Finally, a Synthetic ATF fluid for the 5th Gen Prelude! - Honda Prelude Forum

Gerhard · 06-10-2002, 11:50 AM

Some of you guys may know me for my ranting posts on hondaprelude.com about the Honda Sequential Sport Shift Transmission and Police Officers. However, I think this message will be of use to anyone with an SS Auto 5th Gen.

If you own an SS Auto Prelude, you may have noticed that they shift poorly when very cold (from 30 degrees F or below).

For years I've been looking for a decent Synthetic ATF that might help with both the longevity of my Prelude's transmission, and its generally grumpy cold shifting issues.

As some of you are aware, I'm one of those people who got a bad transmission when I bought my ride new. It eventually blew up under warranty (barely) and I got a brand new one because I *****ed so much. (I'd also taken it to the dealer 3 times over 18 months and told them I knew something was wrong. However, it appears that really hard shifts or slippage are not an indication of imminent failure according to Hondaâ€¦) The point is that neither the old trans or the new one have done well in cold weather driving when the car's been sitting over night.

Anyway, after speaking with one of the other members here I found out about B&M Racing's Synthetic Trick Shift ATF. It's a Dextron III compatible fluid like the Honda ATF, and unlike some other synthetic ATF's this one actually works well in our transmissions. Honda refuses to publish the specifications of their transmission fluids as to prevent aftermarket companies from making compatible fluids. So itâ€™s taken a little while for the industry to catch up for our transmissions.

Until now I haven't mentioned this to anyone, but when I started having problems with my original transmission I tried Redline D4 Synthetic ATF. It caused the transmission to slip all over the place, and I suspect that it might have pushed up the time table of the actual failure of my original transmission. Itâ€™s not to say that the transmission didnâ€™t already have a problem, itâ€™s just to indicate that Redline didnâ€™t help! I seriously recommend that you do not use Redline D4 ATF in your 5th Gen Auto. Though it's possible it's been reformulated in the 2.5 years since I tried it, why risk it?

Changing the fluid:

If you've ever changed your trans fluid in the 5th gen, then you are aware that you can only get 3 QTs out of the transmission a change.

However, if you drain the fluid out of the reservoir and then fill it up with 3 QTs of the new fluid, you can them drain the t-converter and the ATF cooler separately.

How? On top of your auto transmission are two ports: One that is the inlet to the trans from the cooler, and one that is the outlet to the cooler from the trans. The return from the cooler is the line closer to the engine block with the long steel pipe that wraps around to the back of the trans. What you do is disconnect this line and put an extra length of hose onto return cooler hose.

In order to connect the two hose segments I used a small metal tube and two hose clamps. The hose clamps prevent any leaks.

Onto the procedure:

You'll need a 1 to 2 Qt container, about 6 more QTs of transmission fluid and a friend to help you.

With the newly lengthen hose now positioned so that it's in the container, you start the car and have your friend signal you to stop the car when the container has about a Qt of fluid in it. (This happens fast, approx 20 seconds.) You now put another Qt of new fluid into the filler hole for the ATF reservoir. Repeat the purging and filling a total of 6 times. You'll notice that by the 6th time the fluid will be a light blue color (if you are refilling with B&M ATF).

Road Test:

I took the car out on the back roads and started shifting through the gears. There is a noticeable improvement in the shifting quality. The trans now shifts a fair amount smoother from one gear to the next.

I then took the car out onto the highway and let it do it's thing in both auto mode and SS mode... one again, it works wonderfully. There is a serious shifting improvement overall.

Cost:

Ok, here is the funny part -> The B&M Racing Trick Shift Synthetic ATF Fluid is $6.45 a QT.

Why is this funny? Honda ATF is $4.75 a QT. The B&M fluid is really not that much more expensive. It's about $20.00 more for a case of the synthetic fluid. After changing the fluid over the first time, you'll only be doing the standard 3 Qt drain of the system every 15,000 miles after that. So, those 3 QTs will cost you about $5.00 more per change.

Considering that the SS Auto Transmission is a $5000.00 job to replace, I'd have to say that a synthetic ATF is probably worth the extra cash.

Of course, time will tell.

I got the fluid from:

OK Auto, 4WD, and Tire
2621 Sate Rt 57
Stewartsville, NJ 08886
(908) 454-6973

Iâ€™ll update folks on the fluid as time goes on.

-Gerhard

Lostboy7500 · 06-10-2002, 12:23 PM

If no one else will say it, thank you for sharing. I have a 98 SS with my second tranny. Honda ATF is all I have used, maybe its time to try synthetic. Hopefully it will hold up.

makavelli1227 · 06-10-2002, 12:34 PM

thanks man this def should be faqed

AccordSleeper · 06-10-2002, 01:02 PM

The synthetic trick shift has been out for almost a year now, kinda funny your just hearing about it now.

Anyways another good ATF that costs only $3.00 a qt is Quaker State 4x4 Synthetic Blend Dexron III/ Mercon V. The syn Trickshift was actually made for Fords that require require Mercon V rating.

Gerhard · 06-10-2002, 04:23 PM

Yeah, I've heard that Synthetic Trick Shift has been out... but after trying Redline and having no success, I decided to wait until someone told me that it worked.

So the question then is, if I heard about it way after it was initally available, have you (AccordSleeper) acutally been using it??

The Redline folks also told me that Trick Shift is a Type-F fluid...So I figured that ment Ford...

One more update:

I've been using the stuff for 5 days now and it's workig great! I finally noticed that my engine temp is 19 degrees cooler than normal.

(I just plugged in the OBDII scan tool and compared scans with a previous one.)

The wild thing is that the ATF is the only thing that's changed, and that the weather has actually been hotter...

-Gerhard

Gerhard · 06-10-2002, 04:25 PM

I'm not really sure I'd use the Quaker State stuff... if it's not 100% synthetic, I figure that I'd just use the Honda stuff.

I do know that either Quaker State or Castrol have a late model import specific ATF. (One of the lube places looked it up for me...)

-Gerhard

Smokey_Mcpot · 06-10-2002, 09:26 PM

thanks for that write-up. i've been using trick shift since last summer and it works great. i've recommended it before on superhonda and here too. i have also recommended a tranny cooler. i have a fluidyne and other have either a b&m or a hayden. i have nothing but complements for the b&m trick shift. when i shift, the car lunges. it feels new again! without the tranny cooler, the fluid is cooled by the radiator. so the hot radiator is cooling hotter tranny oil. so 210+ degree water is cooling the tranny oil. doesn't sound too good to me.

Gerhard · 06-10-2002, 09:30 PM

Yeah, with the transmission temp having gone down as a result of the synthetic transmission fluid, the engine temp is also down.

I think 20 degrees is a pretty serious difference.

Everyone keeps telling me to get a tranny cooler, so that's probably next.

I'm also wondering if I should attempt to install a fluid filter....

-Gerhard

sgvprelude · 06-10-2002, 09:35 PM

whoa this is some good information. I'll be sure to try some trick shift atf when i get around to installing the tranny oil cooler.

Smokey_Mcpot · 06-10-2002, 09:38 PM

i saw that post about the tranny fluid filter too. i've noticed that when i change my tranny fluid, the drain plug has a lot of goop on it. it seems like a combo of sludge and metal shavings. i've never had a tranny slip on me in almost 5 and a half years. i have the reverse clank that everyone else does too but it's been doing that since day one. i want to get a tranny temp gauge but i have no room for it. i have 5 gauges in my car now: a/f, voltmeter, water temp, nitrous pressure and fuel pressure. unless i mount it in the glove box or somewhere hidden. i wanna see how effective the tranny cooler is.

2KFLAMEDLUDE · 06-11-2002, 05:56 AM

Yep get a stall converter and you will be all set! I like B&M.. Been using it almost a year.

AccordSleeper · 06-11-2002, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gerhard
So the question then is, if I heard about it way after it was initally available, have you (AccordSleeper) acutally been using it??

-Gerhard

Nope never tried it. I couldn't find it locally and I tried Redline Race ATF cause I could get it cheaper online than Syn Trick shift.
Then my tranny started slipping and 9 months later now I have a JDM H22 and 5sp conversion.

I did mix the Quaker State blend with regular Trick Shift and it seemed pretty good.

I have heard mixed opinions on full synthetic in Honda trannies for 5sp and autos. In my 5sp I use Honda MTL and if I ever by another auto I will probably use Honda ATF and mix it with Trick shift. It may work great now, but who knows how well it protects in the long. If your SS is still under warranty and it fails they most likely will not cover it if they don't see Honda ATF in it.

Gerhard · 06-11-2002, 01:26 PM

Well,

I've got some pretty serious experience with a ****ty SS Auto. I had one that was bad from the start and I bought the car new...

I agree that I would not use anything other than Honda ATF in the car while it was under warranty. However the warranty is 36,000 miles, and I've got 75,000 on the car - with 45,000 on the new transmission.

I'm thinking that the fact that the unit shifts quite well and the Trick Shift Synthetic meets Dexron III / Mercon requirements, that there is a very slight chance of the Trick Shift not protecting as well Honda ATF.

Facts:

1) Car shifts much smoother.
2) Engine temp is down 20 degrees.
3) Cold driving characteristics are much better.

Those 3 things alone point toward a healthier transmission!

Also, I'm doubtful of Honda's claim that you must use their fluids. The owner's manual for the Prelude indicates that for EVERY fluid you MUST use their fluid. (Steering, ATF, coolant, oil, freon - it's nuts!)

Though I agree being safe is good, I'm not so certain that Honda has an interest in providing a simple effective low cost solution to our transmission issues...

AccordSleeper · 06-11-2002, 02:52 PM

Yeah I agree the Honda only crap seems wrong, but it seems that some of their products are really better. The Honda MTL is simply the best fluid for the price. The only other thing that people like is Redline MTL which is alot more $$$.

I also buy the 5w-20 for my girls 02' civic just to be safe.

Luckily I get 20% off cause my dad knows the dealer.

Gerhard · 06-11-2002, 05:32 PM

I think the Redline stuff is vastly superior... I've heard so many good things about their MTL and our 5 speeds.

I've been reading a lot of stuff about 5w20 oils, and most of it not really good. Speculation is that that trend will die quickly....

-Gerhard