VroomVroom

Hi Folks,

Did the first oil change over the weekend. Nice underbody design, and it was a breeze lifting the car enough to get my ever-expanding belly underneath. Oil still looked good coming out (as expected...car has < 1,200 miles on it). Two minor complaints:

1. Doesn't seem possible to remove the filter without making a mess. Any hints?

2. As posted in a past thread, it took nearly 4.8 quarts to see "full and happy" on the dipstick. Kinda' odd...anyone else seeing this?

FWIW, my oil change schedule with a new car goes like this:

@ 1k miles - dino (Valvoline) + K&N filter (I was a little late with this one).
@ 4k miles - ditto
@ 7k miles - one more time
@ 10k miles & repeating every 5k thereafter: Mobil1 + K&N

joerockt

I wrap a shop towel around the filer before I unscrew it all the way.

jlukja

I see you're following the manufacturers recommendation in the manual

Conman

Untighten the filter, then wrap a ziplock bag around the filter and remove the filter. Almost all of the oil in the filter will drip into the ziplock.

kipsy

some opinions differ in that honda puts special breakin oil in at the factory, and it should stay in till the noraml/severe change schedule advises. it aids in proper breakin of the engine. some say the engine may suffer if changed too soon. call your dealer.

joerockt

One drop is too much. Just wrap a towel around it.

mickey513

Best to follow the manufacturers recommendation, but I doubt there is really anything "special" about the break in oil. I don't know of any other car maker putting "special break in oil" in their cars, even the most exotic ones.. .. ..

VroomVroom

I might be going overboard, but when someone can prove to me that keeping fresh oil in an engine...new or otherwise...is detrimental, I'll be the first to change my habits.

Break-in oil? Can that be found on the shelf, right next to Snake oil?

Master47

I did my third oil change yesterday. I feel your pain on the filter being messy. I tried stuffing paper towels up around the bottom side, and it still dripped all over. Not to mention I dropped it after it turned off the last thread, and it played "Plinko" all the way to the garage floor. Yea - it was in my hair after that episode.

So...towels around the filter itself is the trick...maybe next time.

I have to put in 4.5 - 5 qts. to get 'er to the full mark on the dipstick.

vasu

"break in oil" contains a higher ammount of molybdenum. you may see it referred to as molys or high moly oil .. google around to find out about it and what it does .. i think the jist is that it's supposed to help guard against the metal particles floating around from a new engine that come off metal parts as it breaks in

you can buy oils off the shelf with higher moly count than others i forget which though. I think Mobile1 has a moly count of 100-200 ppm

-vasu

tntsTSX

Supposedly, it's HAVOLINE.

aaronng

Keep us updated if your engine burns any oil. If yours doesn't, then we might have found the reason why many TSX engines burn oil. Delayed oil changes. Our service schedule is 6 months/ 6000 miles with the first oil change due at 1 month/600 miles. If we miss that 1 month service, it is actually stated in the service book that our factory warranty could be voided.

tntsTSX

Interesting you guys don't have the break in oil crap mention here in North America down in Kangaroo land ..

Vegito

No its not havoline, its just high in moly

What is moly - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum

http://www.mrmoly.com/break-in.html - soluble molybdenum not just ANY moly

Havoline 5w30 VOA
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...;f=11;t=000285

Honda VOA - or near V.. high levels of Moly.. rest are similar
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...1;t=000031;p=0

ATsxMan8305

This is the BEST advice for those who DIY oil changes. Pull down the plastic guard and stick a rag between...and if done right...the oil will flow from the filter into the catch pan. I like how it drips from the drain plug & filter without having to move the pan. The rag will catch any residual oil perfectly.

Using rubber grip gloves, a beef arm, and simple physics, I was able to get the original filter off with only four attempts. It is next to impossible to get the filter wrench in that space, and get any leverage. It slips very easily to boot. I abandoned that idea very quickly.

Next time I'll post pics if anybodys interested. Thanks Joe

alucardx

huh? Acura says first oil change must be done within 1mo/600mi? Everything I've read says 5000mi at the earliest.

itsme27

I would also be interested to know where it says that. the 1mo/600mi oil change.

jlukja

Guys, aaronng is in Melbourne, Australia. For some reason, the Australian version of our TSX has a different oil change schedule than we do. We've discussed it before in other threads but could never come to a definitive answer as to why this is.

ChrismanTSX

I don't know why Honda of Australia would have people performing an oil change within 1 month of getting a new car, but it just sounds odd...

Then again, isn't it a different engine like the K24A4? Could that have anything to do with it?

ck123

i changed mine at 48xx, car doesnt burn any oil

btw where is the oil filter located?

likematrix

is royal purple a good oil to use?

aaronng

We have the K24A3, and over here, that is the same one as the 04-05 TSX with VTEC on the intake and exhaust, but with the ECU detuned to 190hp for some reason. With the Hondata reflash, we make the same power as a Hondata'd TSX. Our CRV has the K24A1, Accord has the K24A4, both of which are the low powered 155-160hp ones with VTEC only on the intake cam.

Our 1 month/600 mile change is free though. All you pay for is the oil, filter, washer and disposal of the old oil (some silly thing they try to charge us for).

rb1

It seems truly bizarre that here in the states we have bold recommendation "Do not change the oil before 5000 miles" -- something I have never seen before for any car -- versus "You must change the oil at 600 miles" for what is basically the same motor. WTF?

Renae

I'd tell you but I don't know any of the technical names for things...so I would sounds like a blubbering idiot. I use teh Mobil1 filters, which are black, so I had a hard time finding it myself this time.

As for my first oil change, I took mine to Acura for the first one, then did my own after that. This time was the first one I've ever done by myself, I always did them with my dad.

Needless to say I was very curiuos about the oil filter thing too. I was off in my own little world and forgot to keep any sort of pressure on teh filter while unscrewing it. I'll have to also try to towel trick. Moral of the story, find a new method Renae, because I ended up with my whole shoulder and half of my LONG hair covered in oil. Yeah, that was fun. Lucikly dawn got it out....still did smell like dirty oil the next day though! Kept getting whiffs of it all day at work!