Overhaul, friction and steel kit for the Honda BAXA, MAXA and MDWA 4-speed in the 1998-2002 Accord, 1998 Odyssey and 1997-2001 Prelude.
If your 1998-2002 Honda Accord four-cylinder flares between gears, the D4 light starts flashing, or the fluid on the dipstick smells scorched, the clutch packs inside the BAXA four-speed are usually finished. This kit is aimed at that teardown. It bundles the T07800B-style overhaul kit (gaskets, seals and O-rings) with a full set of friction plates and steel plates, so you can rebuild every clutch pack and reseal the case from one box. The same family of transmission also shows up in the 1998 Odyssey 2.3L and the 1997-2001 Prelude 2.2L, sold under the MAXA and MDWA codes on some builds.
The BAXA is a Honda parallel-shaft automatic. Instead of planetary gearsets and bands, it uses constant-mesh gear pairs on separate shafts and gives each gear its own hydraulic clutch. A shift happens when the valve body releases one clutch and applies the next, so the frictions, the steels and the seals that hold apply pressure in each drum are doing all of the work. When a pack wears thin or glazes, that one gear slips; when the piston seals or shaft sealing rings leak, apply pressure bleeds off and the shift drags out into a flare. Fresh frictions and steels restore the grip, and the overhaul kit restores the sealing, so the rebuild addresses both halves of the problem.
Pull the codes first and check the fluid level hot. A flashing D4 light is the computer telling you it has seen a fault, and it can be a shift solenoid or sensor rather than worn clutches, so read the code before condemning the unit. Then drain the fluid and look at it: dark fluid with friction material in it points to burnt packs, while clean fluid with a soft shift points you toward the valve body or electrical side. Our guide to shift flare versus slip helps you tell a hydraulic leak from a worn clutch, and the ATF color and smell chart shows what burnt fluid looks like.
The listing covers the BAXA, MAXA and MDWA codes (CG5 chassis) in the Accord 2.3L from 1998 to 2002, the 1998 Odyssey 2.3L and the 1997-2001 Prelude 2.2L. It also names the 3.0L Accord. Be careful there: most 1998-2002 V6 Accords carry a different four-speed from the B7XA family, so a V6 owner should only order after confirming the code on the case matches one of the three listed above. Honda changed internals by year and drivetrain, so read the code stamped on the transmission case, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it. If you would rather have a kit with more of the hard-wear parts, compare it with our BAXA master rebuild kit, and browse other sets in rebuild kits.
Strip the mainshaft and countershaft clutch drums one at a time and lay the old plates out beside the new ones so the stack order does not get mixed up. Soak every new friction in clean Honda ATF DW-1 before it goes in the drum, check each pack's clearance against the service manual, and air-check the clutches before the shafts go back into the case. Shaft sealing rings are easy to over-stretch, so install them gently and hold small thrust washers in place with TransJel instead of grease. Look over the valve body while it is apart; Sonnax documents pressure regulator bore wear on these Honda four-speeds that causes delayed engagement and converter clutch complaints. Bearings, bushings, the filter and the torque converter are not part of this kit. Flush the cooler and lines before the first start, because debris from the old clutches will ruin a fresh rebuild (our cooler flush guide walks through it), then fill with DW-1 and check the level at operating temperature.
| Fits | Honda BAXA, MAXA, MDWA (CG5) |
| Cross-reference | T07800B |
| Vehicles | Accord 2.3L/3.0L 1998-2002, Odyssey 2.3L 1998, Prelude 2.2L 1997-2001 |
| Includes | Overhaul kit (seals, gaskets), friction plates, steel plates |
Only if the code on your transmission case is BAXA, MAXA or MDWA. Most V6 Accords from those years use a B7XA-family four-speed that needs a different kit, so read the case code or send us your VIN first.
The overhaul kit with gaskets, seals and O-rings, plus friction plates and steel plates for the clutch packs. Bearings, bushings, the filter, the valve body and the torque converter are not included.
Not if the clutches are already burnt. Fresh fluid will not restore worn friction material. If the fluid is dark and full of clutch debris, the packs need to be replaced.
Honda ATF DW-1. Soak the new frictions in it before assembly, fill the unit with it, and check the level with the transmission at operating temperature.
Plan on a new filter, flush the cooler and lines, and inspect the valve body pressure regulator bore. Worn engine and transmission mounts are also worth replacing while the unit is out.
