ATF Fluids

[MenaceAccord]

Has anyone tried AMSoil ATF before? Or is the Honda ATF good enough? Any other suggestions for ATF fluids?

[rmckim]

Originally Posted by MenaceAccord

Has anyone tried AMSoil ATF before? Or is the Honda ATF good enough? Any other suggestions for ATF fluids?

AMSoil stuff is usually superior to almost anything else available IMHO. I've used Honda ATF in my 88 lude Si (now deceased) and also in my present 90 Integra and 93 Lude Si.

In the 88 Lude I added Slick 50 AT Treatment @ 80K and the transmission ran flawlessly for another 100K despite constant abuse for that entire 100K. In the end the AT was still the strongest part of the drivetrain.

I added similar products to the Honda ATF in my present two cars and the results have been excellent. I believe that Honda's warnings not to use anything but Honda ATF is pure BS, but bear in mind that I have only used and am now using Honda ATF in all my Hondas, WITH the friction reducing treatments added.

Don't have personal experience with AMSoil ATF, though.

Rick

[BullShifter]

Amsoil ATF, Honda ATF, Dexron III or better will work just fine. Dont waste your money on those additives, if they were worth it, they would used from day one - installed(filled) at the factory.

Change your fluid every 15k-30K(i suggest 15K), flush 1qt or more during fluid change, do not let your car roll back then engage drive to simulate a manual trans. car - do all that & your trans *should* last forever, as long as it's not a '98 & newer Honda V6 auto tranny.

Honda recommends Honda ATF because its Honda & they make money on it. It basically Valvoline Dex. III ATF fluid with a Honda sticker on it, just like Honda engine oil - its Valvoline. Honda or special "honda type" power steering fluid should be the only Honda fluid you need.

[rmckim]

Originally Posted by jackasssi

Amsoil ATF, Honda ATF, Dexron III or better will work just fine. Dont waste your money on those additives, if they were worth it, they would used from day one - installed(filled) at the factory.

Change your fluid every 15k-30K(i suggest 15K), flush 1qt or more during fluid change, do not let your car roll back then engage drive to simulate a manual trans. car - do all that & your trans *should* last forever, as long as it's not a '98 & newer Honda V6 auto tranny.

Honda recommends Honda ATF because its Honda & they make money on it. It basically Valvoline Dex. III ATF fluid with a Honda sticker on it, just like Honda engine oil - its Valvoline. Honda or special "honda type" power steering fluid should be the only Honda fluid you need.

I don't believe that factories install the best possible lubricants simply because that would cost more. I remember reading once that Ford decided not to add a chassis stiffener bar to the Mustang simply because it would have added $5.00 to the cost of each car multiplied by 150,000 units produced.

The position that factory lubricating fluids are as good as they can be ignores the costs of organic lubricant production. They install what's "adequate" (for what?) and no more.

I would agree that many automotive additives are snake oil. But there are exceptions. And I know that synthetic lubricants are best because their molecular properties are consistent & don't depend on the fractionation or distillation of crude oil bases (very imprecise production methods).

My own additive choices combine my knowledge of organic chemistry, my bank account, and common sense. I wouldn't buy a really critical (say for chemo!) generic drug because I know from personal lab experience how difficult it is to produce a high quality pharmaceutical.

But even tho my cars have no rights, I will always choose a synthetic product if I can afford it, and maybe add an additive to standard products if a synthetic isn't available. But we're probably pretty much on the same page.

Thanks for the info about Honda ATF and PS fluid.

Rick