Honda's official word on "flushing"

From the February '06 issues of Honda and Acura Service News, Honda's official newsletters to Honda and Acura dealers:

Flush Systems: A Big Taboo In Honda/Acura vehicles, the transmission, as well as the systems that handle lubrication, cooling, fuel, and power steering, are designed to give thousands of miles of trouble-free service if you follow the maintenance schedule to the letter.

Flush systems are a popular aftermarket offering these days. These products look impressive and make lots of claims, but American Honda strongly recommends you avoid using them on any Honda/Acura vehicle. Here?s why:

  • The maintenance schedule neither requires nor approves of aftermarket flush systems.
  • Flush systems take time to do; this adds to your service client?s wait time.
  • Flush systems haven?t demonstrated an improvement in vehicle performance or reliability.
  • Flush systems using solvents may leave solvent in the system you?re flushing. This will dilute the fluid or lubricant and degrade its performance.
  • Flush systems using filters can filter out vital additives and degrade the fluid?s or lubricant?s performance. This is particularly true for coolant.
  • Any damage caused by flush systems isn?t covered by warranty.
Reply to
Tegger
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And they didn't even mention the most important / expensive reasons: The goofs at your local Monkey Lube will hook up the hoses backwards and flush the contents of the internal transmission filter throughout your tranny, then refill it with Dexron or something else that will further help to destroy your new tranny :-(

'Curly'

Reply to
motsco_

The owner's manual for our CR-V says to change the transmission fluid three times, driving between each time. That's a lot of transmission fluid, especially if you have to pay "Honda Genuine" prices for it. I don't know, we bought the vehicle used at 100,000 miles, and it seems to have been well maintained, but the tranny fluid looked black in the drain pan although it looked good on the dipstick.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

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I always ask people to wipe the dipstick on a piece of white paper to determine the color better. I've owned four used CR-V's and I did the triple drain-n-fill on all of them. I think it's cheap insurance in case the last owner may have neglected the tranny.

What's the cost of a few bottles of Z1 compared to replacing a reamed-out tranny?

P.S. Did you replace the Dual Pump Fluid in the rear differential too?

30,000 miles is the correct interval... At least you only need one litre. :-)

'Curly'

Reply to
motsco_

That is Honda's official recommendation for a "flush". That is, the drain/fill/drive/ cycles help get more of the original fluid out than a simple drain. But such a procedure is not what they recommend for maintenance.

Honda's specification for regular maintenance merely states a drain and fill.

Reply to
Elmo P. Shagnasty

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Granted, but if you have NO IDEA whether the previous owner ever changed it for 100,000 miles, or overheated it, or got water in it, it makes sense to 'start fresh' as you can, No?

'Curly'

Reply to
motsco_

I agree, and I did change the dual pump fluid too. Where to get Z1 at a good price? I live about 120 miles from one Honda dealer, 135 from the other next closest one.

Thanks,

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Yeah. Clean as a whistle, but why not believe the owner's manual when you have spent a ridiculous amount of money for a used vehicle, just because it is a Honda? That rear diff. looks expensive. That tranny does too. Cheap sources for Z1, or thoughts on using Dexron for the first two changes?

Cheers,

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

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I run Z1 in my rear differentials. I'm totally convinced it's the same stuff. In some countries you can't get DPF, so the dealers just sell Z1 and everything works OK. I have the choice of three dealers but Z1 still expensive.

For the tranny, Dexron for the first drain-n-fill would be OK, I'm thinking, but Z1 for the next two, for sure. I drain it very patiently. I think Z1 just has a few essential additives, but is probably just Dexron otherwise.

'Curly'

Reply to
motsco_

How long to drive between the drain-n-fills ?

Reply to
fvckH1B

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The shop manual says you can just run it through the gears for a few minutes, sitting still. If you drive it until next weekend you get more magnetic particles (fuzz) on the recently cleaned magnet due to more exposure. I like to get as much out as I can, partly as a diagnostic.

'Curly'

Reply to
motsco_

in my experience, /any/ ordinary dexron in the transmission messes up the shift quality big time. avoid, avoid, avoid.

Reply to
jim beam

i recently changed the fluid on my 89 after about 50k of hard charging. the magnet was so clean, you could still see bare metal. indicates that lots of the metal fragmentation occurs in the early miles.

Reply to
jim beam

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