ND Miata Transmission Fluid Change

2020 ND MX-5 Miata - Transmission Fluid Change - expand description for all details.
See here for Transmission Fluid Analysis by Blackstone Labs:
- • ND Miata Transmission ...
Parts / Tools Used:
- 0000-77-114-QT - Mazda Long-Life Gear Oil LS - 3 Quarts
- 9956-41-800 - Crush Washer - x2
- 24mm Crowfoot (required to remove and correctly re-torque the fill plug)
- 24mm Open Ended Wrench (optional - can remove fill plug but cannot torque it)
- 24mm Socket (recommended)
- Torque Wrench (I believe the transmission is aluminum - I highly recommend properly torquing the plugs to avoid stripping the thread)
- 12mm Socket (12mm wrench may also work but you'll have a hard time accessing two of the brace bolts)
- Ratchet (recommended)
- Fluid Pump (fits quart sized bottles or whatever size bottle your oil is packaged in)
- Drain Pan (must hold at least 2.0L)
- Impact (optional - don't use it on the transmission or to reinstall the brace fasteners; if you strip any of these threads, you're going to have a bad time)
- Oil sampling bottles (optional) (kits are free from Blackstone Laboratories, see link at the bottom of description)
Shop Manual:
- www.hexorcism....
How-to: Use a Crowfoot with a Torque Wrench:
- www.tekton.com...
Check your owner's manual for fluid change intervals - the standard transmission fluid interval is 60,000 miles or 4 years (interval may be different based on your climate, driving style). This fluid change occurred at 24,872 miles and 4 years after purchasing the car new. The transmission is filled until it starts to drip out of the fill hole, the fluid capacity is ~2.0L and Mazda sells the transmission fluid in quarts (0.946L) so you will need three bottles.
The hardest part of this process is getting the car raised up to do the work, whether that is on a lift or on jack stands. The actual process of draining and refilling the transmission is easy but tedious if you have the right tools. Watch out for the exhaust heat shield on the passenger side when removing the drain bolt.
I will post a follow-up video with an oil analysis by Blackstone Laboratories.
- www.blackstone...

[@cocohalcyon7722]

I was just getting ready to do this for my 2020 nd next weekend - thanks for uploading the video, good to know it's approximately as simple as I was expecting.

[@ag4allgood]

A little bit tougher on jack stands but I did this last year. The magnetic drain plug looked about the same as yours did on a 2016 Club model.

[@justgoblaze]

Great straightforward video. I'm laughing at 3:00 though haha, the miata demands a blood sacrifice

[@EnochLight]

Thanks for posting this video - I just picked up a 2020 GT and have been thinking about switching the manual trans oil out. It's got 7400 miles on it but I'm not a fan of how it's switching gears right now.

[@paulgaecke9055]

Check out my follow up video showing the oil analysis by Blackstone: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH6ugI2GiLOiatk My takeaway is that it is probably a good idea to change the fluid out based on the time service interval. I didn't notice a huge difference shifting with the fresh oil but I used OEM fluid. The ND transmission is notchy and all manuals can have quirks like being difficult to shift into 1st in certain situations. My 2023 Honda Civic is actually way worse than my ND when it comes to not shifting into 1st or 2nd, I've gotten caught out at lights multiple times in the Civic because it refuses to go into 1st gear - this is common based on what I find other owners saying online.

[@knobbiesshreaded3137]

Can I borrow your lift? Proudly displaying how you skinned your knuckles, you get a like for that.

[@arekdabrowski3725]

Nice presentation. Would same procedure apply for automatic transmission on same car?

[@paulgaecke9055]

Not exactly: www.hexorcism.com/16ND/sm353173/

[@Moriggia]

It seems more than 2 liters of the manual right?

[@paulgaecke9055]

Mazda sells quarts, 2.11 quarts = 2.0 liters. You need 3 quarts from Mazda to fill the transmission and 90% of the third quart won't be used. Very annoying, I know.

[@Moriggia]

@@paulgaecke9055 ah ok, I bought 2 bottles of Redline, 946 ml X2=1892ml, I don't know if it changes much.

[@paulgaecke9055]

@@Moriggia Can't say what the impact would be. You're just slightly more than 5% off the required fill. Personally, knowing the ND transmission is a weak point of the car, I would try to correct this when you have the chance but I wouldn't say it is urgent unless you are tracking / autocrossing it.

[@Moriggia]

@@paulgaecke9055 you are right, I think I will fix this issue :)

[@kothareddykrishna]

Is it recommended to replace the oil in turret ?

[@paulgaecke9055]

There is no specified interval that I am aware of. The oil in the turret is not seeing the heat or shearing that the oil in the gearbox sees so unless it leaks or you disassemble the transmission (per the shop manual www.hexorcism.com/16ND/sm353149/) it isn't necessary to address.

[@borj25]

4:30 what is your exhaust set up? TIA

[@paulgaecke9055]

Stock exhaust except for a Good-Win-Racing RoadsterSport SuperStreet axle back: www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Performance-Part/61-1787.html

[@GRINHELL]

The torque wrench with the lateral extension gives a wrong torque.

[@paulgaecke9055]

This can be accounted for, you can see that I turned the crowfoot 90 degrees to the wrench handle: www.tekton.com/blog/how-to-accurately-use-a-torque-wrench-with-a-crowfoot-wrench