Changing the Trans Fluid in an automatik Accord

A friend of mine has a 2001 Honda Accord EX, with a 4 speed automatic.

She asked me about changing the transmission fluid since she just bought the car and it has about 90,000miles on it. So I went to the local parts store and the guy there told me that there is no filter kit available for that model. He said that the only was to change it is with a flush machine (like I have one of those) I know him though, and he knows his stuff, so I believe there is probably no accesible filter, at least not in the conventional means.

Wondered if anyone had beat Honda at thier own game and got away with it. Even if you can't get the filter, can you change the fluid? Or is she just better off have it done at a shop or the dealer.

Any info appreciated, Thanks,
Moody Blues

On both Accords that I work at (95 and 99) there is a drain plug at the passanger side front. I think that on V6 the drain plug is at the driver side.

I just drain and refill and it takes only two quarts per refill.

You cannot replace all fluid at once that is why some people do it few times. But I do it only once (that is how Haynes manual recomends)
I do fluid changes about every 30,000 miles and hope the transmission will last a while.

Sam

Man, I could not spell last night, pathetic.

Thanks, somick for your reply, I will look for the drain plug. I guess the number of refills is determined by the color of the drained fluid, brown is bad and all that.

I also thought of raiding a haynes manual if I can find one, @ least I know now that they at least mention it.

Need to look @ her ownders manual, but I'm guessing these transmissions use Dexron/Mercon. Or is Honda being difficult. Someone, somewhere posted to use Honda OEM fluid. Is is a proprietory blend, or just being anal?

As far as I know Honda does not have its own refinery.

So all they do is buy petroleum products and put their own label on them.

I have done few fluid changes on my son's 95 Accord, changed fluid once on my 99 without any problems whatsoever.

I trully believe that HONDA ATF is a marketing gimmick!


Sam

PS 1 quart of Honda ATF cost over 7 dollars. 1 quart of Dexron III is 3 dollars.

[QUOTE=somick]As far as I know Honda does not have its own refinery.

**laughs** That was funny.

What I meant was does Honda have any kind of special specs/standards for their fluid.

Oils are hi tech now, even in my industry, which is outdoor power equipment. Take Echo 2 cycle for example, which is the only company so far to do it w/ a 2 cycle to the EPAs maximum standards.

To get proper life and performance out of one of these hi RPM 2 strokes, you had better use the right oil. Echo actually went to the testing agencies to get a new standard. Of course their oil meets it, (and that blend is a Citgo blend) Also Shindawa One oil (but not Shindawa reg oil) Stihl has not yet proved they meet the standard, though they claim they do with thier oil.

That is what I meant by proprietory blend. Was probably the wrong word. But in one of these Echo's, use low grade oil and you will burn it up. Or at least clog the muffler with carbon deposits.

I know Honda is anal... so.

But if Dexron works... cool. :)

Where is the fill plug?

Never mind, figured it out. Got me some small heater hose and slide it over the dip stick tube, along with a funnel