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What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 11th, 2003, 3:52 pm
by BLKITR
I have been curious about this for a while now. What fluids do you all run in your Type R and why? Coolant, oil, tranny fluid, brake fluid, clutch fluid, power steering fluid? I did a search and didn't find anything regarding coolant. I figured that I would ask about the others as well.

I am about to bleed and refill my coolant and was curious. Should I just get some Prestone from walmart, go with honda coolant from the "stealership" or something else. This is the time for me to change to something else.

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 11th, 2003, 8:17 pm
by BLKITR
Anyone...Anyone? Beuller...Beuller?

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 11th, 2003, 8:31 pm
by ITR97
i run moutl 300v 5w40 for race and motul 8100 5w30 for street.

for the coolant u dont really need antifreeze well not 50/50 cause antifrezze only helps the coolant not frezze for the summer i run more mostly water with only a little antifrezze, cause water is the best liquid that takes away heat.

Posted: July 12th, 2003, 1:03 am
by hondafanatic
The antifreeze has lubricants in it for your water pump and stuff. I would put some in there, dont just run water.

If your car is running hot with 50/50 then you have some issues.

valvoline synthetic motor oil (because i trust the name)
honda MTF transmission fluid (dont use motor oil like some places would have you believe)
prestone antifreeze.
valvoline brake fluid for brakes and clutch

Posted: July 12th, 2003, 2:43 am
by Type R 98
I use 5w30 synthetic Mobil 1 oil (cuz i think its good quality oil)
honda transmission fluid(thats what its made to work with)
regular preston(cuz who cares)
canadian tire break fluid(cuz i felt like it)

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 12th, 2003, 2:36 pm
by George Knighton
Engine oil: Castrol 5w30, might switch to 20w50 now that the motor is 75,000 miles old and the summer's very hot here. It was 120 degrees on the tarmac at Summit Point last weekend.

Brake Fluid and Clutch Fluid: ATE Super Blue.

Tranny & LSD: Honda MTL

Coolant: Not very picky. :)

Posted: July 12th, 2003, 4:47 pm
by JDMITR98
valvoline synthetic motor oil (because i trust the name)
honda MTF transmission fluid (dont use motor oil like some places would have you believe)
I just have mobil 1 full synthtic in my tranny- is that bad? If so why?

Posted: July 12th, 2003, 5:38 pm
by hondafanatic
well not so much bad as not as good as MTF.

there are additives that give the lubricant a higher sheer strength for when the teeth on the gears press together (much much higher pressure than anything being libricated in the engine.)

this pressure causes normal motor oil to be squeezed out from between the gears more readily than a lubricant with the propper additives.

honda says you can use motor oil as a TEMPORARY substitute for the MTF. I wouldnt recommend it, however my local honda dealer uses motor oil exclusivly for transmissions. This gives you a hint as to what type of service to expect from a car repair shop, even one as reputable as the dealership

I tried contacting honda about this and thier customer support/tech support said they didnt really care, what the dealerships do is none of honda motor companies concern, even if thier "maintenance" causes problems in longevity.

well that was a long answer to a short question.

Bottom line, dont use regular motor oil only. at least put some of the propper additives in it. I would just go to the dealership and buy the MTF its about 3.80 a quart and you will only need to buy 3 quarts and use like 2.3 (i think)

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 12:48 am
by BLKITR
hey all. I don't have a Type R service manual (all I have is the manual for the a 1997 GS-R). Do I can the tranny fluid the same way as the GS-R or do I have to do something special due to the Limited slip differential? I know it is a stupid question, but I am a little paranoid :lol: .

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 11:32 am
by George Knighton
If it's Honda MTF that you've been using then, yes, that's fine. :)

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 11:40 am
by Dave-ROR
This is what I use in my ****GS-R**** it doesn't matter since both would use the same fluids though.

Engine Oil: Castrol GTX 10w30
Tranny: Redline MTL
Radiator: Uhmm.. whatever antifreeze was on sale, ~30%, distilled water ~70% + some water wetter
Brake fluid: ATE Super Blue
Clutch fluid: Valvoline DOT 3/4 brake fluid

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 12:13 pm
by BLKITR
Actually what I meant to ask was is the actual procedure for changing the tranny fluid at all different between the GS-R and the Type-R? I assume that it doesn't matter that the Type-R has a LSD. It is all part of the tranny. I will assume that the procedure is exactly the same.

Place car on level surface, open fill plug, open drain plug, drain fluid, put drain plug back in, fill with fluid until it starts coming out off fill hole, put fill plug back in.

Thanks all for the great info.

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 5:41 pm
by kabob
Wow, I didn't realize that my fluids pretty much matched you guys :lol:

Oil-- Currently Mobil1 Synth 5w30, although will be changing to Amsoil 5w30 w/ next oil change

Tranny-- Honda MTF (will be changing with the oil next weekend)

Coolant-- Prestone/distilled water 50/50 mix although I've heard excellent things about the Redline Water Wetter and may go with that next summer (I just flushed and changed my coolant 3 months ago). It's designed to run with mostly water (at least 65% IIRC) but my friend with an SR20DET-powered 240sx is doing well using it.

Brake fluid-- Valvoline full-synthetic DOT 3/4

Clutch fluid-- I think I should be looking at this to change soon but it's running whatever the previous owner left in when I bought the car last year.

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 5:55 pm
by Jan Niemi
This topic never ends.

Always use Honda MTF in your transmission. I swear by the stuff. I used synthetic oil in my transmission, went to the drag strip, really abused her and on the way home my 5th gear synchro started grinding, I changed the trans oil to MTF (3 quarts) no synchro grind. That was last summer, still no synchro grind, I love MTF. Whatever is in that stuff, it does the job.

As far as motor oil, I always use synthetic 10w30. Remember that OEMs use thin 5w30 for one reason - corporate fuel economy standards.

Brake and clutch dot 3.

Coolant - who cares, pick a brand.

Posted: July 13th, 2003, 6:30 pm
by kabob
*ahem*

Not to detract from this discussion but since you're the only person that's posted in the last 2 hours since I have, Jan do you know anything about the JRSC and can provide some input in my supercharger thread? :P

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 18th, 2003, 4:03 pm
by JDMITR98
Jan Niemi wrote: As far as motor oil, I always use synthetic 10w30. Remember that OEMs use thin 5w30 for one reason - corporate fuel economy standards.
So what is the improvement of using the 10w30 over the 5w30? Sorry I just don't quite understand.
And I was told before that a DuraBlend is acutully better for the ITR because of Vtec, and the oil being thicker will give you a better responce?
( i still use Mobil 1 full synthtic)

Posted: July 18th, 2003, 4:36 pm
by Trey
Oil: Amsoil 5W-30
Brake Fluid: ATE Super Blue
Transmission: GM Synchromesh Friction Modified
Coolant: Distilled Water/Water Wetter and a weeeee bit of antifreeze (Brand not a factor)

Posted: July 19th, 2003, 11:32 am
by BrewCityR
Oil: Schaeffer Supreme 7000 10w30
Brake Fluid: ATE Super Blue
Trans: Honda MTF
Coolant: Honda

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 20th, 2003, 1:08 am
by Dave-ROR
Jan Niemi wrote:As far as motor oil, I always use synthetic 10w30. Remember that OEMs use thin 5w30 for one reason - corporate fuel economy standards.
5W-30 is a nice catch all for mostly all US climates. That's why they suggest it. 5W-30 vs 10W-30 only differ in the number of additives to lower the cold weight. The warm weight is the same (30).

If you live in never-gets-cold climates you can run straight oils (such as 30, no 5w, 10w, etc), otherwise 10w-30 will be slightly better than 5w-30 because it has less additives.. but.. in the winter if you live in a colder climate I'd say switch back to 5W-30..

Posted: July 20th, 2003, 2:03 pm
by e r i c s 9 9 s i
Engine Oil: Castrol GTX 10w30
Tranny: Redline MTL
Radiator: Any Brand Antifreeze
Brake fluid: Valvoline DOT 3/4 brake fluid
Clutch fluid: Valvoline DOT 3/4 brake fluid

Re: What fluids do you run in your R?

Posted: July 20th, 2003, 2:15 pm
by Jan Niemi
I should have mentioned that I never drive my R in the winter. If I did, I would use 5w30 in the winter to get oil to the cams quicker at startup.