Changing transmission oil

Transmission oil change intervalls

The owners and service manual recommends the following intervalls:

• Normal driving conditions: Every 144.000km / 90.000miles or 6 year (which ever comes first)
• Harsh driving conditions: Every 48.000km / 30.000miles or 6 months (which ever comes first)

Most owners drive their S2000 only during the summer months and do a service (which includes an engine oil change) during the winter.
This means a service every 6 months and usually within 6.000km.

Definition of harsh driving conditions

The service manual states the following definition:

• Less than 8km (5 miles) per trip on non-freezing weather conditions.
• Less than 16km (10m miles) per trip on freering temperatures.
• In hot weather climates with temperatures above 32°C/90°F.
• Extensive idling or long preiods of stop-and-go driving (e.g. as taxi or commercial deliver vehicle).
• Driving on mountainous roads.
• On muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.
  

Additionally definition from other S2000 owners:

• Sport and fast paced driving with a lot of VTEC engagment.
• Long preiods of driving at 150km/h (93 mph) or above.
• Racetrack driving (most people recommend to change the oil after each racetrack visit).

Recommended transmission oil

See: Transmission_oil#Recommendations

Required tools and fluids

• 1x Honda oil filter #15400-PCX-0400
• 4,8L / 5,1 qts engine oil (or a little more if you would like to "flush" the engine)
• New crush washer for the oil drain bolt
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench (24Nm / 18 lb-ft and 40Nm / 29 lb-ft)
• Filter wrench or filter socket for yor ratchet
• Oil catch pan
• Floor jack + jack stands
• Funnel (optional)

How to change the transmission oil

Pre-conditions and jacking up the car

• Make sure that the engine is not cold but also not too hot. 2-3 bars on the temp gauge are fine.
• Put the car in the first gear and set the parking brake.
• Jack up the car on the front by using the central jacking point near the engine.
• There are two front-jacking-points on each side. Place one jack stand on each side at the jacking-point that is the furthest away from the front wheel.
• Lower and remove your floor jack and continue jacking up the rear by using the jacking point on the differential.
• Place your jack stands on the left and right side jacking points at the rear of the car.

Draining the oil

• The oil pan is located under the engine and the drain bolt is located on the front of the oil pan at passenger side.
• Place your oil catch pan below the engine oil drain bolt.
• Remove the engine oil filling cap on the top of the engine.
• Remove the engine oil drain bolt with a 17mm socket from the oil pan.
• The engine oil will now drain from the oil pan and you might need to re-adjust your oil catch pan.
• While the engine oil is draining I recommend to also remove the oil filter. You will notice that once the filter is gone, more oil will come out of the engine oil drain.
• Remove the oil filter completely. Be carefull as engine oil will leak out of the filter and engine. Make sure that the oil filter and its gasket both came off.
• The oil filter is located above the engine oil drain bolt.

• Once all the oil has be drained I like to fill fresh oil into the engine to "flush" the engine with the new oil.
• Wait until no oil (either old or new from "flushing") comes out of the engine.

Adding new transmission oil

• Fill the new oil filter about half full with fresh engine oil.
• Use your finger to to apply fresh engine oil to the gasket of the new oil filter.
• Screw the new oil filter on the engine until the gasket touches the engine.
• Now either use a filter socket and a torque wrench to tighten to filter to 24Nm / 18 lb-ft or do 7/8 of a full turn of the filter.
• Replace the old crush washer from the engine oil drain bolt.
• Usually the crush washer will have to sides, one that has a rounded edge and one that has a sharper edge. The sharp edge should face the oil pan.
• Hand tighten the engine oil drain bolt. Then use your 17mm socket and a torque wrench and tighten it to 40Nm / 29 lb-ft.
• You can now fill the rest of you new oil into the engine.
• Start the engine and let it idle for a few seconds.
• After 10 minutes check the oil level according to: Engine_oil#Reading_the_oil_level_dipstick_correctly