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'12 RL and '11 Pilot VTM & Tranny Fliud Change

2K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  IanRTL 
#1 ·
So it was warm this weekend and decided to get these out of the way a bit early (Pilot has 25,000 miles and RL has about 14,000 miles). Bought 2 gallons of VTM fluid, 4 quarts of DW-1 tranny fluid; and replacement washers from the dealer. Total was about $70.

VTM change was simple and the fluid that I drained out looked perfect. It was the second change for the Pilot, first for the RL. No metal at all on the magnetic drain plug in either vehicle. Took me about 15 minutes each - and really couldn't be any easier. I use my compressor and pump the fluid up and in slowly.

Tranny change (2011 Pilot - not RL but I assume they are the same): there was a small amount of build up on the magnetic drain plug that I had to clean off. Fluid looked new and smelled fine. I collected what I drained in a container and then measured how much actually came out. I had between 3.8-3.9 quarts in the drain pan. I initially put 3.6 quarts in as recommended and then drove it around for a bit and followed instructions for checking (level ground, run until fans kick on, within 30 seconds) and was still on the low end on the dip stick even with the tranny quite warm. I put the remaining .4 quart in and now it reads just slightly more than half between the hi and low marks. Filled it with same method - don't really even have to jack the Pilot up just turn wheels all the way to the left and the fill is right there. I put the last bit in through the dipstick with a 1/4 inch plastic tube attached to a small funnel. Gravity works but it'd take some time to do all 4 quarts this way - easier to get a pump for sure.

Anyway, given how easy it is to drain and fill the tranny fluid, why not just drain it out and refill at each oil change? Mine oil changes come up every 8,000 miles or so on the MM. The tranny fluid and washer cost me less then $30 right at the dealer - I could probably get it even cheaper online. Takes an extra 10 minutes and you'd always have fresh, clean fluid in the transmission. Anyone agree? Thoughts? Total overkill? :)
 
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#3 ·
Anyway, given how easy it is to drain and fill the tranny fluid, why not just drain it out and refill at each oil change? Mine oil changes come up every 8,000 miles or so on the MM. The tranny fluid and washer cost me less then $30 right at the dealer - I could probably get it even cheaper online. Takes an extra 10 minutes and you'd always have fresh, clean fluid in the transmission. Anyone agree? Thoughts? Total overkill? :)
Not at all and your vehicles already come with DW1, so no mixing with Z1. Even if you did it every other oil change, you will be ahead of the game.
 
#4 ·
It's a bit of overkill, but I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm pretty stringent about fluid maintenance and I do one D&F on every other oil change (about 15k miles) now. I did a full changeover to DW-1 on my '07 at about 95k miles. I did another D&F at 112k and will do another at my next oil change at around 127-129k. Honda recommends completely changing the fluid every 45k miles or so, so I figure one D&F every 15k miles is just as good. Plus, it allows the magnetic drain plug to be cleaned more often.
 
#5 ·
Ian, if I'm not mistaken, Honda only calls for a D&F every 45k miles. Not a complete changeout unless the fluid is contaminated, burnt, or being changed out to another fluid (Z1 to DW1).

That being said, I am also in the group who like frequent fluid changes (every other OCI for me).
 
#9 ·
Wow. I have a real problem with only doing three changes over the course of 135k miles... The OM for my wife's 05 Accord says to only do a full change procedure at 120k miles. That's it!!! I couldn't live with that and did a full change to DW-1 at about 95k miles at the same time I was doing the truck. I'll continue to do one D&F every 2 oil changes on both cars. I owned a GM car for 8 years that did not have any maintenance calls for the transmission. It started to slip every now and then at 60k miles, was pretty bad by 110k miles and finally kicked the bucket when I sold it at 142k miles. I was lucky to get that much out of it! I'm not taking any risks with these Hondas - especially since changing the fluid is so darn easy!
 
#6 ·
Well maybe ill do every other oil change then. That seems like it'll be plenty frequent. Good to know I'm not the only anal/crazy one out here. Lol.
 
#8 ·
You're in good company. :D
 
#10 ·
I may have mis-typed above. I know the schedule calls for the first change at 45k miles (consistent with my RL's MM call outs). I think subsequent scheduled changes are then 30k apart. It will be a while before my RL verifies that callout. I don't have my pc in front of me at the moment to verify that. (on my iPad)
 
#11 ·
I think you're right. I had a brain fart, too. 30k mile tranny fluid D&F's. So, doing one every other oil change (15k) is about twice what Honda recommends, but I'd rather be sure to have fresh fluid in there. No matter Honda's recommendation, the tranny, transfer case and rear diff all have their fluids changed every other oil change with me!
 
#12 ·
I don't bother with the rear diff until the MM calls for it. I tend to hit the transfer assembly about every 30k. Boy, we're really making this up as we go along, aren't we?
 
#14 · (Edited)
I suppose if we wanted to be both safe and environmentally/economically safe, we would do a fluid analysis of everything in order to safely get the max life out of everything.

Frankly, that's too much trouble for me. ;)

So I'm using the MM for oil and rear diff. Doing the brake fluid every 3-ish years. Doing the TB per mileage (MM alert), not age. Doing the air and cabin filters per the MM.

I make up my own (more frequent) schedule for the tranny (and I hit the transfer assembly sooner too) and coolant (~5 years/60 k). I add power steering whenever I think to do it.. or hopefully by 5 yr/60k miles. I'll add a new radiator at the TB change.

What's left?

Edit: Oh yeah. And a valve adjustment at the TB change too... after seeing Keoni's post about his valves being tight.
 
#16 ·
I think occasional fluid samples are OK, but regular sampling just makes more profit for the analysis company.
They have their place like in used vehicles with poor or no maintenance records. Or when planning to extend service intervals beyond recommendations.
 
#17 ·
Same here, speed. 3 years on the brake fluid (already done once) and just about what you do for everything else. However, with the trouble I had with the power steering fluid last year, I now suck out and replace the fluid every other OC, too.
 
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