Hello, At 50,050 miles 3.125 qts. of darkened but still "transparent" red transmission fluid drained from my brother's 2007 Odyssey Touring when I removed the plug. The fluid did not smell burned at all; it just smelled used. It had no "peppermint" smell of fresh fluids from days gone by either. The fluid looks all but completely black now that it's in a gallon, frost clear windshield washer jug. We replaced it with Honda DW-1 fluid. At the end of February, when his oil change interval comes around, I intend to drain the transmission's sump again. My question is whether or not it's prudent to drain & fill the sump again BEFORE he makes a 2,000 mile round trip at the end of this month. Should I save a sample of each drain so I can compare the clarity? The vehicle shifted quite smoothly both before and after today's sump dump. There was a light coating of powder-fine metal on the plug's magnet. Any and all comments are welcome. Kira
'07 Honda Odyssey 1st drain & fill
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If you put back what you take out it won't matter if you do it before or after the trip. I'm with you, do two or three a few hundred miles apart.... although I might have picked a better time of year for this project.
Nah, you're fine. Considering the "old" way Honda did things, it was a 60k drain/fill followed by every 30k after that. If you REALLY want to do it, wait until 65k.
My drain fill regimen for my Hondas is this:
Every 50,000 miles I buy a case (12 qts.) of Honda ATF and do 3-4 drain fills with about 5 miles of driving in between which mixes the fluid sufficiently. Just did my kids 2009 Civic at 47,000 and it shifts like new. This method has never failed me and I do it for all of my vehicles. The whole 100,000 mile ATF is nonsense to me. A new trans is $3-5000. while four rounds of flushing (200k miles) costs about $400. Cheap insurance to me. Also, the Honda ATF coming out of my kids Civic at 47k was black as well.
Every 50,000 miles I buy a case (12 qts.) of Honda ATF and do 3-4 drain fills with about 5 miles of driving in between which mixes the fluid sufficiently. Just did my kids 2009 Civic at 47,000 and it shifts like new. This method has never failed me and I do it for all of my vehicles. The whole 100,000 mile ATF is nonsense to me. A new trans is $3-5000. while four rounds of flushing (200k miles) costs about $400. Cheap insurance to me. Also, the Honda ATF coming out of my kids Civic at 47k was black as well.
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Three quarts at each oil change service.
Originally Posted By: 229
Three quarts at each oil change service.
That might be a bit excessive if you're using the van's oil life monitor. That would be about every 7-8Kmi. Honda's OLM aren't all that aggressive.
IIRC, a Honda AT service used to be 3 drain/fill cycles in a row, with some run/drive time in between.
I've got a 2008 Honda Odyssey LX and do about one drain/fill cycle per year. We generally do less than 12K/yr with the van though.
I also don't use Honda juice. Maxlife ATF for me. I started using it 3yrs ago in my Honda, Hyundai (and more) products.
Joel
Three quarts at each oil change service.
That might be a bit excessive if you're using the van's oil life monitor. That would be about every 7-8Kmi. Honda's OLM aren't all that aggressive.
IIRC, a Honda AT service used to be 3 drain/fill cycles in a row, with some run/drive time in between.
I've got a 2008 Honda Odyssey LX and do about one drain/fill cycle per year. We generally do less than 12K/yr with the van though.
I also don't use Honda juice. Maxlife ATF for me. I started using it 3yrs ago in my Honda, Hyundai (and more) products.
Joel
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: 229
Three quarts at each oil change service.
That might be a bit excessive if you're using the van's oil life monitor. That would be about every 7-8Kmi. Honda's OLM aren't all that aggressive.
IIRC, a Honda AT service used to be 3 drain/fill cycles in a row, with some run/drive time in between.
I've got a 2008 Honda Odyssey LX and do about one drain/fill cycle per year. We generally do less than 12K/yr with the van though.
I also don't use Honda juice. Maxlife ATF for me. I started using it 3yrs ago in my Honda, Hyundai (and more) products.
Joel
Sounds like we are doing about the same on our 2008's except I will not use anything but DW-1.
If you are doing a complete exchange then idle in gear for one minute between drains to keep dilution to a minimum short of removing a line and preventing most cross contamination.
Jesse-ASE Master Technician
Originally Posted By: 229
Three quarts at each oil change service.
That might be a bit excessive if you're using the van's oil life monitor. That would be about every 7-8Kmi. Honda's OLM aren't all that aggressive.
IIRC, a Honda AT service used to be 3 drain/fill cycles in a row, with some run/drive time in between.
I've got a 2008 Honda Odyssey LX and do about one drain/fill cycle per year. We generally do less than 12K/yr with the van though.
I also don't use Honda juice. Maxlife ATF for me. I started using it 3yrs ago in my Honda, Hyundai (and more) products.
Joel
Sounds like we are doing about the same on our 2008's except I will not use anything but DW-1.
If you are doing a complete exchange then idle in gear for one minute between drains to keep dilution to a minimum short of removing a line and preventing most cross contamination.
Jesse-ASE Master Technician
What is cross contamination? I thought you wanted the new fluid to mix with the old fluid before doing the next drain and fill.
Are you claiming that idling in gear for one minute will swap the old and new fluid inside the transmission? That is a tall claim!
- Vikas
Are you claiming that idling in gear for one minute will swap the old and new fluid inside the transmission? That is a tall claim!
- Vikas
Cross contamination is mixing the old fluid with new. Ideally if you want to replace all the existing fluid with new then no mixing is desired.
Jesse,
Please explain in detail this method of using the drain plug to get a near complete fluid exchange via back to back drain plug drains.
Thanks.
Please explain in detail this method of using the drain plug to get a near complete fluid exchange via back to back drain plug drains.
Thanks.
The CRV recommends 15K intervals with DW1. I did do three changes in 5K since we bought it used. Every 15K I'll check it.
It is a little inconvenient to remove the cooler lines to allow fresh fluid to go in while watching the return line for the color change when the new atf travels the complete circuit.
If you drain and fill and let the engine idle in gear for one minute then repeat two more times you will have a pretty good exchange. If you drive the car between drains then you are diluting the mix and not getting a good exchange. Think of it as a series circuit and you will get the idea. Honda says to not let anyone use a flushing machine but our dealer does.
If you drain and fill and let the engine idle in gear for one minute then repeat two more times you will have a pretty good exchange. If you drive the car between drains then you are diluting the mix and not getting a good exchange. Think of it as a series circuit and you will get the idea. Honda says to not let anyone use a flushing machine but our dealer does.
Originally Posted By: 229
It is a little inconvenient to remove the cooler lines to allow fresh fluid to go in while watching the return line for the color change when the new atf travels the complete circuit.
If you drain and fill and let the engine idle in gear for one minute then repeat two more times you will have a pretty good exchange. If you drive the car between drains then you are diluting the mix and not getting a good exchange. Think of it as a series circuit and you will get the idea. Honda says to not let anyone use a flushing machine but our dealer does.
You made this claim twice in this thread. I have thought about it alot and, for the life of me, can not figure out what the heck you are talking about.
It is a little inconvenient to remove the cooler lines to allow fresh fluid to go in while watching the return line for the color change when the new atf travels the complete circuit.
If you drain and fill and let the engine idle in gear for one minute then repeat two more times you will have a pretty good exchange. If you drive the car between drains then you are diluting the mix and not getting a good exchange. Think of it as a series circuit and you will get the idea. Honda says to not let anyone use a flushing machine but our dealer does.
You made this claim twice in this thread. I have thought about it alot and, for the life of me, can not figure out what the heck you are talking about.
Just drain and fill.
Originally Posted By: 229
Just drain and fill.
I dunno why you'd want to do otherwise on a 2007 Odyssey?
They've got a bottom drain plug and top fill plug that are so easy to access, it's almost easier than an engine oil change.
Fiddling with cooler lines in this situation doesn't make sense to me. They're not all that easy to get at on the 2007-2010's anyway.
Joel
Just drain and fill.
I dunno why you'd want to do otherwise on a 2007 Odyssey?
They've got a bottom drain plug and top fill plug that are so easy to access, it's almost easier than an engine oil change.
Fiddling with cooler lines in this situation doesn't make sense to me. They're not all that easy to get at on the 2007-2010's anyway.
Joel
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: 229
Just drain and fill.
I dunno why you'd want to do otherwise on a 2007 Odyssey?
They've got a bottom drain plug and top fill plug that are so easy to access, it's almost easier than an engine oil change.
Fiddling with cooler lines in this situation doesn't make sense to me. They're not all that easy to get at on the 2007-2010's anyway.
Joel
It makes sense to me. Three drain/fills replaces only about 2/3 of the ATF. With the same amount of new ATF, you can replace almost 100%. I have not yet looked at the location of the cooler return line so I accept your point that it is not easy access. However, it is worth it to me to replace all of the old ATF at one time with a minimum purchase of new ATF.
Originally Posted By: 229
Just drain and fill.
I dunno why you'd want to do otherwise on a 2007 Odyssey?
They've got a bottom drain plug and top fill plug that are so easy to access, it's almost easier than an engine oil change.
Fiddling with cooler lines in this situation doesn't make sense to me. They're not all that easy to get at on the 2007-2010's anyway.
Joel
It makes sense to me. Three drain/fills replaces only about 2/3 of the ATF. With the same amount of new ATF, you can replace almost 100%. I have not yet looked at the location of the cooler return line so I accept your point that it is not easy access. However, it is worth it to me to replace all of the old ATF at one time with a minimum purchase of new ATF.
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Art, I agree with you. If it was possible to not mix new ATF with old, that would be ideal.
IMO, the fear of mixing is overrated. Sure, if there was some type of severe contamination or other fluid related concern, you'd want all the old out and new in. I doubt that's the case here.
For a 2007 Ody with ~50Kmi, I'd do one drain/fill and not do another for months.
That's what I do. Successive drain/fills for preventative maintenance don't make sense. Especially given the cost of ATF.
Joel
IMO, the fear of mixing is overrated. Sure, if there was some type of severe contamination or other fluid related concern, you'd want all the old out and new in. I doubt that's the case here.
For a 2007 Ody with ~50Kmi, I'd do one drain/fill and not do another for months.
That's what I do. Successive drain/fills for preventative maintenance don't make sense. Especially given the cost of ATF.
Joel
Hello Gentlemen, Since I started this thread with my brother's car's welfare in mind I want to say thank you and keep it coming. The bit of dirtiness in what HAD to be the car's first drain & fill wasn't too severe. I will "d&f" again within a month simply because clean is better than dirty. Because I'm not having samples analysed overdoing it is unavoidable. I see one big advantage to the disconnection of a cooling line. A thorough flush would result in clear, bright red fluid in one work session. It would be a great second starting point. Does anyone know if Honda's DW-1 is synthetic or not? Kira
Honda's DW-1 is synthetic.
There is a fairly specific procedure that Honda put out in a 2008 editon of "Service News" for doing the multible drain/refills.
http://www.civicforums.com/forums/posts/...571-post33.html
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http://www.civicforums.com/forums/posts/...571-post33.html
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