1994 Honda Accord Manual Trans Fluid

[fdcg27]

Honda recommended 10W-30 motor oil for its manual transaxles for decades and that's what I used for decades and enjoyed fine shifting, which was much nicer on the older Hondas that had rod operated shifters than it was on the later cars with cable operated shifters.
At some point in the nineties, Honda genuine manual tranny fluid became the only recommended lube.
This stuff isn't all that costly and the transaxle doesn't need all that much.
Two quarts, IIRC.
I'd pony up for the Honda fluid and rest well.
OTOH, I doubt that you'd have problems with a 10W-30 motor oil.
You won't save much on two quarts of anything over anything else.

 

[Geonerd]

Agree that current motor oils are not ideal...

I'd pop a few extra $ for a dedicated MT lube.

If you must use a motor oil, consider an HDEO for a bit more viscosity, ZDDP, etc.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The new Honda MTF is thinner than it used to be, more line with 5w20 and ATF now. In fact, in new Honda owner's manuals it says to use 5w20 or 0w20 if MTF isn't available.

This doesn't seem to be good for older transmissions that used 10w30 or 10w40.

 

[qdeezie]

My brother had some extra 15w-40 oil and put that in his transmission to flush it today and is downright excited at how much better his transmission is shifting. He is considering flushing it out and going with more 15w-40. I didn't have time to talk to him further, but I wanted to come back and provide an update.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: qdeezie
My brother had some extra 15w-40 oil and put that in his transmission to flush it today and is downright excited at how much better his transmission is shifting. He is considering flushing it out and going with more 15w-40. I didn't have time to talk to him further, but I wanted to come back and provide an update.


Thanks for the update! If you can find out what 15w40 it was, let us know

 

[qdeezie]

Just sent him a text. He is using Rotella 15w-40. I haven't heard him this excited in awhile about anything....I guess Rotella must work very well in his transmission.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: qdeezie
Just sent him a text. He is using Rotella 15w-40. I haven't heard him this excited in awhile about anything....I guess Rotella must work very well in his transmission.


While that may work for awhile, he should get a proper MTF like Pennzoil MTF or valvoline MTF available at orileys and autozones everywhere.

Even the "honda" fluid is not the same anymore, it is thinner than the original Honda MTF that came in the 5th gen accord, so the thicker Pennzoil and Valvoline work better and dont lose their good shift feel as fast.

 

[ltslimjim]

I had great results in my old 5 speed Civic Hatchback using Amsoil's MTF (5w-30). It was awesome in shift quality 20,000 miles in it's last fill. That was with the Honda Genuine MTF dropping too sharply in quality after only a few thousand miles prior to converting to Amsoil.

 

[CharBaby]

At one time, 10W30 was the recommended MTF for a Honda manual tranny.
But since motor oils have changed(for the better in engines), the 10W30 motor oil is really no longer suitable in a Honda manual tranny of the older vintages. Though the motor oil may still work, it isn't optimal !

 

[CharBaby]

I should be clear that...today's 10w30 motor oils are no longer suitable for older Honda MT's.

 

[jmb106]

Last weekend i changed my Honda MTF to Amsoil MTF a little more costly hoping the good shift feel last longer than the 12-18 months the Honda fluid lasted. In my 94 Accord.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: jmb106
Last weekend i changed my Honda MTF to Amsoil MTF a little more costly hoping the good shift feel last longer than the 12-18 months the Honda fluid lasted. In my 94 Accord.


If you were using the new Honda MTF2 with the green cap before switching to Amsoil, its much thinner than it used to be, and 5th gen accords, or any older honda seem to sheer the new stuff up rather quickly losing shift feel.

Here is a comprehensive MTF list created by Molecule listing the many flavors of MTFs available to us today. You will notice the new MTF2 is around 6cSt@100c, where as the original was around 7.5cST@100c. I believe this is why the ~9cSt@100c syncromeshes last longer shift feel wise. ymmv
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is an updated list of dedicated GL-4 and a few GL-5 MTL's, Updated 12/7/2014:

A. These MTL fluids are closest to a Kinematic Viscosity of 6.xcSt@100C (About the same viscosity as a DexronVI) and SAE 70W to 75W or so are:

1. Castrol Syntrans FE 75W,

2. BMW (Pentosin) MTF-LT-3,

3. Honda MTII or MTF 2.

4. Ford FML-XT-11-QDC

5. Volvo Manual Transmission Fluid (6.4 cSt) [Recommended for: type M65 5-speed with 6-cyl. engine, M66, MTX75 and MMT6 and of the type M56, M58 and M59 from and including model year 1996. Meets Ford specification WSSM2C200-D2]


B. The next higher viscosity MTL would be the 7.5 cSt@100C versions (About the same viscosity as a the original DexronIII/Merc)

1. Royal Purple's Synchromax

2. Ravenol MTF-2

3. Honda MTF

4. VW part number G052512A2

5. GM Manual Transmission and Transfer Case Fluid

6. BMW (Pentosin MTF 2) MTF-LT-1, 2


C. The next higher viscosity MTL would be Castrol Syntrans V FE 75W-80 8.0cSt

D. The next higher viscosity MTL would be BG Synchroshift II 8.2 cSt

E. The next higher viscosity is Mopar Type MS-9417 MTL 9.0cSt

F. Valvoline MTF Part Number 811095 9.2 cSt

G. The next higher viscosity MTL would be Pennzoil Synchromesh 9.3 cSt


H. The next group of MTL’s are in the 10.x cSt (SAE 75W80) range:

1. Redline MTL 75W80

2. Amsoil MTF (9.7 cSt)

3. GM Synchromesh’s

4. Volvo MTF 645

5. Fuchs TITAN SINTOFLUID SAE 75W-80 synthetic MTF (Carries a GL-5 rating as well)

6. Lodexol (Morris Lubricants) MTF


I. The next higher viscosity MTL would be a 12.0cSt@100C and SAE 75W85:

1. Redline MT-85 – 12.0 cSt


J. The next higher viscosity MTLs in the 14-15 cSt ( SAE 75W90) range would be:

1. Amsoil MTG

2. Redline MT-90

3. Castrol Syntrans Multivehicle 75W-90

4. Castrol Syntrans Transaxle 75w-90

5. Ford XT-75W90-QGT (Carries a GL-5 rating as well)

6. Ford MOTORCRAFT® Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid XT-M5-QS

7. Subaru Extra-S Gear & Transmission Fluid carries a GL-5 Rating because it is used in common sump driveline systems.


Edited by MolaKule (12/08/14 05:32 PM)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[ltslimjim]

^Thanks for the update. Perhaps a more shear stable MTF like Amsoil/Redline is the biggest difference. To me, Honda had the best performance wrt shift quality right after the change, but Amsoil (haven't personally tried Redline) and the likes seem to keep a very good quality shift for much longer and the better base-stock probably are indeed the reason; despite Honda's stated love for their own 'special' FMs.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I put rotella t6 5w40 in our old 93 del sol 5 speed trans and it shifted very noticeably easier than whatever was in it before. I have a 95 civic hx 5 speed now and recently put the mtf from the dealer in it. Didn't change shift quality from before. Sometimes doesn't want to go into first when the light turns green, and sometimes doesn't fully engage reverse on first try, but goes through other gears nicely. Might try the rotella t6 again with this one or the redline mt90. I still have a quart of that somewhere and it was awesome in my old 2003 Nissan Frontier.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
I put rotella t6 5w40 in our old 93 del sol 5 speed trans and it shifted very noticeably easier than whatever was in it before. I have a 95 civic hx 5 speed now and recently put the mtf from the dealer in it. Didn't change shift quality from before. Sometimes doesn't want to go into first when the light turns green, and sometimes doesn't fully engage reverse on first try, but goes through other gears nicely. Might try the rotella t6 again with this one or the redline mt90. I still have a quart of that somewhere and it was awesome in my old 2003 Nissan Frontier.


Do not go that thick. No reason. Use this Red Line product:

http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=45&pcid=7

OR go with Amsoil's MTF. Pablo is the resident Amsoil guy and can help you out.

 

[ryanschillinger]

You really think the mt90 is that much thicker to not use a bottle I already have? I was also thinking at 145k the trans is probably worn some and wouldn't hurt a bit thicker.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
You really think the mt90 is that much thicker to not use a bottle I already have? I was also thinking at 145k the trans is probably worn some and wouldn't hurt a bit thicker.


I'm not as familiar with the differences in gear lubes. However, unless you are already having problems you basically have a HDEO in the MT90 (15w40?) where as the OE recommendations generally prefer 10w-30 OR 10w-40 if you 'had' to use engine oil in the absence of Honda's MTF (which at the time was more along the lines of a 10w-30 oil with proper add pack for gear fluid use and not an engine oil in the transmission case).

Using the MT90 isn't going to cause problems, but it's simply not optimal. If you are still going to buy another Quart I'd get the other lube still to bring down the operating viscosity some and combine the two. I can understand if the gear oil choice was limited and the only option was engine oil (therefore, going to the 10w-40 as the manual states 'can' be used as a TEMPORARY substitute), but otherwise is simply not necessary unless there is a problem. You'll still have protection, but create unnecessary drag.

My 92 Civic VX was going strong on Amsoil's MTF (a 5w30 operating range) at over 290k miles.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I see your hatch got stolen. That really sucks. I always use the club on mine but if they want it that bad they'll get it. Redline website shows 75/80 is mtl and 75/90 is mt90 so they are a bit different. Guess I could just give it a shot. If it isn't any good I can try something else. Only issues are sometimes doesn't want to go into 1st and going into reverse occasionally it feels like it's engaged but isn't fully. It has fresh Honda mtf in it now. Rotella t6 5w40 was great in our 93 del sol si but I loved the redline in my Nissan which was what took the mt90.