Hi friends,

I apologize if this topic has been discussed several times here, I just want some assurance that I have had the same perception in a matter of flushing our atf.

My concern is this

If I want to drain and fill my ATF one time EVERY 10k miles (2.5-3 quarts of ATF), would it be the same as if I wait until I reach 40k, and do the ATF flushing by 4 x 3 drain-and-fills method?

I just want to make sure Im doing the right thing since I want to keep the car for a while.

And is there a need to tamper with the ATF filter (which location is unknown)? It is not specified at all in the service manual. Does the dealer even bother about it?

Thanks for hearing me out,

Have a great day

 

.........

 

Changing the fluid every other oil change (15 to 20K miles) will be fine. If you have a problem (rough shift etc) change it two times or more.



My experience with our 180K mile Acura is this:

We changed the ATF with Honda Z-1 every 30K miles (as specified in the SEVERE maintenance schedule) and it always worked well. An inspection of the shift solenoid screens at 150K miles proved that there was no significant blockage due to debris from the torque converter clutches.

At 165K miles we found a rough shift in extremely cold weather (less than 0 degrees F.) so we changed the fluid 2x with the new DW-1 from Honda, problem solved for two years.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There is no specified change interval for the external filter. Most folks find that replacing it every 100K miles is fine. (Our Acura does NOT have that filter)

 

1st, I am referring to a GE8 with AT. You don't mention what Fit you're driving. 2nd, the transmission filter is located on top of the AT unit. If you have the stock air box you've probably never noticed it because the filter is beneath/behind that monstrosity. Part #25430-PLR-003.

I drive my AT Fit HARD, using the paddle shifters regularly in both modes. Did I mention that I drive my Fit HARD? Downshifts, upshifts, downshifting for deceleration, you name it. Considering that, I suggest that there is no reason to drain & fill the ATF every 10k. You're wasting money for the sake of spending it, or being paranoid. But, if that's your thing, go for it.

I drained and filled mine around 25k. I'm right around 53k and planning to do a drain & fill, with filter replacement today. Typically, the dealer doesn't even bother with replacing the filter - the specified service is drain & fill. I know because I've asked, and even had to point out to a dealer parts manager that the GE8 AT DOES have a filter, and had him pull up the diagram so I could point it out. That validates the fact that most dealers don't even keep them on hand (which is how he covered his ass).

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the GD3 AT does not have a filter since the three guys behind the parts counter looked at me like I was crazy when I asked about it. One guy even snickered a bit like I was a noob for asking until he saw it in the drawing. When he asked if I wanted to order one, I said "NO, I order from Majestic Honda in RI because your markup is about 35% and I have to place an 'order' anyway" - that was my big F-U to them for acting like smart-asses.

I'm planning on staying with my 25k drain & fill interval, with a filter change every 50k. The fluid is DW-1 now.

 

Thank you very much for your reply sir, your experience really assures me for doing things and it won't go bad. What a very healthy acura u have there, good for you. Did u drive it hard sometimes? I drive very conservatively through the city, but once I get into some freeways or winding mountain roads, i could start to rev it up and do up and down shifting at higher rpms more frequently. But i never dragged or pushed it beyond red.

 

Sorry i forgot to mention that it is a ge8 model just as you suspected. It looks to me we have quite similarities in how we like to drive it hard sometimes. Maybe not that hard for me but yeah i know what ur talking about and it is fun.

I know 10k may seem a bit too much, but i consider the everyday stop n go trafic i encounter daily, added the warm tropical climate all year round, i would say it is more severe than what is implied in the manual the word "severe driving condition" :
The average trafic speed here is about 20-30 mph. Very very frustrating to me. It really makes me feel bad for the fit.

And yeah the dealers here don't even have any slightest idea about the filter. Even they asked back at me "does it even exist externally?" they figured we need to open up the gearbox to start with the filter.

Anyway thanks for writing back. Please share more thougts if any.

And i really like ur fit man. Cool stance and super clean ride it is.

 

Thanks for the props on my Fit - I abuse it, but you can't tell!

Anyway, I just finished the drain & fill with filter replacement. It all went pretty easy since I was already using the K&N intake. I popped off the filter and removed the heat shield and had wide open access to the filter.

Since I haven't driven since yesterday, all the fluid was drained down. I put the car up on stands and let the trans drain while I rotated the tires. By the time I got back to swapping the filter the trans was completely empty (I had the rear end slightly higher to get all the ATF drained toward the hole). Not a single drop of fluid or any mess at all when I changed the filter.

After about 28k of hard driving on this second flush, the fluid was the color of a dark red wine. Still clear, smelled used but not burnt. It actually looked better than what I remember when I changed it at 25k for the first time. While I do a lot of highway driving, I do even more country road and mountain road rat racing around north Georgia. It's pretty hot around here for most of the year, so I'm not so sure you're going to gain much by changing the ATF every 10k. The new Honda DW-1 fluid seems to hold up really well.

BTW, there is a DIY that somebody posted a couple years ago for replacing the AT filter. It's not complicated in any way. You just need to get the air box out of the way first.

 

Actually you are doing a Good Thing (in my opinion) by revving it up. This keeps the injectors clear (they stay open longer when the ECU calls for more fuel) and prevents problems that I hear about with the VTEC solenoids.

I like to rev all my cars through the gears occasionally, and in the Acura there is a pronounced "bump" when the VTEC cuts in.

The manual-transmissions in the Fit and CR-V are more fun, however...

 

Thats nice to see the atf came out cleaner this time than the one before.

It seems to me the first drain and fill at 25k worked really well mixing up with the older and dirtier atf left inside, bringing you a higher content of fresh atf as a result (can be seen from the clearer atf drained this time).

Wouldn't you agree with this thought? I have a positive feeling it did refreshing your atf as a whole.

Oh yeah I asked honda guys to do the drain and fill on my fit (currently 20k miles), and it turned out they overfilled the atf. The dipstick reading is above the upper hot line when I see it.

Is it okay? I feel it isn't the right thing to do. I figured they have done it to hundreds even thousands of hondas that way, so my car won't be any exception.

Thanks for the thoughts man.

 

As far as the second drain and fill being "cleaner looking" than the first at 25k, I don't know - it could be the difference between the first change coming after breaking in the car and the second fill using the new spec AT fluid. I have no way of knowing if my Fit shipped from the factory with the new trans fluid. It could also be my brain aging, or that we're over-thinking this whole thing!

Regarding the dealer techs adding a little extra ATF, that's a tough call. I don't see where it would be detrimental or risky. I never check the fluid when hot due to the temp variable. What I mean is, cold is cold. At rest. Hot can be anywhere from warm to overheating. Actually, I never even checked the ATF level in mine after either change. I put in exactly 2.6 quarts as specified in the manual and left it at that!