yoshe200

Hello I'm new to the forum and I just purchased my 2005 TL last weekend.

I was wondering about oil changes... can I use synthetic oil?
Has anyone here tried using synthetic oil in their car? are there any benefits?

Would the oil life calculator adjust accordingly if I switch to synthetic? (5000 mile intervals)

sixsixfour

synthetic oil is just fine. I use M1 5W-20.

no, the MID wont adjust to the synthetic oil. it calculates the remaining oil life based on pre-determined parameters and how you drive the car.

avs007

I've used nothing but Mobil-1 Synthentic Oil and Filters in my TL since it was new... I have 86,000 miles on it now, and the engine still purrs.

As far as the oil life calc, it doesn't know any difference, but it is calculated based on how you drive. I always replace mine when the indicator drops to around 20%, which for me is anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000 miles depending on how much city vs highway driving I do.

I don't use synthetic to get extended change intervals, I use it because I want nothing but the best for my car, to prolong the life of it, as I intend to drive it until it breaks, then fix it, and drive it some more, etc.

Worked so far on my other car... Nothing but Mobile-1 Synthetic as well since new on that car, and it has 170,000 miles, and engine still is clean as a whistle, as I replaced the manifold gaskets a little while ago myself, and the engine was squeeky clean. Unlike my dad's car (which is the same as mine)... I changed his manifold gaskets as well at less mileage than my car, and his engine was sludgy, as he only used whatever oil/filter was on sale. (We are both religeous about oil changes, so I know he changed his oil just as often as I do)

My

1islandparadise

I use Mobil 1 5-30. Below is a thread about the MID that calculates oil life in our cars. Oh and most importantly congrats on the great purchase!!!

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/did-dealer-really-use-synthic-oil-772151/

yoshe200

whoa thanks for the quick response!!

I have another question.. the car now has 84000 miles on it. And I have no idea what kinda oil was used by the previous owner (bought it from a dealer)..
Do you guys think it's okay to switch to synthetic now?
I've heard from problems with something getting loose if I switch oils.. is that true? Has anyone tried?

nfnsquared

Nope, not on today's cars. Your fears were indeed true for older cars, specifically the seals. You'll be fine using synthetic regardless of what oil was previously used.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

Dino or synthetic is fine.

ac-n-up

^ yeah what he said lol

01tl4tl

the engine does not care- you can run plain old school oil or semi synth or full synthetic oil ,,and change each time to something different back and forth

Unless you get a 35$ oil analysis done at 7000 in order to run past 10kmiles on a change-that will tell you how much farther you can go on that run of oil
Plan on every 7500 for normal driving, reduce for commute in stop and go or live in mountains to 5000
System does not look at the actual oil, its just calculations- you can always look at and smell the dipstick to decide when to change

80 is nothing on these motors- doesnt even call for first big service with timing belt and water pump until 105--last past 300kmiles easy if you take care of it

Cars with over 60 benefit ~1-3 mpg better from seafoam and new spark plugs

JMooSeR

iTrader: (2)

Yep, Synthetic used every change... at least since I bought it!!!

elcool71

what do the dealers put in it?

Goosew

iTrader: (1)

In this economic climate of cost cutting, I'd say the cheapest $hit that they can get their hands on which is recommended by the manual!.

timdub-tl

Thanks yoshee200 I was going to ask the same question about switching to synthetic, as I just picked up my 08 last week. It sounds as if Synthetic might be a smart idea overall, thanks to all who responded.

Bearcat94

Owners Manual, Page 284.

http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/p...707O00283A.pdf

http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/p...707MAINIXA.pdf

DMZ

I have 93,000, and a few months ago on my last visit to Acura of Manhattan, Tony, the head mechanic was under hood, unscrewed the oil cap, called me over, and said "Look In There, You See How Clean That Is? That's Because You've Been Using Synthetic."

I use NAPA's own brand 5W-20 synthetic which is Valvoline SynPower with the NAPA name on the bottle.

As for Mobil1, I'm sure it's good oil, but since ExxonMobil pocketed $45 Billion in profits in 2008 while ripping us off for almost $5/gal at the pump, I don't think they need any of my money, OR YOURS.
.
.

Sandals

iTrader: (2)

DMZ I'm glad your giving an unbiased answer.

I hate cars

It was not the old seals, it was the first synthetics which did not have seal swell agents that were the problem.

I hate cars

You can go back and forth from synthetic to dino, you can mix them together, there's no way it can cause any harm to the engine.

Just keep in mind most oils labeled "synthetic" are just highly refined dino oil. Good stuff but you're paying the "synthetic" price for a good but non synthetic oil.

Motul and Redline are some of the few true synthetics along with Mobil One 0w-40 and some of their EP stuff. The majority of Mobil One "fully synthetic" oils are in fact dino oil.

That goes for Pennzoil Platinum, just about every Castrol product sold in North America, Valvoline, etc.

I prefer the non approved "SL" oils because they contain much higher levels or anti-wear additives Zinc and Phosphorus. Oils like Redline contain a ton of Moly as an anti-friction, anti-wear additive as well.

Redline 5w-20 or 5w-30 is pretty much the best oil you can use in the TL. Very, very good wear protection, very good viscosity retention, extremely good natural cleaning ability, and one of the few with a healthy dose of Moly.

Pharonocon

Damn....This dude knows everything.

NetEditor

I've used nothing but Red Line since the first oil change.

NetEditor

I'm sure Ashland Inc. has no interest in making money like ExxonMobil.