how to change transmission fluid??

[ahmad89]

i have searched this forum on how to change the transmission fluid on an 89 accord DX auto but not much luck. I found the how to but its not that much of a help. So if someone could please tell me step by step procedures and locations of how to drain and refill the transmission fluid and what type of fluid to get from honda, i know its ATF but is there something else like ATF-Z1 or something? thank you

[LX-incredible]

I usually warm it up a bit and let it set for a few beforehand. Turn the wheel all the way to the right and locate the drain bolt on the end of the transmission. It has a square insert head, any standard 3/8" socket wrench or extension will fit in the hole. Place a pan underneath and remove the bolt by turning CCW. Let it drain for a few minutes. Now is a good time to clean some of the shavings out of there. Get a small telescoping magnet, even better if you can find a flexible one, but the head needs to be 1/4" or less to get in there. Get comfortable, it might take a while. Carefully insert the magnet and gently move it around inside and to the right of the hole. Remove, clean, and repeat until you stop getting shavings. Do not allow any rocks or shit to get on the magnet and in the tranny. I always flush 1/2 of a quart through, then reinstall the plug, and fill with 3 1/2 quarts. The best thing to fill with screws directly on to the bottle and has a clear vinyl tube that is about 1 1/2 ft long.

[ghettogeddy]

I usually warm it up a bit and let it set for a few beforehand. Turn the wheel all the way to the right and locate the drain bolt on the end of the transmission. It has a square insert head, any standard 3/8" socket wrench or extension will fit in the hole. Place a pan underneath and remove the bolt by turning CCW. Let it drain for a few minutes. Now is a good time to clean some of the shavings out of there. Get a small telescoping magnet, even better if you can find a flexible one, but the head needs to be 1/4" or less to get in there. Get comfortable, it might take a while. Carefully insert the magnet and gently move it around inside and to the right of the hole. Remove, clean, and repeat until you stop getting shavings. Do not allow any rocks or shit to get on the magnet and in the tranny. I always flush 1/2 of a quart through, then reinstall the plug, and fill with 3 1/2 quarts. The best thing to fill with screws directly on to the bottle and has a clear vinyl tube that is about 1 1/2 ft long.
scenes its an auto he can refill with a funnel at the dip stick right

[LX-incredible]

Oops, forgot that. Yeah, fill through the dipstick hole. The fill tube thing makes it so much easier and no mess.

[ghettogeddy]

Oops, forgot that. Yeah, fill through the dipstick hole. The fill tube thing makes it so much easier and no mess.
also ive found that for refilling the 5 speed
take the spedo sensor out and fill it there

[ahmad89]

ok guys thank you very much for the help and tips, but where is the drain bolt and dipstick or will i see it when i get under and in the engine? and how many quarts does the tranny need so i can get an extra one to do a flush.

[LX-incredible]

I'd rather just use a tube. All the speed sensors that I've removed have been a bitch. Though it's a good way to get a little extra fluid in the manuals.

[ahmad89]

I'd rather just use a tube. All the speed sensors that I've removed have been a bitch. Though it's a good way to get a little extra fluid in the manuals.
my car is auto... and where is the dip stick? i've read that its about a foot down passed the battery.

[LX-incredible]

Look where I described for the drain bolt, it's in a direct line of sight with the radius rod, which that goes from the LCA to the front. The dipstick is actually screwed in, and about an inch wide. It is below the distributor and hoses, towards the front of the car. It says "MERCON III" or something like that, as I recall. It will be quite a reach. Remember that you check the level only with the engine off and the dipstick fully unscrewed, just set on the top of the hole.

[ahmad89]

Look where I described for the drain bolt, it's in a direct line of sight with the radius rod, which that goes from the LCA to the front. The dipstick is actually screwed in, and about an inch wide. It is below the distributor and hoses, towards the front of the car. It says "MERCON III" or something like that, as I recall. It will be quite a reach. Remember that you check the level only with the engine off and the dipstick fully unscrewed, just set on the top of the hole.
ok now how many quarts? i got an auto.

[LX-incredible]

Buy 4. It uses 3 1/2, I use the 1/2 to flush the shavings after the magnet trick.

[ahmad89]

Buy 4. It uses 3 1/2, I use the 1/2 to flush the shavings after the magnet trick.
ok thanks a lot and thx for the rating lol, i'll look around for a long good flexible magnet and i was gonna use like a quart to flush out the crap. I will look into doing it this weekend, havnt done much work on my car in a long time and always wanna do something new. Thank you all very much.
P.S. which fluid honda ATF? or is there a better one?

[LX-incredible]

It doesn't have to be too long, the magnet in the tranny is close to the drain hole, the extra length just helps to maneuver it. You will know when you start pulling shit off of it. Good luck.

[ahmad89]

It doesn't have to be too long, the magnet in the tranny is close to the drain hole, the extra length just helps to maneuver it. You will know when you start pulling shit off of it. Good luck.
ok but what fluid should i use?

[LX-incredible]

Honda ATF. I personally don't use it, but most others do. If you're going to the dealer to get it anyway, why not check with the guy at the counter. Last time I was there, I only saw one type.

[88Accord-DX]

Ok, when is the best time to change the tranny fluid? In the morning, late afternoon, before bedtime, after a good can of pringles? We need the specifics now!

[LX-incredible]

Ahahaha!:lol:

[ahmad89]

Ok, when is the best time to change the tranny fluid? In the morning, late afternoon, before bedtime, after a good can of pringles? We need the specifics now!
ahahah that caught me off gaurd lol. How much is the fluid per quart or bottle?

[MessyHonda]

newbie!

[ahmad89]

newbie!
just shut up messy, i'll unleash on you tomorrow im half asleep right now you grease ball

[MessyHonda]

just shut up messy, i'll unleash on you tomorrow im half asleep right now you grease ball



this is so stupid its like asking how to put in gas into a car.....come one oil changes are the most basic things....i can do with with my eyes closed now.

[ahmad89]

this is so stupid its like asking how to put in gas into a car.....come one oil changes are the most basic things....i can do with with my eyes closed now.
its transmission fluid retard, not an oil change. I knew it was like changing the oil but i wanted to make sure if there any extra steps and where to fill the tranny and im glad i asked cause now i know and got useful tips so you FAIL again.:gun:

[MessyHonda]

its transmission fluid retard, not an oil change. I knew it was like changing the oil but i wanted to make sure if there any extra steps and where to fill the tranny and im glad i asked cause now i know and got useful tips so you FAIL again.:gun:



useful tip....dont let the car fall on you. also remember to get good fluid and a washer for the bolt.

[ahmad89]

useful tip....dont let the car fall on you. also remember to get good fluid and a washer for the bolt.
jesus messy just stop you post whore.

[MessyHonda]

jesus messy just stop you post whore.


:welcome:

[LX-incredible]

useful tip....dont let the car fall on you.
Yeah, you wouldn't want that. Listen to this guy Ahmad, he seems to know his shit.

[w261w261]

OK, normally I ignore ranting and railing, like why make more of it? But here's a good example of what I thought was a pretty good thread, one that could be turned up later on a search for changing the fluid in an automatic. Messy, not everyone knows as much as you do - everybody, and I mean everybody, started out a newbie, everyone has asked questions that seem self-evident but aren't to them. Right up to when you jumped in, the thread was clean and informative. Ahmad has progressed over a year or so from knowing very little and perhaps asking questions that could have been answered from a search, to having plunged in and worked hard to learn. Have to give him credit for that. On this thread, which was very straightforward, jumping in with superfluous junk doesn't do anything except mess things up. And Ahmad, if I could make a suggestion: when someone throws up something like Messy, just ignore it, don't feel you have to fire back. The disturbance will usually die by itself, instead of turning into a pissing match.

I know that this message is sort of like that, but it's the first time I've said anything along these lines. I really believe that the personal stuff should be kept in a chat environment, not in the middle of the tech stuff.

[2oodoor]

Ok, when is the best time to change the tranny fluid? In the morning, late afternoon, before bedtime, after a good can of pringles? We need the specifics now!
SWEET.... :bow: :bowrofl: :wave: this little smiley bastard can't possibly laugh as hard as I did at your post ddude2uc
Sorry guys
W261W261 I very much agree with you, the piddly back and forth chit chat (like an old married couple) nobody wants to read.

Does the dipstick say Mercon III? I never saw that on mine, I am going to look now. As far as I knew the Honda ATF was synthetic or synth blend.

[imjdoggie]

I have an AT and I did this yesterday, it was not too bad at all and it made a world of difference.

http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61319

[ahmad89]

W261, messy and i are just messin around we were talkin in the chat room last night when he posted that, hes just being a smartass lol, i always have stands next to the jack incase the jack fails for some reason, that would save me from being crushed. Thank you all very much and thanks W261.

[ahmad89]

Yeah, you wouldn't want that. Listen to this guy Ahmad, he seems to know his shit.
Only messy would have the experience of having a car fall on him lol

[MessyHonda]

W261, messy and i are just messin around we were talkin in the chat room last night when he posted that, hes just being a smartass lol, i always have stands next to the jack incase the jack fails for some reason, that would save me from being crushed. Thank you all very much and thanks W261.


yeah....we had a chat last night....i only mess with people i know. not with ramdom people.


and ahmad....its not funny....my dx fell on my uncle back in 95 or something like that and now he has a metal plate on his wrist....he was doing an oil change and he did not put wheel stops or the e-brake and one of the jackstands gave out since it was on a incline. i always change my oil on a lift since its a 4 point system and i always check its going up right and suported right. just take your time and dont cut shortcuts.

[LX-incredible]

You don't need to jack the car up to change the ATF.

[ahmad89]

yeah....we had a chat last night....i only mess with people i know. not with ramdom people.
and ahmad....its not funny....my dx fell on my uncle back in 95 or something like that and now he has a metal plate on his wrist....he was doing an oil change and he did not put wheel stops or the e-brake and one of the jackstands gave out since it was on a incline. i always change my oil on a lift since its a 4 point system and i always check its going up right and suported right. just take your time and dont cut shortcuts.
i dont do shortcuts with that kind of stuff, i always make sure everything is secure and when i jack up the car i shake it a lil to see if the jack holds and sorry about your uncle.

[forrest89sei]

yeah....we had a chat last night....i only mess with people i know. not with ramdom people.
and ahmad....its not funny....my dx fell on my uncle back in 95 or something like that and now he has a metal plate on his wrist....he was doing an oil change and he did not put wheel stops or the e-brake and one of the jackstands gave out since it was on a incline. i always change my oil on a lift since its a 4 point system and i always check its going up right and suported right. just take your time and dont cut shortcuts.


God Damn, My 86 LX fell on my dad, he was trying to change the oil and decided to use Two Tire Jacks.....


He was ok but he fucked up his shoulder.

[ahmad89]

well i just got back from honda and the only ATF fluid is ATF-Z1 and its 10 bucks a quart!! so i gotta go back when i get 30 bucks.

[forrest89sei]

well i just got back from honda and the only ATF fluid is ATF-Z1 and its 10 bucks a quart!! so i gotta go back when i get 30 bucks.

In that case I'd just buy some Dexron III ATF

Buy like Castrol, Mobil 1, brands like that.

10,000's if not more use the same shit in there automatic honda's and don't have issues, even the service manual for our cars calls for it (Dexron II at the time) Honda didn't even make ATF back in the day of our cars.

So just buy Dexron III and be done with it :)

[A18A]

God Damn, My 86 LX fell on my dad, he was trying to change the oil and decided to use Two Tire Jacks.....
He was ok but he fucked up his shoulder.
how did he get out of that situation? (same question with messys uncle)

[forrest89sei]

how did he get out of that situation? (same question with messys uncle)


Um I was able to get the car jacked up again to the point that he could get out.


He was very stupid using 2 Tire Jacks on a non level space........

[ahmad89]

so use dextron 3? I wanna use the ATF-Z1 i read good reviews about it and last long and even conditions the gaskets.

[MessyHonda]

well i just got back from honda and the only ATF fluid is ATF-Z1 and its 10 bucks a quart!! so i gotta go back when i get 30 bucks.



that blows...if you were closer i would hook u up....i only got charged 3 bucks a quart and i bought 5 and he gave me one free. so it was all good.

[2oodoor]

yea you need to let somebody buy it for you, they are charging you noob tax. lmao

you can use other brands, read your own thread mister ahmad89
There is a definate difference in shift quality with Honda fluid though.

[ahmad89]

yea you need to let somebody buy it for you, they are charging you noob tax. lmao
you can use other brands, read your own thread mister ahmad89
There is a definate difference in shift quality with Honda fluid though.
i want the smoothest shifting possible, my car shifts so rough it makes your head swing around.

[bushbean]

I'm fortunately enough to own a manual transaxle that I don't have to deal with the hassle of an auto unit. Although I don't have an auto, my previous motor vehicles with auto tranny (Chevy, Corollas, etc) required flushing to get all of the tranny fluid out of there. Simply draining it gets a lot out of there, but not all of it. If I remember right, I was always recommended to flush the tranny. Since I do have a flushing machine, I just pay a shop to do it. Anyway, I'm glad I don't have an auto unit.