LSteggyguy

I'm working on my 98 accord and I will be needing to fill the transmission tomorrow. Being a Sunday, the dealership will be closed and I am limited to what I can get at the auto parts stores and walmart.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with using Valvoline Maxlife Dex 3 vs Honda ATF?

I just read through several threads and it was all "from a buddy", "the mechanic told me", "it happened to a friend of a friend".

Is there any solid evidence that non-honda atf will = destroyed transmission? And even if it does, how do you know that it wasn't just because you haven't changed your fluid in 80k miles and the new fluid of any brand would cause the slipping?

92 civic ex 4dr

Well first of all, it depends on what color your fluid was when you changed it will determine the longevity of the transaxle after the fluid is changed. I personally run DEX/MERCIII in my accord 5th gen. The fifth gen transaxles are pretty bullet proof. The 6th gen transaxles were for the most part, garbage. Now i don't remember if the 6th gen transaxles do or not, but the 5th gen accord transaxles say DEX/MERC right on the dip stick. Might want to clean it up and check that out.

Overall yes you can use DEX/MERC in your automatic transaxle, but my preference and stance is always OEM transaxle fluid and electronics.

LSteggyguy

ok, I just checked the stick and it said "Honda ATF Dextron". So Dex 3 is fine? Or should I get Dex 6? I also heard that CarQuest carries legit Honda ATF and they're open Sundays. I'll check that out first. Otherwise I'll pick up some Dex/Merc stuff at Walmart

holmesnmanny

When you think about how often you have to change atf fluid, not that often, why not just get Honda fluid ?

Honda mtf fluid is better than anything and its basically only a dollar more anything on the market.

accordturb96

Holmmes is right. You change it once in a few thousand miles and someone spent millions of dollars in R&D to design it specifically for what it's being used for. I'm not sure where people think honda didn't know how to design it's own parts for their motors. There is a reason why they go 300k+. HONDA made them. Your buddies stories could be lacking any information such as service interval, conditions, age of tranny etc. There are always going to be issues with a metal box containing metal gears, it's iust how it goes

LSteggyguy

Well, Walmart is more convenient and they're open on Sunday. That's my problem. This is my daily driver and I wouldn't be able to get honda atf until Monday for sure, unless carquest has it.

I'm just a little skeptical when someone says "use this or else". Like the whole motor oil and filter debate, saying that fram is garbage and only use a certain oil. Sure, honda put millions into research. But so did Valvoline when they designed their ATF. Their ATF that works in millions of cars across the world.

DCFIVER

No they didnt. Valvoline, (like many other aftermarket fluids vendors) reverse engineered or bought the license for the formula.




With that said, use Honda OE fluid or Dexron 6. Dexron/Mercon III is obsolete and has been for years. It is only produced for the "cheap skates" and is not even called Dexron or Mercon anymore(its called Dex/Merc) because the license for that name is expired and will never be reinstated.
It is not recommend in any current service information for ANY car or truck on the road today....

accordturb96

I could understand if they were selling the quarts at $20 a bottle but come on were talking a few bucks. I had an auto I didnt change the atf fluid for well over a 150k and it was working just fine when I removed it. I used some high grade engine oil in my manual for a short time and it came out nasty as can be not to mention it didnt shift too smoothly

accordturb96

besides itll take you ten minutes to fill it up when you get the atf fluid from honda

94 accord typeR

also their trans fluid is very generic made for use in "import" cars. where as honda is designed for honda cars. plus chances are that the fluid in the car is honda but an old formula designed for '98 model years give or take and the new fluid is re-engineered (better protection smoother shifts long life etc)

i am a OEM guy why bother with guess-work

LSteggyguy

Well, just so you all know. I did manage to get some Honda ATF on a Sunday. If you have a carquest near you they carry it for about 8 bucks a bottle and they're open from like 9-3.

accordturb96

Interesting. Nice work man

toker2

I personally did 3X drain and fill with Maxlife Dex/Merc on my 96 2.2 EX a few weeks ago. Much improved shifting and less slippage. My reasoning for not paying for the premium Honda fluid was that my transmission was designed for Z1 and now all you can find is DW1. So even if I did get fluid from the Honda dealer, it wouldn't be what those engineers that spent $$$ on R&D designed it for.

DCFIVER

Incorrect. Z1 has been superseded by DW1. It is an improved formula. Much like dex/merc turned into dex/merc 2,3,4,5 and6.

See, R&D never stops. OEMs are constantly trying to improve on their product by updating fluids and parts. They are not required to inform anyone or make any public announcements. But typically they DO inform their service departments via TSBs or SN. Sometimes the new parts or fluids will have new part numbers to indicate a change,and other times they will not.



This is not to say the original parts or fluids are bad,simply that they found a way to improve upon said items.

toker2

Edit: Had a big rant here. Not worth the trouble. To answer the OP's question. I have used Maxlife Dex/Merc in my 96 and have had great results.

94 accord typeR

ROFL thank you