Damn, dude, replacing Honda Odyssey transmissions after people go to a quick lube joint and get talked into "flushing" their trans fluid is how I buy a new boat every couple years! You can't go teaching people all the secrets! Lol
Small tip from someone who's been changing Honda trans fluid for 13+ years; if you have a properly sized funnel with the right sized hose on the end of it (I've never measured, but I want to say something like 3/8 ID) you can shove it right onto the dipstick tube and fill through there without having to take the fill plug off and it makes for a much more streamlined process.
Yes. I bought a clear plastic small hose that fits into dipstick hole. Snug fit. Shove plastic hose into a plastic funnel-cut tip for a snug fit. Drained 4 quarts out overnight. Started run through gears quickly with drain plug out. Change every 25,000 miles on my 2002 odyssey to solve bang shifts. 227,000k. Still going.
Ex-Acura Tech here. On Hondas that have a dipstick, I always filled through the dipstick. I also used a big measuring bottle for the fluid that came out, and (obviously after inspecting for leaks) put the exact same amount of new fluid in. Obviously I still check the fluid level if there's a dipstick, but it was always perfect.
A mechanic, owner of a 2003 Pilot and CRV and a product instructor for Honda. This is the best video and explanation i have ever seen! Thanks so much for this. I know its 4 years ago but its much appreciated. Education is everything 😊
Jonghun Song, no just drained the fluid from cold and refilled once (checked level when warmed up) but each time the fluid was clean and still red in colour. I can imagine two or three refills would have been better but never thought to do it.
Hey I have a K24 series engine Honda engine and I recently had Dexron Fluid added because it was an emergency. According to the manual book, that is a temporary fluid but as soon as possible, you must change it to Honda Genuine. Before I change it, should I flush it (how) or just change it. I need help
andrew belmudez yea in my manual it says that too maybe when you can buy the fluid change it if your question doesn’t get answered here try r/car talk on reddit tons of people there willing to help they have helped me a bunch in the past on diy work
I cant agree more. Never in my 35+ years of wrenching have I not done a transmission flush and don't plan on starting. A lot of pilots and odyssey vehicles up here and I recommend a trans fluid drain and refill every 30K with DW-1 fluid only. Excellent video!
We changed our fluid on our Accord it was old and dark. Unfortunately the tranny went bad in 6 months. I don't know if that's what caused it but I have heard caution to never change old fluid on high miles cars
I can arrest to this technique. I did a drain an fill on my 1999 Accord every 10k miles using Honda fluid. I gave it to someone in need last week. It rolled out of my driveway with 418,075 miles on the original, un opened motor and transmission.
@pochoun33137 it was a 4. 1st two oil changes were with mineral based oil. Then went to Mobile1 synthetic. Oil and filter every 5,000 miles. Transmission fluid on the 10s. Easy to remember. Started with Fram Extra Guard oil filters for the grip surface to get them off then switched to K&N because of the 1" nut. Hand tight seemed to be just a bit tighter after the hot/cold cycles between changes. Also used a K&N air filter. Lots of TH-cam videos on how these filters destroy your engine. They worked and still work for me on this and all my other vehicles. Sold the car to a young person getting thier start for a $1. It owed me nothing and I wasn't going to warranty either. 85 oil changes, 3 timing belts, 11 sets of tires, I was done with it. If it died tomorrow, they can peddle it for a parts and make money.
Love the big roomy body style on that, 98-02, Accord. But that tranny was terrible. Thel 90's Honda Civic, on the other hand, was a Swiss watch of economy cars. It performed for 10 years without ANY PROBLEMS. Wow. Amazing. Today's Honda is different. It is closer in reliability to Mazda/Nissan. Toyota is reliability king, today ( not counting Yaris/Echo ). Peace.
@pochoun33137 As my kids get established, they are returning Subarus that I bought them to use at school and get over the mt. passes in winter. I am working on pairing down to a couple of Subarus and a Tundra. The Subarus keep you busy for a while with head gaskets and wheel bearings. Briansmobile1 and mrsubaru1387 have been excellent resources. If I could buy another new 1999 Accord, I would. At this point, I am less and less likely to buy any new car as the cost and complexity for features I don't want or need just pushes me away. There exists a huge un met market for a simple, well built vehicle. Neither government or manufacturers will produce it for various reasons. I just may have to build it myself.
I agree. I'm never afraid to flush a transmission, but, I ONLY flush using the fluid I intend to use. Using an additive leaves residue in it, even after draining. I don't like any additive other than the right kind of fluid. Additives can affect the friction modifiers, viscosity, detergent package, and extreme pressure additives. It changes the specification of the fluid. A new pickup filter is never a bad idea either. The best information in this video is the most basic thing: How to PROPERLY check the fluid level. Fluid level is critical. This is especially important, since the dipstick doesn't have instructions on it.
Good video. On my Honda Element I let the transmission drain,replacing the same amount with fresh,driving normally for a month,then repeating the process three times in all. It takes about 7 .5 litres overs a period of three months but the results are amazing. My Element has 375,000 Kim’s and runs perfectly. Thx again. And let’s hope that the era of mechanics taking advantage of people to get rich will end soon .
One of the best "how to video's" I've seen. Quick, clear, concise with a detailed explanation on why the fluid gets that color. I never messed with a transmission fluid swap so never knew why. Thanks for the info. Just bought a one owner 2007 Odyssey and knew the transmission can be an issue but see why now. Previous owners had it done twice in 50k miles over the previous 14 years but luckily at same dealership they bought it from so hopefully none of the issues you covered occurred there. 🤞
Rip you off by selling you stuff you don't need. Rip you off or screw up the thing you came for. For an oil change, favorite tricks are stripping the drain plug, over/underfilling, using their ultra-cheap stuff instead of the synthetic you paid for.
Dude! They tried to tell me my water pump was leaking with with no pressure test yes it was 315 with labor compared to the dealership but i did a pressure test and my heater core connector was leaking
@@thomasderush5180 yeah i agree, but what i meant is that as they are not precisely the same as regular automatics more window for mistakes is existent.
@@zoneb609 does this video apply to 9th gen accord v6? Checking the fluid in afternoon (not warmed up) it's just over letter T in the word "HOT" and after driving 10minutes and checking later it's just under max dot.? Can u check cold or must he warmed? I know fluid expands 1/8inch when heated.
Love how you explained why the color of the transmission fluid is not bright red when you checked it after putting in new fluid. This was my question and you answered it so clearly through this video thank you.
I watched a guy take apart a fire engine transmission (Allison I think). The people who are able to do this are amazing and true specialists. They are the brain surgeons of the mechanics field.
Fun thing about atf is that it is the best cleaner you can put in a auto trans and not brake any thing. Every OEM I have bothered to check agrees with you. No power flush and no chemicals out side of the recommended atf.
Basically get a car that has a good clean working transmission or if you already have one whatever you do make a plan to check and keep that as clean as possible change it ever so often I guess people have there own money issues and most don’t even change the transmission fluid you can go a bit between them but it’s not that expensive and my 05 civic lx don’t have a filter for the transmission I clean the bolt make sure I always get new washer and it looks exactly the way it goes in the same color and I got 148k miles on it I changed it at like 105k maybe I got my car at 100k and it was clean then but I did it anyways. But I believe I filled it through dip stick hole with a funnel
@@pacsmacks7142 bro I have the same year accord and model as you. I currently have 131k miles on it , transmission oil looks a bit brownish dirty but still very fresh. Do you believe doing a trans flush would be safe for my vehicle? Or is Applying atf better
This is so true. I have tried to save a little money by buying the all purpose tranny fluid that even says is ok to use in Hondas. Had bad shifting and even had some clutch material on my magnet when doing a fluid change. Did 2 fluid changes with honda fluid, and now it shifts beautifully. 2010 acura mdx with 250,000kms.
When I first buy a used car, mostly a Honda or Toyota, the first thing I do (after my mechanic has looked over the car) is to have him flush the transmission completely. My reasoning is that if it's gonna fail it will fail after that and I'll take the car back because of faulty transmission. I bought a car and didn't flush the transmission and after 3 weeks the transmission started jerking when you pull away from a stoplight,.They replaced it for free but I've always flushed them after I buy them from then on. I have a truck with almost 200K on it and flushed it when I got it, about 25K miles ago, and it's running fine. I'm not a mechanic though, so don't take my advice. Those Odessey transmissions seem to be a weak one. I'm only sharing my experience. Edit: typos.
I never changed transmission fluid of my Nissan Altima and it has 3,85,795 kilometers on it . Fluid is still factory red and my mechanic would leave it as it is.
People mess up Ford transmissions often the same way, flushing with contaminated fluid from other brands or not using OEM Mercon V or LV when doing drain and fills. Great video, thanks Brain!
Also if its stripped and you dont check it before you remove the drain plug, then you'll be sweatin thinking how am I gonna get the new fluid in now that I drained the old fluid out
@@Hippykiller67 lol, you have to on the 2010 rabbits. No fill hole, gotta fill through the drain. To check the fluid you remove the drain and if a little comes out, that means it's full. It's goofy.
It really grinds my gears when the manual asks for 3.1 or 2.2 liters or whatever, and they only sell 1 liter bottles. It's like its on purpose to force you to buy another bottle.
Have a 2011 accord with v6, I was getting random hard shifting and drained the fluid out, got the Honda transmission fluid, put 3 quarts in. I took a plug out on top of transmission it was 17mm and had ATF stamped on it. At operating temperature level was right at the top hole on dipstick and she’s been shifting great 👍
I have done a transmission drain and fill on my 1999 Accord every 10k miles with Honda fluid. The motor got Mobil 1 and a filter every 5 k. Gave it to someone in need last week. It rolled out of my driveway with 418,075 miles on the original, un opened motor and transmission. Still 27 mpg. Used a half quart between changes.
@@roloaddict Hard to imagine it being that easy on oil, though I certainly don't dispute what you're claiming here. My '10 Pilot drinks oil; probably 2~2.5qts between changes.
That "return line" is installed as part of a recall for 2003 and 2004 models. It was to provide extra lubrication for one of the internal gears. If your 2003 or 2004 doesn't have this, get it done.
Thanks so much for sharing that. It really seemed like a piece of after thought engineering. Especially since it's not a 2000's Chrysler- it seemed out of place.
@Jack Daniels They must have gotten the 04's when they were still brand new fresh, because everyone i know who has a 2003-04 Odyssey hasn't had any transmission issues like the 99-02 years.
@@briansmobile1 It was definitely an afterthought. The root problem of that second gear overheating issue was that the C2/S2 Gear set was subjected to inadequate oil coverage when the car was not in second gear (heat radiating to the gear set without being dissipated). This issue was eventually fixed by changing the design one of the valves in the Main Valve Body (Lockup Control Valve, maybe; I don't remember) to increase ATF flow to the second gear set. The problem manifested itself mostly in vehicles that were driven long distances at highway speeds in warmer climates, where the opportunity to downshift and flood the gear set with ATF were less frequent. Pretty sure that design changed in Mass Production in 2003 across all V6 5AT models.
I've changed the transmission on my dads 2010 civic , and it took 2.5qts of the Honda dw1 transmission fluid. My mom has a 2013 crv awd , and that I've changed that one the same way. On a crv awd though , you have to change the rear differential fluid on them every 15k.
Good information. Always use Honda brand fluids; it's just not worth the risk to do otherwise. One lesson I learned on my '07 Ridgeline: make SURE you can loosen the fill plug before you drain the tranny. I ended up replacing the fluid via the dipstick tube. THEN I purchased a new fill plug and, after some exertion, installed the new plug. I agree with doing a drain 'n fill three times rather than risk damage from a "flush".
I do my odyssey's trans fluid every other oil change just like you showed here. Made a HUGE difference in the transmission performance. Only difference is I use a hose on the bottom of my funnel to fill through the dipstick tube. Seems to work fine.
@@briansmobile1 Question, is it safe to use Lubegard Red with Honda DW-1 every time changing the transmission fluid on an every other engine oil change? Also when changing the transmission fluid on an every other engine oil change do I have to do it 3 times drain and fill or just 1 drain and fill?
Hello Brian, Rob for Australia here. Many years ago i sent you an article about me rebuilding my old Massey Ferguson TEA 20 tractor and the old number plate. I hope that you still have it on your number plate wall. Good to see that life is being kind to you. Kind regards from Downunder. Cheers Rob.
I worked at a factory that bottled this fluid. The label on the bottle says "this fluid is specifically designed for Honda transmissions". Once we got done with the order we would start on the next order and let's say it was Nissan. The order would call for the same fluid and all we would have to change would be the bottles and swap the roll of labels that go on the bottles and boxes. The Nissan and Acura labels would say the exact same "this is specifically designed for X transmission". Even though it's all the same exact fluid.
Acura and Honda are the same company, just a different brand. Acuras are "luxury" Hondas. Now you know. Nissan using the same fluid isnt so suspect either. Plenty of brands use already existing, parts and formulations, to avoid sinking $$$ into R&D. The important part is to not use the wrong type of fluid because there definitely are different types.
I have a friend that’s been working on hondas for probably 15 years and I blew his mind when I told him that the automatics have to be checked while hot. It was a back and forth argument before some googling and an owners manual read later lol.
My shop recommends performing drain and fill service on Honda automatic transmissions every 15K miles. We use O.E. Honda fluid. Our customers who adhere to this service have very little transmission issues.
Good video, very accurate. I worked at a Honda dealership and had many ppl come in after going to quickie, spiffy, lube ya in the tail shops, that used the wrong fluid in the trans. USE ONLY HONDA ATF DW1 ! Do not used cheap crossover fluids. Honda trans are specific to their fluids !
I wouldn't have even considered using anything but genuine Honda fluid, but I was getting a pronounced shudder in my '10 Pilot at both 44mph and 70mph (caused by slipping Lockup Clutch in Torque Converter). Switched over to Castrol for Imports and much improved. Pilot is currently at 325k+ miles. Also switched my Accords over years ago. Disclaimer: I also took my Pilot to a dealer to flash the firmware for the Transmission Control Module, and changed the fluid shortly afterward, as the firmware update did not fully remove the shudder. I have friends with CRVs who experienced the same issue with shudder, and resolved it by switching over the the Castrol fluid.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
I know I'm late to the party, but have a 2006. Trans change at 225k and now has 380k with 3 fluid changes on it. About every 30k I do a drain and fill. Great video
@@renzrenz3465 Yes that was my first change. Current one down shifting into 3rd a little hard sometimes. When I did a drain and fill at 400k the plug was a bit too fuzzy for my liking. Really can't do anything about it but baby it until it dies... trying for 500k
That part removed to fill was actually an update from Honda for the automatic transmission trying to solve the issues it was having at the time. The plug was replaced to insert that part in.
Brian, I've been watching your channel for a long time and I'm always grateful for all of the knowledge you share with us. I did want to specifically mention that the music and bonus footage at the end really struck a chord and reminded me of someone I had lost. You gave me back a wonderful memory of a time had forgotten, many thanks.
Going to a quick lube is always a bad idea. If you don't know how to do it, watching a video like this will give you more knowledge than the quick lube place has. In most cases the underpaid high school graduate knows even less about each vehicle. They fix every car the same way and cars are not the same. Bring it to a specialist or watch a video like this from a specialist. Thanks for the info. Very helpful as I'm trying to figure out a transmission problem that a "mechanic" has messed up. There are a lot of "backyard" mechanics disguises as professionals.
Just changed the Transmission fluid on my 1997 honda accord @ 114,548 miles. I've owned the car for 4 years now and just got its first change under my owner ship. Took it on the highway and could tell instantly how smoother it shifts gears now!
Never flush anything that is OLDER, radiators included. But if its well maintained from day 1, you can get away with it. I "flush" my motor sometimes with some transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery oil. But yeah, empty and refill is the safest policy.
@@DJR5280 I keep hearing people say never flush a transmission because if your clutches are gone the material in the fluid is keeping it going. I build my own transmissions (4L60E) I know for a fact that is complete bullshit. Ive also heard that the clutches are brittle and the flush will make them fall apart, also complete bullshit I can understand not doing a cemical flush but a fluid flush is fine.
I destroyed mine back in like 05 at 110k by adding some additive to fix what I thought was hard shifting (it wasn’t). Didn’t take long to find out what hard shifting really was. The clutch material plugged the passages and trashed the first/second gear clutch packs. Had it rebuilt and it lasted another 100k without issue with just drain/refills.
I do fill and drain 3 quarts a time 3x as well every 20-30k mile interval. I also install a large transmission radiator with inline filter . 220k miles later, my car still shifts like a butter - smooth
@@slowazzes1972 then dont do it, let a machine do it for you and clog the ports to the solenoids . I only spent $70 for ATF every 20k miles - its way cheaper compare to repair shops tbh. Being cheap will only cost you more in the end.
With all respect, JD - allow me my $0.02 worth? If you're changing that frequently, your fluid should look pretty darned good when you drain it - provided you don't have extreme heat or dusty conditions. If you're replacing that often, you could probably save the $$$ and forego the extra flushing. Today's fluids are pretty good, and unless you're really torching it and killing the lubrication additives, it's probably still in good shape. I'm not suggesting you modify your change frequency; I just don't think your fluids are going to be bad enough that you need to get every drop out before refilling with fresh. I'm also vehemently opposed to disturbing the stray solids in your transmissions, as you could reintroduce something back into the oil flow that had previously been allowed to settle somewhere harmless. Even so little as a human hair in the wrong place can cause malfunction (NOT hyperbole: a human hair measures approx. 0.05mm in diameter. Valve clearance in a Linear Solenoid is about 0.03mm, I think). I know you didn't ask for my opinion; feel free to tell me to go pound sand, if you think it appropriate.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
I check the level before removing drain plug.. I drain then fill with the same exact amount that came out. A friend of mine had some rough shifting in his 2012 accord... we did 3 drain and fills in a span of 2 months. We also cleaned out all the solenoids that were accesible at the last drain and fill... problem was fixed. After every drain and fill we got better results. Trans fluid was cheap on amazon.
I have been using Amsoil ATF for some 25K miles, for two 1x3s, and it works great. I often hear about only using Honda fluids, but the Honda stuff is not nearly as high-end of a synthetic as Amsoil or Redline. I could feel the shifts degrading over time before with the OEM fluid, yet have not felt any degradation using the new stuff. It did shift much firmer initially after switching, but calmed down to normal after a day or so. The Acurazine forum for my 3rd gen TL is in love with Redline products, and using as little friction modifiers as possible in the ATF, so you could look into that as well. Remember to change the filters on these cars if it has never been changed before. It seems that changing out the fluid regularly is the best thing that one can do to prolong the life of a Honda transmission. And this is the best video tutorial I have seen yet on how to do it, thank you Briansmobil1.
My torque converter shuddered in my Pilot at 90k miles. I switched it over to Castrol for Imports and no more trouble. I'm at nearly 280k now. Switched my Accords over as well.
OH man this video came at a better time, I work at a Honda dealership maintenance department and transmission fluid replacement is part and parcel of our work. By the way, I didn't know John Malkovich is a car technician lol
Great video Brian! I have had 2 Honda transmissions go to well over 200k with doing transmission fluid drain and fill regularly. Especially if you DIY oil changes, it’s easy to just do a drain and fill every 15k miles. My 2017 odyssey (30k miles) is about to get a full change (3 drain, 3 refills) and a external filter change (really happy Honda put an external filter from the factory).
There is also a 5-micron strainer inside. The drain bolt also has a magnet to collect ferrous material from the pan, and the torque converter has a built-in strategy for trapping fragments as well.
2006 Crv owner, it’s got 275k on it. It has the bearing noise from the misaligned bearing in the trans side cover which is in the tsbs for this car. Been that way for a long time and I live with the whine. Been doing a drain and refill on the trans every 3-4 oil changes and checking the magnet for debris. Using maxlife synthetic atf. 4 qt jug is $20 at Walmart.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
I agree with you Brian, but not when it comes to the 2012-2016 honda CR-Vs...I did a flush , and added a good expensive Lucas stop slip additive...to my GFs CRV that had 63k miles on it... funny enough we got a recall for the tranny rumbling as it shifts into 2-3 shift under light throttle....and we brought it in, HONDA did a flush with honda stuff.. and added an additive....even after i told them i had just done that and it took the rumble away....They said they had to by law. and They plugged in the special Honda software computers and changed a bunch of shift points and fluid pressure checks... Thought i'd let you know, i ALWAYS said flushes and additives were dog shit, well 20,000miles later... we're about to do it again, as per Hondas advice. Also what im 99% sure honda is using and what I used is Lucas transmission stop slip....and IM telling you.. it works.
@@briansmobile1 Ay cool man, just incase you ever run across this problem... Now you know. Dont go through the same stress and hours of forums and phone calls i did. Best of luck with the channel brother. Keep making vids ill keep watching.
As having rebuilt a 200,000+ mile Honda trans that was abused, Honda transmissions are built like a manual transmission but with clutch packs on the side of the gear assemblies.
Since I will own my Honda Civic till I can no longer drive I do use Hondas transmission fluid but do the intervals sooner than they recommend . Why ? Two things you must realize , manufacturers have determined the recommended maintenance will take your new car through the warranty period without problems , I plan on owning this vehicle for well over 200k miles and more frequent fluid changes will increase my chances of making it through that period and we’ll beyond . Also , get the best lubricants and filters available , it will pay for itself . Good video sir ! 👍👍
good video ! i have this same van and made the switch to redline d4 atf four years ago and the trans works so well that i am using it in the power steering without any issues i think that honda atf is over priced and not near as good as the d4 and i had to replace the steering rack two years ago witch always had the honda ps fluid in it and the rack failed ! d4 is the solution people .
@@Therealestrunnerluda a chemical flush on a transmission is... Transmission flushing chemicals are solvents or detergents that are added to your transmission before flushing the fluid. The vehicle is allowed to run for 10-15 minutes before the flush, in order to circulate the chemical through your transmission.
Years ago I used some of that stuff that cleans out your engine and it worked great. In fact it worked so well that it dropped all the crap down into the pan so it could clog the pickup and starve the engine for oil. Knock knock. Who's there? An educated consumer that knows not to use that stuff unless you are getting ready to pull and rebuild the engine. That's what happens when you buy a used car and the previous owner just added oil as needed. I got another story about clogging up the oil pickup but I'll tell ya that on another day.
4:50 The crowd breaths in. Time slows down., andddddddd anddd.... YES! YES! HE DID IT!!! JUST LOOK AT THAT POUR FOLKS!!! This has got to be the best pour everrrr!!!
Thanks for the link for the pliers I just ordered them. Your videos are fantastic, very detailed and produced very well. Thank you so much for taking the time to do them.
I've heard people warn about flushing transmission before, but never heard any real explanation why, so this was pretty helpful. I have a Manual Honda Element, so I was hoping there would be something relevant for me in this video.
Great video man. Allison did a study and found most contaminant were introduced during a service interval. Make sure your funnel and you work as clean as possible when you do this work.
I think the instructions on the dipstick are too concise and don't have enough exclamation points... check in idle, while hot, in park, DO NOT overfill ... those are merely suggestions right?
@@LazySniper lol no, I know. I have a Honda and I work for a lube shop.. I was just sayin in general, people ignore basic instructions literally on the stick
THANK YOU! You are the only person who has explained specifically and correctly how to check transmission fluid levels. All other videos I have viewed glossed over the subject.
great stuff there!!!! seen lots of honda bad from in correct fluid . part of service years ago spill and fill at 30k car that followed service no issues.
Brilliantly explained. Learned so much. My favorite was those friction disks for the clutch packs and it's correlation to the color of the fluid inside the tranny.
Funny thing is I did the GM Goodwrench transmission service every 45k miles on my 2004 Silverado 1500 and it had 220k miles on it before the transmission died. Those transmissions are noted to last only 130k or less in many cases. 1st service was a traditional service the old way and 2nd was machine serviced. 3rd and 4th were machine serviced and it made it to 220k so it did not hurt it that bad. Just my experience with Machine services. Now on my 2020 Camry I am doing traditional service all the way so I will see how it does. I just purchased another GM truck a 2003 GMC 1500 so I will see how it does with just traditional service. I have had concerns about this too, but it did not hurt my 2004 Silverado at all.
Six "drain & fills" in a row with 5 minutes of operation between each one will replace over 99% of the fluid. It's worth it! (about $150 every 25k miles) I got two Odyssey's to last over 240k miles after an overhaul. They pull trailers and drive in the hills. After the 5th drain and fill, the fluid on the dipstick looks so clear, it's hard to see it. This is a practice I recommend for any automatic transmission. For CVT's, I advise a single drain and fill every 10k miles - at the same time motor oil & filter is replaced.
@@slowazzes1972 It's about 3.2 quarts. It's true, there is considerable "waste" to accomplish this. I had three transmission overhauls between $2600 and $3000 on two Odysseys, and after the first one, the rebuilder told me his secret and he turned out to be correct. Thinning out the contamination with successive "drain & fills" keeps the screens on the gear shifting sensors inside the case free of worn clutch debris and extends the life considerably.
@@yamkaw346 Every part in the power train in a Honda vehicle uses special oil, Especially the transmission. The rear differential started making ugly noticed when I turned, then it wouldn't shift properly from second to third or wouldn't shift at all. Had to take it to a horns specialist, they had to reconstruct the transmission and differential. at the time it wasn't worth to fix it. but I grew emotionally attached to it so decided to fix it. It got totalled around two years ago when I crashed it, because of the unibody construction nobody wanted to touch it.
I would like to say Brian thank you for showing and stumbling across your video. It doesn’t matter what color the transmission oil needs to be but as long as it’s changed now my question to you depending on how long if you had your car for or if you bought a used car when should you change the transmission oil? A lot of people says every hundred thousand miles other people says 50,000 miles on last but not least every time you change your engine oil, sometimes people say that if it’s too dark, don’t change it at all you’re gonna wind up messing up your transmission. I’m glad that you know what you’re talking about so if you can definitely give me that answer almost appreciate it. You have a blessed one.
@@briansmobile1 Congratulations.do you use transmission oil additive for the transmission.my car sounds "smack" when I take P to R at first start in the morning, but what could be the reason why it does not come in the next replacement.. should i use additives
Well done but there's a much easier and faster way to fill the transmission with transmission fluid. I have a 2004 Honda Pilot with the same 3.5L engine. Here's what I do: I simple fill through the dipstick tube. To do that, I quickly made a device as follows: I cut the bottom out of a 1 gallon plastic bottle (specifically, an Arizona Tea bottle). I drilled four holes near the bottom edge where the bottom was cut off and attached a wire to each hole and joined them together with a hook (you can make one with coat hanger wire or just about anything). I then drilled a hole in the bottle cap and inserted a brass hose fitting of the proper size for the tubing I would use. The fitting cost about a buck at any hardware store and it's the only thing you have to buy. The fitting is inserted into the hole in the cap and screws into a nut on the inside of the cap and I sealed it well. I then hang the bottle upside down with the opening (cut off bottle bottom on top and cap with tubing attached on the bottom) with a hook to the raised hood. To the brass nipple in the cap, I attached tubing that fits into the dipstick tube. (Remember, this is only a one-time thing and it only took about 20 minutes to make this setup. In fact, it probably took less time to make this than it did to do the work in this video and it totally eliminates having to remove and replace parts in tight spaces.) Then I simply insert the tubing into the transmission dipstick tube, pour the transmission fluid into the bottle and let it fill while I do something else. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to fill by gravity. Then just remove the bottle and tube, replace the dipstick tube and I'm done. Once this setup is made, it literally takes no more than one or two minutes to start filling the transmission. THe setup sort of reminds me of a hospital tranfusion setup. Doing it this way takes less time than changing the oil and oil filter.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
Lucky you, your trans dipstick is on the correct side. On my 2001 Honda Odyssey it’s on the side where the belts & pulleys are located and we know that lubricated belts is a no-no.
Just a little history on that "Return Line".. It's actually a sign of the vehicle having the Transmission Recall done on it. That Jet was installed to properly lubricate the 2nd Gear. So if you have a van that doesn't have that Recall Jet installed, I'd suggest getting that recall performed or worst case, just buy the Oil Jet Kit.
@@peteryang7784 Excellent, thank you, though it's different part numbers for different models. See also atracom.blob.core.windows.net/manuals/individual/2006/2006-226.pdf
Simple but great video, nice ending. Would you recommend to change that o ring? What did you lubricate it with? Checking tranny fluids in Honda’s when hot and off, is that for all Honda’s? I have a 2008 Honda Accord Sedan.
The crush washer is around $3. Just replace it when you do a drain and fill. After I drain it, I pour it into an empty gallon container to see how much came out. I then pour that amount of new in. Then add more if needed.
31/2 at and then I open the return line and let one at pour out I pour one at in.. to it brite red.. I do my transmission oil change every 30k. And added a 8n line filter so I can service my transmission my 01 accord have there filter 8n side and have to drop the transmission to swap the filter out.. so adding a inline filter helps..30k-40k I live where weather max is 115dregree.. and coolest is 54degree. And since all teach say heat is the number one killer of cars and transmission.. plus I change my fuild every year ot two.. this help keep all clean.
If you don't know the history of your older honda CRV 98-02ish its a good Idea to drain, fill, drive a couple short trips, and repeat 2 more times to flush out the junk, then you should be able to do just one drain and fill yearly after that. Its not possible to get all the contaminants out, but this method will make sure that most of the fluid is relatively clean/new, compared to mostly junk fluid diluted with 1/3 new fluid.
Ola Brian I just do 3 times empty fill drive for about 50 miles repeat 2 more times. Brian been following you from way back. You have been a great help.gave up on the sti will bring to Subaru dealership for po448 and po448 troubleshooting. I know they're going to charge me mucho denero. No choice pcm problem most likely. Clutch is slipping. I'm going with an excedy clutch kit.
I changed my transmission fluid on my 2018 Civic EXT at 53,000 miles. I flushed my brake fluid, replaced the brake pads, cut the rotors, and replaced the tires at 66,000 miles. I only use top-tier fuel, 93 Octane. I’ll be cleaning the valves with a walnut blast soon. I always change the oil early at every 4,000 miles. Keep your car maintained religiously and you’ll get trouble-free operation for years.
I mean not every car is tuned for the highest grade fuel. Like I mean you could use methanol technically but since your car isn't tuned for it.. it won't make it run better.
Damn, dude, replacing Honda Odyssey transmissions after people go to a quick lube joint and get talked into "flushing" their trans fluid is how I buy a new boat every couple years! You can't go teaching people all the secrets! Lol
Can u just fill the fluid at the dipstick hole like on a CRV?
@@mattwojo1610 yep if there is one
Sorry we have now U-Tube University.
@M Wess I sure hope you are joking, because that's really vile and selfish of you if not.
@@st.michaelthearchangel7774 just means he replaces transmissions after someone screws their own. Nothing vile and selfish about that😂
Just drain and fill. That's it. This guy seriously giving you a very good advice.
Small tip from someone who's been changing Honda trans fluid for 13+ years; if you have a properly sized funnel with the right sized hose on the end of it (I've never measured, but I want to say something like 3/8 ID) you can shove it right onto the dipstick tube and fill through there without having to take the fill plug off and it makes for a much more streamlined process.
Exactly what I did
Thanks bud.
Yes. I bought a clear plastic small hose that fits into dipstick hole. Snug fit. Shove plastic hose into a plastic funnel-cut tip for a snug fit. Drained 4 quarts out overnight. Started run through gears quickly with drain plug out. Change every 25,000 miles on my 2002 odyssey to solve bang shifts. 227,000k. Still going.
So glad you said this. Thought I had been doing it wrong.
Ex-Acura Tech here. On Hondas that have a dipstick, I always filled through the dipstick. I also used a big measuring bottle for the fluid that came out, and (obviously after inspecting for leaks) put the exact same amount of new fluid in. Obviously I still check the fluid level if there's a dipstick, but it was always perfect.
A mechanic, owner of a 2003 Pilot and CRV and a product instructor for Honda. This is the best video and explanation i have ever seen! Thanks so much for this. I know its 4 years ago but its much appreciated. Education is everything 😊
Drained my old honda civic transmission fluid and refilled every 30k miles, after 167k miles it still ran perfectly and I drove it hard.
Did you drain and refill several times to take all the old fluid out?
Jonghun Song, no just drained the fluid from cold and refilled once (checked level when warmed up) but each time the fluid was clean and still red in colour. I can imagine two or three refills would have been better but never thought to do it.
Hey I have a K24 series engine Honda engine and I recently had Dexron Fluid added because it was an emergency. According to the manual book, that is a temporary fluid but as soon as possible, you must change it to Honda Genuine. Before I change it, should I flush it (how) or just change it. I need help
Stu Mac the gears shifts fine but not smoothly for the 1-2 gear
andrew belmudez yea in my manual it says that too maybe when you can buy the fluid change it if your question doesn’t get answered here try r/car talk on reddit tons of people there willing to help they have helped me a bunch in the past on diy work
I cant agree more. Never in my 35+ years of wrenching have I not done a transmission flush and don't plan on starting. A lot of pilots and odyssey vehicles up here and I recommend a trans fluid drain and refill every 30K with DW-1 fluid only. Excellent video!
yep, nice and easy maintenance simply drains out the particulates out of trany.
What's dw-1
@@fernandocadena2625 Honda transmission fluid.
@@fernandocadena2625 honda synthetic transmission fluid
We changed our fluid on our Accord it was old and dark. Unfortunately the tranny went bad in 6 months. I don't know if that's what caused it but I have heard caution to never change old fluid on high miles cars
I can arrest to this technique. I did a drain an fill on my 1999 Accord every 10k miles using Honda fluid. I gave it to someone in need last week. It rolled out of my driveway with 418,075 miles on the original, un opened motor and transmission.
good on you, !
@pochoun33137 it was a 4. 1st two oil changes were with mineral based oil. Then went to Mobile1 synthetic. Oil and filter every 5,000 miles. Transmission fluid on the 10s. Easy to remember. Started with Fram Extra Guard oil filters for the grip surface to get them off then switched to K&N because of the 1" nut. Hand tight seemed to be just a bit tighter after the hot/cold cycles between changes. Also used a K&N air filter. Lots of TH-cam videos on how these filters destroy your engine. They worked and still work for me on this and all my other vehicles. Sold the car to a young person getting thier start for a $1. It owed me nothing and I wasn't going to warranty either. 85 oil changes, 3 timing belts, 11 sets of tires, I was done with it. If it died tomorrow, they can peddle it for a parts and make money.
Love the big roomy body style on that, 98-02, Accord. But that tranny was terrible. Thel 90's Honda Civic, on the other hand, was a Swiss watch of economy cars. It performed for 10 years without ANY PROBLEMS. Wow. Amazing. Today's Honda is different. It is closer in reliability to Mazda/Nissan. Toyota is reliability king, today ( not counting Yaris/Echo ). Peace.
@pochoun33137 As my kids get established, they are returning Subarus that I bought them to use at school and get over the mt. passes in winter. I am working on pairing down to a couple of Subarus and a Tundra. The Subarus keep you busy for a while with head gaskets and wheel bearings. Briansmobile1 and mrsubaru1387 have been excellent resources. If I could buy another new 1999 Accord, I would. At this point, I am less and less likely to buy any new car as the cost and complexity for features I don't want or need just pushes me away. There exists a huge un met market for a simple, well built vehicle. Neither government or manufacturers will produce it for various reasons. I just may have to build it myself.
Nobody changes their transmission that often. Stop lying
I agree. I'm never afraid to flush a transmission, but, I ONLY flush using the fluid I intend to use. Using an additive leaves residue in it, even after draining. I don't like any additive other than the right kind of fluid. Additives can affect the friction modifiers, viscosity, detergent package, and extreme pressure additives. It changes the specification of the fluid. A new pickup filter is never a bad idea either.
The best information in this video is the most basic thing: How to PROPERLY check the fluid level. Fluid level is critical. This is especially important, since the dipstick doesn't have instructions on it.
Good video. On my Honda Element I let the transmission drain,replacing the same amount with fresh,driving normally for a month,then repeating the process three times in all. It takes about 7 .5 litres overs a period of three months but the results are amazing. My Element has 375,000 Kim’s
and runs perfectly. Thx again. And let’s hope that the era of mechanics taking advantage of people to get rich will end soon .
One of the best "how to video's" I've seen. Quick, clear, concise with a detailed explanation on why the fluid gets that color. I never messed with a transmission fluid swap so never knew why. Thanks for the info. Just bought a one owner 2007 Odyssey and knew the transmission can be an issue but see why now. Previous owners had it done twice in 50k miles over the previous 14 years but luckily at same dealership they bought it from so hopefully none of the issues you covered occurred there. 🤞
Don't bring your car to any quick lube place, ever. My experience, they will rip you off or try. Great video.
Rip you off by selling you stuff you don't need. Rip you off or screw up the thing you came for. For an oil change, favorite tricks are stripping the drain plug, over/underfilling, using their ultra-cheap stuff instead of the synthetic you paid for.
Or screw your vehicle up!
You can go to quick lube, but only go for the oil change. Don't be a sucker and buy all the extra crap they try to sell you
The word "quick" should've steered anyone away lol.
Dude! They tried to tell me my water pump was leaking with with no pressure test yes it was 315 with labor compared to the dealership but i did a pressure test and my heater core connector was leaking
Hell yeah!!! I love when people know about Honda transmissions! They are not your typical ford or chevrolet
No, they are actually easier to build than the typical ford or chevy
@@thomasderush5180 yeah i know! I actually rebuilt one. Just like a manual transmission with clutch packs
@@thomasderush5180 yeah i agree, but what i meant is that as they are not precisely the same as regular automatics more window for mistakes is existent.
@@thomasderush5180 Maybe a modern USDM trans. I haven't seen any since the 80's. The older planetary gearset trans are extremely simple.
@@zoneb609 does this video apply to 9th gen accord v6? Checking the fluid in afternoon (not warmed up) it's just over letter T in the word "HOT" and after driving 10minutes and checking later it's just under max dot.? Can u check cold or must he warmed? I know fluid expands 1/8inch when heated.
Love how you explained why the color of the transmission fluid is not bright red when you checked it after putting in new fluid. This was my question and you answered it so clearly through this video thank you.
Brian is absolutely right! How do I know? My uncle rebuilds TRANSMISSION for a living! Started at 19 and now is 65
Impressive!
I watched a guy take apart a fire engine transmission (Allison I think). The people who are able to do this are amazing and true specialists. They are the brain surgeons of the mechanics field.
I agree, it takes a lot of brains and the patience of Job to R&R tranny's, I would probably be cussing and throwing tools@@jonhamilton8247
Fun thing about atf is that it is the best cleaner you can put in a auto trans and not brake any thing. Every OEM I have bothered to check agrees with you. No power flush and no chemicals out side of the recommended atf.
Basically get a car that has a good clean working transmission or if you already have one whatever you do make a plan to check and keep that as clean as possible change it ever so often I guess people have there own money issues and most don’t even change the transmission fluid you can go a bit between them but it’s not that expensive and my 05 civic lx don’t have a filter for the transmission I clean the bolt make sure I always get new washer and it looks exactly the way it goes in the same color and I got 148k miles on it I changed it at like 105k maybe I got my car at 100k and it was clean then but I did it anyways. But I believe I filled it through dip stick hole with a funnel
@@pacsmacks7142 bro I have the same year accord and model as you. I currently have 131k miles on it , transmission oil looks a bit brownish dirty but still very fresh. Do you believe doing a trans flush would be safe for my vehicle? Or is Applying atf better
Thank you sir! I’ve been pouring the fluid out the bottle the wrong way all this time. Learn something new every day.
Belly bottom
This is so true. I have tried to save a little money by buying the all purpose tranny fluid that even says is ok to use in Hondas. Had bad shifting and even had some clutch material on my magnet when doing a fluid change.
Did 2 fluid changes with honda fluid, and now it shifts beautifully. 2010 acura mdx with 250,000kms.
When I first buy a used car, mostly a Honda or Toyota, the first thing I do (after my mechanic has looked over the car) is to have him flush the transmission completely. My reasoning is that if it's gonna fail it will fail after that and I'll take the car back because of faulty transmission. I bought a car and didn't flush the transmission and after 3 weeks the transmission started jerking when you pull away from a stoplight,.They replaced it for free but I've always flushed them after I buy them from then on. I have a truck with almost 200K on it and flushed it when I got it, about 25K miles ago, and it's running fine. I'm not a mechanic though, so don't take my advice. Those Odessey transmissions seem to be a weak one. I'm only sharing my experience. Edit: typos.
Honda pilot transmissions are not good they go fast ..
I just did my 2012 Odyssey and refilled through the dipstick.
Thank goodness Honda put a drain plug on their pan.
Easy peasy
Just make sure you can open the drain plug first before you attempt to fill it (even to test)
@@Professional_TH-cam_Commenter thats the dumbest thing i ever heard
@@RichieD_21 mistyped, make sure you can open the fill plug before you drain it.
@@Professional_TH-cam_Commenter ahhh my bad. Yes definitely do that lol
@@RichieD_21 couldn't you still fill from the dip stick tube if for some reason you couldn't get to or there was a problem with the fill plug/hole.
I would do this every 6 months on my 04 Accord, sold it with almost 300,000 miles and it still had the original transmission.
I never changed transmission fluid of my Nissan Altima and it has 3,85,795 kilometers on it . Fluid is still factory red and my mechanic would leave it as it is.
@@MrKhabbu wow 3,85,795 is a lot of miles that is very impressive!
Did u use the Honda brand synthetic?
@@stevejeffrey11 Honda
Sanjay naik, that’s about 240,000 miles
People mess up Ford transmissions often the same way, flushing with contaminated fluid from other brands or not using OEM Mercon V or LV when doing drain and fills. Great video, thanks Brain!
Chrysler transmissions as well.
Tip, Remove fill plug before draining. Fill plug can be difficult to remove.
Also if its stripped and you dont check it before you remove the drain plug, then you'll be sweatin thinking how am I gonna get the new fluid in now that I drained the old fluid out
@@Hippykiller67 Some say you can fill new fluid straight through dipstick hole
@@robertasluko1486 some you can but say a rear dif where you gotta take the cover off or a rear dif on a honda
@@Hippykiller67 lol, you have to on the 2010 rabbits. No fill hole, gotta fill through the drain. To check the fluid you remove the drain and if a little comes out, that means it's full. It's goofy.
@@robertasluko1486 how it is on civics
It really grinds my gears when the manual asks for 3.1 or 2.2 liters or whatever, and they only sell 1 liter bottles. It's like its on purpose to force you to buy another bottle.
3.0 will get you in between the min and max. Good enough.
Kinda like having to buy a two pack of light bulbs for automobiles
Have a 2011 accord with v6, I was getting random hard shifting and drained the fluid out, got the Honda transmission fluid, put 3 quarts in. I took a plug out on top of transmission it was 17mm and had ATF stamped on it. At operating temperature level was right at the top hole on dipstick and she’s been shifting great 👍
"If you got that you are in the top echelon of people..." I say that to my son. Great video, teacher.👍
Hey! I’ve done this! 2000 Honda Accord. They were a good transmission, just gotta do the drain/refills a little more often than once every 100k miles.
I have done a transmission drain and fill on my 1999 Accord every 10k miles with Honda fluid. The motor got Mobil 1 and a filter every 5 k. Gave it to someone in need last week. It rolled out of my driveway with 418,075 miles on the original, un opened motor and transmission. Still 27 mpg. Used a half quart between changes.
@@roloaddict Hard to imagine it being that easy on oil, though I certainly don't dispute what you're claiming here. My '10 Pilot drinks oil; probably 2~2.5qts between changes.
That "return line" is installed as part of a recall for 2003 and 2004 models. It was to provide extra lubrication for one of the internal gears. If your 2003 or 2004 doesn't have this, get it done.
Thanks so much for sharing that. It really seemed like a piece of after thought engineering.
Especially since it's not a 2000's Chrysler- it seemed out of place.
Yup. I put many of those kits on at the Acura dealership as well.
No Thanks no the RLs were good for the most part, it was the TLs and the MDXs that had the same issues as the accords and odyssey’s
@Jack Daniels They must have gotten the 04's when they were still brand new fresh, because everyone i know who has a 2003-04 Odyssey hasn't had any transmission issues like the 99-02 years.
@@briansmobile1 It was definitely an afterthought. The root problem of that second gear overheating issue was that the C2/S2 Gear set was subjected to inadequate oil coverage when the car was not in second gear (heat radiating to the gear set without being dissipated). This issue was eventually fixed by changing the design one of the valves in the Main Valve Body (Lockup Control Valve, maybe; I don't remember) to increase ATF flow to the second gear set. The problem manifested itself mostly in vehicles that were driven long distances at highway speeds in warmer climates, where the opportunity to downshift and flood the gear set with ATF were less frequent.
Pretty sure that design changed in Mass Production in 2003 across all V6 5AT models.
I've changed the transmission on my dads 2010 civic , and it took 2.5qts of the Honda dw1 transmission fluid. My mom has a 2013 crv awd , and that I've changed that one the same way. On a crv awd though , you have to change the rear differential fluid on them every 15k.
I saw an Eric the Car Guy sticker on your toolbox. Way cool.
He gained respect points for that one!
th-cam.com/video/fOCjWMDv-78/w-d-xo.html&feature=emb_logo
Woah
I see why you have so many subscribers... your instructions are beyond crystal clear and easy to understand...great info and tips
Good information. Always use Honda brand fluids; it's just not worth the risk to do otherwise. One lesson I learned on my '07 Ridgeline: make SURE you can loosen the fill plug before you drain the tranny. I ended up replacing the fluid via the dipstick tube. THEN I purchased a new fill plug and, after some exertion, installed the new plug. I agree with doing a drain 'n fill three times rather than risk damage from a "flush".
I do my odyssey's trans fluid every other oil change just like you showed here. Made a HUGE difference in the transmission performance. Only difference is I use a hose on the bottom of my funnel to fill through the dipstick tube. Seems to work fine.
Nice!
@@briansmobile1 Question, is it safe to use Lubegard Red with Honda DW-1 every time changing the transmission fluid on an every other engine oil change?
Also when changing the transmission fluid on an every other engine oil change do I have to do it 3 times drain and fill or just 1 drain and fill?
Hello Brian, Rob for Australia here. Many years ago i sent you an article about me rebuilding my old Massey Ferguson TEA 20 tractor and the old number plate. I hope that you still have it on your number plate wall. Good to see that life is being kind to you. Kind regards from Downunder. Cheers Rob.
I worked at a factory that bottled this fluid. The label on the bottle says "this fluid is specifically designed for Honda transmissions". Once we got done with the order we would start on the next order and let's say it was Nissan. The order would call for the same fluid and all we would have to change would be the bottles and swap the roll of labels that go on the bottles and boxes. The Nissan and Acura labels would say the exact same "this is specifically designed for X transmission". Even though it's all the same exact fluid.
Acura and Honda are the same company, just a different brand. Acuras are "luxury" Hondas. Now you know. Nissan using the same fluid isnt so suspect either. Plenty of brands use already existing, parts and formulations, to avoid sinking $$$ into R&D. The important part is to not use the wrong type of fluid because there definitely are different types.
Isn't Nissan fluid a different color, especially for the CVT? Blue right?
I have a friend that’s been working on hondas for probably 15 years and I blew his mind when I told him that the automatics have to be checked while hot. It was a back and forth argument before some googling and an owners manual read later lol.
My 02 owners manual. Says. Check it shut off. Think hot and cold. Between the marks.
My shop recommends performing drain and fill service on Honda automatic transmissions every 15K miles. We use O.E. Honda fluid. Our customers who adhere to this service have very little transmission issues.
The only reason to replace it that often is cause honda doesn’t use a filter for some reason.
Don't make us feel less than just because you have good pouring skills.
Good video, very accurate. I worked at a Honda dealership and had many ppl come in after going to quickie, spiffy, lube ya in the tail shops, that used the wrong fluid in the trans. USE ONLY HONDA ATF DW1 ! Do not used cheap crossover fluids. Honda trans are specific to their fluids !
I wouldn't have even considered using anything but genuine Honda fluid, but I was getting a pronounced shudder in my '10 Pilot at both 44mph and 70mph (caused by slipping Lockup Clutch in Torque Converter). Switched over to Castrol for Imports and much improved. Pilot is currently at 325k+ miles. Also switched my Accords over years ago.
Disclaimer: I also took my Pilot to a dealer to flash the firmware for the Transmission Control Module, and changed the fluid shortly afterward, as the firmware update did not fully remove the shudder. I have friends with CRVs who experienced the same issue with shudder, and resolved it by switching over the the Castrol fluid.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
Wow I just added american XT just one quart tho. What should I do now?
I know I'm late to the party, but have a 2006. Trans change at 225k and now has 380k with 3 fluid changes on it. About every 30k I do a drain and fill. Great video
Is 225k your first change?
@@renzrenz3465 Yes that was my first change. Current one down shifting into 3rd a little hard sometimes. When I did a drain and fill at 400k the plug was a bit too fuzzy for my liking. Really can't do anything about it but baby it until it dies... trying for 500k
@@thomasphilyaw8593 meaning after your first change it works better?
What kind of vehicle?
@@starkeymorgan4142 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring, it now has 430k miles.
That part removed to fill was actually an update from Honda for the automatic transmission trying to solve the issues it was having at the time. The plug was replaced to insert that part in.
That's right- I saw that in another comment. Thank you for verifying that.
2nd Gear overheating problem. The mod kit allowed ATF to spray directly on the gear set.
Sadly, it was too little too late to help those transmissions.
Brian, I've been watching your channel for a long time and I'm always grateful for all of the knowledge you share with us. I did want to specifically mention that the music and bonus footage at the end really struck a chord and reminded me of someone I had lost. You gave me back a wonderful memory of a time had forgotten, many thanks.
Brian, you make it so clear, step-by-step, that anyone paying attention should be able to do this. Good vid, thanks.
Going to a quick lube is always a bad idea. If you don't know how to do it, watching a video like this will give you more knowledge than the quick lube place has. In most cases the underpaid high school graduate knows even less about each vehicle. They fix every car the same way and cars are not the same. Bring it to a specialist or watch a video like this from a specialist. Thanks for the info. Very helpful as I'm trying to figure out a transmission problem that a "mechanic" has messed up. There are a lot of "backyard" mechanics disguises as professionals.
Wiped out my transmission in my 02 Civic. Should not have changed it, lasted about 1 month after flushing. Learned my lesson with the Hondas.
What did you do wrong?
Did you flush it or just dump the fluid and fill?
Just changed the Transmission fluid on my 1997 honda accord @ 114,548 miles. I've owned the car for 4 years now and just got its first change under my owner ship. Took it on the highway and could tell instantly how smoother it shifts gears now!
Is that the first time on the lifetkme of your tranny? Including the first owner?
Yep. Same with my 2012 crv at around 100000
100% correct..NEVER flush anything..motors (unless you rebuild it) or transmissions..
Never flush anything that is OLDER, radiators included. But if its well maintained from day 1, you can get away with it. I "flush" my motor sometimes with some transmission fluid or Marvel Mystery oil. But yeah, empty and refill is the safest policy.
You are saying never flush a radiator?
Um ok guys.
That’s just wrong.
Obviously you guys never do much ac work.
I've flushed my transmission for years. Never had a problem.
@@DJR5280 I keep hearing people say never flush a transmission because if your clutches are gone the material in the fluid is keeping it going. I build my own transmissions (4L60E) I know for a fact that is complete bullshit. Ive also heard that the clutches are brittle and the flush will make them fall apart, also complete bullshit I can understand not doing a cemical flush but a fluid flush is fine.
I'm so sorry my husband did the chemical one. Here is the tow truck
I destroyed mine back in like 05 at 110k by adding some additive to fix what I thought was hard shifting (it wasn’t). Didn’t take long to find out what hard shifting really was. The clutch material plugged the passages and trashed the first/second gear clutch packs. Had it rebuilt and it lasted another 100k without issue with just drain/refills.
How much did they charge?
What did you add?
Brian... thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us all here. It's a great service you are doing.
I do fill and drain 3 quarts a time 3x as well every 20-30k mile interval. I also install a large transmission radiator with inline filter . 220k miles later, my car still shifts like a butter - smooth
Wait so you use 9+ quarts of atf every time you change your transmission fluid??? What s waste of money
@@slowazzes1972 then dont do it, let a machine do it for you and clog the ports to the solenoids . I only spent $70 for ATF every 20k miles - its way cheaper compare to repair shops tbh. Being cheap will only cost you more in the end.
With all respect, JD - allow me my $0.02 worth?
If you're changing that frequently, your fluid should look pretty darned good when you drain it - provided you don't have extreme heat or dusty conditions. If you're replacing that often, you could probably save the $$$ and forego the extra flushing. Today's fluids are pretty good, and unless you're really torching it and killing the lubrication additives, it's probably still in good shape.
I'm not suggesting you modify your change frequency; I just don't think your fluids are going to be bad enough that you need to get every drop out before refilling with fresh. I'm also vehemently opposed to disturbing the stray solids in your transmissions, as you could reintroduce something back into the oil flow that had previously been allowed to settle somewhere harmless. Even so little as a human hair in the wrong place can cause malfunction (NOT hyperbole: a human hair measures approx. 0.05mm in diameter. Valve clearance in a Linear Solenoid is about 0.03mm, I think).
I know you didn't ask for my opinion; feel free to tell me to go pound sand, if you think it appropriate.
Did the full 3 drain and fills a few years ago on my 2005 Odyssey. I did use Valvoline Maxlife ATF instead of DW1 and it's been solid for 30K miles.
@J D i just bought some honda atf. Its now at 10 bucks a qt. Inflation.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
I use Redline ATF D4 and D6 on newer ones...my 04 Accord was towed to the junkyard with 400 k ...still perfect!
1999 crv here , maxlife atf no problems .
I check the level before removing drain plug.. I drain then fill with the same exact amount that came out.
A friend of mine had some rough shifting in his 2012 accord... we did 3 drain and fills in a span of 2 months. We also cleaned out all the solenoids that were accesible at the last drain and fill... problem was fixed. After every drain and fill we got better results. Trans fluid was cheap on amazon.
You, by far, have the best intro of any channel (at least in this video). No need to skip ahead. Just great.
1990 civic hatch. 275k on the OG trans. Fluid changed every 15k. I’ve been keeping that up, still shifts like butter..
What type of transmission fluid did you use? Autozone is saying dextron 2 for this year.
@@ronniecatalano5246 Honda ATF.
I have been using Amsoil ATF for some 25K miles, for two 1x3s, and it works great. I often hear about only using Honda fluids, but the Honda stuff is not nearly as high-end of a synthetic as Amsoil or Redline. I could feel the shifts degrading over time before with the OEM fluid, yet have not felt any degradation using the new stuff. It did shift much firmer initially after switching, but calmed down to normal after a day or so.
The Acurazine forum for my 3rd gen TL is in love with Redline products, and using as little friction modifiers as possible in the ATF, so you could look into that as well. Remember to change the filters on these cars if it has never been changed before.
It seems that changing out the fluid regularly is the best thing that one can do to prolong the life of a Honda transmission. And this is the best video tutorial I have seen yet on how to do it, thank you Briansmobil1.
Amsoil is the best. I use it in my 2018 Honda CR-V. Cvt transmission
I use amsoil cvt trans. Fluid
My torque converter shuddered in my Pilot at 90k miles. I switched it over to Castrol for Imports and no more trouble. I'm at nearly 280k now.
Switched my Accords over as well.
netdoctor1 any updates on the castrol fluid has it give you problems
israel 20 None. Working beautifully
Odometer is approaching 310k.
Now 378,000 miles.
OH man this video came at a better time, I work at a Honda dealership maintenance department and transmission fluid replacement is part and parcel of our work. By the way, I didn't know John Malkovich is a car technician lol
So do we check the trans fluid level with the engine on or off?😂
@@superjeffstanton according to the OEM instructions: off after running the engine to operating temperature after fans turn on.
Great video Brian! I have had 2 Honda transmissions go to well over 200k with doing transmission fluid drain and fill regularly. Especially if you DIY oil changes, it’s easy to just do a drain and fill every 15k miles.
My 2017 odyssey (30k miles) is about to get a full change (3 drain, 3 refills) and a external filter change (really happy Honda put an external filter from the factory).
There is also a 5-micron strainer inside. The drain bolt also has a magnet to collect ferrous material from the pan, and the torque converter has a built-in strategy for trapping fragments as well.
@@netdoctor1 What about 01 accords? Same?
@@Dan0rioN For certain.
2006 Crv owner, it’s got 275k on it. It has the bearing noise from the misaligned bearing in the trans side cover which is in the tsbs for this car. Been that way for a long time and I live with the whine. Been doing a drain and refill on the trans every 3-4 oil changes and checking the magnet for debris. Using maxlife synthetic atf. 4 qt jug is $20 at Walmart.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
I agree with you Brian, but not when it comes to the 2012-2016 honda CR-Vs...I did a flush , and added a good expensive Lucas stop slip additive...to my GFs CRV that had 63k miles on it... funny enough we got a recall for the tranny rumbling as it shifts into 2-3 shift under light throttle....and we brought it in, HONDA did a flush with honda stuff.. and added an additive....even after i told them i had just done that and it took the rumble away....They said they had to by law. and They plugged in the special Honda software computers and changed a bunch of shift points and fluid pressure checks... Thought i'd let you know, i ALWAYS said flushes and additives were dog shit, well 20,000miles later... we're about to do it again, as per Hondas advice. Also what im 99% sure honda is using and what I used is Lucas transmission stop slip....and IM telling you.. it works.
I'm listening. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@briansmobile1 Ay cool man, just incase you ever run across this problem... Now you know. Dont go through the same stress and hours of forums and phone calls i did. Best of luck with the channel brother. Keep making vids ill keep watching.
As having rebuilt a 200,000+ mile Honda trans that was abused, Honda transmissions are built like a manual transmission but with clutch packs on the side of the gear assemblies.
Any manuals for this. Trying to look at what to do for fun. Im having a hard te finding any info on rebuilding transmissions.
You do a great job of explaining everything. One of the best videos I've ever seen. Thank you.
Since I will own my Honda Civic till I can no longer drive I do use Hondas transmission fluid but do the intervals sooner than they recommend .
Why ? Two things you must realize , manufacturers have determined the recommended maintenance will take your new car through the warranty period without problems , I plan on owning this vehicle for well over 200k miles and more frequent fluid changes will increase my chances of making it through that period and we’ll beyond . Also , get the best lubricants and filters available , it will pay for itself .
Good video sir ! 👍👍
IMO as a tec the best thing you can do to these transmissions Add a “transmission-cooler”...good video
110%
Jet kit and cooler is the best thing for these transmissions.
@@LazySniper where could I find one? I have an '01 Accord with a B7XA.
@@juniperburton7693 dealership might still be able to get them.
Dealer installed tow package came with tran cooler.
good video ! i have this same van and made the switch to redline d4 atf four years ago and the trans works so well that i am using it in the power steering without any issues i think that honda atf is over priced and not near as good as the d4 and i had to replace the steering rack two years ago witch always had the honda ps fluid in it and the rack failed ! d4 is the solution people .
Never do a chemical flush on a transmission
Unless it's necessary and you know what you're doing!
@@reallyhappenings5597 exactly 💯
What is a chemical flush
@@Therealestrunnerluda a chemical flush on a transmission is...
Transmission flushing chemicals are solvents or detergents that are added to your transmission before flushing the fluid. The vehicle is allowed to run for 10-15 minutes before the flush, in order to circulate the chemical through your transmission.
Years ago I used some of that stuff that cleans out your engine and it worked great.
In fact it worked so well that it dropped all the crap down into the pan so it could clog the pickup and starve the engine for oil.
Knock knock. Who's there? An educated consumer that knows not to use that stuff unless you are getting ready to pull and rebuild the engine.
That's what happens when you buy a used car and the previous owner just added oil as needed. I got another story about clogging up the oil pickup but I'll tell ya that on another day.
4:50 The crowd breaths in. Time slows down., andddddddd anddd.... YES! YES! HE DID IT!!! JUST LOOK AT THAT POUR FOLKS!!! This has got to be the best pour everrrr!!!
@1:17 I like the fact that it has aa drain plug. I hate those old Chevys where you had to removed the entire bottom plate.
Thanks for the link for the pliers I just ordered them. Your videos are fantastic, very detailed and produced very well. Thank you so much for taking the time to do them.
Makojoe238, I think you just made my day! I give it what I got. Glad to hear it's working out!
I've heard people warn about flushing transmission before, but never heard any real explanation why, so this was pretty helpful. I have a Manual Honda Element, so I was hoping there would be something relevant for me in this video.
Great video man. Allison did a study and found most contaminant were introduced during a service interval. Make sure your funnel and you work as clean as possible when you do this work.
Precisely the reason given by auto manufacturers as to why many of them are eliminating trans dipsticks/drain plugs.
Good advice, only drain and fill a Honda automatic. I do it every second oil change and have not had a problem in 20 years.
I do the same with my fluids as well as oil and they are all crystal clear.. never have any problems and shift like brand new.
The amount of transmissions I replace because of them being over filled is kinda disgusting.
I think the instructions on the dipstick are too concise and don't have enough exclamation points... check in idle, while hot, in park, DO NOT overfill ... those are merely suggestions right?
@@e.claire1718 check hot, engine off
@@LazySniper lol no, I know. I have a Honda and I work for a lube shop.. I was just sayin in general, people ignore basic instructions literally on the stick
@@e.claire1718 Hondas are the oddball
How do I know if it’s overfilled
THANK YOU! You are the only person who has explained specifically and correctly how to check transmission fluid levels. All other videos I have viewed glossed over the subject.
Welcome Donald!
great stuff there!!!! seen lots of honda bad from in correct fluid . part of service years ago spill and fill at 30k car that followed service no issues.
Had a 1991 accord. Changed the atf with dextron no problems. Had 20 years.
Brilliantly explained. Learned so much. My favorite was those friction disks for the clutch packs and it's correlation to the color of the fluid inside the tranny.
Funny thing is I did the GM Goodwrench transmission service every 45k miles on my 2004 Silverado 1500 and it had 220k miles on it before the transmission died. Those transmissions are noted to last only 130k or less in many cases. 1st service was a traditional service the old way and 2nd was machine serviced. 3rd and 4th were machine serviced and it made it to 220k so it did not hurt it that bad. Just my experience with Machine services. Now on my 2020 Camry I am doing traditional service all the way so I will see how it does. I just purchased another GM truck a 2003 GMC 1500 so I will see how it does with just traditional service. I have had concerns about this too, but it did not hurt my 2004 Silverado at all.
I don't own a Honda but sure did enjoy the great video. Thanks
Six "drain & fills" in a row with 5 minutes of operation between each one will replace over 99% of the fluid. It's worth it! (about $150 every 25k miles) I got two Odyssey's to last over 240k miles after an overhaul. They pull trailers and drive in the hills. After the 5th drain and fill, the fluid on the dipstick looks so clear, it's hard to see it. This is a practice I recommend for any automatic transmission. For CVT's, I advise a single drain and fill every 10k miles - at the same time motor oil & filter is replaced.
So how many quarts of atf do you buy for every change? Seems like your just wasting atf
@@slowazzes1972 It's about 3.2 quarts. It's true, there is considerable "waste" to accomplish this. I had three transmission overhauls between $2600 and $3000 on two Odysseys, and after the first one, the rebuilder told me his secret and he turned out to be correct. Thinning out the contamination with successive "drain & fills" keeps the screens on the gear shifting sensors inside the case free of worn clutch debris and extends the life considerably.
@@slowazzes1972 I buy 6 - 1 gallon containers.
Had a honda Ridgeline. a oil place asked me if I wanted to change the transmission transfer case and differential fluid. 5k later learned my lesson
What happened
@@yamkaw346 he learned his lesson
@@yamkaw346
Guess.
@@yamkaw346 Every part in the power train in a Honda vehicle uses special oil, Especially the transmission. The rear differential started making ugly noticed when I turned, then it wouldn't shift properly from second to third or wouldn't shift at all. Had to take it to a horns specialist, they had to reconstruct the transmission and differential.
at the time it wasn't worth to fix it. but I grew emotionally attached to it so decided to fix it. It got totalled around two years ago when I crashed it, because of the unibody construction nobody wanted to touch it.
I would like to say Brian thank you for showing and stumbling across your video. It doesn’t matter what color the transmission oil needs to be but as long as it’s changed now my question to you depending on how long if you had your car for or if you bought a used car when should you change the transmission oil? A lot of people says every hundred thousand miles other people says 50,000 miles on last but not least every time you change your engine oil, sometimes people say that if it’s too dark, don’t change it at all you’re gonna wind up messing up your transmission. I’m glad that you know what you’re talking about so if you can definitely give me that answer almost appreciate it. You have a blessed one.
For an easier time, use two funnels. Second funnel just brings you higher.
Not a bad idea. Thanks!
@@briansmobile1 Congratulations.do you use transmission oil additive for the transmission.my car sounds "smack" when I take P to R at first start in the morning, but what could be the reason why it does not come in the next replacement.. should i use additives
Well done but there's a much easier and faster way to fill the transmission with transmission fluid. I have a 2004 Honda Pilot with the same 3.5L engine. Here's what I do: I simple fill through the dipstick tube. To do that, I quickly made a device as follows: I cut the bottom out of a 1 gallon plastic bottle (specifically, an Arizona Tea bottle). I drilled four holes near the bottom edge where the bottom was cut off and attached a wire to each hole and joined them together with a hook (you can make one with coat hanger wire or just about anything). I then drilled a hole in the bottle cap and inserted a brass hose fitting of the proper size for the tubing I would use. The fitting cost about a buck at any hardware store and it's the only thing you have to buy. The fitting is inserted into the hole in the cap and screws into a nut on the inside of the cap and I sealed it well. I then hang the bottle upside down with the opening (cut off bottle bottom on top and cap with tubing attached on the bottom) with a hook to the raised hood. To the brass nipple in the cap, I attached tubing that fits into the dipstick tube. (Remember, this is only a one-time thing and it only took about 20 minutes to make this setup. In fact, it probably took less time to make this than it did to do the work in this video and it totally eliminates having to remove and replace parts in tight spaces.) Then I simply insert the tubing into the transmission dipstick tube, pour the transmission fluid into the bottle and let it fill while I do something else. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to fill by gravity. Then just remove the bottle and tube, replace the dipstick tube and I'm done. Once this setup is made, it literally takes no more than one or two minutes to start filling the transmission. THe setup sort of reminds me of a hospital tranfusion setup.
Doing it this way takes less time than changing the oil and oil filter.
You're dedicated. I found a long funnel at harbor freight and it worked good for my 06 and 14 accord's. Both 4cyl engines
Thank you Brian! This video is very detailed and comprehensive--clear enough for car idiots like me ;)
I love these videos, they make me realize why I pay for that service. My hand can't fit there.
I use valvoline maxlife in my CR-V. I have over 300k on my original transmission.
Yep, OEM fluids are a scam. It's usually cheapo nonsynthetic.
Great video however I disagree about the Honda DW1. I've used valvoline synthetic on my CRV for the past 190,000 miles and is smooth as butter. I change it every 50k and never use Honda DW1. Never had a transmission issue. I even tow a trailer now and then. I currently have 248,000 miles on my CRV and going strong.
Lucky you, your trans dipstick is on the correct side. On my 2001 Honda Odyssey it’s on the side where the belts & pulleys are located and we know that lubricated belts is a no-no.
As always,
Love peace and axle grease
Just a little history on that "Return Line".. It's actually a sign of the vehicle having the Transmission Recall done on it. That Jet was installed to properly lubricate the 2nd Gear. So if you have a van that doesn't have that Recall Jet installed, I'd suggest getting that recall performed or worst case, just buy the Oil Jet Kit.
I wish I had a part# for the kit, and I agree with you. You're exactly right about the purpose of that Oil Jet Kit.
@@netdoctor1 A/T Oil Jet Kit: P/N 06250-PGH-305, H/C 7758931
Or just stop in at the Honda dealer, they might have an updated version.
@@peteryang7784 Excellent, thank you, though it's different part numbers for different models. See also atracom.blob.core.windows.net/manuals/individual/2006/2006-226.pdf
Hey man! Thanks for sharing! Will do this later this week, but on a medieval 3-speed Hondamatic.
What I did on my 2004 Civic, drain 2 quarts, put 2 back in. Drove it for a week, repeated the process 2 more times.
Simple but great video, nice ending.
Would you recommend to change that o ring? What did you lubricate it with? Checking tranny fluids in Honda’s when hot and off, is that for all Honda’s? I have a 2008 Honda Accord Sedan.
All Hondas; yes.
The crush washer is around $3. Just replace it when you do a drain and fill. After I drain it, I pour it into an empty gallon container to see how much came out. I then pour that amount of new in. Then add more if needed.
31/2 at and then I open the return line and let one at pour out I pour one at in.. to it brite red.. I do my transmission oil change every 30k. And added a 8n line filter so I can service my transmission my 01 accord have there filter 8n side and have to drop the transmission to swap the filter out.. so adding a inline filter helps..30k-40k I live where weather max is 115dregree.. and coolest is 54degree. And since all teach say heat is the number one killer of cars and transmission.. plus I change my fuild every year ot two.. this help keep all clean.
I cant understand why honda don’t put a filter on the tranny. Makes no sense. Where did you put your filter?
If you don't know the history of your older honda CRV 98-02ish its a good Idea to drain, fill, drive a couple short trips, and repeat 2 more times to flush out the junk, then you should be able to do just one drain and fill yearly after that. Its not possible to get all the contaminants out, but this method will make sure that most of the fluid is relatively clean/new, compared to mostly junk fluid diluted with 1/3 new fluid.
I agree.
Extremely helpful, thank you- You did an awesome job explaining that. More youtubers should present the way you have
Ola Brian I just do 3 times empty fill drive for about 50 miles repeat 2 more times. Brian been following you from way back. You have been a great help.gave up on the sti will bring to Subaru dealership for po448 and po448 troubleshooting. I know they're going to charge me mucho denero. No choice pcm problem most likely. Clutch is slipping. I'm going with an excedy clutch kit.
Thanks!
Fun style. Its John Malcovich doing ATF!
I changed my transmission fluid on my 2018 Civic EXT at 53,000 miles. I flushed my brake fluid, replaced the brake pads, cut the rotors, and replaced the tires at 66,000 miles. I only use top-tier fuel, 93 Octane. I’ll be cleaning the valves with a walnut blast soon. I always change the oil early at every 4,000 miles. Keep your car maintained religiously and you’ll get trouble-free operation for years.
I mean not every car is tuned for the highest grade fuel. Like I mean you could use methanol technically but since your car isn't tuned for it.. it won't make it run better.
Every time i hear someone say something about “flushing the transmission” i drive me fist through my forehead