Im getting ready to change the lude tranny oil again. 4 questions:

1) What manual transmission oil do YOU use?
2) What in your opinion is the BEST oil to use?
3) Is there a synthetic oil that is best to use on our 5th gen ludes?
4) and lastly, how often do you guys recommend to change the tranny oil.

Please participate this can help other fellow luders out bigtime to maintain their trannys healthy operation.

 

i use and would recommend honda manual transmission fluid.

 

I use Honda MTF. I'm thinking about the GM Synchromesh alternative for the next time though.

I bought the Prelude with ~45,000 miles on it and had changed it twice between then and ~96,000 miles when it decided to drop reverse. I don't know how the previous owner treated the car so that's already a strike against me. I'd really like to get more than 96,000 miles out of this "new" transmission so I'll probably end up changing the oil closer to every 12,000 miles or so.

 

1. Honda MTF
2. Honda MTF
3. For the tranny? I think it's a bad idea.
4. ~15k. If you're really driving hard 8-10k.

 

Royal Purple

 

for all 4 answers?

 

1) Pennzoil Synchromesh
2) If transmission is in good shape, genuine Honda mtf. If tranny is unhealthy like mine (unknown mileage m2a4) pennzoil synchromesh or equivilent (gm, royal purple synchrosomething)
3) Can't comment, although I don't recall ever hearing a recommendation for using synthetic in any prelude transmission
4) Depends on milage/driving habits. I'm aiming for every 10-15k, this tranny needs to laaaast

 

I have royal purple in all my cars. I love it. It feels like it shifts a lot smoother, and I have never had any problems out of any of my transmissions. (2 h22s and a b16)

 

synchromesh is either semi-synthetic or full synthetic

 

Honda MTF.

 

AMSOIL SYNCHROMESH fully synthetic is hands down the best possible tranny fluid for our cars. Way better than honda mtf I know from experience.

 

HONDA MTF.

End of story. (and, It's cheaper)

 

i used honda also when i rebuilt mine.

 

I threw in Honda MTF. Tranny shifting perfectly. 74k miles on it and still smooth as silk.

 

I used an integra gar tranny and I have another b18a1 tranny as a spare

 

Gsr I meant

 

agreed^^

should always use honda mtf but..,

if its a fresh, smooth, low mileage trans, always use the honda mtf.

if its beat a lil with slight grinds or watever try the pennzoil GM synchromesh


honda mtf ftw

 

Care to expand, on your experience, how amsoil is 'way' better?

 

dont have a prelude, but i have an integra.

ive used honda mtf, pennzoil and amsoil

amsoil has the best feel of them all. made the shifting firmer and more precise. honda mtf was notchy and pennzoil felt too mushy.

 

Honda MTF FTMFW / thread

 

I'm going to Syncrhomesh. I wonder who actually makes the "MTF" Honda stuff??? And isn't it just motor oil??? MTF fluid selection in MT's isn't as important as ATF in auto tranny's. I know just 10w30 sucks for smooth shifting. I almost went with Royal Purple but the price is harsh.

 

I tried Pennzoil (iirc) syncromesh and it was terrible. Didn't help shifting at all and started to burn, so I dumped it within 1k and went back to Honda MTF, which has always been good for me. When I rebuild in a couple months I'm switching to Torco RTF. Won't really have a direct comparison though since I'll be rebuilding the tranny with new synco's and what-not, but thought I'd give it a whirl.

 

No one should ever buy the royal purple stuff, it's so ridiculously thin and it specifically says on the bottle it's meant for manual transmissions that use a auto trans fluid. Not sure what cars that applies to but was just reading the bottle when waiting on a part at napa with a buddy.

Honda MTF all the way, I got like 2 free cases of it.

 

"for freeeeeeeeeeee?"

 

syncromesh is NOT recommended based on my experience with it.
i ran the oem lsd m2b4 w/ syncromesh for years and it wore down my syncros and killed the LSD. I would recommond honda MTF. the syncromesh is too thin of an oil to offer proper protection.