Do You Need Special Fluids for Your Vehicle?

[@sc0tte1-416]

Hey Eric...could you name a follow-up video with the top responses that you recieved?

[@Andrew-zv4fm]

I would be interested in that.

[@averyalexander2303]

@@Andrew-zv4fm I would too!

[@noyopacific]

@@averyalexander2303 I would be three, or maybe I was fourth . . . ?

[@jotu173]

Me 5

[@sc0tte1-416]

Cheers guys keep 'em comin' 🙃

[@mrdave777]

Viewers. Remember Honda makes cars and not fluid. My 06 TL has Maxlife trans fluid. Mobil 1. Lucas power steering fluid and my radiator is a concoction of mixes. The car runs freaking great!!! I have the miles to prove it.

[@NicolasCageIsActuallyARobot]

Hey Eric, you are absolutely correct about fluid manufacturers. I'm a BMW guy and in the bimmer world, the BMW tax is real. What do we do instead of buying overpriced fluid from the dealer? Find out who makes the fluid and buy it from them! Coolant is made by Pentosin, Differential fluid is made by Castrol, manual transmission fluid is just Pentosin FFL-4, power steering fluid is Pentosin CHF-11s etc. All of these things can be 50% cheaper or more than the dealer. In fact I once saw FFL-4 on sale at Autozone for a dollar on clearance. The same goes with parts. You can buy M3 parts directly from TRW with the BMW "M" logo literally ground off from the factory. Half the price.

[@nos1000100]

some times you have to use aftermarket fluid because the "recommended" fluid may be discontinued

[@averyalexander2303]

My experiences with non OEM fluids in my Honda: 1. Valvoline Import Full Synthetic ATF is what I use in my Civic. The trans lasted 243K hard miles before the clutches went out, and I likely am the one who killed it by doing stupid things to it. The inside of the old trans was VERY clean and the gear teeth looked great. I filled my new/used replacement trans with that fluid without giving it a second thought. 2. I used standard Dexron/Mercon fluid to flush the coolant out of the trans when the heat exchanger failed and filled it with coolant. It didn't like that fluid at all, the trans was slipping and shuddering when giving it more than about 20% throttle. No damage was done though, it was happy when refilled with the correct fluid. 3. I used generic Honda/Acura power steering fluid for about 5 years, then I got too cheap to go get the right fluid, so I used that same Valvoline Import fully synthetic ATF in my Civic's power steering system for the last 3 years and it worked perfectly fine. No noises, leaks, etc. The system was still working perfectly fine when I pulled it out to convert to EPS. Don't do that unless its an emergency though, the system may have been on its last legs when I removed it for all I know. 4. Clean fluids are best! Even the best fluids will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Don't believe that nonsense of "lifetime fluids" or "special" fluids that last 100K miles, that's no more real than lifetime tires. Change your fluids often, fluids are cheap compared to the components they go into!

[@jaskanwarrandhawa6577]

i use valvoline max life great stuff i have a 2007 honda civic driven really hard i mean really hard still shifts good 125k of track and hard city miles

[@jaskanwarrandhawa6577]

i change my transmission fluid every oil change it only costs me 8$

[@averyalexander2303]

@@jaskanwarrandhawa6577 Nice! I have also used Maxlife fluid in my other Honda when the Import fluid wasn't available and it also works fine. If you are pushing your car that hard though you may want to look into getting an oil cooler for your transmission. That's basically a small radiator that the transmission's oil runs through to help it cool off. As is, your transmission is only cooled by a small oil to coolant heat exchanger, and 190 degree coolant isn't that great at cooling off a heavily loaded transmission, and 9 out of 10 transmission failures are said to be caused by overheating.

[@sagetl6447]

As a owner if 04 TL & 12 RDX I only use Honda psf, Anti-freeze & DW-1 transmission fluid. I appreciate your videos . If I have an issue or general maintenance I look for your videos first. Can't wait to see vids on the TL. Thanks!

[@roncrawford5013]

I'm a bit of a waffler on using OEM fluids but I have gotten better as I've gotten older and wiser. For certain fluids I only use OEM stuff now. I own 3 German vehicles now, 2 Audi's and a VW. Lord knows that VAG products like to be different and they recommend ONLY using OEM fluids for everything. When it comes to the coolant I have used the universal stuff but I try to stick to G12 (used by most modern German cars). It's the pink stuff that all of us VW guys know and love. For power steering I use mineral oil based fluids. I don't use the OEM stuff but with VAG products most require a mineral oil based fluid as a synthetic can and will damage the pump. This is probably a similar thing with Honda and other manufacturers as well. It will say right on the cap and it is important. For oil I started with Mobil 1 European 0-40 on my VW but have since switched to using only Rotella T6 5-40 in all my vehicles. I swear by the stuff. My B7 S4 is sitting at 215k on the clock on a well known problem engine (timing chains and guides fail) and it's still going strong. Lastly I absolutely LOVE the pennzoil syncromesh MT fluid. It is THE ONLY thing I will use in my manuals. I've put 5 track days on my VW GTI since switching out to it and it cleared up some funky 3rd gear grinding issues and runs perfect summer and winter in my S4. I simply love the stuff.

[@carltorres513]

I've been a Car Technician for 17yrs now I'm 39yrs old still doing it. For Transmission flushes for new vehicles use dealer fluids only. For power steering honda use honda only because if u mix generic fluid with Honda fluid it makes a reaction. Also European vehicles its different also. On the blue coolant compared to the green coolant I've seen the blue coolant leaves more residue all over the radiator and the reserve tank. The green coolant does not leave that residue. But in the field honestly I've seen all different makes & models run just fine with the generic green. It's just been these last 10yrs now that's it's a thing now every car has special coolant.. Even the new Fords have special coolant.GM orange coolant I've seen over time eats up the plastic on the intake manifold cause the manifold is plastic on motors nowadays...

[@melodicdreamer72]

But, is the blue residue protecting the cooling system seals and materials?

[@carltorres513]

Honestly I see no difference in the blue compared to the green coolant in seal protection or performance. But I have noticed that blue coolant is way more expensive than the green coolant lol

[@CrazyKid1998MJP]

I recently changed my 06 Ridgeline RTL with over 177,XXX miles to Amsoil All terrain ATF currently its approximately an 80/20 split of Amsoil ATF and Honda ATF. The vehicle shifts so much smoother than before. No clunks, no hesitation. And I absolutely abuse the vehicle. No problems.

[@nopenottalib4366]

I'd appreciate some input from oil fluid folks: I have a 99 Olds 88 50th Anniversary Edition. It has 105,500ish miles on it. I bought it 2 years ago and it had 61k miles on it. Basically sat in a barn most of its life it seems. Regardless - Buick 3800 Series II V6 engine. Runs GREAT (although I have a weird power issue sometimes that I still need to figure out.) Leaks NO oil from any gaskets. Both valve cover gaskets were replaced at about 70k when I did the lower intake manifold gasket. It wasn't leaking ... yet ... but it still had the original faulty plastic garbage gasket GM put on it that regularly fails. Replaced lower intake gasket and both valve cover gaskets, as well as upper plenum gasket with Felpro gaskets (aluminum backing plate for lower intake manifold gasket.) The manual says to change oil every 7k miles. Most mechanics say 3k miles. I compromised in the middle and change it every 4k miles. I use Pennzoil Platinum Plus 10w30 full synthetic oil and a K&N oil filter. I'm never more than 4k between changes. My question / concern: I seem to lose (probably burn) about 2 quarts of oil between changes. I'm wondering if my PCV is due for changing out. Oil always looks clean, and the top end of the engine looks very clean - no sludge. Engine runs great, never stalls or fails to start. I do have a weird power issue that I think is a fuel-related problem - possibly PCM / O2 sensor related. Won't get into that here. Doesn't do it all the time, it's kind of random ... could even be a partially clogged catalytic converter. Exhaust pressure at the tail pipe seems good though and the engine doesn't sound like it's having trouble breathing. If I really, really, REALLY get on it hard (which I very rarely ever do) it smokes a bit. Not sure if it's oil burning or just carbon burning off the pistons. Otherwise, normal driving I get no smoke at all. Nada. But ... that oil is going somewhere. 2 quarts every 4k miles seems high to me. But the engine has good compression and is super quiet - no weird noises, knocking, squeals, etc. Underside of the entire engine area is bone-dry. It's not leaking out anywhere. No blue smoke on normal acceleration, semi-hard acceleration, or cold startups. Is it possible that the full synthetic Pennzoil is maybe just a tad too thin and it's causing blow-by above normal? Is 2 quarts normal blow-by for a '99 Series 2 3.8 over 4k miles? Is it possible I need to step up to a thicker oil or another brand? I've heard some oils have too much additives to increase oil flow that in some engines it'll leak or have excessive blow-by.

[@5roundsrapid263]

Most older engines just burned oil. A quart every 2K wasn’t unheard of back then. You might try 10W-40, but it won’t stop the oil burning completely.

[@nopenottalib4366]

@@5roundsrapid263 Thanks for the input. I'll try some full synthetic 10w40 on my next oil change and see how it responds.

[@mrdylanjoseph]

I work at a place which uses Valvoline MaxLife ATF, but when I recently serviced the trans in our '05 ES 330 I decided to buy Toyota Type T IV fluid. While servicing the trans I noticed that the Type T IV was a different consistency and had a unique smell not like other ATFs. I know nothing about fluid, but it was interesting. It made me think that there is a ton of research and engineering that goes into these transmissions and their fluid is specifically formulated to work with all the switchgear and mechanicals in there. I'm of the attitude don't risk it with such a vital part of the vehicle that is extremely costly to repair/replace just to save a few bucks. The Toyota dealer charged me 62 bucks for 12 quarts, about the same it would cost to buy MaxLife ATF at Walmart! Ha

[@LiveFreeOrDieDH]

I have a 2000 Honda Civic that I bought 15 years ago and I've put well over 110K miles on it. These are the fluids I have used, and what my results have been: * Motor Oil - used many brands over the years, both conventional, synthetic, and blends, all with the recommended 5w30 viscosity. The car has developed an oil leak over the years, and I need to add a quart of oil every 1-2K miles. The severity of the leak over time did not seem to be affected by which oil I used. These days, I'm partial to SuperTech full synthetic from Wal-Mart. * ATF - Honda's automatic transmissions are known for being unique, and that includes their fluid requirements. The Civic shipped with Honda's ATF-Z1 fluid. That fluid was discontinued and Honda now specifies their new OEM ATF, called DW-1, for all their vehicles. DW-1 is less viscous than Z1, presumably to help their fuel economy numbers. Based on my research (this was a few years ago) Castrol Transmax Import Multi-vehicle was the only aftermarket fluid that specifically claimed compatibility with Z1 and DW-1 (EDIT - Valvoline MaxLife Multi-Vehicle also claims compatability). Also, the viscosity of the Castrol fluid was very close to the original Z1. The Castrol is widely available and more affordable than the Honda OEM fluid. After using both DW-1 and the Castrol as a replacement for ATF-Z1, I have to say I slightly prefer the performance with the Castrol, though the differences are small. * Power steering - Hondas also typically have pretty specific requirements for their power steering fluids. I have always used aftermarket fluid that is specifically formulated for Hondas (such as www.autozone.com/brake-and-power-steering-fluid-additives/power-steering-fluid-app/autozone-honda-power-steering-fluid-12oz/84948_0_0). Never had any power steering issues. * Brake fluid - always used aftermarket DOT3 brake fluid. One of the brake lines ruptured a few months back but it seems to be a common issue in Civics this old, especially in the Northeast where we drive on salted roads during much of the winter. * Antifreeze - used whatever aftermarket green fluid I could find cheap or was just lying around. I did have to replace one leaky radiator after the plastic on top cracked, but I don't think I can attribute that crack to the fluid I used.

[@midwestfarm757]

My dads 2003 V6 Accord's transmission lasted until 261,000 miles with regular Honda fluid changes. That's pretty good in my opinion for a transmission that is known to be troublesome. He's sitting at 287,000 miles on the rebuild. The power steering system is all original with only Honda fluid as well.

[@jeffkeryk3550]

I service friends cars as my hobby and to help them. I have used Maxlife ATF in older Hondas that may not have had regular service. Great results with a simple spill and fill. In our 2006 TSX (194K) I switched to Idemitsu DW-1 equivalent after a lifetime of DW-1. Excellant stuff. It actually pulls better during typical street driving conditions. For PS fluid, I generlly use genuine Honda but have had great results with tO'Reilly house brand Honda equivalent. Back to Maxlife ATF, it is a full synthetic; I have used it in Toyotas and Nissans with great results. Again, the cars I serviced may not have had regulat ATF services. Finally, I have used Valvoline and Castrol CVT fluid in Nissans and their infamous CVT transmissions. It help a lot! That's my experience.

[@AcuraAddicted]

I'm using Acura/Honda fluids exclusively for my MDX with the exception of oil, which I use on your recommendation: Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20. Ever since I started putting this oil back in 2014, the car runs noticeably smoother. Also, when I opened the valve covers for measuring and adjusting valves a month ago at 270K kms I was shocked how clean the valvetrain is (especially in the back, of course) considering the mileage. The ATF-DW1, DPSF, Honda Gear Oil, Honda PS fluid, Honda Brake fluid and Honda coolant are very inexpensive and affordable. The car runs great even after 11 years - no errors. All of the maintenance is done religiously according to the maintenance minder.

[@sagetl6447]

You put out some great how to videos as well on Acura. Thank You for that.

[@AcuraAddicted]

Sage TL Thanks a lot!

[@bretknol1981]

I have owned several Mopars and do most of my own work. I have learned that ATF+4 is ATF+4, it doesn't matter which which brand you buy, be it Walmart's Supertech or Mopar ATF+4. The licensing and specs to market the fluid as "ATF+4" are so tight that that all the different brands have the same fluid.

[@averyalexander2303]

Good to know. From my understanding, all ATF+4 is also synthetic.

[@ivanvujadinovic9905]

I think Mopar learned the same thing lately , and now sell their ATF+4 for $5-$6/qt on Amazon, which is close to the Supertech price.

[@Joshua-zi6bq]

I hope so. I have an oil change, spark plugs, and trans filter/fluid change coming up at 30k miles and I'm trying to save money so I'll be going with super tech atf4.

[@AKJeeper]

I'm a former Mopar tech and I have the same experience with non-Mopar branded ATF+4. Never a problem whether its with WM Supertech, Pennzoil, Castrol, or Valvoline. If it's branded strictly as ATF+4, it works just as the Mopar stuff does. One thing I am leery of using on Mopar transmissions is ATF branded as multi-vehicle. I'll use that stuff on vehicles with Aisin transmissions, but practically nothing else.

[@snoopdogie187]

I buy generic ATF+4 without worrying. Other fluids, I worry. My mom drives a Ford with the LV atf, and I will only buy the ford brand, and pay a lot for it because I don't trust any others.

[@denniscaulfield7480]

When I changed my transmission fluid I used B&M trick shift and it made a noticeable Improvement in the crispness of the shift.

[@RikardNordin]

I’ve been using the cheapest aftermarket universal stuff I can find for about 20 years. Mainly VAG (Volkswagen/Skoda), Saab and Volvo. Never had any issues, never had any complaints related to the fluids (or the spare parts).

[@frugalprepper]

I don't work on a ton of Hondas. It's been my experience that Honda owners have trouble paying their bill. When I get a call about some old Honda Civic, my red flag goes up right away. The most annoying thing is the OEM fluid aren't available on a Sunday from Autozone, and sometimes I have to do what I have to do. I've used the Aftermarket Carquest and Napa Honda PS fluid and it's been fine. The regular stuff will foam up and cause cavitation in the pumps. I've done several Odyssey Power steering pumps that have died after having the wrong PS fluid. For trans fluid these days I use Valvoline Max life in most stuff and Valvoline ATF+4 for Chrylser. I have also used the Valvoline Import Multi Vehicle in Honda's with no problems. I run cheap Rural King conventional oil in my vehicles, with OEM filters, and I change it every 3,000 miles, I'd rather have cheap clean new oil than dirty old expensive oil. As far as coolant, it depends on how new the vehicle is. I alway use the Shell brand Dex in GM if it currently has Dex in it, but the other stuff if it is older and they are just trying to keep it around a few more years (I do a lot of that), it usually gets universal or strait up green stuff). If it's a newer nice car then I get the correct OEM stuff for it.

[@ETCG1]

Thanks for your input. BTW, you can always pick up a case of Honda fluid and keep it in stock for when you need it. ;)

[@frugalprepper]

@@ETCG1 Yeah It's not even the money right now, it's the storage space vs. the amount of them I work on. I am just amassing a huge stock pile of fluids and parts these days. I need to get a second shed!

[@Hifalifa]

I used to work in a dealership in Mexico and we found that you can top off the stering fluid with the synthetic engine oil and we nevr had any problems. It also reduced noise in steering pumps after repairing them

[@sniper50cal2]

I have an 86 Toyota pickup manual transmission that was given to me from my parents (my version of Dads Truck if you will). Waaaaayy back when my father had the transmission overhauled before we moved from California to Arkansas and the old fellow that did it told him to put 30wt engine oil in it and you’ll never had a problem with it. The rebuild was done at 150ishk miles and it has 360k on the odometer now and never had a problem. Only thing I noticed is you have to let it warm up longer in the winter to get some heat from the engine absorbed into the trans to get it to shift smoother or else it will be stiff.

[@nwedrick]

Less expensive alternatives can be found at Oreilly Auto parts. Their Master Pro (house brand) makes Honda specific power steering fluid. Valvoline also makes a Honda specific ATF fluid.

[@Fortheloveofjdm]

Sweet goin by oreilly on the way home thanks

[@5roundsrapid263]

AAP has Honda specific PSF, too. I saw it there recently.

[@Fortheloveofjdm]

Got a qt at o'Reilly for 6.99 and swapped the fluids when i got home :)

[@kennethmonson]

I had some old minivan that supposedly had a bad transmission in it. I changed the fluid with whatever ATF I didn't pay attention, old stuff looked like cocacola. It drove down the road but it was seemingly going out. Read later that I should have used ATF+4 so I changed it one more time w/ that and it actually made the thing drive-able. It was still making an awful noise, but it worked for the most part. Ended up getting it rebuilt in the end, but I was surprised that using the right fluid made the difference that it did.

[@tubatom23]

I use schaeffer's specialized lubricants for all of my equipment (semi trucks), customers equipment as well as some of the automotive work that we take in (which is only “older” GM and ford’s). We also take oil analysts for every big rig oil change and have been pleasantly surprised with the results. Such as, extended oil change intervals, cleaner samples, higher oil pressure, less oil consumption and less wear metals. In the gear boxes, I’ve noticed cooler temperatures and less differential failures with regular oil changes (every 200,000 miles). We love their grease and have noticed that we lose less grease out of the U joins. But I will say, the stuff can be really hard to pump in colder weather and makes a damn mess if you get it on yourself. There’s folks who don’t like their products, but in our application with semi trucks and American v8’s they work great and meet all of our needs and expectations

[@GoTMLGo1967]

I’ve used Amsoil signature series atf for Ford vehicles that require Mercon V and Mercon LV. My uncle and I have Ford Escapes that requires Mercon LV. I changed his with Ford Mercon LV ATF and my vehicle with Amsoil signature series ATF. Both cars had no previous issues that we know of as they were both new to us and we were flushing the transmission as a preventative service. With the ford fluid it takes forever to look cherry red even tho I flushed his whole transmission, this is a known trait with Mercon LV ATF fluid. Goes brown quickly! Other then that no issues, runs great. Mine with the Amsoil is much more red after the flush and is running great. Best part about it, it’s all drain and fill! 👍

[@methanial73]

On my E430 I used ATF+4 synthetic fluid for the transmission. Worked great and never had any issues with the transmission.

[@razinhailsharp]

I'm not a professional, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn once. That being said, in older vehicles I use generic fluids for most everything. In newer vehicles, I'll use generic coolant and brake fluid (of the proper DOT type) but I haven't had to replace P/S fluid yet. In my 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander, I only use the J2 Diaqueen fluid the owner's manual calls for. The thing I'm most curious about though is blinker fluid! I've heard you can use generic blinker fluid and be fine, but brand specific blinker fluid can add 10 HP.

[@jackofallshade]

That 10hp is marketing bull mate, studies show its grossly over exaggerated and actually more like 4-6 hp with the brand specific fluid. But you can sometimes use a newer spec in an older car, your local parts shop should be able to check for you. P.s always remember to change fluid in both blinkers, if you only do one you only get half the performance boost.

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Using the wrong blinker fluid can adversely alter the car's turning radius and only doing one side can cause a rollover hazard in the other direction.

[@Ayeobe]

If you happen to get an older Honda... dont put generic PS or ATF in it. The PS system will die. Also, the automatic trans runs by witchcraft and needs OEM ATF to function properly, cos its unlike any other transmission..and for 3 bucks a bottle, id rather not chance it. Evidence shows its a very likely way to granade everything..

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

@@Ayeobe Where did you get Honda ATF for 3 bux a bottle? Mine was more like 10 but it had the Acura name on it. Maybe that's what makes it cost more. The label gives many added horsepower.

[@Ayeobe]

@@InsideOfMyOwnMind Its about 3 bucks more.. at least for the PS fluid. I was refering to price difference, not full price..

[@brettsuydam7457]

I tend to use the manufacturer fluid on specific things like transfer cases, transmissions, etc. If the fluid calls for something like gear oil I’ll just grab whatever is the right weight.

[@hondofourfivetwo9347]

I’ve done the synchromesh thing to Honda’s & Acura’s too When I was at a corporate owned chain automotive repair shop we were supposed to use our Kendal ATF & oils on everything with our clientele we opted not to do that especially with the ATF and power steering fluid we saw a lot of Mercedes & BMW’s along with the usual Japanese imports (Honda Toyota etc) other than pickups & SUV’s we rarely saw a domestic vehicle. our ATF was supposed to be universal (same with the coolant) we used it on older cars but anything newer than 10yrs old we ordered OEM fluids and used our oil exception to the oil thing was when we got a Diesel vehicle we also had to order oil when we got the 1st gen Honda insights and a few other hybrids. basically all the 0w-?? Oils

[@Jermainyy]

I drive a 1992 honda accord 5 speed. Gm synchromesh friction modified is the truth! Butter smooth shifts and smooth shifts when the car is still cold. Also got rid of 3rd gear grind (for now at least). If you drive a manual Honda/Acura look into it. Amsoil is also real good.

[@Fortheloveofjdm]

Heard this also thanks.

[@ahsan3369]

Did that on my TSX has a second gear kept grinding and coming out and used the AMA oil synchromesh and that fixed it. I’d stand by that product

[@jeejay98]

I’ve used Castrol Edge for my Honda V6 engine and OEM on ATF and other fluids. 12 years running and had no major issue or problem. I might have spent a little bit more using OEM fluids but it has saved me the hassle of fluid related problems. Still got the original radiator and tranny.

[@michaelbloom5342]

Why risk a $3000 transmission to save $30 every two years? Generic fluid is a false economy.

[@Stantonv]

I have had great results with Redline manual transmission oil on Honda's and Toyota's. After a draining and filling with Redline the transmissions shifted better than stock.

[@TheMitchapalooza69]

Stantonv I too use Redline on my 2015 Civic Si. Helped a lot once the winter season started.

[@PaulC1980]

I worked for Honda, I still drive Honda and only use Honda fluids and oil filters. I've worked for dealerships such as fiat ,alfa romeo , Nissan, Opel, Hyundai, Toyota/Lexus and now VW and Mercedes, My experience, just use what the manufacturer sells, I've seen loads of cars outside of work that have used non brand fluids that didn't hold up well over time. The cars that have come through the dealerships have had a lot less issues. I would definitely recommend genuine 100%

[@SwapBlogRU]

On a side note - thanks for answering my emails a while back, Eric. A few years ago I remember pestering you about a wobble I had under acceleration - indeed it turned out to be the left axle shaft, just like you said. It's a shame you're website is closed for Russia-based internet users. With you being a Honda guy, that website must have a ton of useful info on the car that I currently drive.

[@vermontvermont9292]

2019 civic coupe 1.5t CVT. Did a 3x drain and fill at 20k. Been using valvoline maxlife atf/cvt since with zero issues. Also changed the cvt filters at 50k. I do 2 drain and fills a year because its easy, and I get bored. Figure it doesnt hurt to keep the fluid fresh. Im now at 60k exactly no issues. So technically ive run valvoline longer than i ran the oem hcf-2 lol.

[@ivanvujadinovic9905]

Great topic. I went a little bit into cleaner and fluids, as I see them all in the 'miracle in a bottle' category. Here is what worked and what did not work for me (I do follow instruction to the tee): Didn't work: - BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. Still had leaks everywhere. In fact got a refund from them after snapping a few pictures of the leaks. - Lucas oil restore synthetic. Didn't notice any changes. Not in oil pressure, not in cold starts, not in motor temperature, nor in lifter noise. Same as before so I am not sure it really did anything. - CRC Intake Valve & Turbo Cleaner. I could see it do some cleaning, but it killed my MAP sensor within days. Worked: - Lucas Transmission Fix. Feel the difference in shifting on my Jeep WJ. Would never put it in my C350 however, as it uses 'special' transmission fluid. - Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak. Stopped the fluid 'sweating' around the pump and hose fittings. Steering seems a bit firmer but not line new for sure. - BG44 - Seems to clean well the fuel system. I can feel it work with a bit of extra power in throttle and see the results in the extra dirty oil after it. - SeaFoam (in gas tank) - Seems to clean well the fuel system. I can feel it work with a bit of extra power and see the results in the extra dirty oil after it. - SeaFoam (in intake) - Only tried it with the small engine, but looking at the piston with a stethoscope camera, I could clearly see a difference. * I make sure to change oil + filter after any of the above cleaners, as all the junk gets into the oil. What are the fluids you use, would use?

[@Car-Yap]

Pentosin fluids work well in volkswagens, I bought an '01 Golf that had a blown out power steering rack, bad radiator, and grinding transmission. Previous owner used "universal" fluids.

[@jonsey1886]

Pentosin makes the OE fluids for MANY European car brands.

[@Mister006]

Thanks Eric! I have one of the last new Manual Transmission-equipped Honda HR-V (they ain't making them anymore and that sux!), and this is good to know for me! You made my birthday!

[@ETCG1]

Happy Birthday!

[@agaad22]

Mister006 I have one as well. I switched to AMSoil MTF

[@chaddouglas2136]

I use generics, but the ones that are rated for the make. So, in my Prius, I use the pink coolant, but I don't buy it from Toyota. For the transaxle, I use generic "world standard." So I try to stay with the MFG guidelines, but use generic/aftermarket versions of those fluids.

[@megaetk]

2003 Acura TL-S Had a whining power steering pump and clunky steering rack. Got it replaced but they used ATF and the rack was leaking after less than 2 months. They redid it but I asked them to use the Honda fluid and I haven't had any issues since. It may be a coincidence but it seems to work and $9 for Honda fluid vs $6 for the generic stuff. I've noticed the Honda stuff is pretty thick too. If I get a newer Honda I'm using OEM electrical parts and fluids.

[@lachlangilbert6240]

I spent several years at an automotive retailer selling 'aftermarket' parts and fluid for the DIY market. In terms of power steering fluid I always was careful to look up specs as there were only a couple of fluids that we sold that were honda compatible. Engine and transmisison oil has gotten similar where a lot of manufacturers require the use of specific additive packs in their oil. I've found as long as the fluid is suitable for use while the vehicle is 'in warranty' you can't go wrong.

[@juaninelmascabron2141]

Prestone makes power steering fluid for Hondas. Works great.

[@Oblithian]

Hydraulic fluid seems like the one that matters least, so long as it meets the heat requirements for the application. They have to get industry certified and it's not even as complex as oil (which has all kinds of different conditions for lubrication). Does a fraction of a percentage lower fluid compression make a difference on passenger vehicles?

[@juaninelmascabron2141]

@@Oblithian not sure

[@chrisrandom1404]

As a tech in a fleet shop that mainly works on Ford and GM aftermarket fluids have served me well. Some stuff we use manufacturer specific. But mostly aftermarket stuff works. Key is to not go with the cheapest junk you can find. Spend a few dollars and get quality stuff. Your car deserves it.

[@inspectahenjee76]

As a person working in an independent shop, we use BG fluids in everything( my own vehicle included) and no problems in any brand so for as far as Asian and domestic. Maintenance is key. If bg dashboard says their fluid meets manufacturers standards we use it

[@muddinmowerbuilder13]

Knew a fella my dad worked for who sweared by amsoil. Used it in all of the fleet vehicles (mainly 7.3 Ford Powerstrokes). He had a Honda Odyssey which also had gotten the same treatment, and even had the transmission fluid switched to it. Last I heard the van had close to 400,000 miles on it and still kicking it. Probably not any cheaper than factory fluids but I’d give it a run for it’s money for sure.

[@chrisliberty1773]

30 year ex Mitsut/Toyota tech. I have a beater 98 Accord, I am experimenting using old school Ford type F atf in it. When I got the car the trans shifted realllly soft (but not slipping) and the fluid (I assume was o.e. honda) was black as coal. I flushed the unit when I 1st put the car on the road with dex3 until I had nice red fluid (about 10-12 qts). Since then @every oci I've been doing the trans drain n fill/3 quart deal with type f. Trans is working awesome with firm/noticeable/crisp shifts. If it eventually craps the bed I doubt it'll be b/c of the fluid as is is going on close to 2 years now with the changeover to type f. Ymmv. Also...the p.s. fluid is an ever evolving mix of whatever I have on hand (atf/parts store "Honda compaible" etc)as the p.s. pump leaks a bit (have the rebuild/seal kit, I'm just lazy)...so far aside from the pump leaking from the case o ring it works perfectly fine. When/if I reseal the pump it'll prob get a nice light vis aft...dex6 or maybe maxlife.

[@geologic740]

This is a good subject and I wish there was a final, all inclusive set of videos on the matter. But for the same reasons you have, I'm more inclined to use the OEM's fluids. The only exceptions being some coolants, brake fluid, ATF (except on Hondas), and if course motor oil.

[@MikeGrayM70]

My old 80 Civic seems happy with whatever. Your question probably doesn't include additives, but I've had great results with Engine Restore. It doesn't "fix" anything, but it sure does help my aging engines run a little better for a while. As far as oil, brake fluid, coolant, the Civic seems to run fine on anything. I've been driving it since around 1994. Very reliable car. I have a couple of wet clutch motorcycles that can't tolerate the modern anti-friction additives. They cause clutch slippage. But you're probably not interested in the motorcycles either.

[@sandwich_in_wonderland]

Yup, my father in law topped off the power steering fluid with some autozone brand on my Honda Pilot, and it messed it up. Within 3 months, power steering started squealing and power steering started to fail. Lesson learned...

[@davidschmidt9291]

We have a contract with Valvoline and they supply all our treatments and fluids. The interesting thing is they supply us with a specific Honda/Acura power steering fluid also 5w30 and 5w40 specifically for euro applications. Other than that we you their regular fluids for the other makes

[@ChiefLink]

At my shop, we had at least one Civic (pre-CVT) that got the herky-jerky and propensity to slam shift when someone put BG Amsoil universal transmission fluid in it. When it came back, I advocated for Honda fluid (Idemitsu I believe) and my foreman agreed. Color me shocked when it was fine after that. Granted, I only changed out 3 of the quarts with a drain and fill, but it shifted fine. Not sure about longevity, but it hasn't been back since. Yet we argue with the advisors still about using the proper fluid.

[@inxs13]

I’m a firm believer now that Honda cars like Honda fluids. It may be a tad higher than another company’s offering but factor in the headache of problems & possibilities of replacement parts. It’s an insurance payment I’ll make gladly now 🤘🏼

[@D.Magic_]

I had a 98 Acura TL 3.2 transmission fluid makes a huge difference only run Honda fluids. Auto parts store sold me an additive with Valvoline fluid you could feel every shift. Oh and it's actually my Birthday lol

[@averyalexander2303]

Happy birthday then! It is actually sometimes a good thing for the trans to shift a little firmer. The manufacturers design transmissions to shift slowly because people don't want to feel it shift, but slow shifts mean more wear because the clutches are slipping for a longer amount of time. Same idea as on a manual trans- You can let the clutch out very slowly and smoothly and not feel it engage, or you can let it out more quickly and feel it engage more. The former feels smoother but wears it out more, the latter feels harsher but is better for the longevity of the clutch over time. (Within reason. You obviously can go too far and break things by dropping the clutch at full throttle or something, but you get the idea).

[@captainredneck0683]

We actually ran into a situation were the "universal product" actually worked better than the factory recommended fluid. We had a late 90's GM 3100 V6 in a Chevy Lumina my dad owed. He always used "factory fluids" in his car. Then we started having cooling issues, and the car needed the intake gasket replaced. When we took the intake apart we saw a bunch of gunk clogging the cooling passages. Apparently this gunk is caused by the factory GM DeX-Cool coolant. Once we discovered it would be a reoccurring problem we decided to drain all the factory coolant out. It was replaced by Prestone 50/50 universal coolant. He never had any overheating or intake gasket issues after that point. The guy he sold it to ended up replacing the universal fluid back with the GM stuff again. And about a year later that guy was having overheating problems and issues with the intake gasket again. My verdict is that if I ever get a vehicle with Dex-Cool coolant, I will immediately be replacing it with universal stuff to avoid damage to my engine.

[@raoulmathieu8625]

I'm a (11 year licensed) mechanic at an independent shop. We work on all makes and models and I always rolled my eyes whenever I heard Honda's should only use honda power steering fluid. Until I owned one ( and a few more after that ). I had a P/S leak and fixed 'er up and used Castrol tranny fluid to top it off. Well, wouldn't you know it... I had no P/S at idle, only when I revved it up. Figured the pump was bad, so that got changed... along with more tranny fluid to top it off. And same thing again! So figure the myth is true, and now I don't f*c# around and put proper stuff in Honda's... just in case ;)

[@Rickm2003]

l work in a oil change shop, whenever a Honda comes in with low power steering fluid, i make a note and tell the customer to only use Honda. We don't do transmission spill n fills, so can't say about the transmission fluid with Honda, but l would still tell them Honda only! As for me l have never had to change anything that major (knock on wood) to where l needed a 'special fluid'.

[@blazintrails3023]

Hey Eric, I'm a tech for a big independent shop and we use mostly Valvoline products and have had virtually no issues over the years and we work on all makes and models so Valvoline obviously does put in the time to make sure they are just as good. The only issues I've really ran into is the CVT's and that's mostly been with Nissan's as well. And that's with factory or aftermarket cvt fluid those things just don't like change period Im not a fan of those

[@thesetruths1404]

I refilled my 05 yukon after 52 ounces leaked out. It holds 64 ounces total. I ran out of auto trak fluid after 26 ounces and made a mix of 50/50 merc3 atf to 10w30 motor oil for the rest. So far so good.

[@pospc2]

I can speak from experience when it comes to Nissan. If you have a automatic NON-CVT trans you CAN use Castrol IMPORT multi-vehicle in place of Matic J or S without any issues. I have ran it in multiple Nissan RE5 trans without a single issue at all for the last 3 years. Also the power steering fluid in the 03-08 Nissans they seem perfectly fine on whatever dex/merc 3 fluid you find on sale. I have used multiple brands including Harvest king,Supertech, Castrol, valvoline and parts store brands. Diff I have used various brands without issues just make sure the viscosity and GL rating is correct for application. Coolant I flush them and use universal peak sometimes. Sometimes use asain spec Peak.(be advised on older cars i have had plastics get brittle a couple of times after switching to a universal so maybe avoid that) As for VW I stick to pentosin coolant (buy the correct type for application) Use Mobil Euro spec or Shell rotella T6 oil Dsg trans only VW fluid. Toyota for the diff i don't worry as long as it meets the viscosity and GL. Auto Trans i use Toyota fluids Coolant i recently started using Peak OEM spec coolant(been a couple months so far) before that i used whatever the Asian spec was at Napa. I believe you CAN get away with using different brands if you do your research ahead of times. If you can find who supplies the oe fluids then if you plan to use aftermarket buy the brand who made the original for your manufacturer.

[@Michael-fw5ef]

I use Valvoline ATF. I have used it for my Toyota and my Honda. It is a very, very good ATF fluid. They sell it at Walmart if you are interested. Its about $30 CAD for 5 Litres and it is an awesome product.

[@transam78400ci]

As an independent Amsoil dealer, I recommend Amsoil as it meets or exceeds all industry standards, I've used other oils before, but never was fully satisfied with the product after use, I use Amsoil everything now from my vehicles to quads, boats, 2 and 4 stroke power equipment Amsoil also offers oil analysis to give you an idea on how the engine is using the oil

[@dave1135]

I will say me and other techs noticed a increase in head gasket and intake gasket failures in cars equipped with dexkill (dex-cool) coolant. It would eat the gaskets from the coolant passage out. After rebuilding the top end, we'd do a complete coolant flush and replace it with standard ethylene glycol (green antifreeze) and customers never had a problem again. I think g.m designed it to cause gasket failures.

[@Dc5Knightv2]

For VW I only use pink coolant, I've noticed comebacks to the dealer when ppl use other coolants or additives and it goes bad and i will also try the peak euro formula since the package is similar and even the color matches. For brake fluid Idc, for PS I use generic, but trans, coolant I like OE to be the safest

[@michaelblacktree]

I've had good luck with Synchromesh in several different manual transmissions... GM, Saturn, VW, Honda, etc. This is especially true for gearboxes that originally used ATF. The Synchromesh oil makes them shift smoother.

[@jmcenterprises9591]

Thanks Eric, good info on the radiator coolant.

[@insylem]

I for the most part use what the Owner's manual says. The main exception is washer fluid. I use the Orange RainX washer fluid and love that stuff. Scotty Kilmer did a thing about that same fluid on his channel.

[@recoveringnewyorker2243]

I’m a retired auto mechanic and I now do airport transportation. I Mostly drive Hyundais. As far as coolant goes the head mechanic at our Hyundai dealership very quietly told me standard Prestone will work just fine. However, he said “please don’t tell anyone else.” As far as transmission fluid goes I have Been using Valvoline import full synthetic designation SP4 . SP4 is the designation for Hyundai and Mitsubishi. For power steering fluid my 2013 sonata has electric power steering so that doesn’t apply. However, I was told that regular universal power steering fluid works just fine in Hyundai.

[@Fortheloveofjdm]

Hey eric have you hear of using 5w-30 motor oil in older honda manual transmissions? Ive known a honda master mechanic and he did this on thr older ones. Thanks gonna give thr syncromesh a try.

[@5roundsrapid263]

It should work fine. I’ve seen people use 5W-30 and 10W-30 with no problems.

[@Fortheloveofjdm]

@@5roundsrapid263 yeah he used 5w-30 same as the engine requirement viscosity.

[@Eilbron93]

Independent shop in Australia. On Honda's we will use genuine Honda fluids for Power steering and CVTF. But for the majority of Asian cars, we'll use recommends fluids/oils by Anglomoil, Nulon, Castrol, and Penrite (depending on who's cheaper), and Wurth brake fluid. For the modern and classic European cars and classic American cars we get, we'll use Liquimoly products. Haven't had problems with these brands.

[@Ayeobe]

Honda PS fluid is all i put in my 88-ish Hondas.. not sure how important it is for newer ones..but if you wana go to manual steering, putting random fluid into a Honda PS system is a great way to make it blow every single seal.

[@johnbanks6529]

Recently, I work on my cousin's vehicle, which is a Nissan Tiida Latio. Did a number of suspension changes, brake pads and shoes among other things. Since he bought the vehicle, a little over a year, he experienced a number of problems, one of which is more prominent to this subject, fluid change. He had a problem with the vehicle hesitating when he accelerates. The engine would emphasis its wonderful sounds as he accelerates, but takes a moment to respond. One person told him, his transmission may need to be replaced, another person, which is a mechanic told him, the same. The oil he uses is of 20w 40 weight viscosity, so I ask him why use this weight of engine oil in his vehicle, his response was" this is what he normally buys for all of his cars, and he never had any problems". So I asked him for the vehicle manual to look up the viscosity of oil identified for the vehicle, and suggested to him, buy the viscosity of oil the manual stated, which was 10w 30 viscosity. The end result was, the vehicle improved in performance, and reduced the hesitation he was experiencing in acceleration. He was surprised with the improvement. The moral of the story is, with stock vehicles it difficult to go wrong with the recommendation on fluids by manufactures. However, having said that, using different fluids similar, may work as well as what is recommended, by manufactures or even better, but it is at the individual risk and time and experience to acknowledge the differences.

[@xavilopez4716]

Also forgot to add two more fluids for the power steering on my 2000 Honda Civic I used the car quest brand but the one that says for use in Honda’s don’t remember the bottle description cause I gave the rest to my friend . 😀 but yea the car quest brand for powering steering fluid for Honda . No problems at all till this day . And well mines came already with the green antifreeze I know it suppose to be blue but that’s how I got it when I bought the car . I did a antifreeze fluid change put in the same green type the peak brand and also no problem till this day . I’ve had my car now for 4 years .

[@XodiumLabs]

Not a tech, but Mazda on their newer engines always recommends you use their oil because it's got moly in it and that's good for their newer engines. Dealer I went to (whom we negotiated free oil changes with until 60k) admitted that they don't use the stuff as it's ridiculously expensive and they've ran Castrol Edge in the newer Mazdas and it worked just fine. Roommate's CX-5 has been happy as a clam with it.

[@jamesmedina2062]

Xodium yes and you can add some moly as well to any decent oil. Liqui Moly sells some good moly.

[@TheMstwntdLMSV123]

It's my birthday 🙂 I've always used OEM and had good results. Only 3rd party fluids I would trust are the Amsoil, Redline, Royal Purple, etc. The ones you can't find in stores. That's just speculation since I've never used them

[@AndreiDPop]

It's simple, really. OEM lubricants, with few exceptions, are designed for minimum quality requirements. They aren't specialized specifically for that OEM's transmission, or differential, or engine, again with few exceptions. For example, GM Versatrak fluid has no suitable alternatives. You have to fork over the insane price GM charges for it. However, Aison AW-1 transmission fluid from GM can be substituted with any other fluid meeting that specification. Furthermore, OEMs formulate their oils (contracted out to bulk oil blenders) to basic API additive packages and minimum performance specifications. It is quite uncommon to find an OEM lubricant that performs better than anything else on the market for that specification (engine oil, for example), but it is very common to find aftermarket lubricants that perform better. I'll explain with an example using engine oil. Among the specifications for engine oil is a test called NOACK volatility. It measures the vaporization rate of engine oils under heat and time. API SN maximum allowed is 15% vaporization loss. GM dexos1 is 13%. MB 229.5 is at 10%. AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 currently tests at 6.7%. You can be fairly confident that GM and MB's recommended oils are going to fall right in line (within a small margin) of their MINIMUM required performance specifications. GM will not pay to have an oil formulated to have an 8% NOACK volatility when their specification only requires 13%, as that costs money. Oil specifications are bare minimums. They are the equivalent of "you must be this tall to ride" signs. Again, there are exceptions where very specific friction modified formulations exist, but overwhelmingly, OEM lubricants are bare minimum, and aftermarket lubricants that claim to meet the spec are at least as good, if not better than what the OEM requires.

[@SuperDave21]

I started using Castrol Syntec (black like graphite in color) on my 1991 C1500 when it had 10,000 miles on it. I used to brag "It comes out the same color as it goes in"... lol, I use Royal Purple HPS in my 2003 Silverado SS , and their synthetic trans fluid, differential lube and transfer case lube. Been in it since first oil change. Never an oil related problem, engine ran cooler and trans shifter better. Love the syn fluids except for their prices. Wanted to give Amsoil a try but it is out of my budget....

[@timrobles5417]

Sorry Eric it's nothing to do with this video but thanks for showing me.. Honda no spark... my coil was bad... Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family

[@markk3652]

Changed the rear diff fluid on my 06 f150. It had the 9.75 limited slip diff, spec called for synthetic 75-140 gear oil. I bought valvoline, it claimed to have the limited slip additive in it already. The truck suffered from clutch chatter in the diff every time I cornered. I added the motorcraft ls additive, problem solved. I stick with factory fluids, as well as filters. The transfer cases on the f150 trucks also stipulate not to use mercon v, supposedly causes the transfer case to blow apart.

[@TheDanNobles]

FYI I am shad tree mechanic (DIY) hence why I follow these videos to learn. Have 05 Honda Civic, one day it starts on overheat. So the driver (not me) took it by a mechanic, a good trusted mechanic that has done excellent work for me in the past. He found it low on fluid due to a bad rad hose. He replaces the hose add some fluid to it. Later I noted this was green type of fluid, no idea on what type,brand or what was in it before. A month later it starts overheating loosing fluid. Down the rabbit hole of typically things water pump, rad, hoses etc... it turns out is blown head gasket. Doing the research I find out about the silicates issue with these that can cause head gasket issues. Although I will say I had the head out to machine shop and it had low spot. Now only using Blue Honda fluid on that car, put back together will all Honda gaskets as well. Was it the fluid? Maybe, maybe not? On the same car (yea it's got some miles on it) the alternator went out. I when to a local parts store pick up a new one to install. The thing didn't want to fit it the spot correctly and the plug doesn't fit very well although did secure well enough. That very same night I replaced it the headlights pulse when driving a night. Not horrible but enough to be annoying. So order the crazy $$$ Honda Alt for it. That one drops in and hooks up perfectly taking me over less than half the same time to replace using the part store one. Due to doing the head job on that car before I was well aware of how to take out the alt on that car so it wasn't just practice that made the Honda one easier. It just fit the spot correctly. Lesson for me: Try to stick to OEM parts/fluids as much as I can. Just seems to work better. Not to say I won't use a aftermarket part, just try to go OEM if I can afford it.

[@bobbyrios2k223]

I've only had hondas myself. Honda Manual transmission fluid works great when it's new, but tends to get break down quicker than some aftermarket market fluids. Other than that the other oem honda fluid work out great

[@jeff3741]

An excellent point. Honda doesn't make its own oil and the place that makes that oil isn't dedicated to Honda. So there is a version of Honda oil out there somewhere. Same with GM transmission fluid.

[@Darksyne]

I like using Idemitsu fluids since I think they're the company that actually makes the fluids for most OEM's including Honda. Their H-Plus ATF is identical to the Honda DW-1 fluid and if you find a parts store that sells it, It'll be a few bucks cheaper than the OEM fluid. Also my 2000 Acura has only used the Blue Coolant since new and it's still on the original radiator!

[@shizzmack9989]

Idemitsu makes all Asian vehicles fluid oem

[@NGH99999]

Not a tech, here, just a regular guy who performs all of my own maintenance and repairs. I own a 1998 Civic HX that I bought new. In the CVT trans, I've only ever run OEM Honda CVT fluid, changed regularly, and I'm convinced it's the reason the trans still performs well @ 200K. Same for the engine, brakes, and power steering. Honda's fluids definitely cost more, but I'm willing to pay for their demanding standards they set with their fluid providers. And if you purchase bulk, from a good Honda source, the costs for fluids and filters really isn't that bad.

[@AcuraLvR82]

Personally, I use only oem fluids in the rsx (since brand new) and honda MTF and coolant in the 92 Integra (since rebuild 4 years ago). After using the blue coolant many years I have noted oem blue has better heat transfer and carrying properties over green. As well as being silicate free and less acidic which is super good for the water pump bearing and radiator plastic tanks. As far as oil I run Mobil 1 which is the same as oem Acura anyways. For the integra, I often use Orielley power steering fluid because its cheap and my rack leaks. Overall, a good reason to run oem fluids is because they were specifically formulated for the metals in Honda vehicles and as such help keep wear to a minimum over cheaper stuff.

[@iduimovic]

Hey Eric, My experience with my 92 Honda Civic manual trans is that the new manual trans fluid sucks for this trans, but the synchromesh works awesome, no more grinding shifting at high RPM and it is super quiet. Now on automatic trans on Nissan, Toyota, etc. I only use OEM fluid, I don't mess with such a expensive important component like the auto transmission. On my Hyundai Elantra manual trans I notice that there are 2 versions of the fluid, the USA version and the Korean version. By experience the color and thickness on the manual trans fluid from Hyundai it is different the USA vs Korea. I did the fluid change on the manual trans and on cold weather the USA version didn't perform as equal as the OEM from Korea that came with. I had issues getting the lever on the gear when cold and engaging 1st gear. Now I switch to Red Line manual trans that meed the specs for my Hyundai and it was very close on color and thickness than the Korean version and that made the trick. No more issues in cold weather and no problem shifting. With coolant I will stick with the OEM color that came with it and get the OEM coolant or the Prestone that made the coolant for that specific manufacture and year. So it all depends but most likely keep the OEM fluid for those specific components.

[@mrquad777]

Hey Eric, I’ve been watching you for 7 years now. Today is my 23rd Birthday!! Thanks for the digital cake 😂😂 also thanks for all the videos you do for us all

[@ONeal397]

Happy birthday

[@mrquad777]

TheRepairMan cheers buddy

[@ETCG1]

Happy Birthday!

[@Welcome0002]

I used Amsoil transmission fluid on my Honda pilot from 50K miles with a full flush, the tranny is so smooth, and it is almost 200K miles on it now and still feels like new, my motor oil is Costco brand and changed every 8K, radiator flush every 50K using aftermarket compatible fluid.

[@AcuraLvR82]

Oh and for power steering fluid I use off the shelf orielley fluid labeled specifially for honda. Personally, I think its the same stuff albeit much cheaper. And seems to work normally (my rack leaks so much replacing the fluid all the time has essentially flushed the system.)

[@honestbrother9427]

When it comes to fluids especially Transmission fluid, you can never go wrong with the manufacturer's recommendations. I use the OEM fluids & recommendations for all makes and models bcuz you can't go wrong with them and they are not that more expensive than the aftermarket, and sometimes even cheaper than the aftermarket.

[@Breakitjake]

I work@ an independent transmission shop. where we build the transmissions and house and use an after-market dex 6 full synthetic fluid with all the vehicles we service. the only time this fluid was incompatible was in a Mercedes G Class I believe. that use a special dealership only fluid.

[@jamesmedina2062]

jake111391 what are you telling us? You have not really specified what kind of transmissions your shop services OR the fluid that you use.

[@vcdrny]

We been having an issue with Mercedes Sprinters. We do not use their oil and I lost count of how many turbos and intake manifolds I've changed. I talked to a Benz tech and he told me that even if the oil we are using is the right weight it is not withing spec. But on another hand with a 02 impala that comes with the 3.4. Those engines are know for blowing out the lower intake manifold gasket. The problem seems to be the coolant they use. DeX cool. So replace the gasket and use the normal green stuff and no more problems. When it comes to vehicles fluids it is case by case basis pretty much.

[@AllTechRepairs]

Safety data sheets found online for oem fluids to find the MFR is how I find alternatives to the dealers o.e.m. fluid. I just buy from the MFR that actually made them if possible. For example idementsu is under the Honda dw-1 datasheet so I buy directly from them. I saw b.p. as the MFR for the diamond sp III FLUID on some Hyundai's, so I used Castrol synthetic trans fluid from b.p's fluid website. When it comes to coolant I'll look for same color and additive requirements. Pentosin (pink,blue, red), prestone (orange dex-cool), even some Valvoline (blue, red) For power steering fluid I do see Prestone have an Asian Honda/Acura fluid which is much cheaper so i use that. With brake fluid I like the Prestone synthetic fluid with high boiling point, or any fluid that exceeds the rating that it requires, sometimes even bumping it up to higher level dot required fluid. The only fluid I would say I coincidentally had bad experience with is high mileage fluid which very shortly after an oil change has revealed oil leaks which I believe may be because of swelling seals that didn't have a problem before. So thus I stay away from those but still always prefer the best possible synthetic oil I can find. I don't think dealer fluid always needs to be used but definitely something compatible if not better. Tech data sheet specs are also fun to look at to compare fluids.

[@Joloke08]

Ive had quite a few old Mercedes in the past 80-90's era and as a tip for anybody else owning one dont pay dealer prices for it! Febi ATF and Infact Coolant is the dealership fluid in the same containers with different labels! Theres a whole list of parts as well Lemforder Ball Joints,Mann Filters,Eberspacher exhausts (mufflers) the list goes on! If you own a VAG car and must have genuine fluids and parts for your expensive Audi find a Skoda dealership same parts same packaging but cheaper. Owners Forums are your friend its amazing what you can unearth. Only thing I can remember where specific fluid was necessary was Mercedes coolant systems liked their own coolant (or at least buy Febi!) and Ford AODE transmissions dont like anything other than Mercon V.

[@c8a0t]

Owning a 93' 124 Mercedes, i have to disagree when it comes to Febi. As far as i know they don't manufacture anything and just buy stuff in from china. Has some problems in the past. When i comes to parts check: Lemförder, Mann, Mahle, SKF, FAG, Ina, NGK, Bremi, Behr, Bosch, ZF, Hengst, ATE, brembo, etc... Modern Mercedes branded oil is made by Petronas, but i also trust Rowe, Motul, Castrol, Shell, Aral, Liqui Moly, Fuchs, Ravenol, etc... For ATF Dexron IID i have also used Mannol, Pemco. You could also check for the offical MB-Approval. Or check the official Mercedes-Benz Bevo bevo.mercedes-benz.com (don't know if there is an english version)

[@sparkplug1018]

@@c8a0t Be very careful with older Dexron fluids. As of March 2011 GM only actively regulates the Dexron VI fluid, so if the bottle says Dexron II, III, etc it may not be exactly the right specifications anymore. Dexron VI is supposed to be backwards compatible though, so make of that what you will.

[@Keepin-it-wheel101]

I recently decided to go from factory oil to after market oil. With 3 vehicles now i need to save money. I am doing castrol synthetic 5w40 for vw and castrol synthetic 5w30 for subi for 2 cars, I am hoping not to run in any issues.

[@cpufreak101]

I have a note about the oil companies 'selling OEM oil as an aftermarket cheap" I've heard exactly that with subaru. They use Idemitsu oil in the dealerships, however you can also find it sold in certain parts stores. Since it's a japanese company, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same case for Honda and Toyota.

[@liono28]

I used Redline Racing Type F fluids in my 2004 TL and it was amazing.

[@SalivatingSteve]

At my local Honda dealership the power steering fluid is $4.50, transmission fluid is $8.75 -- not expensive, so I use the Honda brand fluids. Coolant I topped off with the Peak blue asian formula, but when I do a radiator flush later on I'll do it with all Honda coolant since it's $20 same price as the Peak!

[@kimkiriniki9433]

I only use Honda ATF in my '98 CR-V and '99 Civic, they both run great. Engine oil, coolant etc. generic stuff, no problems, this after fifteen years of ownership.

[@disturbia83]

Eric, I’m definitely with you on using factory fluids if I can help it, considering I have an 02 civic ex, 94 civic hatchback with D16y8 and a 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD, I HAVE seen success with car quest brand power steering fluid BUT it of course has to say FORMULATED FOR HONDA VEHICLES, it worked great in my 02 civic , I also used pennzoil synchromesh in my 02 civic ex when I replaced the clutch and the transmission had a noise that sounded like it had “straight cut gears” , but it’s stock and I noticed the input shaft bearing was wore out but couldn’t replace it during the time , so that being said, put the synchromesh in it...and it stopped making the noise and helped the shifting, I also used it in my 94 civic hatchback and it got my 3rd gear to stop grinding every time I shifted, but fluids for my 10 TL I use Acura Trans fluid, diff fluid and antifreeze so some things are ok to use in certain Honda models from my experiences, hope this was interesting to some of you and it helps