thanks for the info and pics - EXACTLY - what I needed to know!
Only negative is dealer charges retail for the fluid. $7.07 qt found it online for $5.28 qt, but shipping makes the cost about the same. Thanks again!

 

Very nice pictures, thanks for the effort! Great info!

 

I have a question and a tip. First the tip. I fill my trans fluid through the filler tube with the contraption that you can hopefully see here. I just cut the bottom off a heavy plastic ice tea bottle and put a hose fitting in the cap. I Superglued the cap on just for insurance. The fitting is made up of male and female hose barb adapters. I hacksawed of the hose fitting end of the one that is inside the bottle ca[ and ground it's nut down so that it was very near the bottom of the bottle cap so it would drain all but a few drops. The cap itself helps with that because the last little bit of fluid collects in cap which keeps the level up so it drains almost completely. Rubber washers backed by stainless steel washers are on each side of the cap and under the hose barbs. The tubing and hose barb adapters have a 1/8th I.D. and the host fits inside of the trans filler tube. The jug is hung by wires from the hood catch. It takes about 30-40 minutes to fill the trans.

But my question is more serious. As you know,the trans for a 2004 Pilot is supposed to take 3.2 quarts of trans fluid with a single change. But mine takes nearly 5 quarts! That's how much drains and that's how much it takes to get the proper reading on the dipstick (using the proper reading method.) Has anyone else found this to be the case? When I put in 3.2 quarts, it doesn't even register on the dipstick. I don't know if the recall modification might have something to do with this (possibly increased trans fluid capacity?) or not but it concerns me and I would appreciate any advice about this. The trans has never had a problem and it shifts perfectly. It has 92,000 miles on it. So my choice is: Fill it with 3.2 quarts of fluid as the specs say or put in the amount that drained and which is also the amount that brings it up to proper level on the dipstick. I chose the latter but I would like to hear from anyone who may have anything to say about this.

I'm glad that I do all my own work because if I had taken this somewhere and had someone else do it, they would have just put in 3.2 quarts without noticing that it drains nearly five quarts. If they didn't check the dipstick, I might be nearly two quarts low if it should read properly on the dipstick.

 

ZoneIII, the book is WRONG, nice contraption though.. I was changing the ATF on my 05 Pilot, The dealer sold me 4 quarts after I told him what I was doing. My book says 2.9 qt which was too low, fluid didn't even show up on dipstick. I called Honda Motors (which wasn't much help) and they told me the dealer would have the best answer. I called the dealer and he said 4 qts, although it is still little low (I figured I spill 0.2 qt)

[quote=ZoneIII;4748629]I have a question and a tip. First the tip. I fill my trans fluid through the filler tube with the contraption that you can hopefully see here. I just cut the bottom off a heavy plastic ice tea bottle and put a hose fitting in the cap. I Superglued the cap on just for insurance. The fitting is made up of male and female hose barb adapters. I hacksawed of the hose fitting end of the one that is inside the bottle ca[ and ground it's nut down so that it was very near the bottom of the bottle cap so it would drain all but a few drops. The cap itself helps with that because the last little bit of fluid collects in cap which keeps the level up so it drains almost completely. Rubber washers backed by stainless steel washers are on each side of the cap and under the hose barbs. The tubing and hose barb adapters have a 1/8th I.D. and the host fits inside of the trans filler tube. The jug is hung by wires from the hood catch. It takes about 30-40 minutes to fill the trans.

But my question is more serious. As you know,the trans for a 2004 Pilot is supposed to take 3.2 quarts of trans fluid with a single change. But mine takes nearly 5 quarts! That's how much drains and that's how much it takes to get the proper reading on the dipstick (using the proper reading method.) Has anyone else found this to be the case? When I put in 3.2 quarts, it doesn't even register on the dipstick. I don't know if the recall modification might have something to do with this (possibly increased trans fluid capacity?) or not but it concerns me and I would appreciate any advice about this. The trans has never had a problem and it shifts perfectly. It has 92,000 miles on it. So my choice is: Fill it with 3.2 quarts of fluid as the specs say or put in the amount that drained and which is also the amount that brings it up to proper level on the dipstick. I chose the latter but I would like to hear from anyone who may have anything to say about this.

I'm glad that I do all my own work because if I had taken this somewhere and had someone else do it, they would have just put in 3.2 quarts without noticing that it drains nearly five quarts. If they didn't check the dipstick, I might be nearly two quarts low if it should read properly on the dipstick.

 

Thanks for the information and pictures. I tried finding the fill plug based on 1 picture in my service manual and couldn't. Your description and pictures were very very helpful in locating the fill point. Should have looekn on the internet before I removed the air cleaner and engine cover.

 

Thanks to everyone! You just saved me a $400 service bill from my local dealer.

 

wiskey: Thank you very much for that info. Very helpful! At first I filled the trans until it showed up properly on the dipstick but that required much more than the 3.2 qts. the manual called for. But I had to use over five quarts to reache the mark on the dipstick. But I did NOT want to overfill my trans, of course. So I then just went ahead and used the 3.2 qts called for and figured (hoped) that the dipstick wasn't reading properly somehow. But with our info, I will start using 4 quarts and maybe a little more. But to make my fluid come up to the mark on the dipstick I have to put in over five quarts so I'm still a little concerned. But the trans works fine with either over 5 quarts added or 3.2 quarts so 4 quarts (or a bit more) is right in the middle and should work fine. Thanks again for your response.

 

Hey this is a pretty good thread.. We dont get to see many people posting images to help out! Nice.. I actually liked the step to step reply posted by sasasf.. That must have taken the person some time..