Does anyone change their oil after 5000 miles? The owner's manuel recommends this, but I used to change my old CL every 3000. Any help appreciated.

 

5K is fine.

Any API SM rated oil nowdays, provided that you don't have an unusual driving style, will go 6 mo or 5K.

A good choice would be the new Phillips/Conocco Trop Artic 5w-30 Blend for around $1.50/qt at Walmart.

MW

 

 

Just did my first oil change yesterday at the dealership. I was at 6100 miles, and the service guy said my oil was A-OK.

 

I did my first oil change at 4500, 2nd one at 9000 using amsoil.

 

Michael Wann will be SO happy.

 

When do you plan to do the 3rd oil change?

 

I'm not an Amsoil dealer, and I think their products are decent but overrated.

MW

 

mmm... i got my 5000 mile oil chang service reminder mailer the other day. haven't changed the oil yet at all on my car and i've already hit 6500 miles. time to do it i guess

 

I'm sorry Michael. There was someone touting amsoil on this site about a month ago, in a number of threads. When I think "oil" I think of you so I just assumed it was you (too lazy to search). Hmmm, I wonder if it was a member named "the oil guy" or something like that ....

 

Maybe someone could help me sort this out. I am currently using normal oil for the car. The dealer put the sticker in my car that tell me to change my oil in 3000 miles. The manual told me to change it in 5000 / 10000.

My Questions are:
1, If I change to synthetic oil, do I change oil every 10000 miles (insted of 5000 now)
2, Will the stock OEM oil filter hold up to 10000 mile on synthetic ?? If not, what filter should I get ?

I do not drive long distance and most of my drive a short trips. There are no post that fully answer all my questions. Please advice!!

Help !!

 

i change oil every 5K miles. but thats with Mobile 1 5W 30 full synthetic

 

I wouldn't waste money on Synthetic oil. It's only beneficial if you drive like a mad man 24/7.

Just use regular oil and get it replaced every 7500 +/- 1000 miles.

 

I think you have already answered your own questions.

 

my manual for the Euro Accord says 20,000KM !

 

Just follow the manual. Your trips indicate you fall under the severe category so change every 5000mi. You can use synthetic if you want.

 

Around 13500

 

Since my car is not a daily driver, I change mine around 4500 - 5000 miles or one year. I also drained out the catch can which has collected a good amount of oil in about 3500 miles. My goal for this larger catch can is to only have to drain it during oil changes. It can easily go to 7500 miles. Just imagine this much oil that normally would burn in the combustion chamber.

 

Seriously, the validation testing for the TSX and the service intervals listed in the manual was done with petroleum, API SL (I think) motor oil.

Thus, all oil on the market nowdays is API SM, which is superior to any petroleum, SL based engine oil on the market. As silly or shocking as I may sound, I would have NO issues running Supertech 5w-30 API SM (Yes, the stuff for less than $5 for a 5-quart jug) in a TSX for a 5,000 mi. service interval.

Using anything beyond a petroleum API SL lube for the service interval listed in your owner's manual for your particular driving conditions is just plain overkill, and you're spending money that will give little to no benefit, and the money is better spent elsewhere.

Michael

 

I have no idea what you just said.

SM > SL, because it provides the same protection as SM and is cheaper? So don't exceed 5000 miles?

 

TW,
Yes perhaps I was a bit unclear.

The validation testing for the service intervals listed in the owner's manual for the TSX was done with API SL rated, conventional motor oil. The latest API spec is currently API SM, thus, any API SM rated conventional oil is superior to an API SL oil.

Using anything better than an API SM, conventional oil in your TSX for the serviced intervals listed in your owner's manual is simply overkill.

Thus, Supertech oil and filter, changed at 5,000 mi. intervals is sufficient. (The $13.88 oil change thing at Walmart).

Michael

 

Ah...Thanks.

I still blew $42 on an oil change today.

But I beat the hell out of an 05 RL.

 

I traded in a 100k mile '97 4Runner on the TSX. I drove it pretty hard, and just ran Castrol GTX the whole time. It ran perfect when I traded it in. No smoke, no noises, gobs of power.

Who here is planning on keeping their TSX long enough for oil choice to make any difference at all for durability anyway?

 

"Who here is planning on keeping their TSX long enough for oil choice to make any difference at all for durability anyway?"

I plan to keep my TSX until it dies, I expect at least 300,000 km or 10 yrs. Since I got that much out of my 1994 accord.

 

I just believe that if you use any API SM or better conventional motor oil, and change it every 4-5K, with periodic Auto-RX cleanup and oil analysis, you can get >250K out of your car provided that you keep up with the other maintenance.

Michael

 

Michael,

Seeing how the recommended TSX maintenance schedule calls for changing the oil every 10,000 miles if driven under "normal" conditions. Do you have an over-the-counter oil to recommend for that type of use and service interval. I'm using Mobil 1 right now.

 

jlukja,
This area of "extended service intervals" is getting very "touchy" for me now, after my recent conversations with a GM engineer regarding synthetic oils and how they DO NOT extend service intervals.

These last few days, we discussed how the amount of ZDP in synthetics are identical to the amount in conventionals (all API rated oils have a limit for their additives). Despite the fact that the syns have a higher starting TBN, acid buildup is rarely the reason why oil is changed. ZDP concentration, and ZDP depletion, are reasons why oil is changed as ZDP is the anti-wear additive used.

Oil oxidation is one issue but, rarely is it the factor that makes the need for the oil to be changed. If oxidation was the only cause of oil needing to be changed, then the syns would have a huge advantage.

Temps, Duty Cycles, Soak Times, Engine Design, Length of trips, etc are reasons why oil needs to be changed.

So back to your question, if you really drive under normal conditions, run Mobil 1 for the full 10K. But if you drive under severe conditions, change it every 5,000 miles and consider using conventional instead.

If you're using conventional, I'd change it every 5K regardless.

Michael

 

thanks

 

That's just preposterous.

 

What TinkyWinky said is actually true.

Syn is overkill for 99% of the users out on the road today. The only benefit it has over dino is that it withstands high oil temperatures better than dino, oil temperatures that one would never reach unless they were racing.

Yes, I did ask the GM enginner about factory filling the Corvette with Mobil 1. He said that the only reason for doing so was the elimination of the oil cooler, and that the Corvette is a "track ready" type vehicle, thus the M1 will withstand high temperatures better than dino. Thus, if you were to use dino in that car (not that I suggest), it would actually work fine as long as you don't "track it."

Michael

 

So, unless you drive your car "like a madman" there are no ancillary benefits to using synth over dino? What about longterm benefits like engine sludge build up?
Increase fuel mileage? Smoother engine operation? What about when you do drive your car hard?

I push my TSX on a regular basis. I know other drivers on this forum do as well. The car has a tuned motor, and it begs to be driven hard. To my mind, using Mobil 1 or something similar is cheap insurance.

Also, other marques come from the factory using synth, namely BMW. Though it targets enthusiast drivers with its sedans, one could hardly call them race cars. Their engines are no more tuned that the K24, just of a larger displacement, yet they run synthetic motor oil.

With all due respect and deference to your knowledge this runs counter to what I've read and been told. I'm here to learn, so convince me.

Johnny

 

Johnny,
This whole concept on syn not extending drain intervals, and is overkill for 99% of apps is new knowledge to me as well, I heard of it a while back but it was confirmed with me several days ago by a GM engineer that I've been speaking with offline.

Careful about that term "sludge." Buildup is a better word, and yes syn oils may be a bit better in terms of buildup protection, but the difference isn't day and night if both were changed at reasonable intervals.

Yes, this "knowledge" that I've recently picked up is against what I've said in the past, and I haven't "bought into it" 100% yet, but I just wanted to bring that up.

However, I do, and always have agreed that synthetic is overkill and that it does not provide any more protection than dino except in terms of better oxidation resistance and withstanding higher temps.

I'll continue to research this and I'll let you folks know what I decide in the end.

Michael