I am about to change the automatic transmission fluid in a 2005 Honda Civic LX with over 140,000 miles. I would like to use synthetic fluid, but my only options are Mobil 1(not ahonda approved), Royal Purple Max ATF(I'd rather not spend $15 a quart if I could find a comparable alternative), Valvoline Maxlife(I do not know if a viscosity index of 150 is high enough) or Castrol synthetic(also has a low VI). For the car listed above, is a high viscosity index important? Will it noticeably benefit from synthetic? If not, I am between Castrol Transmax High Mileage, Castrol Transmax Import and Pennzoil Multi Vehicle. Which is best? Will synthetic make a noticeable improvement?
Best ATF For Honda Civic
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You will get a variety of answers and many ATF's could work in your application, but if there is one case where you should use OEM, this is it. Using the drain plug, you will get 3 qts. out; replace the same. Run it 500-1,000 miles and repeat. After three D&F's you will have replaced 90% of the old fluid. Honda ATF is about $8/qt. Valvoline and Castrol are in the $6-$7 range. Go with Honda.
I would also suggest the OEM fluid. The newer Honda OEM ATF DW-1 is reported to be synthetic (vs the previous Z1).
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I use Amsoil fuel efficient trans fluid in about 5 friends hondas and in my toyota. Works great.
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Originally Posted By: lubedude13
I use Amsoil fuel efficient trans fluid in about 5 friends hondas and in my toyota. Works great.
+1
I use Amsoil fuel efficient trans fluid in about 5 friends hondas and in my toyota. Works great.
+1
Welcome to BITOG!
Maxlife is a great choice and very popular on here.
I also like Mag 1 Low-Vis ATF. It's only $4/qt on Amazon. Part #64092
There is nothing wrong with using any of the Castrol products you are considering.
M1 and Royal Purple ATF are not worth the high prices they charge.
Maxlife is a great choice and very popular on here.
I also like Mag 1 Low-Vis ATF. It's only $4/qt on Amazon. Part #64092
There is nothing wrong with using any of the Castrol products you are considering.
M1 and Royal Purple ATF are not worth the high prices they charge.
What does the Owner's Manual say to use?
Honda transmissions are really picky, and so is Honda Inc. If you had a failure, even out of warranty as they are known to "help" original owners because of the bad rap they got fo rhte Accord transmissions, they won't even look at you if you used something other than Z-1.
Use the Honda DW-1 fluid. I used that in my sister's 2005 Civic with no issues.
DW1 is what you want...
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
You will get a variety of answers and many ATF's could work in your application, but if there is one case where you should use OEM, this is it. Using the drain plug, you will get 3 qts. out; replace the same. Run it 500-1,000 miles and repeat. After three D&F's you will have replaced 90% of the old fluid. Honda ATF is about $8/qt. Valvoline and Castrol are in the $6-$7 range. Go with Honda.
Absolutely 100% agree. I have serviced/owned numerous Honda vehicles, some with over 225K miles. ALWAYS used the Honda or Acura branded fluid (whichever is cheaper, they are identical) and always shifted like new. Just do a drop and fill every 30K miles and the transmission will be kept in good shape.
As far as I know, the ATF-DW1 sold in the USA is usually a synthetic blend. It is good stuff. I see no benefit of using a different fluid unless you live in a super cold climate and the OEM spec fluid is not working satisfactorily in that climate. Even then, they do make a full synthetic ATF-DW1 although it is not easy to find.
You will get a variety of answers and many ATF's could work in your application, but if there is one case where you should use OEM, this is it. Using the drain plug, you will get 3 qts. out; replace the same. Run it 500-1,000 miles and repeat. After three D&F's you will have replaced 90% of the old fluid. Honda ATF is about $8/qt. Valvoline and Castrol are in the $6-$7 range. Go with Honda.
Absolutely 100% agree. I have serviced/owned numerous Honda vehicles, some with over 225K miles. ALWAYS used the Honda or Acura branded fluid (whichever is cheaper, they are identical) and always shifted like new. Just do a drop and fill every 30K miles and the transmission will be kept in good shape.
As far as I know, the ATF-DW1 sold in the USA is usually a synthetic blend. It is good stuff. I see no benefit of using a different fluid unless you live in a super cold climate and the OEM spec fluid is not working satisfactorily in that climate. Even then, they do make a full synthetic ATF-DW1 although it is not easy to find.
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Prove to us they are worth the high price.
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Prove to us they are worth the high price.
I never said they were or weren't worth the high price. But blanket statements like that aren't necessarily correct. In a Honda doing a drain and refill every 30k any fluid that meets the spec should be fine, but like in Amsoil Signature Series trans fluid which is designed for hard use and up to 100k service life I think that they may be worth the higher price
OEM. Why chance it? I doubt no noticeable difference between the OEM and RP.
DW1....Made by Idemitsu.
@40C= 25.09 cSt; @100C = 6.835 cSt VI 255!!!
Use the OEM, you will love how effortless your transmission will be from Z1.
@40C= 25.09 cSt; @100C = 6.835 cSt VI 255!!!
Use the OEM, you will love how effortless your transmission will be from Z1.
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
I am NOT saying that they are not worth the money. At $15 a quart, Royal Purple is more than 2 times as expensive as Castrol Transmax at $6.99 a quart. Prove to me that it is more than 2 times better. Then we can talk.
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
Originally Posted By: lubedude13
So do you have proof to why mobil or royal purple aren't worth the high prices?
I am NOT saying that they are not worth the money. At $15 a quart, Royal Purple is more than 2 times as expensive as Castrol Transmax at $6.99 a quart. Prove to me that it is more than 2 times better. Then we can talk.
$15 a quart is steep. Amsoil signature is about $10 and amsoil OE is about $8.....to me that's fair. Mobil is about $8-$9.....that's fair
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