Transynd ATF in a 2004 Honda Accord

[Jim Allen]

Z1 isn't "special" but it is "different." If you look at a VOA, you'll see the ingredients are somewhat different than other ATFs because the transmission designs are different, being a hybrid design that uses elements from both manuals and automatics. All that makes me a bit cautious about using a different ATF. Of course, the one DW1 VOA I've seen looks more like conventional ATF, so if Honda has back-spec'ed it for the older cars, perhaps a wink is as good as a nod regarding the use of more conventional fluids.

I'm now faced with that choice, as the last of my Z1 is gone, except for one last top-off quart. 12K more miles and it will be due for a change. Better git ta cogitatin'!


Honda Comments: We recently celebrated 10 years with our '00 Accord V6, which has been a delightful car to drive in every circumstance and super-reliable. Granted it's just now coming up on only 80K but the list of repairs is short. EGR valve at 50K and a rear wheel bearing at 70K. The list of maintenance type repair items is short too; a battery at 65K, tires at 70K, spark plugs at 50K. One alignment (toe only off a fraction, otherwise perfect). Otherwise regular service. Still 50+% of the original brakes left and the original exhaust system. Despite being in the salt belt most of it's life, no signs of rust. This car doesn't owe me a thing!

Two complaints. It has the leather seats and the leather in the Accord coupes is notorious for having trouble at one point of the seat bolster, which cracks. The drivers door armrest has a squeak, which I can make go away for a time with saddlesoap.

 

[FZ1]

I'm in the same place,ATF wise,on my '02 V6 Accord. Z1 Single drain and fill each year. Last d and f 3/10. Thoughts on continuing the 1 D and F per year to introduce the DW-1 slowly vs. a complete,3x,D and F with the new DW-1 on 3/11?

 

[unDummy]

FZ1, stick with your regimen. There is no need to d/f 3x with the switchover to the new ATF.

 

[onion]

Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Z1 isn't "special" but it is "different." If you look at a VOA, you'll see the ingredients are somewhat different than other ATFs because the transmission designs are different, being a hybrid design that uses elements from both manuals and automatics. All that makes me a bit cautious about using a different ATF. Of course, the one DW1 VOA I've seen looks more like conventional ATF, so if Honda has back-spec'ed it for the older cars, perhaps a wink is as good as a nod regarding the use of more conventional fluids.

I'm now faced with that choice, as the last of my Z1 is gone, except for one last top-off quart. 12K more miles and it will be due for a change. Better git ta cogitatin'!


Honda Comments: We recently celebrated 10 years with our '00 Accord V6, which has been a delightful car to drive in every circumstance and super-reliable. Granted it's just now coming up on only 80K but the list of repairs is short. EGR valve at 50K and a rear wheel bearing at 70K. The list of maintenance type repair items is short too; a battery at 65K, tires at 70K, spark plugs at 50K. One alignment (toe only off a fraction, otherwise perfect). Otherwise regular service. Still 50+% of the original brakes left and the original exhaust system. Despite being in the salt belt most of it's life, no signs of rust. This car doesn't owe me a thing!

Two complaints. It has the leather seats and the leather in the Accord coupes is notorious for having trouble at one point of the seat bolster, which cracks. The drivers door armrest has a squeak, which I can make go away for a time with saddlesoap.



Do you have a link to that VOA?

Thanks.

 

[PDX2500HD]

the first thing I did when I took home my new Duramax/Allison was take it to the local Allison service center and dump the Dex VI and replace it with TranSynd... If it's good enough for commercial operators, it's good enough for a Honda car/minivan.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: PDX2500HD
If it's good enough for commercial operators, it's good enough for a Honda car/minivan.


I don't know if the fluid is suitable or not, but this is simply bad advice.

A fluid's quality and suitability are not necessarily related.

 

[FZ1]

Thanks,man.

 

[PDX2500HD]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: PDX2500HD
If it's good enough for commercial operators, it's good enough for a Honda car/minivan.


I don't know if the fluid is suitable or not, but this is simply bad advice.

A fluid's quality and suitability are not necessarily related.



I had assumed the OP looked in the owners manual and that it's a compatible spec, so I was just talking of the quality of the brand. If the fluid meets certain spec criteria, the the quality is the only thing that should matter, right? On the other hand, if it's a CVT transmission or requires some one of a kind viscosity or something, then yes, suitability isn't the same as quality.

 

[onion]

DexIII is actually mentioned in the Honda manual as a temporary replacement for Z1- though it doesn't meet the Z1 spec. And I know that both DexVI and Transynd are good, quality ATF's. So really this discussion is more about the compatibility of various Dexron's with a Honda transmission.

But as for your previous post, I'm not so sure that Transynd is an 'upgrade' over DexVI. If you can believe WhiteWolf (and he seems VERY knowledgeable if a bit of a DexVI fan-boy), DexVI actually beats Transynd in several tests. Not saying there's anything wrong with Transynd or that I think it'll cause you a problem (it's in my own GM transmission right now). I'm just not sure that you gained anything.

 

[PDX2500HD]

Originally Posted By: onion
DexIII is actually mentioned in the Honda manual as a temporary replacement for Z1- though it doesn't meet the Z1 spec. And I know that both DexVI and Transynd are good, quality ATF's. So really this discussion is more about the compatibility of various Dexron's with a Honda transmission.

But as for your previous post, I'm not so sure that Transynd is an 'upgrade' over DexVI. If you can believe WhiteWolf (and he seems VERY knowledgeable if a bit of a DexVI fan-boy), DexVI actually beats Transynd in several tests. Not saying there's anything wrong with Transynd or that I think it'll cause you a problem (it's in my own GM transmission right now). I'm just not sure that you gained anything.


I had a long talk with an independent Allison service center, they do most of the maintenance for the city of Portland on their fleet of garbage trucks, busses and other vehicles.. he basically said comparing Dex VI to TranSynd was like comparing mineral oil to synthetic.. it's a lot more durable, and shows a much better sheer stability.. The rebuilds he's seen that he's done on Allison 1000's using the TranSynd showed much less wear on the gears, clutch plates, etc.. He told me that if this were his truck, he'd switch to TranSynd. Mind you, this was not an official Allison service center where he had any financial gain from selling me the product.. it's an independent shop that works on (among other thing) Allisons.

I then called Allison themselves and they told me that "officially" the truck is a GM product and they recommend Dex VI, but he made the point that Dex VI is used in ALL GM cars from the smallest to the largest.. so in effect it's either overkill for the small car, or "good enough" for the largest trucks.. he said they strongly recommend TranSynd for the Allison transmissions.. Castrol makes it for them to their TS-295 spec.

That's enough "Expert" opinion for me to err on..

 

[PDX2500HD]

I couldn't edit my post.. I wanted to add this, since I know the folks on here thrive on UOA's..

http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/mainte...-000-miles.html

And it's worth note that Mike L of Inglewood Transmission strongly recommends TS-295 (i.e TranSynd) over Dex VI or fully synthetic Dex III in Allisons..

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=323302

Anyway, sorry for the Hi-Jack... this is a Honda thread afterall..

peace

 

[onion]

Like anything else on these forums, it's going to depend on which 'experts' you believe. The seal compatibility issues regarding DexVI and Allison transmissions has come up around here, and our local dexVI expert (or fan-boy... however you want to characterize him) assured us that the 'issue' amounts to little more than corporate politics. Personally, I don't know enough about the matter to have a strong opinion.

Anyhow, I'm sure that Transynd will work just fine in your 2500HD... and it works just fine in my '01 Lumina (whereas DexVI did NOT work so well... long story).

But if I decide to run a non-approved ATF in my Honda, I've yet to see any convincing reason to prefer any particular DexIII or variation thereof. I know that lots of people successfully use Redline and Amsoil in Honda transmissions... seems to me that either DexVI or Transynd would work just as well. And seeings how I have about a dozen quarts of DexVI laying around with no other use for it... I'd might as well give that a try. Unless somebody can talk me out of it!

BTW, no worries about the thread hijack. None of my concern.

 

[onion]

You know, it's been about a decade since I changed the ATF in my tired old F150's transfer case. Matter of fact, I THINK I filled it with Case hydraulic oil back around 2001. Maybe THAT would be a good place to use up some of this DexVI.

 

[PDX2500HD]

onion, frankly, on the Honda (as with my BMW), I"d use OEM fluid... those smaller transmissions tend to be very sensitive to a specific viscosity and formulation, and I think the Honda fluid is pretty unique from what I've read some say.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

What did you ever decide with this? I'm curious as to how the honda trans will behave with transynd. I have an acura that is on its 2nd trans with Z-1, Redline, Amsoil,..... Shifts terrible and I am now never buying a honda ever again. Maybe when they learn how to manufature a quality automatic.

I to think in the right application that Transynd is much better than Dex VI. Not sure who (whitewolf) really even is. Just another memeber who may or may not be connected. Even so, Transynd has proven itself in heavy duty trucks for years and years. DEX VI is fairly new and has some things to prove. Out of the two, Transynd being a DEX III viscosity (which the honda prefers) would be a much better match regardless of all of our (opinions) on fluid superiority.