Tell Me About Automatic Transmission Service (Honda)

[John Smallberries]

Originally Posted by Team Dennis

I own 2 Honda's, a gen 1 Ody and a new Crosstour. I drain the trans fluid on both vehicles every 2nd oil cg, about 10k miles. While I only get about 4 qts every drain and refill, it is always clean when I do it. The Ody has over 150k on the odo with no failures on that very prone to fail transmission.

Wow - new transmission fluid every 10k miles? Most GM/Ford transmissions are "fill for life" for normal driving with changes recommended for towing, dirty environments. It appears the Honda guys are more conservative with 60k intervals. Engine combustion generates oil contaminants continuously. Automatic transmissions don't generate much at all - beyond minor bushing wear.

I can't imagine you are getting much benefit from this new oil - particularly as you state it is clean when you dump it.

But - if it is working for you, it's hard to argue.

[roger123]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

Wow - new transmission fluid every 10k miles? Most GM/Ford transmissions are "fill for life" for normal driving with changes recommended for towing, dirty environments. It appears the Honda guys are more conservative with 60k intervals. Engine combustion generates oil contaminants continuously. Automatic transmissions don't generate much at all - beyond minor bushing wear.

I can't imagine you are getting much benefit from this new oil - particularly as you state it is clean when you dump it.

But - if it is working for you, it's hard to argue.

Many Honda people are nervous of the trannys after the debacle some years ago with the Accord tranny issues

I will agree that after 15K the oil does look pretty good. My Toyota Tacoma has that 100K tranny oil, we'll see how it goes......

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

Wow - new transmission fluid every 10k miles? Most GM/Ford transmissions are "fill for life" for normal driving with changes recommended for towing, dirty environments. It appears the Honda guys are more conservative with 60k intervals. Engine combustion generates oil contaminants continuously. Automatic transmissions don't generate much at all - beyond minor bushing wear.

I can't imagine you are getting much benefit from this new oil - particularly as you state it is clean when you dump it.

But - if it is working for you, it's hard to argue.

The transmission fluid contains clutch plate friction material wear as well as contaminates you stated above. The only filtration most older Honda automatic transmissions have is a screen fit between the case halves. It is not accessible other than by complete disassembly. It really is somewhat cheap insurance to change it on a regular basis.

Mike

[jdiaz]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

Wow - new transmission fluid every 10k miles? Most GM/Ford transmissions are "fill for life" for normal driving with changes recommended for towing, dirty environments. It appears the Honda guys are more conservative with 60k intervals.

My 2000 Taurus had a 30K-mile service interval. Never had an issue in 10 years/140k miles.

My 2007 Passat was initially spec'd as "fill for life", which has since been changed to a 40k-mile service interval.

[CycleDoc59]

What trans doesn't have a filter...??

Honda Pilot certainly has one, as does the Element...

And anyone who thinks there's such a thing as "Life-Time Fill",
will find out the truth at about 150K. What a croc...

[Cogswell]

Originally Posted by CycleDoc59

What trans doesn't have a filter...??

Honda Pilot certainly has one, as does the Element...

And anyone who thinks there's such a thing as "Life-Time Fill",
will find out the truth at about 150K. What a croc...

Most older transmissions did not have the filters, only screens between the cases. Looks like the Element filter is an add-on in line piece. I have been out of the dealers service business for a while. I edited my post accordingly.

I do agree lifetime fill is.


Mike

[fast4d]

approaching 250k miles on our civic. it does not have a changable filter. I've been draining the sump every 40k and refilling with synthetic atf since new. it shifts up and down without issues.

alot of first gen TL, odessey and other V6 honda had failures. honda would pay even if out of warranty. a co-worker got reimbursed for a SECOND transmission change at 150k miles. first one failed at 80k.

[Guano11]

Originally Posted by fast4d

A lot of first gen TL, odessey and other V6 honda had failures. honda would pay even if out of warranty. a co-worker got reimbursed for a SECOND transmission change at 150k miles. first one failed at 80k.

My Pilot is an '05 -- presume that's 1st Gen?
And by 1st Gen Odyssey, I assume that does NOT include the '95-'98 years, which I believe were 4cyl, non-sliding doors, etc?

But most of all, I wonder if Honda attributes any of the failures to machine flush & fill services.

[moymurfs]

I recently did my 04 Odyssey,,the going advice among the do-it-yourselfers is just drain it...(about 3 quarts but measure it) replace the 3 then drive around and repeat the process. Yes, It leaves some of the old stuff in there but after looking at what came out (looked pretty good) I'm not worried...the van has 155k on it.

[High Tension]

I changed all the fluids, except the rear dif in my '06 Ridgeline this summer ~40k mark. I waited until the computer told me that it was time, bought all the fluids at Pep Boys (except the tranny fluid which I could only find from Honda).

It was ridiculously easy to drain and fill, took maybe 30 minutes. That included me taking the tire off and trying to figure out how to use the pump I bought to make it easier to fill the case.

I think the tranny shifts smoother now, but that could just be in my head. I'll wait until the computer tells me it's time and then change them again. I recall it taking all 4 qts of fluid when I did the change. I would have been bent if I had left over fluid since I also recall the stuff to be ungawdly expensive.

I also think there may have been a magnet on the drain bolt that was covered in a small amount of metal with the consistency of grease. I wiped that off of course. It seems a pretty common thing from my limited experience in changing other fluids.

My very limited experience with transmissions is that some of them last and last even if they are mistreated. Other people do preventative maintenance and have nothing but trouble. I'm trying to find a balance between the 2 and hope that it keeps the gremlins at bay.

Knowing it was 96 bux in labor makes me feel pretty good about doing it myself. Honda really puts everything where it should be (drain and fill holes, filters, ect). I wish Subaru and BMW would do the same.

[roger123]

Originally Posted by CycleDoc59

What trans doesn't have a filter...??

Honda Pilot certainly has one, as does the Element...

And anyone who thinks there's such a thing as "Life-Time Fill",
will find out the truth at about 150K. What a croc...

'91 Civic, '91 Accord, '98 CRV, '04 Pilot, '05 Civic, those are the only ones I can speak for but I'd assume most other Hond's are similar? Magnetic drain plug and I believe an internal, non-replaceable filter but no filter like I'm used to on "old-school" Ameican cars.

[saddlsor]

I've got a civic that I've had since new and has 140k on it now. since it only holds 6 quarts of tranny fluid and only 3 come out at a time, I've just changed it every other oil change. cheap insurance but in the end it's still the luck of the draw.

[CycleDoc59]

Here's a photo of the filter location in a Honda Pilot;
it is a pleated paper type: the filter cover is shown
inside the red circle.

http://www.piloteers.org/forums/atta...t-picture1.jpg

And here's a pic of the old filter removed:
http://www.piloteers.org/forums/atta...old-filter.jpg

I did not take these pics, but found them on the 'net.....

[Guano11]

Not my intent to resurrect this thread unecessarily, but a coworker claims to have once worked in a repair shop that had a transmission flush & fill machine.
Contrary to how I thought it worked, he said the machine itself does no pumping whatsoever, and that the pressure to exchange the fluid is provided the transmission itself. The machine just has 2 reservoirs, one for the old fluid it takes in, the other for the fresh fluid it gives up. It's not even plugged into an outlet!

Can anyone confirm or deny that's how they work? And if so, how would a machine flush & fill subject a tranny to more pressure than it's accustomed to?

[CycleDoc59]

Originally Posted by Guano11

Not my intent to resurrect this thread unecessarily, but a coworker claims to have once worked in a repair shop that had a transmission flush & fill machine.
Contrary to how I thought it worked, he said the machine itself does no pumping whatsoever, and that the pressure to exchange the fluid is provided the transmission itself. The machine just has 2 reservoirs, one for the old fluid it takes in, the other for the fresh fluid it gives up. It's not even plugged into an outlet!

Can anyone confirm or deny that's how they work? And if so, how would a machine flush & fill subject a tranny to more pressure than it's accustomed to?

All the ones I've seen do have a pump, but some may not. It's not
necessary if the vehicle is running as it's own pump does the work....
No "machine" needed at all; just a piece of hose and a bucket
work just fine.... Old fluid pumps out into the bucket while you pour in
new fluid....