DIY VTM-4 (differential) Fluid change with pictures

[humanoid]

Look in your driver's manual for both of your questions. You should either fall in the SEVERE or NORMAL category. Most will fall under the normal category.

[AParamedic]

Thanks to the original poster for the detailed instructions!

For those of you who are meticulous about torque specs, the fill and drain bolts should be torqued to 47 N-m or 35 ft-lbs

[zhscar]

Changed it this weekend. Very easy. Since I don't have a torque wrench, I just tightened it pretty hard while still beneath the car. The next morning I noticed a little red drop hanging on the bolt, but no spot on the ground, so gave it a lttle tap with a piece of wood and all seems fine since then.

Thanks OP and others for the great instructions. By the way, where do you guys recycle the VTM-4 fluid? Do places like AutoZone that collect engine oil also take this? Thanks.

[ecsw]

crvrefuge : it's a lot of fun for sure.
Whizmo : well put.
jay3: I think ot mentioned in the manual. it's usually 8000 miles if drive in extream condition
or 16000miles if VTM4 hardly come up. Maintenance minder will tell you exactly when.

zhscar: I am not sure about US, but a lot of Canadian gas station has recycling for used oil.

[jay3]

Originally posted by ecsw

jay3: I think ot mentioned in the manual. it's usually 8000 miles if drive in extream condition
or 16000miles if VTM4 hardly come up. Maintenance minder will tell you

thanks ecsw...i read part of the manual over the weekend (tried not to be lazy for once )

[TheRanger]

Well, I'm a moron because I didn't check the maintenance schedule close enough to realize this vehicle requires more mainenance than any ordinary car, so I have never realized I need to change the VTM-4 fluid. I better stop by the Honda dealer today and get some of that fluid .... I wonder what problems could occur by my negligence now...

(I'm willing to bet though the Dealer did do a VTM-4 fluid change when they had my vehicle for the tranmission recall (they didn't replace tranmission, just added the oil jet kit) but regardless I'd be definitely due again)

[humanoid]

Originally posted by TheRanger
Well, I'm a moron because I didn't check the maintenance schedule close enough to realize this vehicle requires more mainenance than any ordinary car, so I have never realized I need to change the VTM-4 fluid. I better stop by the Honda dealer today and get some of that fluid .... I wonder what problems could occur by my negligence now...

(I'm willing to bet though the Dealer did do a VTM-4 fluid change when they had my vehicle for the tranmission recall (they didn't replace tranmission, just added the oil jet kit) but regardless I'd be definitely due again)

How many miles do you have on your current VTM-4 fluid?

[TheRanger]

Originally posted by humanoid


How many miles do you have on your current VTM-4 fluid?

Well there's 48k miles total. I beleive I went in to get the oil jet kit installed somewhere around 15k, so assuming the dealer changed the fluid during that service it might be 33k.

[ecsw]

holy! 33k? wow. That's quite a lot of miles without VTM-4 fluid change. better change it soon.

[ikkoku]

for those of you who have done this, how do you know when it's filled enough. do you let it overflow? or do you just estimate 3/4 of the of the full bottle?

[smurray]

Just keep pumping fluid in until it starts to overflow.

[humanoid]

Ditto what smurray said and drive it around the block a couple times and open up the filler plug again and make sure to fill it up until it overflows again.

[mthomas]

I don't know about 33k miles being too long. I just changed at 17k, elapsed, (2nd change). I couldn't tell the difference between old and new.

As I recall, the first change there was a significant difference between old and new, but not this time. If this were a transmission, I'd say the change interval of 15K was too conservative, based on fluid appearance.

[whizmo]

My '06 maintenance reminder system is calling for a VTM fluid change at 10K (2nd engine oil change). I was suprised it's that early. Is this normal?

I was going to have the dealer do it, but with these instructions, I'll give it a go - looks simple enough.

- Mark

[Gullwing]

While changing the VTM fluid in the differential of my 04, a pair of rubber tubing (tubes?) fell off the top of the differential. Anyone know what these are for?

I didn't have time to trace them, but they are about 1/8-in dia and held in parallel by a clip. The end of one tube is open. The end of the other tube has a piece of white plastic that's in the shape of an L so that the plastic sticks our at a right angle.

Could they be some sort of venting tubes? Or should they be connected to something? The vehicle seems to run fine.

Thanks,