Okay so most of the fluids in my car need changing, I as wondering if any of you guys w/ Civics have done this or can tell me how to do this. I don't want to flush any of them, just drain the system and refill. I need to change my clutch fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid. I also wouldn't mind changing my coolant, but it's not really necessary. I just don't know where the plug is to drain my coolant. I just want to learn more about my car so I can take care of it myself. If you have a helpful website that would be easier than a full explanation, that would work too.

 

ok.. not sure on all, but most.

1. clutch. Should be a nipple on the bottom of the slave cyl on the tranny. you dont really drain and refill though. it's a flush til u see clean fluid kinda deal.

2. coolant. Should be a drain plug at the bottom of the rad.

3. Brakes. Same as #1 bleed until u see clean ----.

4. power steering. remember, i said most!

5. transmission. two plugs, 1 top 1 bottom. bottom plug = drain, top plug = fill here. fill until fluid starts coming out of the top plug hole. HINT: Don't forget to put the bottom plug back in b4 u fill.

good luck.

 

while you're out buying fluids get a manual for your car, avoid chilton, he isn't very smart.

 

no tranny fluid.. sporting a Manual (but thanks for mentioning it just in case). Any manuals you do reccomend?

 

agreed. in case some dumb ---- at your local parts store who doesn't know ---- about cars and is trying to sound intelligent told you that manual transmissions dont have "tranny fluid," hes a ------- moron. technically its called "gear oil" on manual transmissions though, or on some cars(like crx) just plain old motor oil. no matter what you call it, it does take fluid.

also as far as manuals, haynes sucks even more than chilton. if you really want a good manual, you need to cough up hella $$ for one that was written for your specific car, not "civic, crx, del sol years 1975-1996" lol.

 

yea get the real deal 100$ manual if u really want to take care of everything on your car by urself. this thing has everything... and if you have a honda dealership near you pick up 2 qts of good ole honda manual transmission fluid

 

look on ebay..got mine for my civic for 35 shipped. used but what the hay. it works..you'll find a few dirty finger prints on some pages but its still usable.

 

Actually that dummy was me, I was thinking of automatic tranny fluid when it was mentioned. Thanx for the tip... any quick help you can give me on where the drain and fill plugs are on my transmission? Is the fill one accessible from the top of the engine bay, or do I get to go down unda?

 

they are two bolts that are one above the other, the fill is above the drain. they are on the passenger side of the tranny right near where the axle goes into the tranny. the drain bolt is not a typical bolt (it has just a square hole in it), you use a 3/4 in. drive ratchet to get it out, and the fill (above the drain), is a 17mm. wrench. once you drain the fluid, put the drain plug back in and get a funnel with some hose on it, go in from the engine bay and leed the hose to the fill hole (the funnel has to be above the hole b/c the fluid will be gravity fed) just keep pouring the fluid/oil into the funnel until it starts dripping out of the fill hole (then you know it's full, it should be around 3 qts.) all the typing i just did, i prolly could have found a write up somewhere in a minute :P