Your Maintenance Schedule For Tranny Fluid

How often do you change your tranny fluid? Is it true that this fluid
doesn't need to be changed out as often as the manufacturer suggests?

 

I'd - at the minimum - follow what the owners manual says. At least for the
03/04 models, that would be (IIRC w/o looking at mine) 60k miles for severe
conditions and 110k miles normal conditions. Those are already long
intervals compared to other cars I've owned.

 

Forgot to say that this is for the manual 5spd on an Accord.

 

(K5) wrote;

As I forgot to mention I was looking for auto tranny fluid feedback.
Thanks anyhoo.

 

If anything this is an area where many car manufacturers under specify the
change interval.

Generally for modern automatic transmissions I change it out twice as often
as the factory recommendation. Thus if the factory says 60,000 miles, I try
to do 30,000 miles.

Automatic transmissions are very expensive and I've often found fluid which
smelled obviously burnt far sooner than the factory change interval would
suggest.

Also you want to change all of the fluid, not just the few quarts accessible
from the pan. This means either a power flush unit or the DIY equivalent
with a few hoses and careful technique.

John

 

Auto tranny, change what fluid you can every 15,000 miles
Manual trannys, once a year no matter what.

WebTV still works? How I got started 8 years ago!

 

I always follow the change interval the manufacturer suggests. If your
fluid is still clear and doesn't smell burnt, you are probably OK.

The service schedules on my last couple of Nissans only recommend changing
the fluid if there is anything wrong with it (changes color or smells
burnt).

Honda automatic trans fluid is easy to change yourself. They have drain
plugs and there is no internal filter to mess with. You just drain it and
refill with the prescribed amount. Easier than changing the oil.

This is one of the areas that people (at least in these groups) tend to
obsess over. You will get a lot of responses adamantly insisting that it
needs to be changed significantly more often the the manufacturer's
recommendations. It doesn't. Change it according to the recommended
schedule and immediately if you see or smell any changes in the fluid.

 

Yup. Still working, original keyboard and everything (7 years old and
survived a serious Pepsi Syndrome a few years back). I only use it for
my newsgroup participation as it's still slow for surfing, compared to
the cable modem for our 'puter. There's something about the ease of
operation for ngs that's kept me on this "scourge of usenet". LOL.

 

Has anyone ever gone with a different brand than Honda ATF-Z1. I understand
regular Dex III will cause problems but what about synthetic stuff like
Amsoil? Any thoughts or experiences?

 

This is one of the areas that people (at least in these groups) tend to

Um, that would be those of us who've had transmissions go bad and
still remember writing out the (really hellaciously large) check.

It's just toooo easy to change this fluid in a Honda yourself, and
cheap.
Just do it.

JM

 

Check the service schedule that came with your car.

If you are willing to risk voiding your car warranty, then don't follow
the manufacturers recommendations. Otherwise, do as the manufacturer
says.

 

Unless the oil company specifically says it meets the same specs as the
Honda fluid, I would not risk it.

 

Changing transmission MORE often than recommended is not going to void
a warranty. If it did, then everyone changing engine oil more often
than 7,500 miles would be without a valid warranty.

BTW, it's good to see that after you left the Rangers, you decided to
enroll in a great Ivy League college. How's the weather at 116th and
Broadway?

Ron

 

Some Honda transmissions permit the use of Dexron. I use Dexron 3 in
my '96 Integra. It's fine. I don't notice any problems with the
shifts. The service manual says Honda ATF or Dexron II (Now 3) are
acceptable.

There are probably Honda transmissions that should only receive Honda
ATF and in those cases, you must use Honda ATF.

__________________
Note: To reply, replace the word 'spam' embedded in return address with 'mail'.
N38.6 W121.4

 

If you really want to know whether or not the tranny fluid needs
replacement, spend $20 to have it analyzed by a lab such as
www.blackstone-labs.com.

John

 

Given the cost in the the thousands of rebuilding / replacing Honda
automatics, fluid changes are very low cost. I drain and a refill
mine every 20,000 miles .

 

Please describe the DIY equivalent. I have a truck that's going to
need just that in the spring. I have a lathe coolant pump
I suppose might be applicable, and I can position the vehicle over a
pit.

 

Few manufacturers specify a power flush, and you'd be ill-advised to do
that.

Honda specifies draining what you can, filling it up, driving it for a
few minutes, draining it again, filling it up, driving it for a few
minutes, etc.

They specify to do this a total of 4 times, and according to their
service manual that's how to change the transmission oil.

 

Is this the practice that my Honda dealer will be required to follow
if I take my Accord to him for a transmission-fluid change??
Ron

 

They specify to do this a total of 4 times, and according to their

I would bet big money that few if any Honda dealers follow such an absurd
procedure.

Any Honda techs care to comment?

John