26 GEARS May/June 2006

T
he Honda Civic has become a
popular vehicle for modifica-
tion by import performance
enthusiasts. While the manual transaxle
is usually the choice of the hardcore
performance enthusiast, there are quite
a few automatic-equipped Civic own-
ers looking for performance shifts.
If you do any high performance work
at your shop, youre likely to have an
automatic-equipped Civic owner come
in asking you about making the shifts
firmer. In this issue, were going to go
over a few simple modifications for
firmer shifts and TCC apply on the
A4RA / B4RA transaxle used in the
19962000 Civic.
This article takes a conservative
approach to making the shifts firmer.
You want to be wary of making one
of these units shift brutally hard, as its
main weakness is the clutch drums.
If you have the unit apart, check all
the drums, specifically the first gear
clutch drum. Its common for this drum
to crack right around the center, just
outside the recess where the shaft nut is
located (figure 1).
Before we dive in
If youve worked on many Honda
transaxles, you already know that you
have to remove and disassemble the
transaxle to reach the valve body. Both
you and your customer need to be
keenly aware of this fact. Shift feel
and firmness can be a subjective issue,
and the only way
to be certain your
customer is going
to be happy with
the results is after
the modifica-
tions have been
performed. The
customer needs to
understand that,
if the unit has to
come back out
to fine tune shift
feel, the labor
isnt free.
With that
said, a simple
first approach is
to adjust shift feel without going inside
the unit. This can be done by adjusting
the linear solenoid, shown in figure 2.
This adjustment is sensitive; its best
to start with 1/8 to 1/4 turn clockwise,
then road test to assess the results. Keep
in mind that youll have to remove the
solenoid to adjust it.
Adjusting the linear solenoid is a
simple modification and is easily revers-
ible, but it has one major drawback:
firmer shifts can be achieved up to a
point, but too much adjustment can have
negative effects on TCC control. Thats
because the linear solenoid isnt only
used to control shift feel; its also used
to control the torque converter clutch
full apply timing. Cranking up the lin-
ear solenoid can lead to an abrupt TCC
apply and lugging the engine, especially
under light throttle acceleration.
When you increase the linear
solenoid pressure, instead of having
partial TCC apply at light throttle, it
Hot Rod
Civic
19962000 Honda Civic
Shift Feel Modifications
Figure 1
by Mike Van Dyke
Remove linear solenoid to adjust end plug
Figure 2
Adjustment
Plug
Linear Solenoid
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Superiorplcd.indd 27 4/11/06 3:28:11 PM
28 GEARS May/June 2006
can go straight to full apply as soon as
TCC is enabled. When this happens the
engine will lug down, the dashboard
will rattle, and acceleration will be
poor until vehicle speed increases, or
until you press down far enough on the
throttle for the PCM to command the
TCC to release.
After adjusting the linear solenoid,
be sure to drive the vehicle at light
to medium throttle to see if there are
any negative effects on torque converter
clutch operation.
Lets Dive In!
To get even firmer shifts without
TCC side effects, or to modify TCC apply,
we have to go inside the unit. There are
a couple of ways to approach modifying
shift feel: accumulator springs, increase
line pressure, etc. The easiest and most
effective modification Ive found is to
simply adjust the CPC (Clutch Pressure
Control) valve in the secondary valve
body. (figure 3). The CPC valve is con-
trolled by linear solenoid pressure, but
the benefit here is adjusting the CPC
valve wont affect TCC control.
Its very common for the CPC valve
spring to break, so youll want to remove
it for inspection. Youll need a 5 mm
hex key wrench and a 10 mm box end
wrench to adjust or remove the CPC
valve (figure 4):
Hold the 5 mm hex key wrench and
loosen and remove the 10 mm lock
bolt.
Measure and record the depth of the
adjustment plug so it can be reas-
sembled to the same position.
Hot Rod Civic
Figure 3
Secondary Valve Body
CPC Valve
Spring
CPC Valve Lineup
Always Remove CPC valve for cleaning and to check for broken spring
Measure and record adjustment
plug depth before disassembly
Figure 4
5mm Hex Key
Wrench
10mm Box End
Wrench
Hold the adjustment plug with 5mm hex key and
loosen lock bolt with 10mm box end wrench
26Civic-MikeVD.indd Sec1:28 4/17/06 10:23:04 AM
GEARS May/June 2006 29
The CPC valve spring isnt available separately from
Honda; you must purchase the complete secondary valve
body. A replacement spring is available from Sonnax, part
number 88894X. The Sonnax spring is a little different from
the OEM, so be sure to follow their installation and adjustment
procedures.
Turning in the CPC valve adjustment an additional 1/8 to
1/4 turn clockwise will provide moderately firmer shifts. 1/2
turn to 1 turn clockwise will create very firm shifts. Blocking
the valve inboard will get you into the 12 chirp zone. Keep
Figure 5
Lock-Up Valve Body Spacer Plate
TCC Release Orifice
Enlarge to
0.100
TCC modification: Drill TCC release orifice to 0.100
Turning in
the CPC valve
adjustment
an additional
1/8 to
1/4 turn
clockwise
will provide
moderately
firmer shifts.
The industry's first, ever,
completely
reprogrammable
handheld ransmission controller
for the later multi-stage
solenoid sequencing units is
almost here.
The new Schaffer
Programmable Controller will
not replace the Schaffer Shifter,
it will be programmed for units
that the Schaffer Shifter cannot
control.
Features include:
12 individually controlled
negative outputs
12 individually controlled
positive outputs
Eight switch indicator lights
Keep your eyes open for the
new programmable controller to
be released in April 2006!
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26Civic-MikeVD.indd Sec1:29 4/17/06 10:23:42 AM
30 GEARS May/June 2006
Hot Rod Civic
in mind that turning up the CPC adjustment will also make the
engagements firmer.
TCC Modifications
1. Enlarge the TCC release exhaust orifice to 0.100
(figure 5).
2. Increase the spring pressure about 40% on the Lock-
Up Control Valve (figure 6) by shimming the spring
about 0.200. This can be accomplished by dropping
a G4AEL valve body orifice cup or some washers
inside the valve in the spring pocket. To check the
spring pressure on a scale, push the valve down over
the spring until just before the end of the valve touch-
es the scale: It should have about 2 pounds of spring
pressure.
3. Increase the spring pressure on the Torque Converter
Check Valve (figure 6) by 30% by dropping some
washers inside of the torque converter check valve to
shim up the spring about 0.150.
That just about wraps up our fun for this issue. Remember,
dont get too crazy with this unit at least, not until someone
starts making billet clutch drums!
Figure 6
Lock Up Control Valve
Install 0.200 Shim
Regulator Valve Body
Install 0.150 Shim
Valve in first,
Spring on top
Torque Converter
Check Valve
TCC modification: Shim the lock up control valve spring 0.200 and shim the torque converter check valve spring 0.150
Remember, dont get too crazy with this unit
at least, not until someone starts making billet clutch drums!.
26Civic-MikeVD.indd Sec1:30 4/17/06 10:24:03 AM
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parker5-06.indd 31 4/17/06 2:00:03 PM