I have a 2004 ABP TL with 11, 500 miles. I had my first oil change at 3,735 miles, and I had my second one at 7,397 miles. During the second oil change, they also rotated and balanced my tires. However, I went to a dealership a few weeks ago to get an oil change, and they told me to wait until my car told me to get service. They told me that if I got an oil change before my car told me to do so, they would have to clear the system, so if there was a filter or something that needed to be changed, my car would not be able to recognize that anymore. Is this true? I really would like to get an oil change considering that it is at 40% now, and I have a long drive from Atlanta to Miami in two weeks. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Go ahead and get it changed...the MID has been proven inaccurate by multiple oil analyses and your insticts are likely correct. The dealer is a moron. If you change the oil early, you can simply reset the mid using the method posted in the 3g Garage.

 

Nope not true. Car has no clue if filter was changed or not.

Change as you feel necessary and just remember to reset MID.

 

This has been always my dilemma too...If people have been changing oils @ 40 and 50 % then resetting the MID at that point would reset all the other Codes that were going to show up @ 15 %...that way your MID is totally useless and then you will have to keep track of all the other items like coolant etc that would show up on the MID...

I personally switched to Mobil 1 Full synthetic (oil and filter) @ my first oil change @ around 6000 and then have been following the MID since then...I just hate to screw around with the cycles...

 

Honestly, you could probably predict when the MID is going to "call" for certain services. For example, the air/in-cabin filters are probably going to be replaced between 20-30K, coolant and ATF around 100K.

Besides, I'd replace the ATF and Coolant a lot sooner than that anyway. So you can look at the MID as a good thing for the average consumer, but simply unnecessary for a motor oil junkie.

BTW, check out this thread that I started about Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/...;f=16;t=002032

This stuff appears to work well in Honda Z-1, Honda Genuine ATF, Chryslet ATF+4, Ford Mercon V, Toyota T-IV, and Esso LT71141 ATF standards.

I'd consider using this stuff to drain and refill the Auto Transmission in the TL every 10,000 miles. (3 quarts each time) It is an excellent value at $3/quart, and I called Pennzoil Tech Services on Monday to confirm compatibility with Honda Z-1 and the tech said that it is compatible and fluid related failures are warrantied by Pennzoil.

Michael

 

When changing auto tranny fluid is value really what one should be looking for?

 

crazymjb,
Price is not everything, but the price must be reasonable for the quality of the product. Honda ATF Z-1 and Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF are both blends, but Pennzoil is MUCH less expensive. Both of them will offer the same performance, perhaps better with the Pennzoil product.

For example, Specialty Formulations Autoglide GrpIII/IV/V Honda Z-1 fluid is $7/quart, but it is that expensive as the fluid is designed SPECIFICALLY for Honda Z-1 and there were many development costs associated with developing the product as well as the costs of validation testing for such a small company, which jacks up the price. But in the end, you get a product that is designed specifically for one application, and I prefer to Amsoil Universal ATF.

The way that most manufacturers produce fluids for the market that are not approved directly by the manufacturer is through reverse engineering, BTW.

Michael

 

I realize this is somewhat OT, but is that really how it works? I'd always assumed that the MID is running different calculations for different services and it only "resets" your oil percentage or the particular service that it has called for, e.g., you reset it after an oil change at 50% rather than 15%, it isn't going to call for an ATF change any sooner. But I really don't know...

 

i'd also like to know how to reset it since i wont be doing it at 7000 miles.

edit: nevermind. i saw the 3G garage link.

 

You are correct. That is probably the reason that the oil life percentage is displayed in the trip meter display instead of the Trip Computer Display. When you reset the MID, you can use either trip meter to do that, so if you have one set for something you are watching, you can use the other one.

The MID calculates oil life based on engine operating conditions and accumulated engine revolutions (owner's manual, page 195). The tire rotation is based only on accumulated miles, and this is probably true for the dust and pollen filter and other mileage based services. Which is why they give a specific recommendation for use under severe conditions. So the MID would alert you for these other services regardless of when you reset the oil life percentage.

I don't remember anyone reported specifically when they get their tire rotation or filter notices, especially if the oil life is reset earlier than recommended, so would be interested in hearing any actual experience for this.

 

Ron, I would like to confirm that. I have recieved tire rotation notices only when my oil life has dropped @ 15 % regardless of the miles. I am of the opinion that the MID "Bundles UP" the services required like filter change, coolant replaced etc @ the next oil change. I dont think anyone has yet recieved a service due notice while there oil is over 15 %.

as you say I would also be interested in hearing any actual experience.

 

Ok, question for the Guru...

I currently have about 6k miles on my car and am already thinking about when to change the ATF and at what intervals. The local place I take my car to for oil changes (usually I bring my own oil and filter, so I'm not all bad) also does ATF changes using a machine that swaps out 100% of the fluid, or so they say, for about $90. Apparently, they use a Chevron ATF product normally, but to supply my own, I'd have to supply 16 quarts, which seems awfully expensive. Is the Chevron ATF adequate? Am I better off just having the drain and fill (partial swap) done more often with fluid of my choice? In either case, what is the frequency and timing I should shoot for?

Thanks in advance.

 

Well, I'm not the oil guru but I DO know that the Honda/Acura trannies are different from most. They are like a hybid between standard and automatic. As well as sychronizers, they have clutch packs that require extreme friction modifiers. Normal ATF will not cut it.

There are only about 3 or 4 ATFs that meet the Honda ATF Z-1 specs. Because of the history of tranny problems with Honda, I would be very cautious about using anything other than what Acura recommends. For more reasons than one. Warranty issues, etc.

That said, the gurus can now check in.

 

I dont know about honda's, but most cars neeed special ATF these days, the VW
needed special ZF atf...

As far as oil changes and the mid goes, I plan on using regular oil like the havoline
5w20 and changing it at 50%, and NOT resetting the mid till the next oil
change at 0%.
That would have the oil changes at about 3500 miles?

Or, I could just ignore the mid and do maintanance like all the other cars I ever had...

Brett

 

The thing that kills me is that in years past there was not so much crap about oil changes. Change it every 5000 miles check it every 1000. If you do not drive that much, change it at least twice a year. Do not rely on a idiot indicator.

As for the ATM...well 10 years ago you might have changed it every 50K. Honda wants it sooner. As for the 90 fluid change on the AT... That does not flush it. It is a drain and refill. A full flush uses more fluid and would cost in the 130 range. It has been a while since I did that. I seem to recall it using 2-3 times the fluid that acura used on the 90 change.

 

Chevron ATF does not contain the special FMs that are required to allow a Honda/Acura AT to shift properly. If you use a standard Dex III (H)/Mercon fluid, you may experience some slippage.

My suggestion would be to simply flush it with 8 quarts of Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF, which is about $3/quart. Pay the shop about $50 for labor to do it. Flushing the 5AT with 16 quarts of fluid is simply overkill since the transmisson itself only holds 7.5 quarts. You're simply wasting the other 8 quarts.

I'd suggest flushing the transmission the FIRST time you change the fluid, that way you can replace all of the factory fill that is plagued with excess wear metals from the break-in period. Then, I'd simply drain and refill with 3 quarts Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle every 10-15k

 

Chevron ATF does not contain the special FMs that are required to allow a Honda/Acura AT to shift properly. If you use a standard Dex III (H)/Mercon fluid, you may experience some slippage.

My suggestion would be to simply flush it with 8 quarts of Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF, which is about $3/quart. Pay the shop about $50 for labor to do it. Flushing the 5AT with 16 quarts of fluid is simply overkill since the transmisson itself only holds 7.5 quarts. You're simply wasting the other 8 quarts.

I'd suggest flushing the transmission the FIRST time you change the fluid, that way you can replace all of the factory fill that is plagued with excess wear metals from the break-in period. Then, I'd simply drain and refill with 3 quarts Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle every 10-15,000 miles.

3 quarts of fluid only costs $10, and you shouldn't pay the mechanic more than $20 to do the drain and refill since there is no pan in the TL. It is simply a bolt.

BTW, the ZF tranny in the VWs take an Esso LT71141 ATF fluid. I just got off the phone with Pennzoil Tech Services and they confirmed compatiblity with the Honda Z-1 and Esso LT71141 fluids with their Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF product.

Michael

 

I'd like to add that the process of doing a single drain and refill is so simple, that you should do it yourself and save the $20 or so dollars for the labor charge. Check RR's ATF DIY guide, its very simple.

Michael

 

Much appreciated Michael. You are a tremendous resource to these forums.

 

Yipes - I'm from the generation that had chokes on carberetors - we had to know about cars or we froze to death. If a MiD causes a "dilemma", I would advise letting the dealer do routine maintenance. I would hate to have on my conscience the prospect of seeing a skeleton underneath a rusted 3G TL being supported by the trunk jack!

(BTW: I was driving in my NSX once on Route 250, from Midlothian to Charlottesville in the Fall, screaming along, and I glanced to the side of the road near Appomatox, only to see some goober trying to remove an automatic tranny while the car was supported - I kid u not - by two trunk jacks, one at each end. I hit the binders hard, testing the ABS and using up about 1000 of the NSX's 7500-only Yokohamas. This guy is yanking the tranny for all its worth, and the jacks are whipping around like palm trees in a Force 5 hurricane. I tore off, not wanting to see the carnage - I have often wondered what this guy's "firmlee" (that's family to you all) thought when they found him mushed?

 

I lived,,, new tranny cost me $500. Thanks for stopping!!

Just kidding - good story though, something we can learn from. I lost an uncle about 12 years ago under a large farm truck, similar circumstances (improper support of vehicle). They found him after about 24 hours. He only lived for another 48.

Safety first folks!

Cheers

 

Take 64 next time. The trucks doing 80 will Bernoulli a car right off the jacks so all you'd have to look at are two worn boots sticking out from a flat car. It culls the herd a bit, good for the gene pool!