I got around to changing my Trans fluid today for first time as a DIY. Everything was simple - as I had hoped it would be. I did have one question that came up.

The Haynes manual said to clean off the Drain plug and replace it. But the plug was like 2 steps - a thick threded portion - with a narrower smoothe cylinder that extended after the threaded portion.

The narrower portion of the drain plug was covered in a thick black grease. Really thick. I didn't know if I should clean it bare - or leave it on - and I decided that it wasn't dirty fluid - it was actual grease - and if somebody put it there in the first place - I would leave the grease in place and just cleaned off the threads before re-installing.

For anyone who's changed the Trans fluids before - have you noticed the same thing - and should I have cleaned the grease - or left it on?

Thanks

 

Are you talking about the clutch pak material that was clinging on the magnetic end of the plug?
That should be cleaned off.

 

Perhaps - but not sure?



The pin - in the pic above that extends beyond the threaded bolt - had what appeared to be black grease on it. I wiped some off the end to see what it was - and it did not look like metal on the rag - it looked like black thick grease. I wiped about half the material off - just in case - but left the rest on.

Should I remove the bolt and clean it fully - and do another fluid change so that I can wipe that bolt off? It'll only cost me 8 bucks - since I have a quart of fluid I haven't used laying around. Either way - it's not that big of a deal.

 

That looks like it is out of a manual trans car. I would prolly just leave it at this point.

 

That pic might be. I pulled it off the net.

Mine actually had a longer cylinder extending from the threaded portion. My car is a Automatic Transmission 2000 Accord EX 4 cyl though.

 

Honda tranny drain plugs (auto and manual) have a square hole where you use a 3/8 socket wrench with no socket. And the magnet sticking out seems bigger, it looks closer to the size of the threaded part of the plug.

So does your drain plug fit that description?

 

I should have taken a picture of it when it was out - but yes pretty much that's what it looks like. I used my 3/8" socket to remove it - and put it back in.