Resonable Price for a Manual Transmission Fluid change

Dealer wants $75.00 for a change of the manual transmission fluid
on a 98 Civic Lx..Includes fluid..

Resonable?

Thanks..

Rich

 

IMO, manual transmission fluid changes are easier than
engine oil changes. For one thing, there's no filter to
replace.

The shop removes an easily accessed drain plug and filler
plug; drains a little under two (for my 91 Civic, anyway)
quarts of fluid; reinstalls the drain plug with a new
washer; fills through the filler hole without about two
quarts of new fluid; reinstalls the filler plug with a new
washer.

So your dealer should charge the local going rate for an oil
change, IMO.

If you have a private shop do it, you can provide the two
washers and fluid and should sleep well.

From a lot of reading, I do strongly recommend paying the
extra bucks for the genuine Honda manual transmission fluid.
Shifting will be better, according to reports, which
generally translates to less wear on parts.

 

Thanks..

One last question..I see in my FSM that it takes 1.9 U.S. quarts for a
oil change..The fill/drain plugs look parallel to the groun

I'm going to ask a stupid question..How to get the oil from the jug to
the filler plug ??

Long hose and a funnel ? Turkey Baster ? Something else?

Thanks,

 

I use a long funnel with an "L" shaped piece of tubing at the end which fits
inside the filler plug hole. I also recommend driving the car around a
little bit to get the oil warm before changing it. Make sure that the car
is level before filling it. If you have the front end jacked up without the
rear end also raised, then you won't be able to get the full capacity into
the transmission.

Eric

 

Go to UAP/NAPA or pretty much any auto part house. They sell a pump similar
to that on large hand-soap bottles. It has a length of clear vinyl hose
already attached. Stick pump pipe on lube bottle, end of vinyl hose in fill
hole, pump away until it runs out. Plug torque is about 30 ft lbs.

Level car first. Have oil pan under fill hole to catch runout.

 

The part that might not be clear is that the fluid level is determined by
when the fluid starts running back out the hole - thus the mention of being
sure the car is level when you fill it.

Mike

 

Yes. I bought about 3-feet of I think something like
1/2-inch (OD?) diameter, clear tubing at Home Depot. My oil
change funnel fits into it fine. Push one end into the upper
fill hole; the other coming out the engine compartment. Like
Michael said, watch for the manual transmission fluid
flowing out the hole. I put an oil pan underneath to catch
it when it does.

Not a stupid question. I think I asked around myself when I
did my first MTF change.

What the other (actually much more experienced) posters say
of course is fine or superior to this approach.

My driveway is on a small hill, so I have the option of
putting my Rhino ramps on the hill, driving the car onto it,
and having a pretty level car but space to work, too.

OTOH, I have changed the MTF several times without ramps or
jackstands. There's enough space from above and below to do
the job (assuming you're not an enormous person).

Going to do it yourself? Way to go.

 

Honda manual transmission fluid _is_ a bit spendy, around 6$ a bottle,
but I somehow doubt you need 10 quarts of the stuff... (2~4 is more
typical.)

I don't own a Civic, so maybe, just maybe, there is some horrible,
hour-long proceedure that must be undertaken in order to change the
fluid. Barring that unlikely scenario, it takes 15 minutes and is a
cinch. You'll need a socket set, and maybe ramps. The only 'special'
tooling required is a filler funnel with a long flexible extension ($5).

IMO, $75 is absurd.

For best results (I've no idea if it really matters) plan ahead and have
the tools and ramps lined up and ready to go. Drive the car a few miles
to get any loose debris suspended in the fluid, then zoom in and drain
the transmission as quickly as possible.

-Greg