Honda Odyssey Gearbox Overhaul: Worn Clutch Plates and an Oil Leak Fixed Properly

The owner brought in a Honda Odyssey that was no longer driving the way it should. On a family MPV that does a lot of stop-start city driving, a gearbox that is not shifting cleanly is more than an annoyance. It is the kind of fault that strands you with the whole family on board.

The owner's instruction was simple and clear. Do it up properly, fix whatever is spoilt, make it like new. So instead of patching one symptom, we set out to open the gearbox, see exactly what was worn, and quote on the real condition inside before doing any work.

We started with a road test to feel the gearbox for ourselves, then dropped the transmission oil to read its condition. The next step is the one that tells the truth: we opened the gearbox up.

With the box apart on the bench we could see the clutch plates and the internal parts clearly. The friction plates were worn, and there was an oil leak starting inside. Our advice to the owner was direct. The old clutch plates were not completely finished yet, but with a leak in the box, you fix it before the oil drops too low. If the oil runs empty, the clutch burns and the car stops moving altogether.

Because a lot of this is hidden inside the gearbox, we sent the owner photos and a video of the opened box and the worn plates before quoting, so the diagnosis was something he could see, not just take our word for.

Once the owner approved, we carried out a full gearbox overhaul rather than a quick patch. The box came out and was dismantled completely so every part could be inspected.

• Replaced the worn clutch plates with a fresh clutch pack.
• Replaced the seals and gaskets so the rebuilt box would not weep oil.
• Cleaned and inspected the internals as the box was reassembled.
• Refilled with fresh transmission oil to the correct level.
• Reinstalled the box and frame, then our chief road tested the car before handover.

The gearbox overhaul came to $2,600 before GST, with quality OEM-grade overhaul parts. The same visit, with the owner's go-ahead, also sorted a valve-cover engine oil leak, the front and rear absorbers, the engine mounts and the front brakes, so the whole car went back tidy. After the work the owner's own words said it best: the car drives like new.

What a box needs depends on how worn the internals are, which only the strip-down shows. This job was $2,600 before GST for the overhaul, covering the clutch pack, seals, gaskets and fresh transmission oil, with a 2 year or 40,000km warranty.

What moves the price is the extent of the wear inside. A box caught with clutch and seal wear only sits at the lower end. If the damage has spread to the valve body or the torque converter, those are separate items and the cost goes up. This is why we open and inspect the gearbox first, then quote for exactly what is worn, rather than charging for parts the box does not need.

This Honda Odyssey (Automatic gearbox overhaul) was handled at 1 Car Service, an independent workshop in Sin Ming AutoCity, Singapore. The work is backed by our 2-year, 40,000km warranty. We hold a 4.9★ rating from 1,775+ Google reviews.