Honda ATZ fluid

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I just didh a drain and drop my a recentley purchased used '03' Honda Odyssey Ex with 3.5L & 5 Speed transmission with 70k Honda Certified used miles. The manual says to do a drain and fill 3 times. Approx 3 quarts comes out each time. I could not find the fill plug so I used the painstaking diptube I only had time to do it once but I definitely need to do it the other 2 times as the fluid was last changed 40k miles ago and these transmissions are known to be problemattic. Does anyone know where the fill bolt is?

thanks
 
Are Ody's different from other Honda's in that they don't have a dipstick? The 2001 and 2005 Honda's I own (Civic/CR-V) both have sticks on one side of the engine. Yellow loop handle. Fill there. Perhaps I'm naive because this is the minivan.........
 
Do you mean the drain plug ? Look on the side of the trans , near the bottom for a plug that takes a 3/8 ratchet.
 
No, there is suppused to be a fill plug somewhere so that you dont have to go through the hassle of filling it through the dipstick tube which takes about 40 minutes to fill 3 quarts.
 
14S0X0_ATM17.gif


034 1 BOLT, FILLER (ATF)
 
I have some advice on drain and fill. If you don't mind doing the work, drain and fill a few times with cheap DexIII before using the chosen atf.

After this process, you should be good for a while. I'd do the first 2 changes of 3q of cheap flushing fluid. Even if you use a decent cheap ATF like Supertech MultiVehicle or Dex VI. The more expensive atf you plan to use the more compelling it is to flush it with cheap fluid.

MaxLife, Castrol HM and MV Import, AMSoil and Mobil 1 are all used by people here. Like I said, flush it 2x with cheap fluid and 2x with the good fluid and you will be set. Then start your normal maintence schedule with 3q of the good fluid going forward.
 
it is so hard to understand where the plug is in relation to looking under the hood at this crammed engine compartment.! urrrgghghhh!
 
Manual only requires a single drain and refill for a service. The multiple drain and refill procedure is only if you contaminated the unit with a non-approved fluid, if you read the paragraph preceding the described procedure. However, I'd still recommend doing a full flush (or multiple drain and refills) even if it was not required.

On a '03, the fill bolt has been replaced with an oil jet. Look for a black device with a 10mm bolt on it. If you remove the bolt and twist gently, the oil jet will come off.

I would use Amsoil ATF instead of Honda Z1.
 
Critic,

I am doing the drain and fill 3 times because it hasn't been done in 40k miles, and the owners manual even states to do it 3 times every 30k miles or 1 time every 10k miles. I already purchased a 12-case of Honda ATZ for $3 per quart! I am getting so much conflicting data on this subject. Diagrams I am looking at say there is an 18mm fill plug. Can anyone help supply me with a correct diagram or engine bay pic for this vehicle?

thanks
 
Try searching here

http://www.odyclub.com

There is also a filter that can be replaced, though Honda says it's 'lifetime' (until the transmission fails I guess, then they put a new filter in with a new transmission). There is a part number for this filter, though most parts departments will deny the filter exists. So if you want to replace the filter have the part number to give to the parts guy.

The filter is #8, the fill plug is hard to tell from the diagram (#34 I think, but hard to tell where it goes), but you'll find an actual picture of the fill plug at odyclub.

Just be aware that there was a TSB for this tranny that involved adding a pipe to pump tranny fluid into the fill hole to lubricate 2nd gear, which was failing due to inadequate lubrication. Maybe this was done, which is why you can't find the fill plug - it's not there, replaced by the pipe. If it was done, it's easier to fill the tranny through the dipstick tube instead of removing the 'new' cooling pipe which is now replacing the fill plug.

In the diagram above, it's the whole section that says 'SERVICE ONLY' - all those pipes and hoses replace the fill plug.
 
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rcy

Thank you so much for explaining this to me! The recall was done in '04' with about 10k miles on it and had a maintenanced fluid change done with 32k miles on it. I remember seeing those hoses and scratching my head. Thanks again.

Anyone know what size the diptube is so I can go to the hardware store and buy something that bits perfectly inside it to minimize the time it takes to fill through it?
 
Originally Posted By: 05Blazer
Critic,

I am doing the drain and fill 3 times because it hasn't been done in 40k miles, and the owners manual even states to do it 3 times every 30k miles or 1 time every 10k miles. I already purchased a 12-case of Honda ATZ for $3 per quart! I am getting so much conflicting data on this subject. Diagrams I am looking at say there is an 18mm fill plug. Can anyone help supply me with a correct diagram or engine bay pic for this vehicle?

thanks


While I think the triple drain and refill is a great idea, for the record, I want to establish that Honda only recommends the triple drain and refill if the system has been contaminated. The factory service manual only describes a single drain and refill when the fluid is replaced as part of the maintenance schedule.

On a '03, unless the transmission has been replaced before, the fill plug would've been replaced with a hollow fill plug and an oil jet assembly. Here's a picture of the oil assembly from an Acura CL-S, yours should look exactly the same:

IMG_0109edited.jpg


If you remove the bolt that you see in the picture (I think it's a 10mm), you can gently twist and remove the oil jet. This will make refilling much easier.
 
Originally Posted By: 05Blazer
it is so hard to understand where the plug is in relation to looking under the hood at this crammed engine compartment.! urrrgghghhh!


Thankfully Honda cleaned them up a bit as time went on. 2007+ have a top mounted, hex head fill port that you can see just by popping the hood. The case drain is a round head, square drive plug to help prevent accidental draining that owners commonly mistook for the engine oil drain in years past. You also have the option of fitting a funnel and section of hose to the dipstick tube to fill. Only 'problem' I can seen on the later models (2007+) is you can't get at the housing to replace the ATF filter element.

Joel
 
Thanks critic for the picture, my van does have the oil jet! After I pulled the drain plug, the magnet part was completely covered in a 1/4 thick layer of gunk and metal. It looked like suspension grease/lube almost. The fluid was very old and dark looking so hence the reason I want to do this at least 2 more times.
 
Originally Posted By: 05Blazer
Thanks critic for the picture, my van does have the oil jet! After I pulled the drain plug, the magnet part was completely covered in a 1/4 thick layer of gunk and metal. It looked like suspension grease/lube almost. The fluid was very old and dark looking so hence the reason I want to do this at least 2 more times.


That's what the magnet is supposed to do - catch wear particles. Having gunk on the magnet doesn't mean anything is wrong with the tranny at all. I agree though that doing 3 changes is cheap insurance.

Having the oil jet is a good thing - it means the previous owner took it in for the TSB (or was it a recall?) and 'hopefully' that 2nd gear has been getting good lube for most of it's life. You should have look at the level of difficulty and seriously consider changing the filter too.
 
From what I understand, the filter is in a place that can't be removed unless the transmission is removed or dropped. So it only gets replaced when it gets rebuilt or the whole tranny gets replaced. Auto parts stores dont have any part numbers for the filter as well. Terrible design by Honda, I would have thought better of them than that. Another reason I want to stay on top of fluid changes.
 
It's part #8 in the diagram. Externally mounted, and replaceable, though I'm not sure how hard it is to reach. Again, check at odyclub.com - lots of ppl there have replaced it.

In the 2005+, it was made internal, though it is still accessible without removing or taking apart the tranny. In this generation, there's an external cover that has to be removed to access the filter that's mounted just inside the tranny.
 
Originally Posted By: 05Blazer
From what I understand, the filter is in a place that can't be removed unless the transmission is removed or dropped.


That statement is only true for 2007+. The earlier 5spd autos have a filter you can get at and replace. Not easy, but possible. Like said, on your 2003, it's #8 in the diagram above. It's a black canister style filter. Your average dealer service advisor won't know it's there. It's there and can be had at a dealer parts counter.

Joel
 
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It's 2005 up that used the internal filter instead of the canister. It's still accessible without taking apart, dropping or otherwise messing about with the transmission.

It's part #1 in the picture below. You have to remove a cover plate (part #2)to access it's nesting place inside the tranny, as oppposed to the 2004 and earlier tranny that had the canister.

2.jpg
 
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