Transmissiom problems

my 1996 honda accord will not engage its transmission. it would engage sometimes but only the right wheel would turn. i put it up on jack stands to see if any wheel would turn, and the right turn sometimes but the left wheel did not. i then put car in a lower gear and the wheels seem to tunslow almost not at all. and if i put the car in park i can still turn the wheels on the car, don’t the wheels suppose to lock if the car is in park? and i also checked the trans fluid and found that the fluid was over filled by at least 2 quarts and the fluid looked to be bubbling. the fluid was a dark red but i did not notice a burnt smell to it. i got this car from my son and do not know if he over filled the trans or maybe some how water has gotten into the transmission.

is my trans shot or can it be saved? any help would be greatly appreciated…thanks

When you say that ‘I put the car in park I can still turn the wheels…’ does the other wheel turn in opposite way, (this would be normal). If you have someone hold the other wheel does the wheel you are holding still turn. If the later is the case you may have a problem with one of the CV axles (you should be able to see the axle not turn while the wheel is turning); a broken gear in the differential; or a break in the power transfer after the parking pawl/gear i.e. final drive pinion, final drive gear, or shaft from the parking gear to the pinion.

When you find out the problem, please post back for our information.

Make sure that you check the fluid level with the car on a level pad and the engine running. The overfill might have been an attempt to remedy the problem. If it is truely overfilled, you should do a drain and refill. If you find water in the drained fluid, remove the pan and replace the filter. You might need to have the torque converter flushed to get any water out of it. If the fluid is coolant, look at the integrity of the radiator. Sadly, most transmissions will have to be rebuilt if coolant has gotten into the transmission.

also could you tell me if it is normal if one of the wheels continue to turn if i put the car in nuetual. i can stop tye wheel but it will start turning again?..thanks…dw

I assume you have the engine running; have both wheels off the ground; and don’t have the brake does not produce enough drag. Yes this is normal. There is a certain amount of drag in the clutch packs of the transmission. It is possible for the friction and plain plates to be become warped which will cause excessive drag but usually the transmission oil will be burnt when this happens. If you have excessive clutch pack drag you are probably looking at a transmission rebuild as the drag will cause heating when ever that clutch is meant to be fully released.

Get back to us with what happens when you have both wheels off the ground; the transmission in park; hold one wheel; and try to turn the other. I am curious to know. TNX researcher