I had my transmission drained and refilled at my Acura dealership, and it seems to have made a big improvement in terms of shift smoothness and somehow reducing some NVH. My TL is an '03 with just under 60K. I had a coupon so it wasn't very expensive at all, and it was worth every penny.

Unfortunately though, when the techs were doing the service, they saw that my front motor mount is broken . I'll install that myself probably after the winter.

 

Cool. Something I need to look into doing. I'm at 85k right now and I wouldn't mind some smoother shifting.

 

hmm im thinking of just having the dealer do mine too, its getting too cold out haha. mind telling what coupon and how you got it?

 

Approx how much is the cost of the tranny service?

 

i did mine myself a couple weeks ago, and i also noticed it smoother

 

by the looks of ur avatar he/she should be pretty cheap.......
it should cost around 100 or so...thats what it cost me on my older honda at the stealership....

 

actually i jus called and they said 65 for it...thats damn cheap...imma have to make an appointment myself..

 

Damn that is cheap wonder if Island Acura by me will do the same Going to call them tomorrow

 

I had a $50 coupon for service, so I had the trans drain and fill and an alignment to get the coupon to work.

 

Does it feel or sound like the motor mount is bad?

 

If my TL experiences a jerk in the motor when I start the car in cold temps (20 degrees F or so) would that be an indication of a worn motor mount? It feels like the engine lunges/jerks forward a tiny bit right when it initially starts. Only once the temperature really dropped though

 

they only change 3 qts of 7.3 total in the system, so it may help a little- but not a real full fluid change
One the good side- Acura is starting to require a fluid change history/receipt for trans coverage on out of vin cars
If you changed the fluid at some point they are much better about Goodwill

 

For the DIY person, its easier than an oil change- no filter to have hot oil run up your arm~ Just pull the drain plug on the trans bottem and refill from large plug marked ATF (or where the external oiler kit is installed)

 

Well I have noticed a decrease in power, and more NVH. But I'll take a look to see if the boot is torn or the gel is coming out.

 

the front mount often leaks strange hydraulic type small drops of fluid on the floor, appearing to be from under the middle of the radiator, but really from the mount.
Depending on year, some have a vacuum boosted system, that causes a strange slight miss in the engine when the mount fails too!

 

Techs find it when the car is on the rack and they look up

 

hey with a radiator flush is it just open the drain plug and drain than refill? or is there other things you need to do

 

Not to be a ass but this question should be asked in a radiator/coolant thread and not to this trans thread.

And to answer your question (that can be found with the search button) No. there is more to it than that. There is a drain plug on the back of the block too.

 

Cost me $8 every 10k. I do it myself. Friend gets me a discount on the fluid at his Acura dealership. It's the easiest fluid Ive ever changed in my life. I never have to do the 3x3.

 

those persons doing 3 qts, and later another 3 are not changing the fluid, rather they are mixing fresh with old....
neat trick- try that with the expired milk~

 

Wow, if it's easier than an oil change I'll just DIM. What's the normal cost nowadays for fluid and are there better/recommended brands over others? like oil...

 

i thought the 3x3x3 is the proper way

 

I want to change mine in a 2000 Acura TL with 150,000. But i have heard sometimes if you do a transmission fluid change it can mess up the transmission is that true? One more question about the transmission fluid. I know there was a recall on my year with the overheating in the gears. you can take your car to the dealer. They will look at it and add a transmission cooler on it. Would they still do that to my car with that many miles? Sorry of the noob question Thanks Guy Chris

 

im 17 and can do it no problem, so you should be fine, and i think its around 8 bucks a thing

 

i heard it was only bad if you flush your transmission not just change the fluid

 

Use the Honda ATF-Z1. It is kind of pricey if you go to the dealer. I made that mistake the last time (instead of searching the net) and paid little over 11 bucks a quart..

3+3 method Is how I did my fluid change. Easier than an oil change and it made a noticeable improvement in shifting.

Do not flush the transmission. Not recommended by Honda. I think its because we have no internal filter to catch any debris that may be forced through by a flush machine.

6.95/qt 6.95 to ship from here

 

^^^Great thanks for the tip.

 

Stupid noob question, but do auto shops recycle transmision fluid just like they recycle oil?

 

yes they do recycle trans fluid- all removed fluids from cars are stored in special cans and sent out for recycle.

Honda ZR1 fluid ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!
get it from honda dealer, or some import parts stores carry it to0, about 9 bucks each

 

Noob question. How much quarts do you need to do the 3x3 method?

 

I looked in my service manual, the one you buy for $70 and very similar to the ones the dealers use. Cannot find any mention of this 3x3x3 method under changing tranny fluid.

 

Mod (fsttyms1) states method ok: https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...ntial-oil.html

 

Since I've had the car (26k) now at 73k the fluid has never been dark, or smelled bad. Replacing it every 10k isn't really mixing fresh with old. It's keeping it fresh constantly instead of letting it get dirty then change it out with clean. Keeping it clean is more important IMO.

P.S I just can't bring myself to kill the tranny even though I'm worried it will die when warranty is up. lol

 

I went to the dealer today to get tail light gaskets(i am doing the inspire taillights swap) I ask about the warrant on the transmission and they looked it up in the computer. My vin came back saying that the transmission was replace at 88xxx and now it has 150xxx and running smooth. I got a quart of atf since last oil change saw it was a little low. I paid $7.84 for a quart(shop discount) I was very happy now since it has a new transmission in it. i got it when it had 100xxx on it

 

I have to agree with Tom on this one. Changing some, not all, of the fluid every 10-25K is not really changing the fluid. You don't do this with ANY other car fluid for a good reason. It doesn't work.

I would go as far as to say you may be at a greater risk of a failure if you use such unorthodox methods. No Acura dealership is going to encourage such methods. They obviously know something about cars.

We're going strong, 126K, 2nd tranny installed 75K. Fluid changed every 25K, the method described in the service manual. Drain, and fill. No 3x3x3 method.

Best of luck if you choose not to follow the service manual. But its rather like stating you think a timing belt can go further then 105K. Sure, in many cases you can, but if breaks after 105K you only have yourself to blame. Or manye better yet, it's like only draining half your oil, then you wonder why after 100K you run into some problems. Car is designed to be service a certain way. Follow it.

 

Damn it, if I knew it was that easy I'd have just done it myself. I should've searched. What is the quick DIY?

 

I can't agree more. Keeping fluid constantly fresh is WAYS better than changing the oil after it got too dirty or has lost its viscosity to below minimal protection.

If you haven't change your fluid for a long time, definitely do 3x3, then subsequently do 3x1 every 10k is perfect. Not only keeping the fluid fresh, but you also have a chance to look at the fluid condition and the sludge on the drain plug. Surely, at some point you will need to do 3x3 again to make it totally fresh again.

 

I change it every 10k, not 10-25k. The dealer changes out only 3 quarts at a time when you have it serviced. You have to ask for the 3x3 and it's alot more than $60.

My fluid doesn't get dirty, or dirty enough to the point where ALL of it has to be changed. I'm not going to do a 3x3 every 60k as the manual states. As I see it I'm at a great risk of failure just because of the transmission itself.

With that said, my trans doesnt build up metal shavings, dirt, or lose all of its detergent. It's constantly replenished every 10k.

 

My local shop changes the fluid for $30 with Honda ATF.

 

Yeah, but how much are they changing out? Are they doing the 3x3? How often do you do the 3x3? Doing the 1 drain/fill change every 30k isn't doing anything. My point is that if you start with fresh fluid, or after the first 3x3 doing the 1x every 10k will keep the fluid clean ALL the time.

You won't have to do the 3x3 anymore and you will always be removing the continamants in the fluid. The fluid never has a chance to get dirty or continamted enough to require the 3x3.

$30 is still too much for something thats easier than an oil change. Buy a case of the ATF at Honda, or through your shop. I'm lucky and get it very cheap or even free.

My method is to remove my oil filter and drain the oil. While that is happening I get a seperate drain pan and take the bolt out for the trans, clean that plug put it back in and refill, then I finish up the oil change. So it takes no extra time to do it as I always wait until there is nothing or barely anthing coming out of the oil pan.