DIY: Manual Transmission Fluid Change (91-05)

[Chris_Lum]

Learn how to change the MTF (Manual Transmission Fluid) on your First Generation Honda/Acura NSX. Please note: this was done on a 1991 NSX, and should be the same for all 1991-96 5 Spd NSX. The 97-05 6 Spd NSX should be very similar.

If you have a keen eye, you'll notice I installed a magnetic drain bolt (which was a mistake and a story for another day). I promptly removed it and used the OEM drain bolt....I do NOT recommend a magnetic drain bolt in the NSX due to the tight clearance between the bolt and the ring gear. Just use OEM.

Quart Bottle Fluid Pump: https://amzn.to/3HpZ9V6

0:00 - Fill & Drain Bolt Locations1:34 - Loosening the Fill Bolt First
2:01 - Loosening the Drain Bolt & Draining the Transmission Fluid
2:37 - Fluid Capacity, Pump & Acura MTF
4:32 - Torquing the Drain Bolt
5:27 - Filling the Transmission with MTF
7:43 - Torquing the Fill Bolt

 

[Wild Turkey]

Great video as ever Chris. Wish I had it before I did my MTF.

While the pump works OK for refilling, I made this revised funnel using ~3' of Pex that makes the job way easier, clearing the rear fender perfectly. The Pex fits nicely in fill hole with just enough room for excess to leak out. Just hold the Pex with one hand and pour the MTF in the top funnel with the other. I've used it thrice & it's much easier than the pump I use for diffs & tranny on my Wrangler:

The curvature of the Pex in the roll was just about perfect to get to the fill hole. I've noticed it's been straightening a bit so I store it maintaining the curve.

 

[Honcho]

Learn how to change the MTF (Manual Transmission Fluid) on your First Generation Honda/Acura NSX. Please note: this was done on a 1991 NSX, and should be the same for all 1991-96 5 Spd NSX. The 97-05 6 Spd NSX should be very similar.

If you have a keen eye, you'll notice I installed a magnetic drain bolt (which was a mistake and a story for another day). I promptly removed it and used the OEM drain bolt....I do NOT recommend a magnetic drain bolt in the NSX due to the tight clearance between the bolt and the ring gear. Just use OEM.

Quart Bottle Fluid Pump: https://amzn.to/3HpZ9V6

0:00 - Fill & Drain Bolt Locations1:34 - Loosening the Fill Bolt First
2:01 - Loosening the Drain Bolt & Draining the Transmission Fluid
2:37 - Fluid Capacity, Pump & Acura MTF
4:32 - Torquing the Drain Bolt
5:27 - Filling the Transmission with MTF
7:43 - Torquing the Fill Bolt

Nice job Chris. Keep in mind the transmission already has a fairly robust magnet inside it that works quite well. Honda thought of everything lol.

 

[Chris_Lum]

Nice job Chris. Keep in mind the transmission already has a fairly robust magnet inside it that works quite well. Honda thought of everything lol.

View attachment 190933

Thanks! True, a lot of transmissions have an internal magnet but unfortunately they can’t be cleaned (or checked) unless you crack the case open so magnet drain bolts were created so that you can check to see if excessive filings are being created while also allowing you to clean the magnet off so it can keep working effectively—all while doing any regular trans fluid maintenance. Not usually a big deal, just a nice thing to have most of the time.

 

[Chris_Lum]

Great video as ever Chris. Wish I had it before I did my MTF.

While the pump works OK for refilling, I made this revised funnel using ~3' of Pex that makes the job way easier, clearing the rear fender perfectly. The Pex fits nicely in fill hole with just enough room for excess to leak out. Just hold the Pex with one hand and pour the MTF in the top funnel with the other. I've used it thrice & it's much easier than the pump I use for diffs & tranny on my Wrangler:
View attachment 190927
The curvature of the Pex in the roll was just about perfect to get to the fill hole. I've noticed it's been straightening a bit so I store it maintaining the curve.

Nice alternative! That’s gigantic haha. I’m actually very happy with my tiny pump (lol) my garage is literally packed to the brim and I wouldn’t want to store this gigantic oily hose. I actually have a separate quart-pump for each car and fluid I use them for and I keep them in a zip lock bag to contain the residual oils. That way I don’t need to clean them out each time either and because I keep one pump per car/component, there’s no cross contamination of fluid since I don’t clean them.

Bonus: I actually use these pumps for removing brake fluid from the master cylinders too. The small tube is perfect for getting into the bottom of the master cylinders and they work much better than the famous turkey baster. I stick one end into the master cylinder and the other into a bottle and it greatly minimizes chance of dropping fluid onto my paint.