Anyone in the market for a midsize car? I was.

[EE_Bota]

Instead of waiting for the dealer to tell you what your fault code is you could try an android app called torque. The app is $5 and an it connects via Bluetooth to a dongle you can buy at Amazon for $20.
It gives you all the fault codes and lots more info on your car like the expensive diagnostic machines.

I have done this, and it is really cool.
One reason I went this way is to read and record my Turbo boost characteristics. If it runs "funny" later, I want that recorded so I can see if it is in the turbo system.

 

[3930dave]

That's all part of the reason why I like Honda products. Despite the way it seems with technologies like VTEC and VCM, Honda is generally very elegant in the mechanical simplicity.

The autos have a filter, just not generally serviceable.

I'm familiar with the course screens on old automatics - the "Well, it'll stop it sucking up rocks in the pan, but that's about it" kind of course.

Is this the type of filter you reference ?

Rgds, D.

 

[Peacock]

Hahaha....

No, it's a comparable to what any other trans uses now. Goes down to however many microns and whatnot. Just isn't serviceable without splitting the case.

Some of them have a fluid warmer that also has a screen in it. It is replaceable fairly easily. Not sure it would really help anything.

The general cause of failure with the older 4 speed and early 5 speed Honda autos was huge amounts of heat in the 2nd or 3rd clutch. The lining would simply fall off and plug the passages and filter.

 

[3930dave]

Interesting, not what I would have expected for accessibility on that class of filter.

Gotta say, I do like how GM set up some of their heavy and Saturn transmissions - can't beat a spin on for access.

Rgds, D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Filter is really worthless on a automatic. Most now days are sealed like on my Titan. No filter either. Just drain and refill every 30,000 miles. Easy as changing oil. Cost about $30. By the time a tranny filter comes into play its too late and the damage is done. Just like a manual doesn't have one.

Most new cars don't have fuel filters either other than the sock on the in tank pickup.

Chris

 

[Peacock]

The filter was essential on older models that had heavy clutch wear. These days the clutches wear so little that a replaceable filter isn't needed.

 

[3930dave]

I think you are highlighting current trends in automotive engineering/marketing Chris, as opposed to advocating using badly or non-filtered fluid in a high-pressure hydraulic pump.

How many of us would buy a tractor today that did not have a spin-on hydraulic filter ? I'm honestly not sure why we want to tolerate/accept the lack of it our road vehicles ?

Mechanically, I prefer more filtration, ideally with an easy to access filter, as opposed to less/none. If we take the Honda above as an example, yes, the source of the problem sounds like poor heat managment (gee, when does that ever happen in mechanical systems ) but an easy to access filter might have meant getting 300k out of the trani, as opposed to having it pack up at 180k.

That's my take on it, but I get that the avg. consumer doesn't pay any attention to maintenance and is the main reason that these zero maintenance "features" have been designed in. Obviously, the manufacturers today don't want you getting 300k+ out of the original trani either.

Recently GM has a big problem with the automatics in some of their CUVs. Well, I guess I should restate that, as they are failing just outside of warranty, so it's not really GM's problem at that stage. Back to that olde More Power/More Gears/Smaller Design Envelope battle.... yet again.

Even someone with my level of OCD doesn't expect a filter in a (traditional) manual transmission - you're only bathing gears in that casing. There is no high pressure hydraulic pump present, so a plug magnet for the steel particles is good enough.

I recognize the trends you list Chris (both the prevalence, and at least some of the related engineering issues), I just happen to not agree with most of them.

Rgds, D.

 

[crazyal]

It's one reason why I like Toyota. They spec the oil change interval for their AT at 100k under normal use.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Tractor hydraulic system and a sealed transmission are two different animals as is the environment they are used in.

Chris

 

[3930dave]

Agreed, they are different. You don't normally expect hay inside a GM truck trani - that's why my 3930 hydraulic filter is easily 4 times the size of the GM spin on I was talking about.

I'd wager that the heat issues are way worse in the slushbox in the average commuter car, than my 40L sump of hydraulic fluid on my tractor. Definitely different animals.

Even in a sealed transmission, clutches, gears, and bearings throw off material. Until those wear modes are eliminated, I'll stick with easily changeable trani filters for as long as I can.

Rgds, D.