[The Odyssey]

Sometimes it's just better to pay someone else to do a job, and this seems like one of those jobs. I think I would rather pay the money and skip all the aggravation, time, parts, and tools necessary to complete the job.

 

[DJVAN]

@RooflessVW
I have always liked doing a baseline with transmission and oil to see how much does come off, in case down the line after other changes their is more sludge factor added on than the first one.

I have got almost 58K miles on my 18 Elite, at around 40K miles the transmission probably in 1st or 2nd, started to shift oddly, but only after driving for 25-30 miles and coming to a Stop sign on the way home (4 blocks away). When I start out it seems like a small slip for a quarter of a second, than you can hear one of the transmission solenoids click into first and will go after that. I have 2 more stop signs after that before getting to my house and it does not do this again. It happens everyday at the same place at the stop sign (same bat place, same bat time. ) I will bring this up to Honda when ever I take it into them for the fuel pump recall as I received the second notice that pump parts are coming so be patient recall. The transmission has not got no worse than the first day it started so I have come to expect it.

 

[RooflessVW]

Sometimes it's just better to pay someone else to do the job, and this one seems like one of those jobs. I think I would rather pay the money and skip all the aggravation, time, parts, and tools necessary to complete the job.

If you can change your own oil you can do this.

 

[mhjett]

If you can change your own oil you can do this.

Agreed - it's really straightforward, and there's no dropping the pan as Honda doesn't specify a trans filter change. I can certainly understand anyone who'd rather just pay to have it done, but for those considering this as a DIY project, don't hesitate to give it a shot.

 

[RooflessVW]

I wonder there is enough space to move around. Also it is difficult to have a direct sight on the fill bolt. I took off the air intake at the top, but there is almost no help to see the fill bolt.

I did all the work from underneath.

 

[mhjett]

I did all the work from underneath.

So did I. Remove the wiring harness bracket that runs through the area for better access to the fill plug.

 

[John U]

First time transmission oil change on a 5th gen. 30,000 miles under it's steel belts. I removed the two 10mm breather nuts and set the breather to the side.

When I got under it it was obvious, I would not need to remove all the "tupperware & tin". I removed the rear 10MM in the middle of the frame, the plastic push gizmo and loosened the drivers side 10MM.

I put a can under the loose corner to hold it down. Applied a 3/8" extension/swivel and loosened the drain nut. (A 5” extension should work the best to clear the pan and cat) Using a Form A Funnel found on Amazon.... which I also use under the oil filter.... I slid it into place with a ratchet under it. Oil flowed, game over after reversing the moves. I replaced exactly the amount of oil that drained.

1 hour invested after the vehicle was on jack stands. Learning was involved, next time 45 minutes!!!!

PS: Yes, a 5 inch - 3/8" extension, is perfect for clearing the pan to loosen or tighten. Found on Amazon under the WorkPro name.

 

[tyman]

First time transmission oil change on a 5th gen. 30,000 miles under it's steel belts. I removed the two 10mm breather nuts and set the breather to the side.

When I got under it it was obvious, I would not need to remove all the "tupperware & tin". I removed the rear 10MM in the middle of the frame, the plastic push gizmo and loosened the drivers side 10MM.

I put a can under the loose corner to hold it down. Applied a 3/8" extension/swivel and loosened the drain nut. (A 5” extension should work the best to clear the pan and cat) Using a Form A Funnel found on Amazon.... which I also use under the oil filter.... I slid it into place with a ratchet under it. Oil flowed, game over after reversing the moves. I replaced exactly the amount of oil that drained.

1 hour invested after the vehicle was on jack stands. Learning was involved, next time 45 minutes!!!!


View attachment 183575 View attachment 183576 View attachment 183577

/chef’s kiss

 

[justinh20]

Thanks the for write up and comments. First time doing this and it was only a little more involved than an oil change.

Some things I wish I would have known:

1. Agree with the comment about taking off the wire harness bracket. Simple thing makes it much easier and no swivel sockets needed
2. The original post says to use a 5/8 ID tube but I think they meant 5/8 OD tube. I had to leave mid-job to get one. Those trans fluid spout tools from Flotool would work but they are too short. I just got tubing from Lowe's
3. Once the tube is in the hole, something stops it from going too far but it's solid enough it's fine
4. The drain plug was the only one I couldn't knock loose while on the ground. Last person must have cranked it. Finally got it off by getting the breaker bar in it and using the jack to push the handle up slowly.
5. I don't think inclinometer is needed. Magnetic level is fine. If you are in the camp of just putting back whatever came out and not even opening the level bolt, you probably don't even one at all. (Maybe I'm wrong)

 

[mhjett]

Congrats on a successful DIY. Totally agree on removing the wiring harness bracket - significantly improves access.

 

[John U]

Hey gang,
I wanted to do a second drain/fill before I venture west for the winter. I did my first drain/fill at 30,000 miles up in post #67. I figured a second a short time later (10,000 miles in two months!) would equal a 3/4 sump replenishment??? (first drain got half changed, second would leave a 1/4 sump of the original swill diluted).

Okay, I decided to lower to stock height and drop the level bolt to see how accurate my drain/fill through the breather procedure is. (a pain removing that bolt when I had it in the air) When it came time to reinstall when lowered, my hands would not twist to do it. Taking a break I remembered my Milwaukee M12 ratchet. Prayers answered! Easy peasy!

Was the oil level close? Yes, I measured how much I poured in and how much came out...... close enough!

 

[San Miguel]

@John U I have been looking to see if anyone has done this from the top. You didn’t check the fluid level after filling with the amount you drained, did you?

 

[San Miguel]

First time transmission oil change on a 5th gen. 30,000 miles under it's steel belts. I removed the two 10mm breather nuts and set the breather to the side.

When I got under it it was obvious, I would not need to remove all the "tupperware & tin". I removed the rear 10MM in the middle of the frame, the plastic push gizmo and loosened the drivers side 10MM.

I put a can under the loose corner to hold it down. Applied a 3/8" extension/swivel and loosened the drain nut. (A 5” extension should work the best to clear the pan and cat) Using a Form A Funnel found on Amazon.... which I also use under the oil filter.... I slid it into place with a ratchet under it. Oil flowed, game over after reversing the moves. I replaced exactly the amount of oil that drained.

1 hour invested after the vehicle was on jack stands. Learning was involved, next time 45 minutes!!!!

PS: Yes, a 5 inch - 3/8" extension, is perfect for clearing the pan to loosen or tighten. Found on Amazon under the WorkPro name.

View attachment 183597

View attachment 183575 View attachment 183576 View attachment 183577

I wanted to see if anyone has done this from the top. Did you check the fill level after you added the amount that was drained @John U

 

[John U]

I lowered the van with the level plug out. I replaced with an equal amount of oil. I had some drain out…. meaning I added a little to much last change. I add oil thru the transmission breather.

 

[gasman4u]

I lowered the van with the level plug out. I replaced with an equal amount of oil. I had some drain out…. meaning I added a little to much last change. I add oil thru the transmission breather.

Can you point and take pictures of how you got to the drain level bolt? Asking for a ham handed friend...

Also, what's the part number for the drain bolt crush washer? TIA.

 

[smufguy]

Also, what's the part number for the drain bolt crush washer? TIA.

Post #1 on Page #1.

 

[vbvic]

First time transmission oil change on a 5th gen. 30,000 miles under it's steel belts. I removed the two 10mm breather nuts and set the breather to the side.

When I got under it it was obvious, I would not need to remove all the "tupperware & tin". I removed the rear 10MM in the middle of the frame, the plastic push gizmo and loosened the drivers side 10MM.

I put a can under the loose corner to hold it down. Applied a 3/8" extension/swivel and loosened the drain nut. (A 5” extension should work the best to clear the pan and cat) Using a Form A Funnel found on Amazon.... which I also use under the oil filter.... I slid it into place with a ratchet under it. Oil flowed, game over after reversing the moves. I replaced exactly the amount of oil that drained.

1 hour invested after the vehicle was on jack stands. Learning was involved, next time 45 minutes!!!!

PS: Yes, a 5 inch - 3/8" extension, is perfect for clearing the pan to loosen or tighten. Found on Amazon under the WorkPro name.

View attachment 183597

View attachment 183575 View attachment 183576 View attachment 183577

Interesting. Sounds like a good shortcut. So instead of taking the metal and plastic splash shield you just removed one side to give you just enough room to get in there? Any concern of breaking other fasteners with the extra stress from it just hanging there? Or did you support it from underneath?
Also first time hearing about the form a funnel. Neat concept. How much more rigid is it than a piece of tin foil? I cut an empty oil quart bottle to make a guide/funnel. But it's missing sides so fluids still sometime soil. This might be a cleaner solution.
Thanks for your insight.

 

[mariner4]

My Drain-Fill on Ramps Data - and Tip to Avoid Hot ATF for Level Setting Bolt

Sharing my experiment changing our 2023 Odyssey’s ATF – follow on your own responsibility. At 60K miles, I used a 3X “drain-fill-drive” method of fluid exchange. I used ramps to drain ATF, added new ATF through the breather port on the transmission, and measured all fluids by weight – weight doesn’t change with temperature like volume does. At end of my third “drain-fill”, I performed the factory-prescribed ATF leveling procedure to confirm the fluid level – for me the two methods matched within 10 grams or <0.5 ounces.

Changing ATF at oil changes makes a dealer or independent mechanic’s job simpler – with a car level on a lift, it adds minimal extra time. But lifting and leveling the vehicle on jack stands takes me extra time, and adding the ATF through the fill port is awkward without a pressure system. Our Ody is primarily my wife’s vehicle, and I work on it when she won’t need it. I made the van level only after the last change, which helped me fit my work into available time.

With the front wheels of the Ody on ramps, I removed the radiator beauty panel, air intake snorkel, transmission breather, and aluminum tray under the transmission. I left the plastic shroud behind the bumper in place – I only removed it on my third ATF change, to perform the factory ATF leveling procedure (to avoid hot ATF from the level setting bolt, see below).

Catching all the ATF in a clean poly pan is basic to replace exactly what’s removed. I drained for 30 minutes, and reinstalled the cleaned bolt with a fresh washer. Recovered ATF was poured into an empty 5-quart oil jug, and WEIGHED. For the first change, the transmission and fluid were quite hot. I removed 4160 grams of ATF, or about 5.15 quarts, compared against the spec’d drain/fill of 4.5 quarts. I replaced the same weight of Honda Type 2 fluid. After four days of driving, I drained a second time, but the van and ATF were cooler. This time the ATF weighed 3892 grams (about 4.87 quarts). Nine days later the third drain “drain-fill” of ATF was also done cold, and it weighed 3811 grams (about 4.74 quarts). After this third fill, I leveled the Ody by jacking at the rear with jack stands. To be sure there would be extra to drain out, I added more ATF (what I had left of a quart, 138 grams or 5.5 oz). I performed the factory level setting procedure, and the fluid that drained out weighed 148 grams (about 6 oz). This was different from the add-back-what-I-took-out method by only 10 grams (less than ½ ounce).

I was happy with this result. Using weight instead of volume, with the Ody on ramps, and adding back exactly what I took out, I matched the level setting procedure well enough to do the first 2X drain-fills on ramps to save time and effort, and then do the full procedure to check my work. Our Honda 10-Speed Type B transmission has 8.8 quarts spec capacity, so the 15 quarts of Honda Type 2 ATF used in this 3X drain-fill-drive process replaced all but ca. 8.5 % of the old fluid.

TIP to remove and install the level setting bolt (LSB) without scalding your hands: Before beginning the ATF level setting, assemble a length of extensions with a 12mm socket that will allow you to put your socket on the LSB, but with your ratchet attached about 4.5 to 5 inches away, on the front side of the large tubular subframe member. This allows you to loosen and tighten the LSB with your hands away from the dripping, hot ATF.

 

[gasman4u]

My Drain-Fill on Ramps Data - and Tip to Avoid Hot ATF for Level Setting Bolt

Sharing my experiment changing our 2023 Odyssey’s ATF – follow on your own responsibility. At 60K miles, I used a 3X “drain-fill-drive” method of fluid exchange. I used ramps to drain ATF, added new ATF through the breather port on the transmission, and measured all fluids by weight – weight doesn’t change with temperature like volume does. At end of my third “drain-fill”, I performed the factory-prescribed ATF leveling procedure to confirm the fluid level – for me the two methods matched within 10 grams or <0.5 ounces.

Changing ATF at oil changes makes a dealer or independent mechanic’s job simpler – with a car level on a lift, it adds minimal extra time. But lifting and leveling the vehicle on jack stands takes me extra time, and adding the ATF through the fill port is awkward without a pressure system. Our Ody is primarily my wife’s vehicle, and I work on it when she won’t need it. I made the van level only after the last change, which helped me fit my work into available time.

With the front wheels of the Ody on ramps, I removed the radiator beauty panel, air intake snorkel, transmission breather, and aluminum tray under the transmission. I left the plastic shroud behind the bumper in place – I only removed it on my third ATF change, to perform the factory ATF leveling procedure (to avoid hot ATF from the level setting bolt, see below).

Catching all the ATF in a clean poly pan is basic to replace exactly what’s removed. I drained for 30 minutes, and reinstalled the cleaned bolt with a fresh washer. Recovered ATF was poured into an empty 5-quart oil jug, and WEIGHED. For the first change, the transmission and fluid were quite hot. I removed 4160 grams of ATF, or about 5.15 quarts, compared against the spec’d drain/fill of 4.5 quarts. I replaced the same weight of Honda Type 2 fluid. After four days of driving, I drained a second time, but the van and ATF were cooler. This time the ATF weighed 3892 grams (about 4.87 quarts). Nine days later the third drain “drain-fill” of ATF was also done cold, and it weighed 3811 grams (about 4.74 quarts). After this third fill, I leveled the Ody by jacking at the rear with jack stands. To be sure there would be extra to drain out, I added more ATF (what I had left of a quart, 138 grams or 5.5 oz). I performed the factory level setting procedure, and the fluid that drained out weighed 148 grams (about 6 oz). This was different from the add-back-what-I-took-out method by only 10 grams (less than ½ ounce).

I was happy with this result. Using weight instead of volume, with the Ody on ramps, and adding back exactly what I took out, I matched the level setting procedure well enough to do the first 2X drain-fills on ramps to save time and effort, and then do the full procedure to check my work. Our Honda 10-Speed Type B transmission has 8.8 quarts spec capacity, so the 15 quarts of Honda Type 2 ATF used in this 3X drain-fill-drive process replaced all but ca. 8.5 % of the old fluid.

TIP to remove and install the level setting bolt (LSB) without scalding your hands: Before beginning the ATF level setting, assemble a length of extensions with a 12mm socket that will allow you to put your socket on the LSB, but with your ratchet attached about 4.5 to 5 inches away, on the front side of the large tubular subframe member. This allows you to loosen and tighten the LSB with your hands away from the dripping, hot ATF.

Thanks for this detailed write up. I will try to find a scale I trust with tare, etc capabilities as I already have identical lexan containers for the next drain and fill cycle.

I also appreciate the level setting bolt detail too. I asked about 10 months ago and that was never answered, but your post clears it up.