Transmission FLuid

[JSmack]

Can someone please tell me how to change my Transmission Fluid thanks.

[shepherd79]

auto or 5 speed?

[JSmack]

Mine is a Five Speed

[shepherd79]

the plug is located by and below the right axle. it has round head with a square recess. the car should be at normal operating temperature.
to refill: the bolt is located by the right axle at approximately 9 o'clock when viewed over the right fender.
the fluid level should be just to the bottom of the hole and may be felt with a finger.
i hope that helps.
use 10W-30 or 10W-40, don't be cheap on oil. i use castrol syntec in my trans.

[1988starter]

I use one bottle of Lucas MTL and valvoline syntec 10w40 for the rest of the fill up.

[toastyghost]

What benefit does a tranny flush provide that a home tranny fluid change doesn't? It's time to change the fluid and I'll shell out the $60 if it provides actual advantages and is not just a fancy tuneup shop name for something I could do in my driveway for a tenth of the cost.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

I would take it to a shop, then it's done right (not saying you would do it wrong) but it's a lot easier to do it that way. I took mine to a shop.

[Jdub07]

ummmmmmmm....tranny fluid change? I have yet to do that on my car. I wonder if it has EVER been done? How much it that to get done at the shop? It it true you should change it every 30,000 miles? I also heard that a lot of trannies go after the change for some reason, is that true. I know squat about transmissions. How vitial is a tranny flush and/or change? Sorry for the stupid questions.

[smufguy]

hahah mie to jdub, i dont know if anyone ever did that. once my car is up and running, shit every fluid on it is getting changed.

[shepherd79]

i have changed mine like 2 times already and still going.

[Elijah]

O.k I'am haveing a problem.I just changed the tranny and dont know how to fill it.Is it the bolt right above the axle.And is the bolt sideways up?Please someone

[Elijah]

ttt please help anyone

[Vinny]

sent ya a PM Elijah. Anyways look aft of the bellhousing on the passenger side and you'll see a plug with a 3/8 drive fitting. Thats the drain plug. Above it you'll see a bolt with a big ass washer under it. Its actually a big ass washer with a bolt head attatched to it. Thats the fill port

[1988starter]

for a manual
http://www.geocities.com/geezpict/fill.txt

[Elijah]

thanks guys I got it.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

I took pics of when I changed my tranny fluid, but the pic that 1988starter posted is clearer than the pics I took with my camera phone.

I used Honda MTF and I found a great way to change it too.

Drain it and then put the drain plug back in, put .3 quart in and then let it sit in there for a few minutes. Then I drained it again. Then I used a brake bleeder hand pump and put a hose in the tranny fluid and put the other hose in the tranny so I pumped the fluid into the tranny while sitting on my butt :)

Honda says the 5 speed trannies take 2.7 quarts that's why I said use .3 quart to help flush it.

I noticed smoother shifts after I changed it. I reccomend that people keep up on their maintenance b/c it will only cost them more in the end if they don't keep up on it.

-Mike

[Moodybluesr]

Synthetic oil is not recommended for use with soft metals (brass, copper) which are used in Honda manual transmissions for synchros and bushings. DO NOT PUT SYNTHETIC OIL IN YOUR TRANSMISSION. Any Honda tech worth his/her salt will tell you this. Use Honda MTF or normal motor oil only.

[smufguy]

O.k I'am haveing a problem.I just changed the tranny and dont know how to fill it.Is it the bolt right above the axle.And is the bolt sideways up?Please someone


ahhhh nice job elijah, bring a two year old thread back to life, good job man. Now go and die. ................................................. hehehe, just messin with you man.

I used the Mobile drive clean one, the one with detergents to prevent deposits. its not a synthetic blend, but regular one with those in it. Anyways, its funny we dont use gear oil like the toyotas.

[riced_roach]

What benefit does a tranny flush provide that a home tranny fluid change doesn't? It's time to change the fluid and I'll shell out the $60 if it provides actual advantages and is not just a fancy tuneup shop name for something I could do in my driveway for a tenth of the cost.


NO such thing as a tranny flush for a 5 speed. If some pinhead said he flushed it first he's full of shiat. Drain the oil and add...thats it. I've NEVER seen any discolouration of the oil even after tonnes of miles on a tranny.

I think synthetic is absolutely fine with a 5 speed tranny. Honda techs will say "dont use synthetic" cause they wanna sell the MTF oil which is just cheap ass mineral oil. If that was true then I'll eat my shorts cause honda trannies is no different than any other manual transaxle gearbox. Brass syncros to brass shift forks there ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUES WITH USING SYNTHETIC. I love hearing falacies spread by brainwashed Honda trained apprentices and fully licensed techs that have only dealt with honda's all there lives. Thats absolute BS.

I was told by Honda that I was premature for changing the oil too soon in a brand new CRV cause it has "special oil" for breakin purposes. I called on there bluff and said "oh really I wanna buy a case of this special oil" dumb ass service boy said "oh theres no part number for it" No kidding, really???? Thats because theres no such thing as this BS oil.

[smufguy]

NO such thing as a tranny flush for a 5 speed. If some pinhead said he flushed it first he's full of shiat. Drain the oil and add...thats it. I've NEVER seen any discolouration of the oil even after tonnes of miles on a tranny.

I think synthetic is absolutely fine with a 5 speed tranny. Honda techs will say "dont use synthetic" cause they wanna sell the MTF oil which is just cheap ass mineral oil. If that was true then I'll eat my shorts cause honda trannies is no different than any other manual transaxle gearbox. Brass syncros to brass shift forks there ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUES WITH USING SYNTHETIC. I love hearing falacies spread by brainwashed Honda trained apprentices and fully licensed techs that have only dealt with honda's all there lives. Thats absolute BS.

I was told by Honda that I was premature for changing the oil too soon in a brand new CRV cause it has "special oil" for breakin purposes. I called on there bluff and said "oh really I wanna buy a case of this special oil" dumb ass service boy said "oh theres no part number for it" No kidding, really???? Thats because theres no such thing as this BS oil.


i dont know about the special oil, but from experience i know the oil that the brand new cars come with are different from the off shelf ones. This is because the oil they come with breaks down a lot longer, even longer than than a synthetic oil that we can buy. Even my friend's STI had that kinda oil. Not that it matters anymore, cause they all had their oil changes, but all i know is that, the manufacturing plant oil is a lil different.

but as u mentioned, I have never heard anything going bad because of changing your oil too soon. :kekeke:

[keruhas184]

What do you guys think, should I go with the prescribed formula of MTF+Lucas fix or should I try the Neo trans fluid stuff: <http://www.neosyntheticoil.com/mtf.htm> ?

That Neo thing is pretty expensive, but its a synthetic w/ its own formulated oil addittives. But mixing lucas w/ Honda MTF might yeild some unfavorable results: <http://www.vtr.org/maintain/oil-additives.html>

As johnwc723 found somewhre, Lucas has problems w/foaming, while the Neo stuff advertises the opposite.

What are your opinions on this one guys?

[riced_roach]

companies spend thousands of dollars a year on R&D of formulating multigrade oils. putting snake oil such as lucas etc etc is just guessing on improving results. Foaming means no lubrication or lack of. Multigrade oil has alot of antifoaming agents in it so no worries of Bull shiat additives.

Buy good stuff first or your just believing BS that is spoon fed to you by advertisement.

I careless of MTF from honda since they are just buying the oil from some unknown oil manufacturer. No rocket science its just some oil. I say synthetic is the only way to go. NO ADDITIVES

[Moodybluesr]

I think synthetic is absolutely fine with a 5 speed tranny. Honda techs will say "dont use synthetic" cause they wanna sell the MTF oil which is just cheap ass mineral oil. If that was true then I'll eat my shorts cause honda trannies is no different than any other manual transaxle gearbox. Brass syncros to brass shift forks there ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUES WITH USING SYNTHETIC. I love hearing falacies spread by brainwashed Honda trained apprentices and fully licensed techs that have only dealt with honda's all there lives. Thats absolute BS.

Honda techs say "don't use synthetic" because they know that synthetic oil and yellow metals do not mix. In fact, the tech at my local Honda dealer said to use regular 10w40 motor oil, that the MTF was a waste of money but wouldn't do any harm, and to stay away from synthetics and synthetic blends because they are not rated for yellow metals.

The extreme pressure (EP) addatives in most gear oils contain sulphur-phosphorus compounds that can be corrosive to certain "yellow metal" components if present in levels higher than recommended by the equipment manufacturer. "Yellow metals," such as copper and brass, are found in transmission synchronizers. If you want to find out if the oil you are using contains sulpher, contact the oil company directly; most synthetic oils do (with the exception of specifically formulated transmission oils like Redline, etc.).

Sorry, but I am going to believe my technician and the oil companies themselves on this one and use 10W40 like it says in my FSM. :werd:

[riced_roach]

Hey Moodybluesr,

I hate to inform you but the honda techs only know what they are spoon fed by their brilliant educational seminars. If you look at 10w40 ALL multigrades have some zinc and phosphorus (aka zddp) there is really no such thing as a MTF that has a 10w40 viscosity for transaxles except for honda.

If you do more research you will find that the "corrosive" component that effects "yellow metals" in gear oil is absolute BULL SHIAT. That's an old wives tale that has been passed around for years!!!! For the educated and well informed you will see that there is a hint of truth BUT in gear oils such as 80w90 (GL5 rating) and other gear oils will only be corrosive to syncos if the temps go beyond the normal temps of any transaxles. So if the manual transmission oil gets to the same temp as the engine oil that gear oil WILL BE CORROSIVE but the fact of the matter is IT WILL NEVER REACH THAT TEMPERATURE!! Which by the way you DO NOT USE hypoid 80W90 in honda transaxles.

This is 100% FACT. I love hearing BS that is passed on and on and on by stupid techs. Ask the honda technician for real proof. I guarantee 100% they CANNOT prove the corrosive nature because they are stupid techs that believe what they are told to believe. If they knew what they are talking about then they are not aware that many distributor drive gears in other car makes have brass drive gears. Synthetic gear oils are perfectly fine 100%.

If you look at the formulation of multigrade and synthetic you'll see that they will both contain a similar amount of ZDDP. Motor cylcle oil usually has higher concentrations of zddp and remember many motorcyles share the engine oil for both engine and tranny. Ask the honda tech if motorcyles are any different....... I am 100% correct and the honda tech is WRONG. Majority of motorcylcle enthusiast use synthetic.

Just because they are honda techs do not mean they are 100% right. Fact is in this particular topic they are absolutely wrong.

[keruhas184]

Thanks for the advise. I'll take a chance on the Neo stuff, I'll let you know if I feel any differance when I replace what probably is a 17 y.o. fluid.

:)

[Moodybluesr]

Roach... you argue a good game, but where do you get your information? The Honda techs get theirs from tech bulletins put out by the manufacturer and the oil companies get theirs purportedly from research and testing... and I know from 15 years of owning and working on Hondas that regular motor oil works just fine in Honda trannies... pretty good reasons to go ahead and keep doing it the way I've always done and not put synthetic in my transaxle... I'm afraid you're going to have to put a little weight behind your arguement to get this old geezer to change his routine. I suppose you have put hours of real-world tesing and wear analysis into the question at hand and have first-hand knowlage to call out the oil industry and our good friends at Honda on their shadiness and lying?

[riced_roach]

Hey Moodybluesr,

I feel that in the business world they will manipulate and distort information. If honda provides a MTF fluid I cannot see why they would recommend anything else. You see the "yellow metals" you speak of are found in valve guides, distributor bushings, dist drive gears and some marine application uses brass frost plugs and for oil galleries. This is not false information and is a fact.

Dont get me wrong regular mineral oil is absolutely fine with honda trannies and there is absolutely no issues using it at all. I find it odd that honda would claim sythetics as corrosive oil. If you look at the formula of motor oil you'll see that majority of all motor oils have apox 0.1% zinc and 0.1% phosphorus. These two are called ZDDP usually. These are hard on catalytic converters so that is why they have been reduced over the years. You never hear people having corrosive problems using sythetics at this is at higher temps too.

This is fact again and Honda is full of BS if they say sythetic oil is corrosive. And again the transaxles DO NOT reach temps like engine oil. For the life of me I'm still looking for the issues of GL5 hypoid gear oil which is corrosive to brass components. Some gear oils will be corrosive to those components when they reach really high temps but again our transaxles will never reach those temps. Maybe you should look at google to see if theres more info.

If honda made a sythetic MTF (of coarse from some oil company) they would advertise it as spectacular stuff. Since they dont they will slam synthetic as a corrosive product. So that means a brand new porsche filled with synthetic oil from the factory will corrode.....cant you see how ridiculous it is. I would ask honda to prove those claims. I assure you they will have their foot in thier mouths.