Transmission cooler: About to buy
11-26-2003, 10:09 PM
#1
Cone Basher
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Transmission cooler: About to buy
This morning I pulled the AT dipstick, and I was almost in shock. The ATF was partly brown, and I could smell sulfur.
My car only has 8900 miles on it over 2 years, but it's been through four Autocrosses over the past 3.5 months. I am going to get the transmission fluid changed (not flushed!) at the dealership this Friday morning, and I will hopefully order the correct size B&M SuperCooler tomorrow morning after I take the measurements (I've wanted to get one since day one, and my dad said yes!).
Anyways, for those that don't know what is going on:
http://www.honduh.com/showthread.php...;threadid=2280
I think the Autocrossing has caused the fluid to heat up too much, causing the fluid to start breaking down so early (2002 w/ 8900 miles!), so a good transmission cooler will hopefully help fix the problem (and much more frequent ATF changes!). Now that I think of it, the transmission isn't running all that smooth!!!
Anyways:
1. How should the ATF fluid on the dipstick look like after 8900 miles?
2. The dealership will only drain, and refill the ATF once for $54. I thought they were supposed to do it 3 times whilst driving short distances in between, since the Torque Converter holds fluid that won't drain out by itself?
3. The dealership also does a "flush" ($100) by hooking up the stock cooler lines to a machine, and letting it slowly replace the old fluid with new. I saw them do it on an old Accord, and I didn't see them remove the drain bolt and clean off the metal shavings. I definitely want to stay away from the flush at this point, but should I avoid it like the plague in the future?
Also, in the future I hope to do proper ATF changes at home, but as of right now I don't have the time, or any tools to do the job. If I were to do ATF fluid changes at home, I would do exactly what the Helms manual (which I would hopfeully buy) tells me to do...
**************************************************
Finally, the B&M Supercooler will come with a mounting kit, and I have a general idea as to where/how to install it. Tomorrow morning, I will take the front bumper off and take some real measurements. I'll also take a pic of the dipstick for y'all. What diameter transmission hose will I need?
this is what it will look like (size varies):
http://store.summitracing.com/produc...earchtype=ecat
I'm going to make a mock up of the 19,000, 16,000, and the 24,000GVW versions with styrofoam (I have these huge sheets of it laying around in my garage
) [/B]
My car only has 8900 miles on it over 2 years, but it's been through four Autocrosses over the past 3.5 months. I am going to get the transmission fluid changed (not flushed!) at the dealership this Friday morning, and I will hopefully order the correct size B&M SuperCooler tomorrow morning after I take the measurements (I've wanted to get one since day one, and my dad said yes!).
Anyways, for those that don't know what is going on:
http://www.honduh.com/showthread.php...;threadid=2280
I think the Autocrossing has caused the fluid to heat up too much, causing the fluid to start breaking down so early (2002 w/ 8900 miles!), so a good transmission cooler will hopefully help fix the problem (and much more frequent ATF changes!). Now that I think of it, the transmission isn't running all that smooth!!!
Anyways:
1. How should the ATF fluid on the dipstick look like after 8900 miles?
2. The dealership will only drain, and refill the ATF once for $54. I thought they were supposed to do it 3 times whilst driving short distances in between, since the Torque Converter holds fluid that won't drain out by itself?
3. The dealership also does a "flush" ($100) by hooking up the stock cooler lines to a machine, and letting it slowly replace the old fluid with new. I saw them do it on an old Accord, and I didn't see them remove the drain bolt and clean off the metal shavings. I definitely want to stay away from the flush at this point, but should I avoid it like the plague in the future?
Also, in the future I hope to do proper ATF changes at home, but as of right now I don't have the time, or any tools to do the job. If I were to do ATF fluid changes at home, I would do exactly what the Helms manual (which I would hopfeully buy) tells me to do...
**************************************************
Finally, the B&M Supercooler will come with a mounting kit, and I have a general idea as to where/how to install it. Tomorrow morning, I will take the front bumper off and take some real measurements. I'll also take a pic of the dipstick for y'all. What diameter transmission hose will I need?
this is what it will look like (size varies):
http://store.summitracing.com/produc...earchtype=ecat
I'm going to make a mock up of the 19,000, 16,000, and the 24,000GVW versions with styrofoam (I have these huge sheets of it laying around in my garage
) [/B]
11-28-2003, 12:00 PM
#2
Cone Basher
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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haha! I was skooled by the dealership! I took it in, and they checked the dipstick. The techs said that it is supposed to change colors like that, and I do not need to get the fluid changed! It's only when I start to get precipitate (stuff settling on the bottom if you were to take a sample and put it in a container) that I am in trouble.
Anyways, I ordered the 24,000GVW 11x6x1.5" B&M SuperCooler. It will come with an installation/mounting kit, so hopefully, all I'll need to buy is a quart of Honda ATF-Z1, and some 3/8" transmission hose. Will any transmission hose from AutoZone work? I was considering getting the Earl's SS braided oil lines later on, but the $33 price tag (6 ft) changed my mind.
Anyways, I ordered the 24,000GVW 11x6x1.5" B&M SuperCooler. It will come with an installation/mounting kit, so hopefully, all I'll need to buy is a quart of Honda ATF-Z1, and some 3/8" transmission hose. Will any transmission hose from AutoZone work? I was considering getting the Earl's SS braided oil lines later on, but the $33 price tag (6 ft) changed my mind.