[drg889]

Hey guys, so being relatively new to cars (i never really got into cars till i got my Accord), i don't know too much about maintaining or when to properly change the fluids and others in my car.

besides oil changes which i usually do every 5k-7k miles, im not sure when to change my ATF, coolant, power steering, or brake fluids. i was wondering when do you all usually change those^?

I just hit 10k yesterday and read somewhere to do a drain and fill on my tranny fluid (any suggestions? atf-dw1?) my cars a '10 automatic.

Thanks!

edit: feel free to throw in any other common/uncommon maintenance that people do like spark plugs, timing belts, etc.

 

[av911]

R...
T...
F...
M..!!

 

[txn]

Most likely it will be like this:
ATF = At every 15K miles, just drain & refill between 3 or 4 quarts.
Brake = Flush every 3 years.
Coolant = Drain and refill every 30K which ever is first.

 

[drg889]

i know what the manual says, but we don't always follow it now do we . otherwise i'd be changing my oil every 12-15k miles.

Thanks txn.

 

[SatinSilver]

The coolant is good for 7yrs/110k if not more. Unless it's contaminated by another fluid. 30k was with the old fluid that changed a few years ago.

 

[txn]

The coolant is good for 7yrs/110k if not more. Unless it's contaminated by another fluid. 30k was with the old fluid that changed a few years ago.

According to Honda, you are right.
Honda says the new Long Life Coolant Type 2 can be kept for 110K miles/7years.
If you keep it for 110K miles/7years, you would have to purge approx. 100% of the old coolant before you pour in the new coolant.
Any mixing of old and new coolant will reduce the 110K miles/7yr interval.
That means doing a 3x drain and refill.

Instead of waiting until 110K/7yrs, you can do a simpler 1x drain/refill before 110K/7yr.

Example: (All maths are approximate).
The Honda Odyssey's total coolant capacity is 2.56 gallons and a drain and fill will replace 1.5 gallons, leaving 1 gallon of old coolant.
- At 0 miles, coolant is 100% fresh.
- At 30K miles, the coolant is still 72% fresh (ie. 30K miles is approx 28% of 110K miles).
I put in 1.5 gallons of fresh coolant, leaving 1 gallon of old coolant.
This raises the freshness back to 86%. (1.5 * 100 + 1 * 72)/2.56 = 86%
- At 60K miles, the coolant is 62% fresh ( 72% of 86%).
I put in another 1.5 gallons.
This raises the freshness back to 83%

And so on.....

If I follow the 60K interval, each drain & refill would raise the freshness back to between 72 and 76% which is still very good.

PS: Toyota has long life ATF with 100K miles interval. I change the ATF sooner than 100K miles b/c I don't want the oil to be too dirty.

 

[Furple]

According to Honda, you are right.
Honda says the new Long Life Coolant Type 2 can be kept for 110K miles/7years.
If you keep it for 110K miles/7years, you would have to purge approx. 100% of the old coolant before you pour in the new coolant.
Any mixing of old and new coolant will reduce the 110K miles/7yr interval.
That means doing a 3x drain and refill.

Instead of waiting until 110K/7yrs, you can do a simpler 1x drain/refill before 110K/7yr.

Example: (All maths are approximate).
The Honda Odyssey's total coolant capacity is 2.56 gallons and a drain and fill will replace 1.5 gallons, leaving 1 gallon of old coolant.
- At 0 miles, coolant is 100% fresh.
- At 30K miles, the coolant is still 72% fresh (ie. 30K miles is approx 28% of 110K miles).
I put in 1.5 gallons of fresh coolant, leaving 1 gallon of old coolant.
This raises the freshness back to 86%. (1.5 * 100 + 1 * 72)/2.56 = 86%
- At 60K miles, the coolant is 62% fresh ( 72% of 86%).
I put in another 1.5 gallons.
This raises the freshness back to 83%

And so on.....

If I follow the 60K interval, each drain & refill would raise the freshness back to between 72 and 76% which is still very good.

PS: Toyota has long life ATF with 100K miles interval. I change the ATF sooner than 100K miles b/c I don't want the oil to be too dirty.

Why do you need to do 3x drain and fill to repalace coolant? I got my car back from accident repair and they put the GM fluid in.

I removed it, filled with distilled water. Removed that.

Ran the engine with the coolant plug open and filled it while the engine was running to remove all the wrong fluid.

Drained the distilled water and filled with Honda coolant. This was about 2 years ago I think.

 

[txn]

Furple,
Your method is just as effective.
The more avid DIYers would be more comfortable doing what you do (ie. flush with distilled water and then running the engine while pouring new coolant with the drain plug opened until fresh coolant comes out at drain plug).
Obviously, this method would remove almost 100% of the old coolant.

The occasional DIYers are probably more comfortable with drain and refill b/c it's simple and fast.

If you wait until 110K miles/7yrs to replace coolant, the old coolant has zero life left.
So here is the math for the freshness:
First drain/fill (1.5 * 100 + 1 * 0)/2.56 = 58%
Second drain/fill = (1.5 * 100 + 1 * 58) / 2.56 = 81%
Third drain/fill = (1.5 * 100 + 1 * 81) / 2.56 = 90%
You only get 90% freshness, so next change will be 10% sooner than the 110K miles/7yrs.

 

[Rhea1219]

Replacing fluids in 2009 Accord

I have 58,000 miles on my 2009 Accord LX-P and the technician recommending I replace my fluids (brake, transmission & power steering) and basic fuel injection cleaning. Is this something that I would or should need this soon?

 

[txn]

I have 58,000 miles on my 2009 Accord LX-P and the technician recommending I replace my fluids (brake, transmission & power steering) and basic fuel injection cleaning. Is this something that I would or should need this soon?

At 60K miles, replace brake, transmission, power steering fluid and anti-freeze if they were not replaced before.
Then replace ATF at every 15K mile interval

I don't see much use for fuel injection cleaning unless you already have fuel-injection related problems.