The RR Journals: ATF drain and refill 3G Garage #C-012
08-22-2008, 02:30 PM
#42
Over Caffeinated
Clarification on amount of ATF needed, please.
If I understand correctly, you do the drain/refill cycle 3 times - correct?
What is the total amount of ATF needed for the process? 3 quarts or 3 x 3 quarts (9 quarts total)?
If it's 9 quarts total, at $10 quart (AMSOIL), then it's $90 for fluid - so the $200 swag for someone else to do it looks more reasonable. However if it's only 3 quarts and $30, then it sounds like DIY time.
Thanks for the feedback!
Steve
What is the total amount of ATF needed for the process? 3 quarts or 3 x 3 quarts (9 quarts total)?
If it's 9 quarts total, at $10 quart (AMSOIL), then it's $90 for fluid - so the $200 swag for someone else to do it looks more reasonable. However if it's only 3 quarts and $30, then it sounds like DIY time.
Thanks for the feedback!
Steve
08-22-2008, 03:33 PM
#43
My Garage not
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Westsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
yes, it's a drain and refill times 3. u need 9 quarts total. if u ask the dealer and they quote you $200, it's possible they are only doing the drain and refill once since the fluid really isn't supposed to be flushed so u kinda can't really use a machine and it has to be done manually so it's time consuming, draining and refilling with a short drive in between each drain and refill.
with the 5AT consider using the honda fluid since it's cheaper and we don't have the 3rd gear problem like the 6mt which really needs a different type of fluid than honda.
with the 5AT consider using the honda fluid since it's cheaper and we don't have the 3rd gear problem like the 6mt which really needs a different type of fluid than honda.
10-04-2008, 10:42 AM
#46
Drifting
Minor ATF leak
My car has 19,700 miles and I figured I would change the ATF today. I aborted my change when I opened the belly cover and noticed that I appear to have a minor leak. There wasn't a bunch of oil but enough in the inner side of the belly cover to give me a little concern- perhaps 1/2 ounce was lost in total. There was just the beginning of a drop forming to actually drop on my driveway so this leak wasn't very noticeable until the belly cover was removed.
I need to take my car to the dealer next week for another issue with my seat trim so I figured I would bring this to their attention. Is this a normal trait for the TL so soon? My Pilot doesn't leak like this. I didn't want to change the oil and have the dealer blame me for doing something wrong.
Thanks in advanced.
I need to take my car to the dealer next week for another issue with my seat trim so I figured I would bring this to their attention. Is this a normal trait for the TL so soon? My Pilot doesn't leak like this. I didn't want to change the oil and have the dealer blame me for doing something wrong.
Thanks in advanced.
11-18-2008, 01:59 PM
#50
Instructor
Filler Bolt location, see below:
Wait, why can't I upload a picture from my hard drive? Where do I manage attachments? I hope I don't have to host it from another site...
Wait, why can't I upload a picture from my hard drive? Where do I manage attachments? I hope I don't have to host it from another site...
11-26-2008, 12:45 PM
#51
Instructor
Cheapest I could find the Honda ATF-Z1 was a hondapartsnow.com for 9 quarts is $7.20/qt shipped.
Or 8 quarts on ebay for $6.63/qt shipped.
Anyone find anything cheaper?
Or 8 quarts on ebay for $6.63/qt shipped.
Anyone find anything cheaper?
Last edited by aquariussuperman; 11-26-2008 at 12:47 PM.
11-26-2008, 01:52 PM
#52
Instructor
The following users liked this post:
MarsTillyS_07 (10-20-2014)
02-19-2009, 05:36 PM
#56
v 4910shp/19,600ft-lb v
02-19-2009, 05:40 PM
#57
My Garage not
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Westsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
right, it's 3/8" and you use the square head withOUT a socket attached to the end. i usually stick the socket on the bolt and then kick it once and it comes undone without having to wrestle with it or use a breaker bar. kick towards the rear of the car and make sure the car is stable on jackstands or ramps.
03-06-2009, 08:43 AM
#58
Cruiser
03-09-2009, 10:09 AM
#59
Intermediate
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 75
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Getting to the fill bolt was a real Pain. I just learned that the electrical connector box that is right above it, snaps right off (insert flat blade screwdriver in slot) making access to the filler bolt 1000X easier. Can get your whole hand down there now!
03-09-2009, 12:13 PM
#60
5th Gear
Join Date: Mar 2009
Age: 44
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Are you sure you have to do the drain and refill three times?? Is this what the dealer does? So, you drain, put the drain plug back, wait couple of minutes, drain for 2 times, put the drain plug back for second time, wait couple of minutes, drain for the third time, etc.. Is this correct?
Thanks
Thanks
03-09-2009, 12:55 PM
#61
Instructor
Are you sure you have to do the drain and refill three times?? Is this what the dealer does? So, you drain, put the drain plug back, wait couple of minutes, drain for 2 times, put the drain plug back for second time, wait couple of minutes, drain for the third time, etc.. Is this correct?
Thanks
Thanks
03-10-2009, 10:36 PM
#62
Safety Car
The reason for the "flush it-drive it- flush it" X 3 routine is because mucho ATF is contained inside of the torque convertor. The fluid inside the convertor is not able to drain from it, but the fluid must be pumped (while driving) thru the convertor. The below info is from my archives.
11-29-2005, 3:11 AM
frenchnew
Registered User
Post #10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Quebec
Age: 47
Posts: 443
According to my calculations, you will need to do over 4 drains & refills to reach Amsoil recommendation of 90%.
After the 1st Drain & Refill
3.2qts Synth (43.24%) & 4.2qts Honda (56.76%)
2nd Drain will flush another 3.2qts but only 43.243% of that (1.82qts) will be the Honda fluid concentration in the drain.
After the 2nd Drain & Refill
5.02qts Synth (67.84%) & 2.38qts Honda (32.16%)
After the 3rd Drain % Refill (Using the same calculations as the 2nd Drain)
6.05qts Synth (81.76%) & 1.35qts Honda (18.24%)
After the 4th Drain & Refill
6.63qts Synth (89.59%) & 0.77qt Honda (10.41%)
After the 5th Drain % Refill
6.96qts Synth (94.05%) & 0.44qt Honda (5.95%)
Best regards
frenchnew
Originally Posted by Chet03TL-S
10-19-2004, 10:01 PM
Chet03TL-S
Registered User
Post #13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Castro Valley, CA
Age: 25
Posts: 594 Doing the math. I assume 3qts are drained and the tranny holds 7.6qts. Each time you run the car a short distance through all the gear to mix the new fluid with the old and that you get a perfect dilution of the old and new fluid. If you keep doing this you should eventually get all the fluid out. Here are the Number of Fills and their related % of new fluid now in the tranny at each stage of the flush.
Drain/Fill
1=39.5%
2=63.4%
3=77.8%
4=86.6%
5=91.9%
6=95.1%
7=97.0%
8=98.2%
9=98.9%
So using just 4 fills will only get 86.6% of the old fluid out.
Chet03TL-S
Registered User
Post #13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Castro Valley, CA
Age: 25
Posts: 594 Doing the math. I assume 3qts are drained and the tranny holds 7.6qts. Each time you run the car a short distance through all the gear to mix the new fluid with the old and that you get a perfect dilution of the old and new fluid. If you keep doing this you should eventually get all the fluid out. Here are the Number of Fills and their related % of new fluid now in the tranny at each stage of the flush.
Drain/Fill
1=39.5%
2=63.4%
3=77.8%
4=86.6%
5=91.9%
6=95.1%
7=97.0%
8=98.2%
9=98.9%
So using just 4 fills will only get 86.6% of the old fluid out.
Originally Posted by frenchnew
11-29-2005, 3:11 AM
frenchnew
Registered User
Post #10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Quebec
Age: 47
Posts: 443
According to my calculations, you will need to do over 4 drains & refills to reach Amsoil recommendation of 90%.
After the 1st Drain & Refill
3.2qts Synth (43.24%) & 4.2qts Honda (56.76%)
2nd Drain will flush another 3.2qts but only 43.243% of that (1.82qts) will be the Honda fluid concentration in the drain.
After the 2nd Drain & Refill
5.02qts Synth (67.84%) & 2.38qts Honda (32.16%)
After the 3rd Drain % Refill (Using the same calculations as the 2nd Drain)
6.05qts Synth (81.76%) & 1.35qts Honda (18.24%)
After the 4th Drain & Refill
6.63qts Synth (89.59%) & 0.77qt Honda (10.41%)
After the 5th Drain % Refill
6.96qts Synth (94.05%) & 0.44qt Honda (5.95%)
Best regards
frenchnew
Originally Posted by (unknown)
Yea..you are right...single change doesnt get rid of all the old oil...Here's an equation that helps determin how much old oil is left after each drain, where x is the drain attempt and y is the percentage of old oil left after each attemp in the tranny. So insert in 0 for x and you get 1.0 (or 100%) old stuff left in the tranny (basically, you havent performed a drain ). So for draing 1 time(s) you get 59 percent of old fluid left in tranny. Yea...i get bored some times,
y=e^(-0.5241x)
y=e^(-0.5241x)
The following users liked this post:
woowoo (03-28-2013)
05-18-2009, 10:31 AM
#63
Pro
UPDATE: For tranny's that had the 2nd gear oil-jet kit installed, you cannot use the fill plug to refill your tranny as Acura has chosen that to be the location to put their kit. 
Dealer says you can refill using the dipstick opening.
.....Very small opening funnel required.
Dealer says you can refill using the dipstick opening.
.....Very small opening funnel required.
05-21-2009, 01:02 PM
#64
FYI for those who are to lazy to download the PDF, here is what Acura recommends as of Jan 2008.
Some A/T repair procedures call for flushing the trans using Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1 (and no
substitutes). Problem is, where do you find the info to do that? It’s not listed in the S/Ms and if you do an
ISIS search, you’ll find a few ServiceNews articles on this subject, but they’re rather dated, and none of
them say the same thing.
NOTE: The term “flushing” refers to repeatedly draining and refilling the trans with Acura Precision Crafted
ATF-Z1. Don’t confuse it with aftermarket flush systems. American Honda still strongly recommends that
you avoid using them on any Acura vehicle.
The original procedure was written for simpler A/Ts that readily upshifted when you ran the vehicle on a lift.
But A/Ts have come a long way since then, and most of the newer ones balk at shifting past 2nd gear
when on a lift, unless you work the shift lever a certain way.
In light of all this, we thought it was high time that the A/T flushing procedure got a facelift. So here’s the
latest word on flushing that works for all A/Ts:
1. Set the parking brake, and raise the vehicle on a lift.
2. Drain the trans, and refill it with Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1. Refer to the applicable S/M or to ISIS
for details.
3. Start the engine, shift into Drive, and release the parking brake.
4. Push down on the accelerator pedal to raise the vehicle speed to 2,500 rpm.
• If the trans shifts past 2nd gear, go to step 5.
• If the trans won’t shift past 2nd gear, keep the engine speed at 2,500 rpm and shift from Drive to
Neutral and back to Drive. Then go to step 5.
5. Make sure that the trans shifts through all the forward gears and goes into torque converter lockup.
6. Let off the accelerator pedal, and press the brake pedal to drop the vehicle speed to zero. Shift into
Reverse and then into Neutral.
7. Shift into Drive, and repeat steps 4 thru 6 four more times.
8. Set the parking brake, and repeat steps 2 thru 6 two more times.
9. Drain the trans, and reinstall the drain plug with a new sealing washer.
10. Refill the A/T with ATF-Z1.
Jan 2008
Check Out the Latest Word on A/T Flushing
Currently Applies To: General Information
B08010A
substitutes). Problem is, where do you find the info to do that? It’s not listed in the S/Ms and if you do an
ISIS search, you’ll find a few ServiceNews articles on this subject, but they’re rather dated, and none of
them say the same thing.
NOTE: The term “flushing” refers to repeatedly draining and refilling the trans with Acura Precision Crafted
ATF-Z1. Don’t confuse it with aftermarket flush systems. American Honda still strongly recommends that
you avoid using them on any Acura vehicle.
The original procedure was written for simpler A/Ts that readily upshifted when you ran the vehicle on a lift.
But A/Ts have come a long way since then, and most of the newer ones balk at shifting past 2nd gear
when on a lift, unless you work the shift lever a certain way.
In light of all this, we thought it was high time that the A/T flushing procedure got a facelift. So here’s the
latest word on flushing that works for all A/Ts:
1. Set the parking brake, and raise the vehicle on a lift.
2. Drain the trans, and refill it with Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1. Refer to the applicable S/M or to ISIS
for details.
3. Start the engine, shift into Drive, and release the parking brake.
4. Push down on the accelerator pedal to raise the vehicle speed to 2,500 rpm.
• If the trans shifts past 2nd gear, go to step 5.
• If the trans won’t shift past 2nd gear, keep the engine speed at 2,500 rpm and shift from Drive to
Neutral and back to Drive. Then go to step 5.
5. Make sure that the trans shifts through all the forward gears and goes into torque converter lockup.
6. Let off the accelerator pedal, and press the brake pedal to drop the vehicle speed to zero. Shift into
Reverse and then into Neutral.
7. Shift into Drive, and repeat steps 4 thru 6 four more times.
8. Set the parking brake, and repeat steps 2 thru 6 two more times.
9. Drain the trans, and reinstall the drain plug with a new sealing washer.
10. Refill the A/T with ATF-Z1.
Jan 2008
Check Out the Latest Word on A/T Flushing
Currently Applies To: General Information
B08010A
05-30-2009, 09:52 AM
#65
Cruiser
06-01-2009, 12:57 PM
#67
Ok, so I did the whole 5 speed AT fluid change last night and I wanted to post up some of the things I experienced while doing this. This was done on a 2004 TL. I used the "drain 3 times, fill 3 times" method. But first, BIG thank you to Road Rage for taking the time to post the walk through. I gotta admit the first time I read it, I was a bit confused, but then after getting under the car, things started to make sense. And this is not in any way to take away from what was originally posted, I just wanted to give an alternate perspective from the original post. Also, I understand why no pictures are up. 
This job is kinda messy (about the same as an oil change, except you're going to do it 3 times in a row.)
I put in bold (and made some slight modifications) to what I felt is completely necessary to do this job. Especially the Oil Fill extension. I cannot stress this enough. I was a dummy and drained the ATF first, them went looking for the Fill plug only to find out it was WAY down in the engine so a normal funnel would not work. And I couldn't drive my car anywhere cause it had no ATF, so I ended up having a buddy run me to the auto parts store to get one. I also grabbed a 10 inch extension for the socket (in addition to the 6 inch I already had)
Ok, heres where the ghetto starts coming out. 
I, like most people I know, only have 1 set of jack stands. I did make an effort to get another set, but it was going to take to much time and I wanted to get this done last night, so I ended up jacking up the front of the car only. I know this is not the best way to drain, HOWEVER, at the end of the night, I had 9 quarts out and 9 quarts in.
A bit awkward to locate is a bit of an understatement 
. The plug does have "ATF" on the top and is on the drivers side of the engine bay. mine didn't have any color marking on it. If your looking directly down into the engine bay over the fuse box, find the small little compartment on the side of the fuse box and look directly down. Its about a 12-14 inches down. This is why you will need at least 12 inches of extension for your 17mm socket. If you could remove the fuse box, you would have a straight shot at it (I removed the screws to the fuse box to move it around a little so I could get leverage on this bolt). Note for those who have a CAI: I have an AEM CAI and there is a big fat hose coming out the back of the intake that makes this even more of a pain in the ass. Not impossible, but it will get in the way. I didn't have to remove mine, but I just wanted to point that out. Once you "break" the fill plug and start loosening it, BE CAREFUL not to drop the washer. The washer is not held on to the fill plug so when pulling it out, you need to make sure you have a hold of both of them.
I removed this completely. Like Road Rage said, it isn't necessary but I think it's worth the 3-5 minutes to do. And since you're already pulling the majority of the plugs/bolts out, you might as well take the whole thing off. I think in the original post, Road Rage was doing a single drain and refill. If you're going to do this 3 times, it's going to require you driving and you probably don't want a splash guard flapping around under your car while driving.
This is the other fun bolt to find. Mine had a small yellow "paint seal" on it to see if the bolt has been moved. It's a round bolt with a square "insert". When I first saw it, I looked like you would need a special tool to get it off. Then it dawned on me I just needed a 1/2" drive to loosen it. If you've ever changed your oil, this is virtually the same thing (except you use a socket to get the oil plug out). Loosen the bolt and let it drain. Fortunately when I did this it did not shoot out as far as when you drain the oil, but you will need to compensate a little bit for where the ATF is gonna land in the drain pan. I'd say roughly 2-4 inches in the direction the ATF is going to come out. I let it drain until there was about 5 seconds between each drip. I also noticed the "sludge" Road Rage described on the end of the bolt. It looks like axle grease or something. I wanted to clean all of this off, but I didn't mess with it.
This is where I found out I needed the really long funnel. There is no getting around this, you have to have it or you simply cannot do this. I placed the funnel all the way down in the hole, then pulled it up a few hairs so that the ATF I was putting in would flow down the hole and not overflow out. I don't know if this would even be a problem or not, but I did it just in case.
Notice I changed the "2" to "3". I just put 3 quarts in and tightened the Fill bolt back on (which I think is what Road Rage did anyways). Not too tight as your going to have to do this 2 more times. But enough to where you can run your car around for 5 minutes and not worry about the bolt falling off. I took my car down off the jacks, backed it out, and drove it for about 5 minutes, making sure I went into every gear, including Low and Neutral.
After I got back I lifted the hood and let the engine cool down for about 15-20 minutes before I started draining again. It's getting pretty hot here in Houston and I should have let it sit longer, but I wanted to make sure I got this done. The 2nd ATF drain was a little warm! :p But not so bad I'll have any permanent injuries.
Again, I wish I could have taken pictures to illustrate this a little better, but I probably would have ruined a camera. Hope this helps some of you DIYer's out there!
This job is kinda messy (about the same as an oil change, except you're going to do it 3 times in a row.)
Here is a guide and some tips:
Equipment needed:
Safe jacking equipment and jack stands, 2 pairs preferred
17mm socket (3/8 - 1/2" size, 1/2" preferred) - a universal drive in either size is optional but recommended
extension for above, 8" -12"
Large torque wrench and/or breaker bar for socket
10 mm socket and ratchet wrench with 5" or greater extension
1 small flat blade screwdriver
1 oil fill extension (wide funnel with at least a 12" length to reach the filler opening)
1 Honda ATF drain plug gasket (optional)
9 quarts of Z1 spec ATF (Honda or equivalent - Amsoil Synthetic ATF is Z1 compliant per Amsoil Tech Services)
Drain pan and container for recycling old ATF (minimum 9 quarts)
Level - magnetic type optional
1 mechanics magnetic parts retriever or "fingers" type retriever (optional)
Equipment needed:
Safe jacking equipment and jack stands, 2 pairs preferred
17mm socket (3/8 - 1/2" size, 1/2" preferred) - a universal drive in either size is optional but recommended
extension for above, 8" -12"
Large torque wrench and/or breaker bar for socket
10 mm socket and ratchet wrench with 5" or greater extension
1 small flat blade screwdriver
1 oil fill extension (wide funnel with at least a 12" length to reach the filler opening)
1 Honda ATF drain plug gasket (optional)
9 quarts of Z1 spec ATF (Honda or equivalent - Amsoil Synthetic ATF is Z1 compliant per Amsoil Tech Services)
Drain pan and container for recycling old ATF (minimum 9 quarts)
Level - magnetic type optional
1 mechanics magnetic parts retriever or "fingers" type retriever (optional)
2) Jack the car so you can easily get underneath the car to at least the midsection. Preferable to jack front and rear, and level the car using the level aligned to the frame rails. That way, you are sure to have the car positioned for a proper drain, and it makes refill easier (see below).
I, like most people I know, only have 1 set of jack stands. I did make an effort to get another set, but it was going to take to much time and I wanted to get this done last night, so I ended up jacking up the front of the car only. I know this is not the best way to drain, HOWEVER, at the end of the night, I had 9 quarts out and 9 quarts in.
4) Loosen the fill plug - it is a bit awkward to locate, and is on the driver side of the engine bay, and has "ATF? market on it - it will usually also have some color marking on it. It takes a 17mm socket, which I put on a 1/2" drive and universal on an 8" extension. Even with a hefty 1/2" ratchet, it was tight, so i had to "break" it with the large torque wrench - you could also use a breaker bar in the size drive you are using. Once broken, the fill plug unthreads easily. Come at the plug from the left bu snaking your arm under the hoses - you do not want this plug to fall in an inaccessible place, and the washer is unusually shaped as well. You can re-use the washer with no problem. If either the plug or the washer gets away from you, use a magnetic or finger retriever.
**** Cover the filler opening with a clean shop rag so no debris can get in ****
**** Cover the filler opening with a clean shop rag so no debris can get in ****
. The plug does have "ATF" on the top and is on the drivers side of the engine bay. mine didn't have any color marking on it. If your looking directly down into the engine bay over the fuse box, find the small little compartment on the side of the fuse box and look directly down. Its about a 12-14 inches down. This is why you will need at least 12 inches of extension for your 17mm socket. If you could remove the fuse box, you would have a straight shot at it (I removed the screws to the fuse box to move it around a little so I could get leverage on this bolt). Note for those who have a CAI: I have an AEM CAI and there is a big fat hose coming out the back of the intake that makes this even more of a pain in the ass. Not impossible, but it will get in the way. I didn't have to remove mine, but I just wanted to point that out. Once you "break" the fill plug and start loosening it, BE CAREFUL not to drop the washer. The washer is not held on to the fill plug so when pulling it out, you need to make sure you have a hold of both of them.
5) There is an under body aero/splash shield that needs to be swung out of the way - you do not need to remove it. Get the screwdriver and the 10mm socket/extension/ratchet. There are two threaded, long 10mm hex head bolts, one in the front, and one in the back. Remove the front one. The rear one is in a recessed spot - just loosen this one. The rest of the retainers (4 or 5) are the plastic clip types - there is a recess in the plastic head where the thin blade goes in, you pop up the retainer "pin", and then pull the whole thing out. Do this for all the others, and put them and the one 10mm bolt in a safe place.
7) The drain bolt is accessed from the front of the car. If you imagine you are facing forward from the driver's seat, it will be on the "left" - under the car that means it will be left or right of your body. It is a golden bichromate color, and has a 1/2" square drive head - no other bolt in this area has that, so you should be able to locate it easily. Look for blue or perhaps a yellow or red marking on the bolt or on the tranny case near the bolt. This is used during assembly to indicate it has been tightened, and the tranny filled. Loosen this with the 1/2" drive - mine came loose without needing the breaker. Drain the tranny fluid. Examine the bolt and washer so you can see how the crush washer looks, and where the "roughened edge" is oriented. Let the tranny drain. While it is draining, you will note that the drain bolt has a magnet on its end, and it will have some fine metallic sludge on it (even at 1000 miles). This is normal wear material - it should be very fine, like graphite powder in in oil suspension. If you find chards of material, and the tranny has been acting odd, I would have either the dealer or a tranny shop examine it.
9) Position the funnel/extension in the filler hole - MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAN! Dirt is anathema to a modern tranny, and even if you have to wash it, do so. Dry it as best you can, but a tiny bit of water left in the tube is OK. Dirt is not
10) Add the 3 quarts - I was going to add half of the remaining 3rd quart, heat the car, recheck, refill, etc, but working over the hot engine and tranny is no fun in Virginia in August, so I figured "spec calls for 3 quarts - that's what I am adding". Since I had not extracted every last drop of any of the bottles, I was slightly below 3 quarts, but I also had not let the car drain for 10 hours as some of my more anal pals might. Now, you can either re-insert and tighten the fill plug bolt to 30#'s, or leave it open as you check the level as described below - I just tightened it, and used the old washer, as this is not an area that is always immersed in oil, so a leak is unlikely. If you choose to leave it off until you finish checking the level, REMEMBER TO REPLACE AND TIGHTEN IT LATER!
After I got back I lifted the hood and let the engine cool down for about 15-20 minutes before I started draining again. It's getting pretty hot here in Houston and I should have let it sit longer, but I wanted to make sure I got this done. The 2nd ATF drain was a little warm! :p But not so bad I'll have any permanent injuries.
Again, I wish I could have taken pictures to illustrate this a little better, but I probably would have ruined a camera. Hope this helps some of you DIYer's out there!
06-01-2009, 03:05 PM
#68
Instructor
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago, IL
Age: 43
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I did this a week ago in my 05 TL with 60k, and I wish I would've done it a long time ago. With the right tools, it's really not that bad. I definitely notice the car shifts better, and I think my gas mileage has increased. I'm going to start doing this every 10k to 15k miles. I did the drain and fill only twice, so a total of six quarts.
To get the car level while draining, I just removed the jack stands and lowered the hydraulic jack in the front. I then jacked it up a bit to get the drain bolt back on. I found my 1/2" drive torque wrench worked great as a breaker bar to get the drain and fill bolts loose. I bought a 1/2" to 3/8" drive converter attachment to get the drain bolt off. Also next time I'm gonna buy the magnetic retriever to get out the fill bolt. It was a little hot squeezing my arm in there for the second drain and fill.
To get the car level while draining, I just removed the jack stands and lowered the hydraulic jack in the front. I then jacked it up a bit to get the drain bolt back on. I found my 1/2" drive torque wrench worked great as a breaker bar to get the drain and fill bolts loose. I bought a 1/2" to 3/8" drive converter attachment to get the drain bolt off. Also next time I'm gonna buy the magnetic retriever to get out the fill bolt. It was a little hot squeezing my arm in there for the second drain and fill.
06-01-2009, 04:30 PM
#69
My Garage not
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Westsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
if you can change your own oil you can also do this tranny fluid job yourself too. yes, it's that easy but it looks more complicated when you're just reading the description in post #1 without any pics.
like any other job just make sure you have all of the tools before you jack the car up and drain the fluid.
like any other job just make sure you have all of the tools before you jack the car up and drain the fluid.
06-06-2009, 02:51 PM
#71
I did this today at 20K miles and switched to Amsoil. I did it twice as it is a real PITA especially on a lowered car with no lift. I just couldn't bear to do the third drain and fill as the Amsoil is $10 a quart and it's painful to drain it 5 minutes after putting it in. I have 3 quarts left and will do another drain and fill at my next oil change...
06-06-2009, 03:00 PM
#72
practicing nihilist
^tell me about it. Ordered 9 quarts - $100! I almost went with 1 gallon and was going to do the single flush after reading that graph of how many drain & fills it would actually take to be pure Amsoil but, figured I'd follow the manual since I have 20K left on this tranny warranty.
I'll have lift access, though.
I'll have lift access, though.
06-12-2009, 10:10 PM
#75
Some A/T repair procedures call for flushing the trans using Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1 (and no
substitutes). Problem is, where do you find the info to do that? It’s not listed in the S/Ms and if you do an
ISIS search, you’ll find a few ServiceNews articles on this subject, but they’re rather dated, and none of
them say the same thing.
NOTE: The term “flushing” refers to repeatedly draining and refilling the trans with Acura Precision Crafted
ATF-Z1. Don’t confuse it with aftermarket flush systems. American Honda still strongly recommends that
you avoid using them on any Acura vehicle.
The original procedure was written for simpler A/Ts that readily upshifted when you ran the vehicle on a lift.
But A/Ts have come a long way since then, and most of the newer ones balk at shifting past 2nd gear
when on a lift, unless you work the shift lever a certain way.
In light of all this, we thought it was high time that the A/T flushing procedure got a facelift. So here’s the
latest word on flushing that works for all A/Ts:
1. Set the parking brake, and raise the vehicle on a lift.
2. Drain the trans, and refill it with Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1. Refer to the applicable S/M or to ISIS
for details.
3. Start the engine, shift into Drive, and release the parking brake.
4. Push down on the accelerator pedal to raise the vehicle speed to 2,500 rpm.
• If the trans shifts past 2nd gear, go to step 5.
• If the trans won’t shift past 2nd gear, keep the engine speed at 2,500 rpm and shift from Drive to
Neutral and back to Drive. Then go to step 5.
5. Make sure that the trans shifts through all the forward gears and goes into torque converter lockup.
6. Let off the accelerator pedal, and press the brake pedal to drop the vehicle speed to zero. Shift into
Reverse and then into Neutral.
7. Shift into Drive, and repeat steps 4 thru 6 four more times.
8. Set the parking brake, and repeat steps 2 thru 6 two more times.
9. Drain the trans, and reinstall the drain plug with a new sealing washer.
10. Refill the A/T with ATF-Z1.
Jan 2008
Check Out the Latest Word on A/T Flushing
Currently Applies To: General Information
B08010A
After reading this, can all this, while they raise the RPM to 2,500 and shift from Drive to Neutral and Reverse, be done w/o taking the jack stands off?
In other words, can all this be done while the car is in the air?
substitutes). Problem is, where do you find the info to do that? It’s not listed in the S/Ms and if you do an
ISIS search, you’ll find a few ServiceNews articles on this subject, but they’re rather dated, and none of
them say the same thing.
NOTE: The term “flushing” refers to repeatedly draining and refilling the trans with Acura Precision Crafted
ATF-Z1. Don’t confuse it with aftermarket flush systems. American Honda still strongly recommends that
you avoid using them on any Acura vehicle.
The original procedure was written for simpler A/Ts that readily upshifted when you ran the vehicle on a lift.
But A/Ts have come a long way since then, and most of the newer ones balk at shifting past 2nd gear
when on a lift, unless you work the shift lever a certain way.
In light of all this, we thought it was high time that the A/T flushing procedure got a facelift. So here’s the
latest word on flushing that works for all A/Ts:
1. Set the parking brake, and raise the vehicle on a lift.
2. Drain the trans, and refill it with Acura Precision Crafted ATF-Z1. Refer to the applicable S/M or to ISIS
for details.
3. Start the engine, shift into Drive, and release the parking brake.
4. Push down on the accelerator pedal to raise the vehicle speed to 2,500 rpm.
• If the trans shifts past 2nd gear, go to step 5.
• If the trans won’t shift past 2nd gear, keep the engine speed at 2,500 rpm and shift from Drive to
Neutral and back to Drive. Then go to step 5.
5. Make sure that the trans shifts through all the forward gears and goes into torque converter lockup.
6. Let off the accelerator pedal, and press the brake pedal to drop the vehicle speed to zero. Shift into
Reverse and then into Neutral.
7. Shift into Drive, and repeat steps 4 thru 6 four more times.
8. Set the parking brake, and repeat steps 2 thru 6 two more times.
9. Drain the trans, and reinstall the drain plug with a new sealing washer.
10. Refill the A/T with ATF-Z1.
Jan 2008
Check Out the Latest Word on A/T Flushing
Currently Applies To: General Information
B08010A
After reading this, can all this, while they raise the RPM to 2,500 and shift from Drive to Neutral and Reverse, be done w/o taking the jack stands off?
In other words, can all this be done while the car is in the air?
Last edited by tihomirbg; 06-12-2009 at 10:13 PM.
06-12-2009, 10:42 PM
#76
practicing nihilist
I have a similar problem. The lifts I use won't allow me to start the car while it's raised. Can I just take a short spin through all the gears, including reverse, then repeat x2?
06-13-2009, 01:44 AM
#79
Safety Car
Driving is the prefered method in my opinion. Driving the car is the real deal. This "procedure" is sorta faking-it. I think this "procedure" is for the Acura Techs...so that they don't have to spend time taking the car out on the road.
The whole goal is to get the ATF to circulate thru the system. The car must be driven, or a simulated drive with this "procedure", to get the ATF to circulate thru the clutch packs, valve body, and the convertor.
06-13-2009, 03:09 AM
#80
My Garage not
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Westsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
the 3x drain and fill can actually go quicker using ramps instead of jack stands. i just remove the plastic shield on the bottom of the car, 3/4 tighten all of the bolts and drive around the block and then back to my garage where the ramps and tools are waiting after the first change.