What to do...HONDA CR-V Tranny Fluid

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Hello all...I'm new to the website and after reading a whole lot of posts, I have seen that there is definitely a wealth of knowledge to be shared here...anyhoo, I'm not very good with the abbreviations so please be patient...here's my story...

I got a 2001 Honda CR-V 5speed Manual with 150,000km...just bought a boat, motor, and trailer recently for some recreational fishing time...I would say that on a good day the boat/motor/trailer combination would weigh as little as around 550lbs and on a bad day weigh as much as around 800lbs (with camping/weekend gear)....the recommended towing capacity for this vehicle is 1000lbs....

I currently run Castrol Syntec 5W-30 in the motor...which seems to be doing a great job, with oil change intervals of around 5000-8000kms (depending on the kind of driving I've been doing...

My concerns with this situation are in the transmission fluid that Honda says ONLY to use...it's their branded MTF fluid...they say to use nothing else...what I don't want to happen is my tranny fluid over-heating and breaking down during my camping/fishing trips...is there a fluid that I can use in replacement of the Honda MTF that can withstand higher temperatures that would come from towing all this gear? I want to try and stay away from adding an auxiliary transmission cooler because it would cost a fortune...the manual transmissions that honda made for my CR-V never came with the transmission cooling lines that run to/from the radiator (as they would on the automatic transmissions).

My towing typically consists of either mostly highway driving to the lakes close to the highway, or highway driving plus around 50 kms or so of very 'hilly' logging roads (where I usually shift between 2nd and 3rd gears only)...

Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions...I know towing with a 2.0L 4cyl CR-V is less than admirable, but it's all I got...I'd have a pickup if I could afford the gas..
 
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LOL! MTF (manual transmission fluid) doesn't require cooling lines, etc. It is what it is, and can withstand much higher temperature than you think.

Just change it out with fresh new MTF and drive it. Towing is never an issue with proper manual transmission fluid on Honda M/T boxes.

Enjoy.

Q.
 
Originally Posted By: a2marian
My concerns with this situation are in the transmission fluid that Honda says ONLY to use...it's their branded MTF fluid...they say to use nothing else...what I don't want to happen is my tranny fluid over-heating and breaking down during my camping/fishing trips...is there a fluid that I can use in replacement of the Honda MTF that can withstand higher temperatures that would come from towing all this gear?

Genuine Honda MTF is the best stuff you can use.

Automatic transmissions have a completely different construction and totally different kinds of stresses than manual transmissions. They require special cooling where manual transmissions do not.

Provided you aren't towing above the vehicle's rated capacity, Honda MTF is designed to provide all the protection you need. Treat your transmission gently, feed it only Honda MTF, and I guarantee it will last 400,000 miles.

What will not last 400,000 miles is your clutch. All that towing will result in a clutch that will wear out much more quickly that it would otherwise. So start saving your pennies now.
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Genuine Honda MTF is the best stuff you can use.

Forgot to mention that transmission fluid has a lifespan, and it does wear out. If you no longer have your Owner's Manual, use 30,000 miles as the change interval.

Another critical thing is to make sure the fluid-level is always correct. The best ways to do that are to 1) check the outside of the transmission for visible leakage and dripping, and 2) to change the fluid as specified.

One of the fastest ways to kill a manual is to let the fluid get low.
 
yeah Id just run the right stuff and change it at the right interval or earlier.

1000 lbs towed is nothing. In fact, it is really weak. My saab (MT) is rated at 3500 lbs. You sure it isnt 1000 kg (2200 lb), which would mean that your 800 lb tow isnt much at all?
 
Originally Posted By: Quest
LOL! MTF (manual transmission fluid) doesn't require cooling lines, etc. It is what it is, and can withstand much higher temperature than you think.

Just change it out with fresh new MTF and drive it. Towing is never an issue with proper manual transmission fluid on Honda M/T boxes.

Enjoy.

Q.


It depends on usage. Corvette ZO6's come with a manual transmission cooler, but they are built "track ready". They also have a manual transmission temperature gauge.
 
Thanks for the posts all!

I bought the car used at 125,000km and did a complete tune up, with a differential oil change as well as the 3x change of the transmission oil since then...

I plan on changing the transmission oil after every season of towing just to be on the safe side (because the car is 11 years old) with what honda recommends..

As for the towing capacity...I'm pretty darn sure it is 1000 lbs and not 1000 kg...I think I'll stick with the 1000 lbs mark because I know that's all I really need to deal with...

How bad is it to go over the towing capacity by about 200lbs or so? Is it that strenuous on the M/T or are there some sort of 'factors of safety' that are applied...I'm not saying I intend on towing over the maximum recommended capacity, I'm saying the situation might arise where the addition of all weight in the car (including passengers, cargo, boat, motor and trailer) might end up just over the towing capacity of the vehicle...

I guess what I'm asking is, how much can Honda's MTF take in terms of heat, breakdown, etc?
 
As was said earlier, the clutch will have the biggest issue.

Amsoil MTF was mentioned above too. I run the 5w-30 variant in my BMW and it works great. I cannot comment on how the Honda fluid chemistry varies from other MTFs, but Ill bet someone has run a fluid like that in the Honda MT.

You could always run it, if you dont like the feel, do two swapouts with the Honda fluid and be done with it.

IMO you will feel fluid degradation if it is getting too hot and oxidized. Your MT will likely get notchier than normal.
 
Welcome. Those Honda manual Trans. are pretty good, If you go over the recommended wgt a little than there should be no significant stress added to the MT. The Honda fluid is good stuff, but I really think in this case you should go with AMSOIL MTF. it is really high quality stuff and can take a pounding. Change it out at factory recommended intervals if you are really "beating it up".

Good luck!
 
I want to get an MSDS comparison between the two fluids...this would determine the performance qualities of each fluid...

I cannot seem to find any place that has current/accurate/free/without-login MSDS sheets...any help?

Amsoil provides a current MSDS sheet for their MTF but I cannot seem to find a current MSDS sheet for Honda MTF (perhaps I'll go to my local dealership).

How hot does an over-worked manual transmission get, considering the engine is within normal operating temperatures (for my CR-V the temperature ranges from 93 deg. C to 103 deg. C)?
 
Q.

I've been accused by many to have the unfortunate disease of 'selective hearing'...what I understand from your initial post (and actually the answer I've been looking for) is that I should not be concerned with the break down of my manual transmission fluid while towing at capacity (around 1000 lbs)...

I will change at severe maintenance intervals with Honda MTF if that is all that is necessary..

Thanks for your advice Q.
 
I use Amsoil MTF in multiple Honda MTs and it does great. Excellent shifts at all temps. I would recommend it over the factory fluid.
 
@a2marian:


with proper M/T gear oil (for all Honda M/T boxes, always use Honda genuine M/T gear oil) in the M/T box, you can pretty much use it to tow/haul up to what the manufacturers specified tow load and still runs fine and no fear of gear oil related gearbox breakdown.

Unlike A/T box which, when the fail, it will not shift or drive at all; M/T box only becomes whiny when they get old, or if your bronze synchro starts to wear out, you get hard shifting(in and out of gears). You don't get dramatic breakdowns like A/T boxes.

Yes, all transmission fluid, be it A/T or M/T boxes, will wear out the additives and or base oil. M/T box will become harder to shift as a result.

Just change it to the latest version of MTF gear oil from Honda dealership (they are semi-syn, supplied by Idemitsu, or equivalent to MTF-II in Jpn Honda site) and change it out every 30,000miles or so. Most N/A dealerships already selling bottled MTF-II (back label sez. by Idemitsu, and that's the real McCoy).

If you want full-syn, get MTF-III (search online).

Seriously: 1000lbs is nothing when compared to those Nissan kingcab pickup trucks designed in the 70s where towload is over 1200lbs. You can drive the vehicle all day w/o harm.

18 wheelers with M/T boxes have gear oils in them all day long and they tow/load their vehicles all day long, week after week, month after month. Never have you heard of them M/T gearboxes going kaput?! (other then shifting into wrong gear). They don't change their gear oil as frequently as you folks, you know (due to cost concerns).

Sleep well @ nite.

Q.
 
Brakes seem to work just fine...a tiny bit of wobble when I'm coming to a stop from high speeds and applying the brake hard...I won't be travelling fast at all on the logging roads because they are beat-up pretty bad...mainly second gear for the torque going uphill and third gear for the straightways...
 
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