What is the best way to get SeaFoam into the intake manifold...through the brake booster vacuum line? And...is the 16 ounce can all that's needed?

 

If you change you own oil and filter, you can get pretty good deals on synthetic. Just stock up when they are on sale. Also, if you use good gas, oil, and follow proper maintenance, there's 100% absolutely, no need to run any type of gas treatment, oil teatment, additives or using seafoam. If you are worried about carbon build-up, add a oil catch can to the pcv system.

 

My '04 manual says to change the oil every 5,000 miles if:

1) You drive less than 5 miles per trip in temps. above 32 degrees, or 10 miles per trip below 32 degrees.
2) You drive in temperatures above 90 degrees.
3) You allow you car to idle a lot, or have long periods of stop-and-go driving (I think driving in Atlanta would qualify -- both the Interstates and the local roads).
4) Driving in mountainous conditions (that covers me).
5) Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.

I think those conditions would cover a good percentage of TSX owners. So, suggesting that the oil does not need changing before 10,000 miles is something that I would not do. The rate at which the effectiveness at oil degrades involves many factors -- and I would rather waste a few dollars on oil than risk premature aging of the engine. A primary point I was trying to make is that, personally, I would be comfortable running full synthetic twice as long (for twice as many miles) as petroleum oil under the same conditions. Or, by using synthetic and the same change interval, I am providing an extra level of wear protection for the engine. In other words, I consider synthetic oil to be at least twice as enduring as petroleum oil. IMO, it breaks down, and degrades, at a rate less than half that of petroleum oil.

The Maintenance Minder on my '08 TSX indicated an oil change was needed at 4,500 miles. The Oil Life dropped to 15 percent yesterday at 9,000 miles and indicated an oil change is needed. Should I ignore what the Maintenance Minder is telling me and wait until I have 10,000 miles on the oil to change it -- I don't think so. That would put me at twice the interval that the Maintenance Minder seems to think I need to change the oil.

I will switch to synthetic with this change. Without a maintenance minder, I would change synthetic oil every 9,000-10,000 miles. Since I have the Maintenance Minder, I am going to follow its recommendation -- and still use synthetic for the extra protection because I plan to keep the car. If I did not plan to keep the car, I would use petroleum oil to reduce the cost.

 

The factory oil change schedule/recommendation is a total joke. The earlier model listed 10K miles interval under normal driving conditon, but you probably will never get anywhere close to that number on the later model equipped with the Maintenance Minder. So, do you trust the Honda engineers that made the 10K mile recommendation or another group of Honda engineers that came up with the Maintenance Minder? Who knows, they might even be the same engineers. Remember, these are the engineers that supposely know the engine inside and out. Yeah, right...

Edit: if you really want good data, send your oil out for an analysis based on your own driving condition. This provides a much better baseline that fits your own oil change schedule, as well as the type of oil you use.

 

As a summary, it is my view that you can use synthetic oil to:

Provide an extra level of protection while, at the same time, extending the oil change interval from 0 to 100 percent -- based upon a 4,500-5,000 mile change interval. IOW, the change interval is not to be extended pass 10,000 miles. One consideration is the warranty. Another is that the claims made the oil manufacturers may be inflated (the published oil change interval was reduced, in the pass, by Mobile 1).

 

yes, you want to send it in after all of the electronics. just pour it slowly while the engine is running. the engine will bog, just make sure that it doesn't stall completely.

 

??
Get yourself a Haynes or Chilton book and start reading.
I think they know a chicken that's ripe for plucking when they see one...
Ah, that might 'splain why Costco's still selling Mobile 1 synthetic at $32-34 a case and Castol Syntec is down at $19.95. Bought some for the gf's Echo, probably won't hurt.

Bear in mind reading those "articles" that ASMOIL is selling a product ... so they're a little biased in their discussion of comparable brands.
Using Mobil 1 Synthetic, I let the oil life drop to 0% or lower, knowing full well that the oil is probably better off than the ECU is calculating it to be. The 2006 Maint. Minder light/bing/warning is so annoying, though, that last time I zeroed out the oil life at 15%, figured out how many miles 15% was equivalent to (~2000), then changed it about then (roughtly 85% oil life, duh), then zeroed it out again.

I did a calculation, if I changed my oil at 15% oil life, within 6 oil changes I'd have put an extra unneeded oil change in there, within about 18 - 24 months. Okay, only about $50 expense, but kind of wasteful IMHO.



I've used synthetic for the last 15 years or so, I think. I started putting it into my Jeep Wranger (1987) at about 45,000 miles. And the thing was running great when I sold it last year with 155,000 miles. I'm like Jim, I use it for the peace of mind and added investment of putting quality consumables into the vehicle. Now that I've found a source for the Acura blue air filter pretty cheap, I'm discontinuing my K&N drop-in pinkie filter (yes, I'll sell it). I don't think I get more power, don't "get off" on the sound, and worry that my oil is getting dirtier faster with it in. It all boils down to how long you intend to keep the car, and how well you want to keep it running.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It also depends of the type of driving you do (stop & go, highway) how many miles you drive, race car driver or conservative. The majority of the vehicles we have owned have gone way over the 100,000 mile mark doing regular oil changes. They all had most of their original equipment (engines, transmission, clutch, turbo's etc).

 

additional info:
on my 06 tsx I average 600-650 miles per 10% of oil life. I get it changed when it gets to 0%. It is presently due for one (it is now 98 miles past due). I average at least 2,500 miles a month driving.