Recently bought a 2004 civic with automatic transmission and after 8K miles the transmission is starting to howl at certain Speeds. When cold if I accelerate to 55mph and then back off, the transmission will howl from 50mph down to about 40mph. If I accelerate back up to 55 I do not hear the noise.

After the transmission gets hot then I can hear the howl in the 48 to 50 mph range and if I feather the gas the howl increases/decreases as I apply power.

Also the transmission occasionally shifts down abruptly at around 40mph when breaking.

Any ideas?

[&o]