89 civic dx sedan

Hi everyone,

A friend of mine received as a gift a 1989 civic sedan DX. Its got a B15B2
motor with auto trannie.

its a sweet ride with only 123000 kms on it, new rad, newer driveshafts, very
clean on top. New exhaust, almost no rust, which is surprising since it was
in the salt belt here in Winnipeg.

However when I got underneath to remove the oil filter, I noticed a leak.
Not entirely sure where it is coming from. Also couldn't tell if it was oil
or trannie fluid.

I figure that the best way to determine what it is would be to check if the
trannie fluid is low. The engine oil level was fine.

What is the procedure for checking trannie fluid? My previous reading
indicates you have to check while the car is running in neutral. Is this
correct?

t

 

On Hondas it can be checked with the engine off but make sure the car is on
level ground. Hondas aren't the same as some american made cars.


-jeff

 

boy am i glad they aren't the same as detroit shiat.

 

Yes it is.

1) Drive the car for 15 minutes or so.
2) Let it sit on a level surface.
3) Run the lever slowly through all the ranges, then back into Neutral or
Park. LEAVE ENGINE RUNNING.
4) Pull dipstick and wipe it off.
5) Reinsert all the way, then remove and check level against the HOT range.

There is only about 8oz from min to max, so be careful how much you add.

If you need to add, turn the engine off and put a small funnel on the
dipstick tube. Pour the new fluid in there. Dexron is fine.

The reason the engine needs to be running is that the transmission's
internal pump is the torque converter. If the engine is not running, then
fluid is not being pumped through the tranny and the level will seem WAY
high.

All automatics work this way, regardless of whether they are American or
not.

 

sorry dude, not the honda. automatics get dipped with the engine OFF.

 

the transmission dip stick is yellow. you'll see it down there on the
left side as you face the engine.

regarding the leak, it's most likely engine oil. check the color. if
it's red/pink/purple, it's transmission. if it's straw, it's motor oil.
[they are different colors specifically for leak identification.]
motor oil leaks can be reduced by using a quality brand of oil - some
don't have sufficient seal conditioners and they start to leak like
sieves. use of a decent oil [i like castrol for this] re-conditions the
seals to a large degree and they seal much better again.

no, not on a honda. read the owners manual. read it when hot and with
the motor OFF.

 

Damn. You're right. I missed that.

All the steps I outlined above are correct with the exception of the engine
running. As jim says, it should be OFF!

You are supposed to check the oil /no more than/ one minute after shutting
the car off. Immediately is better.

Hmph. Engines that run backwards, ATs that need to be checked with engine
off. Honda likes to do things differently, don't they?

 

Tegger,

Just wondering why Dexron is OK to use as ATF in this car? Wouldn't honda
fluid be the preferred?

t

 

Back then Honda used to say you could use "Honda Premium Formula" ATF,
*or* the equivalent DEXRON-II. It sounds from the factory manual like
you can mix the two types if you want.

 

don't. i've tried it. shifting will be crap. stick to honda atf if
you don't want to be kicked in the ass on every shift.