANUAL shifted MKIII VW Golf 2.Slow. LOL

Maybe I am thinking about it too much.

Of course the other thing is that I have had this car into an independent shop quite a number of times to repair things the dealer broke. I'm probably over sensitive to everything now.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Would you happen to have the MPH that the car should shift from 1 to 2 at on a level road at operating temp?

Honda used to give figures based on throttle-position. By '94 they were giving TPS voltage values, which correspond to the old throttle-positions, but are more exact.

At what used to be roughly 1/2 throttle, your transmission ought to upshift into 2nd at between 17 and 21 mph.

!!! -- Keep in mind that throttle position is something that most people just guess at; in actuality, they may be pressing the gas more or less than they think; that's why Honda started giving TPS values instead.

 

[exranger06]

My 92 Accord always shifts at roughly 3000 rpm. It of course depends on how hard I'm accelerating. Even with light throttle it usually waits till it gets to around 2900-3000 rpm. These cars have small 4 cylinder engines. They make all of their power at higher rpms. You WANT the engine to rev that high before it shifts. If it shifted at any lower rpm, the engine would be lugging in the higher gear. Letting it rev that high does not hurt anything, and it's probably more efficient at that rpm anyway.

I used to drive a late 90s Dodge Neon with an automatic at work. My biggest pet peeve about the car was the trans always wanted to shift way too early and at a low rpm. It was a dog! The only way to get it to go remotely fast was to shift it manually and let the engine wind up.

 

[antiqueshell]

Thanks exranger06, that is what I was looking for, Although the model is different I would bet that the basic transmission is very similar to the 5th generation.


I am pretty light on the throttle maybe it is only 1/4 to 1/3 pedal travel, so the revs build slowly the way I tend to drive it. I suppose I have that concern about prolonging the life span of the transmission.

Tegger and exranger06 concerning extending life span of this auto box which driving habits are easier on it, a gentle throttle for slow shifts or a more deliberate heavier throttle?

I do believe that the 5th generation of the auto in this car has Honda-logic

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
concerning extending life span of this auto box which driving habits are easier on it, a gentle throttle for slow shifts or a more deliberate heavier throttle?

Either one is just fine for the transmission. It's the ENGINE that suffers most from a "deliberate heavier throttle".

If you really want to help extend the life of your automatic, do these things:
1) never let the engine overheat;
2) change the fluid according to the Owner's Manual, and with OE-correct fluid;
3) always make certain the car is stationary and not rolling before shifting into Drive from Reverse, or vice versa.