Man I know ATF is expensive, but what the heck!?!

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JTK

JTK

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I had my 2008 Honda Odyssey out of commission today, cleaning up the pad holders all the away around on the brakes. What a pain. Gotta do it every year thanks to the rear disks collecting a bunch of rust-belt junk. Tell-tale it needs to be done is a grinding from the rear.

Since I'm at ~42Kmi, I figured I'd do another drain/fill on the trans. I did the first one around 24Kmi IIRC. Oh my LORD Valvoline Maxlife ATF has gotten expensive! It could be just my local NAPA is a rip-off, or it's this way everywhere now. 5qts cost me $35.29 out the door. $6.49/qt. Yikes. The last gallon jug I bought was $20.99.

Joel
 
Use a coupon code at Advance and buy it online for store pickup. It comes out to about $3.60-3.75 a quart that way.

The Wal-Marts around us switched to Castrol ATF's.
 
AAP has MaxLife gallons for $18 before coupon code. Use code A123 and it goes down to $26 (pre-tax). At my local tax rate (7.75%), that brings it to about $3.5/qt.
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
I had my 2008 Honda Odyssey out of commission today, cleaning up the pad holders all the away around on the brakes. What a pain. Gotta do it every year thanks to the rear disks collecting a bunch of rust-belt junk. Tell-tale it needs to be done is a grinding from the rear.

Since I'm at ~42Kmi, I figured I'd do another drain/fill on the trans. I did the first one around 24Kmi IIRC. Oh my LORD Valvoline Maxlife ATF has gotten expensive! It could be just my local NAPA is a rip-off, or it's this way everywhere now. 5qts cost me $35.29 out the door. $6.49/qt. Yikes. The last gallon jug I bought was $20.99.




Honda Canada has put out a TSB (VI-1-09) on rust-prevention on brakes. Their specified method involves Molykote M-77, and it works spectacularly: For the first winter I can ever remember, my rear pads were actually free on their sliders. This, after I performed last fall the new Honda method on my '91 Integra. I have not yet added this revelation to my site, unfortunately.

M-77 is available at Honda's Canadian dealers in two sizes of containers (3oz & 16oz). Used to be quite expensive, but Honda Canada claims they got a good deal from Dow on account of the new volume they're buying, so the price should be lower now. American Honda probably didn't piggyback on Honda Canada's efforts, so I don't know what you'll find at US dealers.

I can send you that TSB if I know where to send it.

As for the tranny, it would be advisable to stick with Honda's specified Z-1 fluid. Honda automatics since 2005 have been very reliable, but the long-term outlook is still in question, and I'm not sure I'd want to tempt fate (and risk the warranty) by using aftermarket fluids.
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
As for the tranny, it would be advisable to stick with Honda's specified Z-1 fluid. Honda automatics since 2005 have been very reliable, but the long-term outlook is still in question, and I'm not sure I'd want to tempt fate (and risk the warranty) by using aftermarket fluids.



Sorry, Z1 has been discontinued. Honda now supplies its dealers with a new fluid known as "DW1".

Z1 and DW1 are compatible and may be mixed.

According to Honda, a full charge of DW1 may result in odd shift-feel. If owners report this, dealers are advised to drain-off a quart of DW1 and replace it with the older Z1. The friction modifiers in the added quart of Z1 should restore the shift-feel that owners are used to.
 
Thanks for the molykote tip!

As far as the Maxlife vs. Honda ATF thing (or others for that matter), That's a whole'nother argument a bunch of us have gone round-n-round with over the years.

I've had such good results with Maxlife in the bunch of vehicles I've run it in, it's definitely staying. My Honda 5spd has been much more tolerable since it's first 4-5qt drain/fill with Maxlife several years ago.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Thanks for the molykote tip!


You want a copy of that TSB? I don't know how to directly contact someone on this Web board...
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: JTK
Thanks for the molykote tip!


You want a copy of that TSB? I don't know how to directly contact someone on this Web board...



CLick on the persons name to send a pm. Respond to my PM by clicking the blinking envelope at teh top of the page. Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Use a coupon code at Advance and buy it online for store pickup. It comes out to about $3.60-3.75 a quart that way.

The Wal-Marts around us switched to Castrol ATF's.


Buy it by the gallon at AA, and you can get it for around $2.60/qt.
 
Originally Posted By: chevys10
CLick on the persons name to send a pm. Respond to my PM by clicking the blinking envelope at teh top of the page. Thanks!


I think I did it right. Check your email.
 
Quote:
According to Honda, a full charge of DW1 may result in odd shift-feel. If owners report this, dealers are advised to drain-off a quart of DW1 and replace it with the older Z1. The friction modifiers in the added quart of Z1 should restore the shift-feel that owners are used to.

As Arte Johnson would say, now that is verrry intrrresting. Makes me feel better regarding my decision to go with readily available, and reasonably priced Maxlife (AAP/codes) next time I do a simple 3 quart drain and refill on an 01 Civic that's seen only Z-1 since new. That's if I can't find Z-1 next time, which seems likely.

Actually the recommendation to add back a quart of Z-1 makes me chuckle a bit.
 
Tegger, I never did get an email or PM from you. Check your PMs, I sent you one.

Yes, in regards to the Maxlife ATF, I did grossly overpay getting it at my local Napa! I'm beginning to like them less at every visit. They're OK for parts. Not so much for fluids and lubes. My closest AA and AZ are like 16-20 round-trip miles from the house. I gotta pay closer attention to them in the future.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: kasedian
Buy it by the gallon at AA, and you can get it for around $2.60/qt.

Using what coupon code? Never seen one that good...
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: chevys10
CLick on the persons name to send a pm. Respond to my PM by clicking the blinking envelope at teh top of the page. Thanks!


I think I did it right. Check your email.


Got it! Thanks. I am sure the Chicago winters are not as bad as the Canadian winters but the salt is nasty just the same. Thanks again...
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Tegger, I never did get an email or PM from you. Check your PMs, I sent you one.

I got that, but how do I send you a copy of the TSB? You didn't give me an email address in your PM.
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
I had my 2008 Honda Odyssey out of commission today, cleaning up the pad holders all the away around on the brakes. What a pain. Gotta do it every year thanks to the rear disks collecting a bunch of rust-belt junk. Tell-tale it needs to be done is a grinding from the rear.

Since I'm at ~42Kmi, I figured I'd do another drain/fill on the trans. I did the first one around 24Kmi IIRC. Oh my LORD Valvoline Maxlife ATF has gotten expensive! It could be just my local NAPA is a rip-off, or it's this way everywhere now. 5qts cost me $35.29 out the door. $6.49/qt. Yikes. The last gallon jug I bought was $20.99.

Joel


at that price you might as well buy Genuine Honda DW-1 from bernardi online. same price almost including shipping. Just bought some from them last week.

fiddler
 
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