The things are dirt cheap, hell some Acura parts departments have just given me some free. Just use new ones and be done with it.

 

+1 local dealer gave me them for free

 

If you know your local dealership at all then the washers could be free. I get as many washers as I need because my local dealership would rather give me the washers and see the job done correctly so if they ever do have to do the work then there are no surprises.

I would not recommend pennzoil for any product IMO. Their oil has been cause of at least 10-12 sludged up engines from dedicated penn fans.

I used to run 2 qts Honda MTF with the remainder of fill to be syncromesh in all my civics and my Y21 tranny. Shifting was spot on with the founder B-series tranny's that made 3rd gear famous.

I may take royal purple route as well because I support my local NAPA store and they carry it in store.

To the OP: nice thread with pics.

 

Switched to Friction Syncro over the weekend. $10/qt from a local Chevy dealer. I didn't have 3rd gear issues but I can say without a doubt it shifts better in all gears now. It's just....smoother, more effortless.

<- Believer

 

Used the GM Syncromesh at 48k and 92k. Before the first change I had noticed the 3rd gear grinding. Syncromesh took care of it. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

In my anger and frustration, and because it wasn't raining for once in Ohio, I decided that I would finally replace my manual transmission fluid in my '04 TL. The current shifting is a joke so I bought the GM/AC Delco stuff, which I was really excited about. Anyways, I was removing the fill plug from the engine bay, and somehow ended up rounding off the bolt. I was using two extensions, and my breaker bar, so I was really surprised this happened--it was on extremely tight; probably because it was put back on with an impact or something last time it was changed.

Any ideas as to how I can combat this issue? Any way to remove it now? Is it possible to fill the necessary fluid from the bottom of the car through the check plug? Will I be able to get the full amount of fluid in through there. I am referring to the bolt that is situated a couple inches above the drain plug.

 

^That would be possible but it would just take forever through that tiny 6mm hole. I know in the Civic/Integra forums, a lot of people fill their transmission through the breather vent hole, but it doesn't look like our trans has that. Perhaps removing another device might get it done. There is always the reverse-switch (#15) or maybe the pickup assembly (#17), whatever the hell that is...

Can anybody comment?

 

There is a way but it's kinda Mickey Mouse. I am assuming that when stavebomb says he "rounded off the bolt", that this is not what he really meant. I say this because the fill plug is not a bold in the normal sense. It is a female fill plug and you must use a 3/8" male extension, swivel, or something of the like to remove this "bolt". So for the discussion, I am going to assume that he rounded off the sides of the 3/8" female depression in the "bolt" to the point where a male tool cannot gain purchase enough to remove the fill plug. That being said, here is one solution.... not a good one, but it should work.

Get a left hand threading tool, insert it into the female opening, then start trying to create threads in the fill plug. Chances are it will come loose before you actually complete the threading. But if not, once you have it threaded insert a 3/8" bolt and remove the fill plug. Then replace it with a new fill plug.

It's a thought but what the hey.

 

I suppose I could try that... I guess I don't have much to lose at this point. And yes, you were correct about my lack of specificity--it is the female portion that I rounded off.

Do you know what size threading tool I would need? Also, just to clarify, if it comes to the point where I must insert the 3/8 inch bolt into the threads I created, since it is left hand threaded, will the fill plug start spinning its way out once I tighten the 3/8ths inch bolt all the way to the left?

 

Hmm. Was that a stupid question? Is the answer 3/8 left hand threader?

 

Yes, you would need a bold with a left handed thread. There is another possibility but it requires removing more stuff above the fill plug. A quality set of channel locks or a pipe wrench may do the job. If you are able to remove it, the torque specs for the new one are 33 lb/ft as I recall.

If you are of a mind to fill through your check (sight) plug, be careful when re-installing it. It only takes 8.7 lb/ft of torque and some people on this site have been a little aggressive with it and have wound up wrenching the head off of the bolt. You don't want to do this.

 

Hey folks,

I just wanted to add: You want to be careful with the torque specs for certain bolts. Just the other day I was changing my oil and while tightening the old drain bolt by hand the bolt just kept turning and turning.... I thought I had stripped the bolt. What actually happened was that the alloy washer had crushed down in an uneven manner and would have leaked had I not taken a closer look at the situation. I got a new drain bolt (good to keep on hand, though this was probably not necessary) and got a new washer and torqued to spec. I then removed the bolt to inspect the washer and everything was OK. So to make to a long story short, torque specs are important.......

Thank you,
TL-Rocket
'04 TL 6MT.

 

Damn. Why do I keep typing "bold" when I mean "bolt"? Hope you good people can see my meaning in all of this.

 

Yep. Torque specs for the oil pan drain plug and the manual transmission drain plug are the same; 29 ft/lbs (or 29 lb/ft.... never understood the difference between the transposition of these measurements but from what I understand, they are interchangeable).

 

Not sure I understand what you mean by using a channel locks or pipe wrench.

Can it be confirmed that the check plug is in fact a 6mm hole? I was thinking about using something like this to pump the fluid in...just need to find a smaller hose.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7CGRP2082_____

 

Desperately brain storming...Theoretically, I could probably pump fluid back into to the transmission casing through the drain plug if i used something like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/pezones/pump.jpg

I would probably have to just ensure that the tubing is snug against the walls of the hole so none of it leaks out, and then pump in a little more than the required amount so when I pull the hose out and put the plug back in I would have close to the correct amount. That would be a last resort, though. SO GHETTO!

 

I'm sure most already know this, but just wanted to point out that GM Synchromesh TF P/N: 12377916 has been replaced by P/N: 88900399.

Can anyone tell me where is the best/cheapest place to buy? I found on gmpartsgiant.com for $9.94/qt. Thanks!

 

^ That is cheap go for it! I ust finished doing my flush tonight, and my third gear popout has vanished. Im excited to see how it shifts after some more driving, also reverse and second go in much easier. When I did my flush I used the full 3 quarts, I left the check bolt out and poured the whole third in, that way I flushed all of the old fluid out.

 

Crush washer part numbers for the change-
94109-20000
90442-397-000
94109-14000

 

Thank you

 

Thanks for the write up.

As others have said, nothing needs to be removed except the lower plastic cover underneath to gain access to the drain and overflow hole.

It's a 3/8 universal to access the fill plug. Couple that with about 2ft of extensions and you're good to go. A breaker bar is a must.

Whole process took 20 mins once the car is in the air.

 

It's been about 30,000 miles since my last drain/refill. 3rd gear is starting to become an issue again so I'll be buying more GMSFM liquid gold (cost nearly as much!).

WHen I did it the last time (correct me if this is bad/wrong) this is what I did:

I jacked the car up, removed both bolts (check and drain), then lowered the car until draining stopped. Jacked car up and replaced the drain bolt. Lowered car. Added new fluid from the fill bolt (under the battery/air box) until it poured out the check bolt. jacked the car up again and replaced the check bolt and finally the fill bolt.

Is this method okay?

 

PS, is this the same exact stuff? Half the price if it is.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/88900399-GM-Synchromesh-Manual-Transmission-Fluid-Friction-Modified-1-Quart-/221247966896?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3383680eb0&vxp=mtr

 

Thank you for this ill be performing this this weekend!

 

Dumb question, is the tranny in the 07 type s the same as above?

 

anyone know how about it is if I accidentally put the non-fiction modified version?!...

 

If you have a 6 speed TL i would only chage it with the GM Synchromesh MTF. If you read up on here it has produced nothing but happy customers including me.

 

i might have to look into doing this.

 

planning to change clutch so that will be added to the list. thanks

 

Just did a tranny fluid change on my 08 tl-s 6mt. now that i'm done i'm getting a check engine light O_o

any ideas? worst case scenario i hit up a buddy at a dealership and have him check the code for me. I can't think what I would've done that would it throw a check engine light...

 

If you haven't done anything to the xm computer in the back the nav screen should display the error code. Check the nav screen and for settings I think. Also autozone will check me for free too

 

Cleared up on its own after a 15 minute drive.

 

Thanks for a great thread !

 

Thanks for the write up op, just the info I needed

 

You can find everything you need in this thread:

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...-013-a-558814/

 

Hey guys, so I'm at ~81K - MT. No idea if the previous owner changed it. Is it risky?

 

Yeah it's risky... I rounded out the bolt that covers the fill hole in the engine bay, so I had to pump mine in through the check hole which is super tiny. What a joke!

 

No. Not risky. Just make sure you can get the fill plug out BEFORE you drain it. It will be very hard to crack free because of the size of the plug. There's a large flange/washer on the plug so the surface area really fights you. Be sure to use a high quality bit and make sure it is inserted all the way down into the plug. Once that's cracked open then follow the regular procedure to drain and fill until it weeps from the level hole.

 

Thanks guys. I meant more in the sense that it's at 81k and, most likely, hasn't been changed. I know on thee auto it's not recommended.

 

Just did this yesterday along with an oil change. I can't tell if I actually feel a difference or if it's just all in my mind.