Honda MTF

New edit: this is a 2008 video and I believe Honda has changed their formulation again. According to a commenter who works at a Honda dealership it is no longer as thin anymore. Won't have future input from me because my Toyota takes 75w90 and I don't buy Honda MTF anymore.

Old header: Honda MTF used to be amber with a viscosity approximating 5w30 motor oil. Now it's closer to ATF viscosity with a tan-brown color.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• honda
• manual
• transmission
• tranny
• fluid

[minilogoguy18]

Saying the new MTF is like ATF viscosity is the most retarded thing I've ever read on the internet and trust me, there's tons of garbage to wade through on the net. I see change this stuff often working at the dealer and it's way thicker than ATF, it's more like 5-30 oil except it shifts way better in the cold than 5-30 would since I've tried it.

People running synchromesh are just wasting money, their trans needs a rebuild, not oil that's too heavy and will ruin the bearings.

[dreadednought44]

@minilogoguy18 Look at the date of the video, it's hardly new. As far as I know Honda has reformulated this stuff twice since that stuff went into that car.

I put the next to newest formulation (not that MTF-3 I see pictures of) into my Honda Fit and I agree they thickened it back up again to where it was supposed to be. I think the era of the thin stuff was initially released for shifting issues on the Si.

Syncromesh is thinner and doesn't work as well.

[dreadednought44]

@phorse They did up until 1995 IIRC. 1996 and up say use Honda MTF and only if absolutely necessary use 5w30 (as it will not shift properly without the friction modifiers on the newer synchronizers).

[phorse]

@dreadednought44 If that's the case, the owners manual for hondas aren't accurate.

The manual recommends 10-30 - 10-40.

[dreadednought44]

@dreadednought44 well more like 5w20 now that i think about it but still in the viscosity range.

[dreadednought44]

@MikaOwns

sold this car years ago. It was shifting like butter up until I did though. Its replacement is a newer 5MT honda and it still likes the Honda MTF second to none. As far as I know the actual components haven't changed a whole lot over the years. Similar metallurgy. I do know '92-up (and maybe even prior) recommends 5w30 either as the primary or fallback fluid and the green label MTF is similar in viscosity to that, at least until about 20k miles. It's a good idea to change often.

[MikaOwns]

@dreadednought44

how is it shifting these days? I run GM synchro FM in my 189k mile GSR . Third gear is a little tough to get it. The old Honda MTF sucked ass, but I'm curious to see how the new green label works. The green label is thinner than both, which scares me.

[Twinturb069]

@dreadednought44 Thx for the comment. I've actually filled it with AMSOIL MTF which should be 5w30. I've gone for a spin and the shifts got much better.

What I wonder, really, is how come It could run so long with 10w40 in it. I wasn't experiecing any problems before I changed the clutch.

Some other people I know advised me the Pennzoil Synchromesh oil too for the tranny. Even If I have to drive a little more, the AMSOIL one seems to fit fine.

[dreadednought44]

@Twinturb069 10w40 is too thick for a Honda. It doesn't destroy the bearings like gear lube would but the lack of friction modifiers makes the synchros slide like teflon. I've ran 10w40 before for about a day. It makes rev-matching necessary and honestly is easier to shift if double-clutching. Switch back to Honda MTF. Some people use GM Synchromesh... whatever works. Pre-96 Hondas used SG-grade 5w30 oil in the tranny which is impossible to find-- and the new SM-grade is way too slippery.

[Twinturb069]

Has anyone tried going from 10w40 to this MTF oil ?

Does this make a big difference? I'm experiencing trouble shifting gears and that's the last point I haven't checked.