Transmission fluid flush and fill?

Hello Jim, When I drained my transmission fluid, it looked golden instead
of red, like the new stuff. Also, I drained 4.1 liters instead of 3.1. I
hope I drained the right stuff. What do you think?

Nino


"jim beam" > wrote in message
t...
> Nino NoSpam wrote:
>> what vehicle? the drain and fill spec is in the service manual
>>
>> I have a 2003 CR-V. According to the manual I need 3.1 liters. Is this
>> correct?
>
> if that's what it says in the honda manual...
>
>> Will I have to buy 4 liters of ATF-Z1.
>
> good.
>
>> Finally, I have one more question regarding my brakes. I drained and
>> filled them using Dot 3 (Napa for ABS system) Is this good enough, or
>> should I have used
>> authentic Hondas Heavy Duty Brake fluid?
>
> i don't use honda. just make sure it meets spec and that it gets flushed
> every year if you live in a wet climate, every two years if dry.
>
>>
>> Thanks!
>> "jim beam" > wrote in message
>> t...
>>
>>>Nino NoSpam wrote:
>>>
>>>>Thanks, just a few more questions before I start:
>>>>
>>>>1.) Do I just undo the transaxle fluid drain plug, and let it drain?
>>>>For how long? How many liters of fluid do I need?
>>>
>>>what vehicle? the drain and fill spec is in the service manual.
>>>
>>>
>>>>(Since I bought my vehicle new, I'm just going to do it once.)
>>>>Chilton's manual recommends adding 1/3 of the fluid, cycling the
>>>>shifter, and then adding 1/2 pint at a time, until the level is correct.
>>>>Is this good advice?
>>>
>>>no. with a honda, you just drain & fill. if you drain and leave for say
>>>20 minutes on level ground, simply refill with the amount of fluid per
>>>the service manual spec.
>>>
>>>i'd ignore pretty much anything the chilton says. those books are
>>>generic garbage, full of mistakes, and their service language is written
>>>for old detroit hydraulic-control autos with planetary gears, not honda
>>>solenoid-control autos with standard gears. invest in the honda service
>>>manual from helm.com. it's the single most useful tool you'll ever
>>>purchase for your honda.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Thanks a million!
>>>>
>>>>Nino
>>>>"jim beam" > wrote in message
>>>>news:8vidnVwa6O5qtDjZnZ2dnUVZ_tGdnZ2d@speakeas y.net...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Nino NoSpam wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>So Curly, then does it take you 3 weeks to complete it? I spoke to a
>>>>>>Honda technician, he told me they don't do it three times. He just
>>>>>>does it once.
>>>>>
>>>>>if i'm just after a quick change, i do it once. but if i just bought
>>>>>the vehicle used, and i'm not 100% certain of its history, /or/ it's
>>>>>exhibiting the classic symptoms of having been polluted with non-honda
>>>>>fluid [HARSH shifting], then i'll flush 3 times.
>>>>>
>>>>>/definitely/ use honda fluid though. i've tried ordinary dexron, and
>>>>>trust me, it's not the same.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>"'Curly Q. Links'" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>FunkyKev wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Aren't you also supposed to warm it up and run it slowly through ALL
>>>>>>>>gears like 5-10 times for each cycle?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Also, for the flushing part, can i use the cheap stuff, Dexron?
>>>>>>>>thanks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Kevin
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>-
>>>>>>>---------------------------------
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Good question,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If all your tranny fluid fell out, you could refill with Dexron to
>>>>>>>get
>>>>>>>to the Honda dealer where you'd buy about 10 quarts of Z1 to displace
>>>>>>>the Dexron.. The manual says to "drive a short distance between
>>>>>>>refills,
>>>>>>>three times". I drive it a week then do it again, and drive it a week
>>>>>>>and do it again.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>The stuff you 'flush' with ends up staying in there, so it has to be
>>>>>>>Honda z1.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>'Curly'
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>

Nino NoSpam wrote:
> Hello Jim, When I drained my transmission fluid, it looked golden instead
> of red, like the new stuff. Also, I drained 4.1 liters instead of 3.1. I
> hope I drained the right stuff. What do you think?

was it definitely the transmission? normally, fluids are dyed to
differentiate them in the event of leakage. atf is /always/ red afaik.

regarding the correct quantity, check the dipstick. check the owners
manual for the correct procedure here - detroit transmissions require
the vehicle to be idling, my honda is dipped with the motor stopped.

>
> Nino
>
>
> "jim beam" > wrote in message
> t...
>
>>Nino NoSpam wrote:
>>
>>>what vehicle? the drain and fill spec is in the service manual
>>>
>>>I have a 2003 CR-V. According to the manual I need 3.1 liters. Is this
>>>correct?
>>
>>if that's what it says in the honda manual...
>>
>>
>>> Will I have to buy 4 liters of ATF-Z1.
>>
>>good.
>>
>>
>>> Finally, I have one more question regarding my brakes. I drained and
>>>filled them using Dot 3 (Napa for ABS system) Is this good enough, or
>>>should I have used
>>>authentic Hondas Heavy Duty Brake fluid?
>>
>>i don't use honda. just make sure it meets spec and that it gets flushed
>>every year if you live in a wet climate, every two years if dry.
>>
>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>"jim beam" > wrote in message
>>>news:No2dnZkjYu8b1jjZnZ2dnUVZ_tqdnZ2d@speakeasy .net...
>>>
>>>
>>>>Nino NoSpam wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Thanks, just a few more questions before I start:
>>>>>
>>>>>1.) Do I just undo the transaxle fluid drain plug, and let it drain?
>>>>>For how long? How many liters of fluid do I need?
>>>>
>>>>what vehicle? the drain and fill spec is in the service manual.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>(Since I bought my vehicle new, I'm just going to do it once.)
>>>>>Chilton's manual recommends adding 1/3 of the fluid, cycling the
>>>>>shifter, and then adding 1/2 pint at a time, until the level is correct.
>>>>>Is this good advice?
>>>>
>>>>no. with a honda, you just drain & fill. if you drain and leave for say
>>>>20 minutes on level ground, simply refill with the amount of fluid per
>>>>the service manual spec.
>>>>
>>>>i'd ignore pretty much anything the chilton says. those books are
>>>>generic garbage, full of mistakes, and their service language is written
>>>>for old detroit hydraulic-control autos with planetary gears, not honda
>>>>solenoid-control autos with standard gears. invest in the honda service
>>>>manual from helm.com. it's the single most useful tool you'll ever
>>>>purchase for your honda.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Thanks a million!
>>>>>
>>>>>Nino
>>>>>"jim beam" > wrote in message
>>>>>news:8vidnVwa6O5qtDjZnZ2dnUVZ_tGdnZ2d@speakea sy.net...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Nino NoSpam wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>So Curly, then does it take you 3 weeks to complete it? I spoke to a
>>>>>>>Honda technician, he told me they don't do it three times. He just
>>>>>>>does it once.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>if i'm just after a quick change, i do it once. but if i just bought
>>>>>>the vehicle used, and i'm not 100% certain of its history, /or/ it's
>>>>>>exhibiting the classic symptoms of having been polluted with non-honda
>>>>>>fluid [HARSH shifting], then i'll flush 3 times.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>/definitely/ use honda fluid though. i've tried ordinary dexron, and
>>>>>>trust me, it's not the same.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>"'Curly Q. Links'" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>FunkyKev wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Aren't you also supposed to warm it up and run it slowly through ALL
>>>>>>>>>gears like 5-10 times for each cycle?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Also, for the flushing part, can i use the cheap stuff, Dexron?
>>>>>>>>>thanks.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Kevin
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>-
>>>>>>>>---------------------------------
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Good question,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>If all your tranny fluid fell out, you could refill with Dexron to
>>>>>>>>get
>>>>>>>>to the Honda dealer where you'd buy about 10 quarts of Z1 to displace
>>>>>>>>the Dexron.. The manual says to "drive a short distance between
>>>>>>>>refills,
>>>>>>>>three times". I drive it a week then do it again, and drive it a week
>>>>>>>>and do it again.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The stuff you 'flush' with ends up staying in there, so it has to be
>>>>>>>>Honda z1.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>'Curly'
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>

When I did the flush and refill 4 times it took only 3 hours. Drive it
around for a bit between flushes. But it was the right thing to do.
You should not do the "power" flush on your Honda/Acura transmission.

dan

Nino NoSpam wrote:
> So Curly, then does it take you 3 weeks to complete it? I spoke to a Honda
> technician, he told me they don't do it three times. He just does it once.