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View Full Version : DIY: How to change Transmission Oil (MTF)



Danman281
04-19-2008, 08:25 AM
Tools required:

1. Special Funnel with tube tip OR Hand pump
2. 3/8 Ratchet
3. 17mm Socket
4. Cheater Bar/Breaker Bar (For more Tq)
5. ~3 Qt MTF (OEM, GM Synchro Mesh, etc)
6. New Crush washer (If Old)
7. Jacks and Jack Stands
8. Tools to remove tire
9. Drain Pan

Step 1:
Gather all your tools required
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03042.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03043.jpg

Step 2:
Loosen Driver side tire lug nuts. If you have the hand pump then you would not need to do this process. Taking off the tire makes the job a lot easier because you will have more room to use the funnel. Few people have attempted to fill the Transmission by using the funnel through the engine bay however the tube will not be long enough.

Step 3:
Jack the car up properly and set on Jack Stands. Take off spare tire and locate it in a safer location such as undernear the car in case jack stand failure occurs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03049.jpg

Step 4:
Once tire is out and car is lifted, you are ready to begin the process.
Go undernear the car and look up. You will see this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03047.jpg
Drain Bolt and Fill Bolt. First Loosen the Fill bolt (17 mm Socket), then loosen and remove the drain bolt while you have the drain pan underneath. The Drain bolt requires no socket.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03048.jpg
Start Draining but becareful not to drop the bolt inside the pan. You may make a mess because of wind or splash. Remove Fill bolt to displace the missing air to drain faster. After all the old fluid has been drained, re-install the drain bolt.

Step 5:
Start Pouring in the MTF. There are two ways of doing this. One is by hand pump, and the other is by the funnel connected by a tube (Both can be purchased at autopart stores for around same price).
By using the funnel, hold one end where the driver side tire used to be, and the tube directed towards the fill hole. The rest is easy.
To use the pump, you will not need to take off the tire because few people have mentioned how they were able to pump MTF via underneath the car.
Fill the transmission to specification directed by the manual. An easy rule of thumbs to know if you have enough inside is to simply use your finger (yes... pun indeed intended) to check, OR fill until you spill.

Step 6:
Bolt everything back up with crush washer and TQ to specifications but you will not have to be exact.


On the drain plug, it is 29lb*ft, and on the fill plug it is 33lb*ft

EPandaman29
04-21-2008, 08:45 PM
great diy...the one that i saw a long time ago had blurry pics but these pics are awesome. makes me wanna change my tranny oil again haha

darkunitzero
04-22-2008, 12:57 PM
yea that^, nice diy. im probably going to do this on sat. thanks.

nilly1010
04-23-2008, 11:55 PM
so can i use synchro mesh in my 03 ep3? autozone said i HAVE to use the oem honda transmission fluid

2-k-4blksi
04-25-2008, 03:04 PM
good write up, givin it try soon i hope.....depending on how long before i sell my car.

ep_hatcher_510
04-26-2008, 07:55 PM
what size are the crush washer? are they the same size as the one for the oil drain bolt?

Fallout
04-26-2008, 09:04 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v418/danman281/DSC03048.jpg

Do we need to make this thread NWS? That's a little suggestive. :eyebrows:

haha just kidding thats a great write up!

SiR R8TD
04-26-2008, 09:58 PM
I have one of those tube funnel things. Works mint if your doing this in your garage.

tdman77
04-26-2008, 10:58 PM
what size are the crush washer? are they the same size as the one for the oil drain bolt?

The bottom drain bolt uses the same washer as the oil pan drain but the fill bolt is bigger. I stopped by the local Honda parts dept and got them for under $1.50.

JCEM
04-26-2008, 11:00 PM
I have one of those tube funnel things. Works mint if your doing this in your garage.

I have the hose from Canadian Tire that has the on/off valve that screws right on to the tranny fluid bottle...it's fricking great.

hatch404
04-26-2008, 11:49 PM
So what are the exact torque specs?

RJEP
04-27-2008, 01:00 AM
great right up. I will follow your instructions tomorrow. Hopefully things go well.


Do you recommend Honda or is there another brand that last longer and works better?

dashehonda
04-27-2008, 07:35 PM
Why is everyone still trying to fill from beneath, when you just remove the sesor from the top and fill it in there, no problems. Seems like a PIA to fill it from the underneath:mtongue:

ALL MotoR Ep3
04-27-2008, 07:39 PM
Great DIY Danman.....i dont use honda mtf fluid i use AMS syncro fluid...but they both get the job done..

MidnightRacer59
04-28-2008, 08:47 PM
Anyone use Royal purple MTF? If so, how do you like it? Do you recomend or ban?

Type Stephen
04-28-2008, 09:27 PM
Anyone use Royal purple MTF? If so, how do you like it? Do you recomend or ban?

Might have issues with gears popping out. The only one that seems to not have any issues at all is the gm synchromesh. I just stick with honda mtf. More or less regular synthetic blend with extra honda secret sauce.

Oxygen
04-29-2008, 04:32 AM
So what are the exact torque specs?

On the drain plug, it is 29lb*ft, and on the fill plug it is 33lb*ft

2-k-4blksi
05-06-2008, 10:22 AM
Hmm, Doing Mine Tomorrow If It Stops Raining.

paulmofyourhand
05-06-2008, 10:31 AM
my brother uses RP in his a3 5spd, no problems

lostep3
05-06-2008, 11:10 AM
Nice write up, I used Redline Oil when I changed mine. I noticed a bid difference under hard shifting.

supreme
05-07-2008, 06:44 AM
so do we just fill until it pours out? also, do we jack up all four corners to level everything out?

powdbyrice
05-07-2008, 09:14 AM
yes. as a general guideline, it should take a bit less than 3 quarts.

yes, try to have the car as level as possible.

btw, the pump takes FOREVER. but i'm too lazy to take the front tire off.

kwiksi
05-07-2008, 05:08 PM
Doesn't the car have to be level to get the proper level of oil?

nightrider2002
05-17-2008, 09:13 AM
Doesn't the car have to be level to get the proper level of oil?

Honda specifies to do it with the car level, and to check it with your finger. If you have just the front of the car up then you can just fill until some flows out.

AzNCrAzYcOoLeR
05-20-2008, 06:06 PM
Mine only took a bottle and a half I think.

Shead
07-03-2008, 09:08 PM
wats the milage before we need to do a MTF change?

drjd888
07-03-2008, 09:52 PM
wats the milage before we need to do a MTF change?

I think its every 30,000 miles? Don't quote me on that I don't have my manual in front of me.

I just changed mine this past weekend and I didn't bother with taking off the whole wheel/tire. Found some tubing and connected a small funnel to that and voila easy fill!

0h5ive_EP3
07-03-2008, 10:18 PM
if im not mistaken i think the manual states 120k miles for tranny fluid... but it also says 10k miles for oil...:mconfused: these are for "regular" driving conditions of course:mbiggrin:

Shead
07-03-2008, 11:09 PM
can u put that in Kilometer? please coz im located on canada

liquid cooled
07-04-2008, 12:10 AM
can u put that in Kilometer? please coz im located on canada

Why, are you incapable of doing the math yourself?

Anybody notice a change with the new honda MTF that came out a while ago?

blksi02
07-06-2008, 02:38 PM
Why, are you incapable of doing the math yourself?

Relax.. Hes Canadian.. LOL jk :mbiggrin:

This might help my 3rd gear crunch

Canuck Civic
07-07-2008, 01:48 AM
48,280.32 km`s = 30,000miles
193,121.28 km`s = 120,000miles

Shead
07-07-2008, 01:55 AM
48,280.32 km`s = 30,000miles
193,121.28 km`s = 120,000miles

Very much appreciated.

BeaterEP
07-29-2008, 02:42 PM
Changed mine just this afternoon, and OMFG I couldn't believe how much smoother the car shifts! Used the Honda MTF, since the synchromesh seems to be out of stock everywhere in my area.
I only managed to get about 2 1/2 quarts in to the tranny, and the car was about as close to level as I could get it (did this at my folks place, and their driveway isn't exactly horizontal)

Only issue I came across was losing the drain bolt washer in to the goop, then I friggin forgot to fish it out...so no washer currently on my tranny drain plug! Think my car's gonna explode before my next change? :mconfused:

Also, even with the fancy tube/funnel, it's a PITA getting the fluid in to the car, and not all over everything else.

Unknownally
08-04-2008, 08:49 AM
How often should we change our tranny oil?

jcvett56
08-04-2008, 09:22 PM
great DIY i was wondering if the Kseries Trans were like the B and H! Now i can change mine with confidence LOL

Unknownally
08-05-2008, 02:59 PM
if im not mistaken i think the manual states 120k miles for tranny fluid... but it also says 10k miles for oil...:mconfused: these are for "regular" driving conditions of course:mbiggrin:
Whoops I didn't read the page before.

I believe that's what I also read.

3dscott
08-10-2008, 11:08 AM
Guys im not seeing pictures or anything showing how to change the transmission fluid....

slo_k20
08-10-2008, 01:59 PM
it takes less than 2 quarts.. i have an aem v2 and went through my engine bay, seemed easier cause the funnel would just sit there by the intake

skoundrelusa
08-11-2008, 07:51 PM
I just changed my trans fluid. Seriously easier than a regular oil change. (First time for me changing fluids on my EP3) It was a pain in the ass getting to the filter lol

Thanks for the DIY

magmagik 1
08-11-2008, 08:47 PM
Good info, I will need to do that when my 6speed goes in.:msmile:

bizarroxxx
08-14-2008, 05:47 PM
post whore

whitehonda
08-27-2008, 09:43 PM
i thought the drain and fill were on the passenger side?? or am i on glue

whitehonda
08-27-2008, 09:47 PM
i was thinkin of just puttin a jack under the front corner and taking off the wheel and when i take out the drain plug i would lower it down with the jack and see if i could get more out then leaving it level and when i filled the tranny i would jack it back does this sound like a good idea or not??

skoundrelusa
08-28-2008, 06:12 AM
i thought the drain and fill were on the passenger side?? or am i on glue

You're thinking B-Series. Transmission is on the driver's side on K-series


i was thinkin of just puttin a jack under the front corner and taking off the wheel and when i take out the drain plug i would lower it down with the jack and see if i could get more out then leaving it level and when i filled the tranny i would jack it back does this sound like a good idea or not??

You can, but I really don't think you'll get like an extra quart out or anything. Surprisingly, when I filled mine back up, the overfill started to pour at 1.5qts just like my manual said.

Chad
08-28-2008, 06:58 AM
I admit to not checkign the manual and looking at capacities, but we have determined that this can be done with 2 quarts right? It's getting done tomorrow night and I don't want a quart of this stuff sitting around for another 50K miles ;)

chrispychicken
08-30-2008, 10:35 PM
Why is everyone still trying to fill from beneath, when you just remove the sesor from the top and fill it in there, no problems. Seems like a PIA to fill it from the underneath:mtongue:

which sensor do we remove instead of going from underneath?

Tnhatch03
08-30-2008, 10:51 PM
I believe he is referring to the VSS?

Vehicle Speed Sensor. I am not 100% sure though.

shanewdude
08-31-2008, 08:21 AM
I admit to not checkign the manual and looking at capacities, but we have determined that this can be done with 2 quarts right? It's getting done tomorrow night and I don't want a quart of this stuff sitting around for another 50K miles ;)

Mine used 2 qts. just fine.

There's also a link to a video on doing this if anyone wants it...
http://importtuningtv.powertvonline.com/video/1095

Chad
09-01-2008, 05:24 PM
did it Sat nite, it certainly used over 2 QTS. I did bring it down when draining it to get the last little bit out.

McNastee
09-04-2008, 10:47 PM
So if i only have one jack.. can it be done effectively or should i go pick up another jack? I really dont wanna but if i have to

27rocks
09-04-2008, 11:09 PM
i usually just use my jack... i have a CAI so i can reach down and unbolt the drain plug. I make sure i have a oil tray under there first. then i just jack up the passanger side till the oil flows out. Then i jack up the front just to make sure everything is out. Put the bolt back in and unscrew the bolt where you fill it up. I use a hose and a funnel to pour the fluid in and i make sure the car is nice and flat when i do that. As soon as the oil starts coming out of the hole i put the bolt back on and im done.

Chad
09-05-2008, 07:52 AM
I used one jack and one jackstand, took the wheel off (had to rotate anyways) Jacked it up, put jackstand under it, took wheel off, removed both plugs, let it rip. Pulled the jackstand, lowered it down a bit past level to get the rest out, raised it up, put the drain plug back in, pulled the stand again, lowered it to level and double checked the leveling, put the fluid in from the top, raised it back up, jackstand, put the fill plug back in, raised the rear, rotated tires.

I whish I had access to a lift :(

Chad

HenHouseSuprise
09-05-2008, 05:38 PM
gm synchromesh ftw.

403ep3
09-05-2008, 06:10 PM
I used Synchromesh and felt a small difference. Just changed today too.

Eddie Murphy
04-06-2016, 02:11 PM
OK, so some are saying 2 qts. and some say over 2 qts.
Which is it? lol

Eddie Murphy
04-06-2016, 02:20 PM
OK, so some are saying 2 qts. and some say over 2 qts.
Which is it? lol