jlukja

csun2004

I was thinking that I should switch to synthetic oil instead of regular oil.
When I called my Acura dealership I was surprised to hear that they use semi-synthetic blend.
do you guys recommand semi-synthetic ( At least semi-synthetic oil is better then regular oil )
BTW does any of your dealers use semi-synthetic?

aaronng

Semi-synthetic oil is just regular mineral oil with some synthetic additives. I.E., it's as good as a good mineral oil. No where near as shear resistant as a fully synthetic oil.

acn684

soemone mentioned that 5w-20 would show mileage improvements for someone driving 20 miles or less per trip. Being in college, i only make less than 10 mile trips usually, except on weekends to stretch out the engine. Would it benefit me to use 5w-20 while in school (covering cold months) then 5w-30 for summer? My mileage does suck up here...hills and short trip...20 mpg on avg...

nj2pa2nc

i live in north carolina. the dealer i went to used 5w30 when i had the oil changed in my 06 tsx in may, when i had my oil changed by them in august they used 5w20. i can not tell any difference in the way the car performs and the gas mileage stayed the same. my tsx is now 10 months old,bought new, with almost 25,000 miles.

loulinjai

whats the difference between SEMI synthetic, FULL synthetic and FULLY synthetic? I assume fully synthetic is the "best". I know Mobil recently changed formulas to save cost. At most stores in my area the price is the same. Is it the same amount of engine protection/ mileage protection as the formula before? Should I consider switching to Pennzoil FULLY synthetic, which generally is cheaper?

I'm not sure if either companies put more research into engine protection. Since Mobil is part of ExxonMobil and Pennzoil is owned by Shell.

godfather2

good discussion and info, i'll continue on with my 5w-30 mobile1 syn

curls

Pennzoil Platinum is a good oil.

But since you're in Canada, like I, call your local Esso Bulk Retailer and go buy a few jugs of the Esso XD-3 synthetic 0W-30 oil. It is the best stuff you'll find for a GREAT price (usually $5 cheaper for 4L than Mobil or other syns). Also, being a 0W, it's GREAT for cold mornings in Calgary over the winter months, but with the 30 rating, it is more than enough protection for your engine when the engine is at its operating temperature.

I've been using this for about 15-16 months now (12,000km/oil change and I drive about 20,000km/year, mostly suburban). It's been great, and definitely cheaper than Mobil1 (which from what I've read is actually a hydrocracked GrpIII oil and not a true GrpIV full synthetic anymore!!!!)

csun2004

So here how it goes: fully synthetic > Semi-synthetic > Regular oil (no addictives)

owners manual recommand: Regular oil
My Acura dealership uses: Semi-synthetic

So overall I am better off with the Semi-synthetic over the Regular oil

Please correct me if I am mistaken.

curls

I'd say if you are looking at it that way at the dealer, then go with regular oil. Since semi-syn is just modified regular oil and doesn't have many more benefits then regular oil, the dealership likely just uses it and charges a significant premium to the uneducated customer.

Go syn or go reg -- your choice. Don't pretend you're doing a big favour to your engine and use a synthetic blend (semi-syn) -- you'd be mostly wasting the cash.

csun2004

^ Thank you. I guess Mobil-1 5w-30 full synthetic is the way to GO.

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

i think the helms manual says 5w-20, even for the 06's.

but if you read the owner's manual or even the oil cap under your hood, it says 5w-30.

i'm just putting in 5w-30.

Newplay1

5w20 eh interesting, I have been using Mobile-1 5w30 since my 3rd oil change and have around 24k miles on my 2004 TSX. Is it worth it to switch?

CiViCKiDD

Our 2003 Civic uses 5w20 as per the manual (always has used this since new). This is the main reason I take this car to the dealer than an independent chain...

dereksmalls

Just visited a Honda dealership and took a look at the new 2008 Accord. When I took a look at the engine, the oil cap said 5W-20. So Honda has made the switch.

nbtx

Maybe, maybe not -
You're in Canada where it gets slightly colder than Texas in the winter hence the 5W20 recommendation. My 06 TSX says 5W30 on the cap and the owner's manual recommends that viscosity for the entire outside temperature range. 10W30 is allowed if the outside temperature is above 20 degrees F, from page 297 of the 06 owners manual.

aaronng

The only reason to go for 0w-20 instead of 5w-30 is to meet the claimed fuel consumption. Canada is colder, so they use 0w for cold weather startup. If they were concerned only with cold weather protection, they would have specced a 0w-30 oil instead.

gogozy

i am no oil expert, but after years of gathering info on oil board, i sort of conclue to myself that 5w-20 does provide better mileage, but the improvement is very little, so little that maintain proper tire pressure can easily supress it. yet all API 5w-20 SM oil are very good oil and actually cost more to produce. some 5w-30 thin down to 20 level in matter of few thousand km. to make it more complicate, only North America Honda/Acura spec for 5w-20 while other part of world spec for thicker oil grade. becase TSX is a car Made in Japan, therefore we see 5w-30 in the oil cap. we would see 5w-20 in oil cap had TSX been assembled in Canada or US.
and i use 5w-30.

aaronng

Yup, if some 5w-30 oils thin down to 20, then imagine what a cheap 0w-20 supplied in a barrel (which is what most dealers use) would thin down to!

geeaea

Ah ...the "cheap bulk oil" theory. I guess if they sold it for twice the price in quart bottles it would be a "valid oil". Sorta like how my BIL thought his mother didn't love him because she bought Lee jeans on sale. It would have been closer to the heart if more suffering were involved

btw- a 0w-20 is ALWAYS thinner than a 0w-30. They both fall in a similar CCS at -35F. Almost every step of the way the 20 weight is thinner.

Most of you who have used 5w-30 from 10 years ago ...were already running 20 weights. You just didn't know it. The stuff sheared due to all the polymers needed to meet the 30 specs. Remember a 5w-30 is 5 weight oil that is doped to resemble a 30 weight when heated. Same with a 10w-30. It's 10 weight oil ...that's why it looks exactly like a 10 weight @ -25F It's still like STP ..but it's lighter than a 20 or 30 weight. They then dope it with viscosity index improvers so that it ONLY thins to a 30 weight when heated.

It's a 10 weight oil that "appears" like a 30 weight @ 100C/212F

So, back to the shearing 30 weights of yesteryear ...you guys didn't grenade too many engines, did you?? Nope ..millions of units running on 20 weight just because their owners were ignorant of it.. Amazing what you can do when you're not worried about something.

So, Ford gets a great idea. Hey, we already know that we can run the pigs on 20 weight ...we just don't have a widely marketed 20 weight available. Let's go make one ..and then we can use it on the EPA cycle and sell even more gas guzzlers ...which is what we foolishly based our profit model on. We can't afford to give away the econo boxes anymore like we did the Escort.

5w-20 give you a "head start" to a warmed engine as far as the parasitic losses from pumping motor honey goes. Simple as that. Most of the entire rolling population of the USA drives 20 minutes or less in any one event. That's how long it typically takes to reach full thermal saturation in the engine. It's not just the coolant temp. Those pistons have to expand ...the oil tracks thermal saturation ..and you're not at 100C for at least 13-17 miles in a non-coolant exchanged engine. Even with a 20 weight you're pumping a 40 weight for at least the first 10 miles.

Peace.

dereksmalls

Actually, Honda in Canada has always used 5W30. My 06 TSX also says 5W30. That was the whole point of the OP, that Honda seems to have changed their recommendations. The 2008 Accord seems to be consistent with that.

aaronng

I know the dealer uses mineral oil while the stuff I buy uses a synthetic base stock. I know it is going to last at least 6 months for the service interval.

Yup, I don't like thinning to a 20 weight when my engine is specified for 30 weight. I now use 5w-40 weight oils now instead of 10w-30. I get better cold and operating temperature operation.

Why do you think there are many people who own a 2nd hand, 10 year old car that is burning oil?

geeaea

Because they're poor? How many first hand cars hit the junkyard due to a $3000 trans job or a timing belt that made an otherwise perfectly healthy vehicle not worth the gas to drive it there? Many engines are retired in perfectly good health.

CGTSX07

I just came back from Wal-Mart and all they had for Mobil1 5W-30 was 5W-30 Full Syn for Trucks and SUVs. They also had regular Mobil1 5W-20 Full Syn. Is there a difference between the 5W-30 Full Syn for Truck and SUVs vs 5W-30 Full Syn? I am thinking about just picking up the 5W-20 Full Syn. Would that be OK?

kolodzie240

I use AMSOIL 0W-30



http://www.amsoil.com/articlespr/2007/pr_SSO.aspx

gogozy

i think the 5w-30 SUV have more additive and ACEA A1/B1 A5/B5 rated, and is tad thicker than 5w-30 super syn which is rated ACEA A1/B1. 5w20 is also rated at A1/B1 which is fine, but i personally wont keep it in my TSX over 8000km (same rule applied to 5w-30). most SM 5w-20 grade oil hold up viscosity very very well, they dont shear down much.

B K R

Hondas have been using 5W20 for a long time, Our 02 Civic, 02 Accord and 06 Ody all used/use 5W20 ..