As for the order of the filter - i'd switch it first and then do the drain/refill but i'm not certain it would make a discernable difference...If you think about it - that is where most of the goop is going to gather (in theory) and not in the old fluid itself.
By removing the filter you're removing the majority of the contaminantes and then running only 66% dirty fluid through the new filter.
So for me, I'd install it & drain the fluid at the same time (then repeat the other 2 fills/drains)

I also added a bit of extra hose and routed it to under the battery box. It makes sense to do that imho.

 

I would remove the filter. Do the 3x drain and fills and then add the filter after the last drain/fill. Its OK to drive the car a bit without the filter. Remember. The van never came with one so its good you added one. You would need to find a joint (or a whole tranny return line) and use it while the filter is out.

 

Thanks for the replies. I knew this day would come after I re-installed the bumper I'll add hose to make future access easy. I may have to remove the dang bumper one more time because I'd rather add hose to the cooler than splice the new hose in. Maybe I'm being too cautious but a splice could be a leak point some day.

I would remove the filter. Do the 3x drain and fills and then add the filter after the last drain/fill. Its OK to drive the car a bit without the filter. Remember. The van never came with one so its good you added one. You would need to find a joint (or a whole tranny return line) and use it while the filter is out.

That makes sense - that way the new filter or the new fluid will get less contamination. I'll buy a 3/8 splice connector and temporarily join the hoses where the filter was before the drain/fill. Then pop in the new filter when done.

 

I would remove the filter. Do the 3x drain and fills and then add the filter after the last drain/fill. Its OK to drive the car a bit without the filter. Remember. The van never came with one so its good you added one. You would need to find a joint (or a while tranny return line) and use it while the filter is out.

I'm a little confused by your reply. The magnafine filter traps whatever it can and does not allow those contaminants to pass through, that is its job.
1)If you remove that filter, any particles, etc that might move through the oil lines while doing the 4x change could get caught in the inline Honda filter and/or in the transmission itself.
2)Why not leave the old magnafine filter in until you are finished and then change it to a new filter. That way any contaminants that may happen while doing the 4x will be removed when you change out the old filter?
3)Is the magnafine filter before or after the Honda filter? If it is after, then it wouldn't make any difference since the Honda filter would probably pick up most of the contaminants , except for the fine metal particles that the magnafine magnet would pick up.
Buffalo4

 

Thanks for the replies. I knew this day would come after I re-installed the bumper I'll add hose to make future access easy. I may have to remove the dang bumper one more time because I'd rather add hose to the cooler than splice the new hose in. Maybe I'm being too cautious but a splice could be a leak point some day.

Sorry not the bumper but the plastic splash shield underneath - the bumper can stay. I like to call it the "belly plastic"...

 

2)Why not leave the old magnafine filter in until you are finished and then change it to a new filter. That way any contaminants that may happen while doing the 4x will be removed when you change out the old filter?

+1