WSZsr

Bought a 2014 last week and have been reading many of the posts here. It appears that service intervals are around 6 to 7 k depending on operating conditions. Why is the service interval so short? My Honda CRV had set intervals of 10k.

I have always used Mobil 1 synthetic but it would be a waste of money to only run it for 6 or 7k miles. I might as well use a high quality 0w20 conventional oil.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

Any API certified oil will do.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

you're one person out of millions that gets it!

today's oil composition has improved by chemist in so many ways!

WSZsr

Who makes a conventional 0w20 oil? What is everyone using?

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

5w-20 will be fine and is readily available anywhere.

Apexigsx

If you're running 0w-20, it's currently synthetic no matter what. After reading the owners manual, it doesn't appear that acura calls for synthetic? Other than the fact that they spec 0w-20. I can get a jug of mobil 1 at walmart for $24, personally I don't think it's a waste to run it 6k-7k. I know mobil 1 is an excellent extended drain oil that can probably go longer than oem acura 0w-20, so if you're worried about getting your moneys worth I'd just run the oil until the OLM is as low as it can go.

WSZsr

I came to the same conclusion and bought a jug of 0w20 Mobil 1 at WalMart yesterday. Preferred that to running a 5w20.

YeuEmMaiMai

I have long since come to the conclusion that when the maint minder tells me to change the oil, take it in. before then, nope.

ipribadi

Any ideas from you guys on how accurate or intelligent the oil life % meter is?
Is it based on engine revolution count? Mileage? Time duration, all of the above and then some more?

My RDX has 11K miles on it now and I do 5K mile OCI using Mobil1 Synthetic. When it hits 20K miles, I'll start doing 10K mile OCI.

My logic is in the 1st 20K miles there is a lot of metal contamination in the oil and I need to change the oil filter every 5K miles, so might as well change the oil. Btw I do DIY oil changes.

disgookonfiya

I change my own oil, depending on the car I either use mobil one or royal purple.

ceb

Your logic is wrong. According to Acura, they use a break-in oil specially developed to stay in the engine until the MMI tells you to change it.

Why do people think that they know so much more than the engineers that designed the cars? I've driven well over a million miles using the recommended oci for whatever car I've had and have never had a lubrication related failure.

ipribadi

Ceb, I've heard of this so called break in oil.

So how long does this break in oil need to stay in the engine to do its job? Does the MMI have logic to know this initial break in or just a general logic for routine OCI. Would you say the general interval and the engine's initial 20K interval be the same?

At the 1st 5K miles my oil life was at 30% per the MMI. If break in oil is true, I'm sure it has done its job and the metal contamination due to "engine break in" in my oil is worth replacing the filter and oil.

Over at bitog, this topic has been beaten to death.

General consensus is that doing an early initial oil change (early 2K miles is popular) does not hurt the engine as the "break in oil" existence has been mostly proven to not exist (other non Honda/Acura brands tho, oil analysis did not find anything special with the oil).
Metal contaminations due to engine break in during the early 10K miles is a known thing.

I took the middle road, start with 5K mile OCI all the way to 20K then go up to 10K mile OCI. Currently using Mobil 1 Synthetic with Purolator pure one filter, will find a higher capacity filter when doing 10K mile OCI.

mrgold35

I use Mobil 1 in my TSX, RDX (syn oil required), and MDX. Even if the syn oil doesn't help, it most certainly will not hurt. I've notice my mpgs on my TSX stock engine increased by around 1/2 mpg combined after I switched to syn oil. I think upgrading to syn oil has been a minimum cost to me after +111,000 miles and no oil usage between M.I.D. oil changes in my TSX. My RDX is at +106,000 miles and no oil usage between changes.

YeuEmMaiMai

^136K on dino oil here, every 7.2K on average.

hondu

Not true, UOA has shown that Honda/Acura break-in oil contains high levels of Moly to help with breaking in the engine (follow MMI to 5% or less for first oil change). Mobil 1 and Amsoil use Moly as an additive in their oils as well to help reduce wear.

WSZsr

From the Acura website:

Why should I wait to change the oil the first time?
Your Acura engine was delivered with an oil that is specially formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.
Acura strongly recommends this special oil be left in the engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your specific driving conditions.

ceb

Ehhh - What do the engineers know. Just change your oil at 1000 mile intervals (or 1000km intervals - you want to stay metric) but be sure to use an untested oil like amSOIL or Royal Poopie - that way you get to flush more money down the toilet.

ipribadi

I don't think anyone is changing oil every 1K mile.
OCI interval discussion, using $3 vs $4 vs $7 per qt of oil debates has gone on forever at Bitog.

I think everyone agrees following Acura's recommendation will ensure engine performance & longevity some others are convinced it is not the absolute possible best.

ceb

Assuming that you stick anywhere close to Acura's schedule, you won't see and lubrication related issues related to using the "wrong" OCI until your car hits 500k miles or so. By then it will be impossible to determine what caused the failure.