DIY: Changing Manual Transmission Fluid

[SteveOFG2]

still have amsoil in my tranny......feels like i jus lubed it with sum KY b4 rammin it home lol

[Oil Doc]

Originally Posted by jaxson

Since my transmission seems to grind only when its not in operating temp, I guess I should get GM stuff huh? Where can I buy it? And will Honda be able to tell its not the Honda MTF and void my warranty?

They cannot void your warranty. It is against the Law..

Running any piece of equipment "successfully" on a fluid requires at the very least trend oil analysis.. It may "work", but for how long ?

Gear lube, is the same viscosity as 20W-50 motor oil at operating temp..

What I would be concerned about is that MTF is a GL-4 Rated product and if you put a Gear Lube in that has a GL-5, you can cause damage to your transmission leading to an expensive repair

Same thing with the TranSyn... OK it works.. how well and is it causing unknown damage that can cause a costly repair..

Doc

[2point]

EVO owners and some S2000 owners swear up and down about GM synchromesh and Penzoil synchro mesh. Same could be said about BG synchromesh.

Those state that they are "Yellow Metal" synchro/part friendly lubricants

I have not found much specific information on the friction modified stuff other than it is suppose to prevent wear better than the non-friction modified stuff meaning it is a slicker oil (mainly due to added synthetics).

since the friction modified stuff is slick, it should allow the gears to mesh easier but some transmissions do require a certain amount of friction or PRESSURE to work properly which is what the GL4 gear oil gives you (a thicker film for pressure but not as slippery as synthetics or thin oils)

GL5 gear oil has twice as much friction modified as a GL4

The Friction Modifiers are more corrosive than other ingrediants in the oil so over time the use of those additives leads to long term wear.

Question of the day is, with a Trans that has a LSD in it which is lubricated with same oil as what is in the transmission, is it acceptable to use a fluid that is Slicker than what OEM Honda suggests?

Is GM Synchromesh Friction Modified actually more slick than Honda MTF or 10W-30 motor oil? My guess is yes but how much more slick?

DSM owners swear up and down by GM/AC delco/pennzoil synchromesh - one google search takes care of that consensus. I just heard from a couple S2000 people that the friction modified oil is even better for the triple synchro type transmissions that S2000s have.. .

[2point]

Originally Posted by 2point

EVO owners and some S2000 owners swear up and down about GM synchromesh and Penzoil synchro mesh. Same could be said about BG synchromesh.

Those state that they are "Yellow Metal" synchro/part friendly lubricants

I have not found much specific information on the friction modified stuff other than it is suppose to prevent wear better than the non-friction modified stuff meaning it is a slicker oil (mainly due to added synthetics).

since the friction modified stuff is slick, it should allow the gears to mesh easier but some transmissions do require a certain amount of friction or PRESSURE to work properly which is what the GL4 gear oil gives you (a thicker film for pressure but not as slippery as synthetics or thin oils)

GL5 gear oil has twice as much friction modified as a GL4

The Friction Modifiers are more corrosive than other ingrediants in the oil so over time the use of those additives leads to long term wear.

Question of the day is, with a Trans that has a LSD in it which is lubricated with same oil as what is in the transmission, is it acceptable to use a fluid that is Slicker than what OEM Honda suggests?

Is GM Synchromesh Friction Modified actually more slick than Honda MTF or 10W-30 motor oil? My guess is yes but how much more slick?

DSM(even EVO) owners swear up and down by GM/AC delco/pennzoil synchromesh - one google search takes care of that consensus. I just heard from a couple S2000 people that the friction modified oil is even better for the triple synchro type transmissions that S2000s have.. .

[2point]

oops, sorry for the Dbl post, I was actually trying to edit the first one.. .

link to pennzoils synchromesh data

Pennzoil - Not just oil, Pennzoil®
http://www.pennzoil.com/documents/Sy...ns%20Fluid.pdf

The back of the bottle for the GM synchromesh friction modified - it states it was basically developed just for the GM 1500 series truck transmissions.

I'm assuming b/c of these things or a combination of:
high heat, towing loads, heavy truck and high friction design transmission, truck is used throughout world in cold environments and the FM stuff is even thinner than the non-FM stuff.. .

Amsoil
http://www.syntheticoildistributor.c...load/g2080.pdf

synchromesh FM data sheet
http://www.koiauto.com/msds/AC_Delco/Acdelco_104016.pdf
WOW 35CST at 40deg C. thin stuff. Dealer might be able to tell if that is too thin compared to honda MTF at like 50cst.

If hot, probably not much a diff b/t ~8cst and 10cst.

[Oil Doc]

You are off base as to why the fluids work and being slippery..

I have over 1600 EVO customers that will swear AMSOIL is it for them.

A GL-4 is the spec required for "Yellow Metals" and cannot be used in differentials. A GL-5 Lube cannot be used with "Yellow Metals" unless it carries the GL-4 as well.

[2point]

Originally Posted by Oil Doc

You are off base as to why the fluids work and being slippery..

I have over 1600 EVO customers that will swear AMSOIL is it for them.

A GL-4 is the spec required for "Yellow Metals" and cannot be used in differentials. A GL-5 Lube cannot be used with "Yellow Metals" unless it carries the GL-4 as well.

I over simplified it.

1600 out of how many built? Amsoil is good but peeps have been using the Pennzoil, GM and AC delco synchromesh for a long time in those DSM trannies.

please tell what liquids work best with mechanical diffs such as the ones in our Transmissions and why? I'd like to know.

[yobbr5]

i just changed my trany fluid this morning. i put in AMSOIL and all i have to say is smooth. It shifts so smooth and easy now its awesome. I could have done it sooner!!!!

[Si_Fan]

Originally Posted by yobbr5

i just changed my trany fluid this morning. i put in AMSOIL and all i have to say is smooth. It shifts so smooth and easy now its awesome. I could have done it sooner!!!!

yeah i ordered my amsoil MTF like 2 days ago....hopefully ill get it soon thanx for the review

[yobbr5]

it was super easy to do, great DYI. i found it even easier is you have a CAI bc you can fill it from your engine bay. with a CAI you have all the space in the engine bay and you can see the filler hole from up top. Just use a funnel with a hose attached to the end of it and fill her up.

[2point]

Originally Posted by Si_Fan

yeah i ordered my amsoil MTF like 2 days ago....hopefully ill get it soon thanx for the review

After all my research, for some reason I have my mind caught on the bellow when it comes to Redline or Amsoil stuff.

Order a bottle of MTG as well. use 0.5quart MTG and the rest MFT. The LSD needs extra friction modifiers and thicker film to work properly and for it's longevity. MTF on it's own will work though.. .

I don't like the idea of ordering Amsoil b/c of the need or ordering two different kind of fluid and one bottle sits around, barely used.. . Basically throwing away money.

[Si_Fan]

well changed fluid today 1st is tougher to get into but all the other gears are smooth

[SteveOFG2]

Originally Posted by Si_Fan

well changed fluid today 1st is tougher to get into but all the other gears are smooth

hmmm 1st is harder to get into??? Thats the first time i heard that homie.....hopefully it'll smooth out as the fluid breaks in.

[Si_Fan]

Originally Posted by SteveOFG2

hmmm 1st is harder to get into??? Thats the first time i heard that homie.....hopefully it'll smooth out as the fluid breaks in.

i hope so i was like wtf?! cuz i went for a drive after i installed it

[2point]

might want to read this
FWD Transmission - How it works Inside

[SteveOFG2]

Originally Posted by Si_Fan

i hope so i was like wtf?! cuz i went for a drive after i installed it

well also to properly get into first u gotta be at a complete stop, becuz there are not syncros for the 1st gears....thats y the rest are like butter through shifts. Also idk if this is the case for u but my CAI was gettin in the way of wen i shifted into 5th...but that was an easy fix...jus put it in gear, adjust the intake...then test the rest of ur gears parked

[fryrice]

okay so after reading 31 pages of people aruging back and forth about amsoil and honda mtf i think i am going to stick with the honda mtf...i am at 31k on my 08 si and i am pretty sure i need to change it up...

[jaxson]

Originally Posted by fryrice

okay so after reading 31 pages of people aruging back and forth about amsoil and honda mtf i think i am going to stick with the honda mtf...i am at 31k on my 08 si and i am pretty sure i need to change it up...

Could have been a fluke, but my transmission felt better overall with the NEW Honda MTF than the Amsoil. Yes the Amsoil was smoother when warmed up, but....it was horrible when cold, which is weird. It's suppose to be better since it's synthetic...maybe its just not for my transmission's condition. My 2nd gear would grind and pop out. But with the NEW Honda MTF, it was notchy but it didn't pop out. Also when warmed up, I think it's perfectly fine. Every shift clicks in, and feels solid, which I prefer over feeling nothing but butter. I like the mechanical feel of it going in. Although 2nd is notchy, it's consistant, which gives me confidence when going into it. I can feel whether the shift will be good or not oppose to when I had Amsoil. It would be buttery smooth and all of a sudden one of the 2nd gear shfts would grind out of no where.

[SteveOFG2]

jus to let yall kno....the new honda MTF is synthetic now

[fryrice]

now do i need 3 bottles? cuz i heard from people that dealer charges soo much is because they use the extra bottle to flush out the transmission with a new bottle. then they use the 2 bottles to fill it.