Changing manual transmission fluid

@Bruce Bartlow

Are you going to forward that along to AmSoil?
____
Absolutely.

And glad i changed it back to Honda's MTF just before the Dragon trip. When i get home (Saturday) the Honda product will be analyzed after 7000 miles. While i have a hunch this particular tranny is tough on ALL lubricants.... will bet the Honda comes out on top when compared to Amsoil. THAT is a shocker. So, will only use Honda product while still under warranty... then will try (and test) Redline's product recommended by @07TLX
 
I will also send an Amsoil sample in. I may have around 4k on it...including hard Dragon driving. I will also probably switch to Redline.
 
a lot of people also praised gm syncromesh trans fluid on 8th. I don't know that I ever saw lab results, but people said it felt much better.
 
Try Redline gear oil for the transmission.... Running it for almost 100k miles and no issues and my blackstone analysis has been spot on clean except for once.....but my input shaft bearing was toast at 138,000 miles...

What type of Redline should we use in our cars?
 
On second thought, for the time being at least, I am going to go back to Honda MTF in order to flush out the AmSoil first. Four quarts of Honda are less than two of Redline. (Amazon)
 
Last edited:
this ^

4k miles.... seems unreasonably bad results.
______________________
Oh you can be sure Amsoil will hear about this... all the way to the top. Good chance the transmission has already been compromised. "Critical" levels of a wear metal basically means it's subject to immediate failure. The proof will be if the OEM product has better results, or whether the wear metals continue to be elevated regardless of lubricant. Might also be an issue only with the 9th gen limited slip trannys. We'll see.

It's been a good decade since Amsoil corporate trained me for their Industrial Lubricants division, one of only about two dozen who received the advanced training. (I paid $1000.00 for the week long program, only part of its true cost) So you might say I now know enough to be dangerous (insert mad scientist wicked laugh)

Since then Amsoil chief chemist Troy Paquette left for some reason. Had lunch with him on several occasions. And fighter pilot "AJ Amatuzio" (founder and obnoxious stickler for QUALITY) has been replaced by son Alan who didn't build this oil empire but simply inherited it. Nice kid, for sure, but not like his daddy. Makes me wonder whether their philosophy has changed... especially since they discontinued their very best ester-based oils and now make oils add with considerably more zinc and other anti-wear agents as a cheaper solution than using better base stock. [Still, Amsoil's PAO's should be better than M1's hydrocracked product any day of the week] Having said that, I am having a major crisis of confidence in Amsoil. It's also a private company. When something bad happens you'll never hear about it. On the good side, this is all they do. If they don't get it right they're OOB.

FYI: Was not impressed with test results from Redline products ... but certainly willing to try them again.

In other event, everyone should steer clear of Amsoil MTF for now. Furthermore -- personal opinion here -- everyone driving sticks should do MTF analysis to make sure your lubricant can handle what you dish out.... because from what I witnessed on the Dragon you guys seriously dish it. Those are race like conditions out there... and racers almost always change (or test) fluids after each race.
 
Red Line Synthetic 70W80 Manual Transmission Oil... 2 quarts normally.. 3 if your flushing the system...
____________
Interesting! Thought the Honda spec for 9th Gen is closer to 30W. Is 8th Gen that much different?
By the way, I visited the Redline lab here in California where they make the stuff. NOT impressed. Compared to the Amsoil lab the whole Redline facility was absolute trash. So Redline would have to prove their stuff is better through analysis.
 
On second thought, for the time being at least, I am going to go back to Honda MTF in order to flush out the AmSoil first. Four quarts of Honda are less than two of Redline. (Amazon)
_______________________
If there's a possible warranty issue on these 9thGEN trannies, I think you're smart to stay with the OEM product for now.
 
I will also send an Amsoil sample in. I may have around 4k on it...including hard Dragon driving. I will also probably switch to Redline.
_______________
It kills me say it but if you're using Amsoil MTF I would change it right away. The analysis of my batch basically implied that some sort of failure was imminent. I liked their use of capital letters "Aluminum is at a SIGNIFICANT LEVEL;" which can't be good. And at only 4000 non-Dragon miles? You gotta be kidding me! Something is going on here, and we need to find out whether it's lubrication related or a problem with Honda's manufacturing that will end up as a warranty issue. Best to stay with OEM until the dust settles.
 
I will prob send this round of oil and trans fluid for testing when needed... As of right now even with my hard driving at the dragon the shifts are still silky smooth...
 
_______________
It kills me say it but if you're using Amsoil MTF I would change it right away. The analysis of my batch basically implied that some sort of failure was imminent. I liked their use of capital letters "Aluminum is at a SIGNIFICANT LEVEL;" which can't be good. And at only 4000 non-Dragon miles? You gotta be kidding me! Something is going on here, and we need to find out whether it's lubrication related or a problem with Honda's manufacturing that will end up as a warranty issue. Best to stay with OEM until the dust settles.

It will be here Friday and promptly changed this weekend sometime (I don't generally drive the car on the weekends).
 
It will be here Friday and promptly changed this weekend sometime (I don't generally drive the car on the weekends).
_____________________
Probably a smart move. You and I were the only ones last week with 2012's, although Sal's kid has a 2013. So this applies to us more than anyone else. We should check the TSX boards too, since we have the same limited slip they do. Know of any?
 
Lots of metallic sludge on the magnetic drain plug...

MTF - AmSoil.jpg MTF - AmSoil(2).jpg
 
Ewwww..... Is that Amsoil or stock fluid.... Guess the dragon was/is hard on transmissions....lol
 
Damn.... Last time I saw that much crud on my magnetic drain plug was when my input shaft bearing was on the way out...
 
Damn.... Last time I saw that much crud on my magnetic drain plug was when my input shaft bearing was on the way out...

You shut your mouth!

Looks worse than it is (hopefully) as it is squashed over the sides.
 
Back
Top