azncrew22

What type of oil do you guys use. The first time I took it to the dealer they used 5w20. The next time they used 5w30. Why did they change and what should I use??

Dan Martin

5w30. It says right on the oil cap.

indydriver

Only females refuse to read their owners manual.

azncrew22

I have read the owners manual and just wanted to know why the dealer used something else. Would it hurt if they used 5w20??

Dan Martin

Honda uses 5w20 on most their new cars because it maximizes fuel economy. It's not going to do any damage if you had it in your car, just be sure to use 5w30 from now on.

Jim Holloman

Use of 5w20, for a few thousand miles, should cause no harm to a fairly new engine. In the days before the multi-weight oils, it was common to put ASE 20 in a car during the winter and ASE 30 during the summer. Does everyone know what the "w" in 5w30 represents -- it is my understanding that it does not represent "weight".

When I purchased my TSX, the service manager told me that the TSX uses 5w20 -- and, of course, he was incorrect. So, I suspect that the other Honda's and Acura's might use 5w20; although I would be surprised at any commercial V-6 using 5w20. However, I was surprised to find 0w20 (or was it 0w10) at the auto. parts store -- and it is apparently for a Honda of some sort.

My car is due for it's first oil change and I have already purchased GTX 5w30 First Start to take to the dealer (about $3.00 a quart). I will probably also take a copy of this thread with me. I will also take a paper bag (grocery sack) and ask that the empty oil bottles be returned to me. That way, I will at least know that they dumped the GTX oil somewhere. I will give them 4 qts. and then bring it to the full line myself. I intend to switch to Mobile 1 at my second oil change (10,000 to 12,000 miles). With Mobile 1, I will change the oil at about 9,000 mile intervals. I might also consider a syn./natural blend and change the oil at about 4500 mile intervals.

It is a little disconcerting to see Acura Service Departments putting 5w20 oil in a TSX and apparently, more than a couple have done so in spite of the oil cap being clearly marked 5w30.

Does anyone know what weight oil is used by:

1) Honda Accord 4 cyl.
2) Honda Accord V-6
3) Honda S2000
4) Acura RSX
5) Acura TL
6) Acura RL

poltergeist

Do you know for sure that 5-20 was used? Often the tech working on your car uses the proper oil (many dealers use bulk oil) but whomever does the paperwork "charges out" the wrong weight. Either way I wouldn't be too concerned.

poltergeist

All current Honda models use 5W-20 with the exception of...

S2000 uses 10W-30
Insight and Civic Hybrid use 0W-20.
Not sure about the '05 Accord Hybrid or all the Acura models

Brooks

I use Mobil 1 5w30. I get a 5 qt container of it at walmart for $20. I just leave it on the front seat when dropping it off for oil changes.

daniel1113

The "w" stands for winter, since the number is the oil viscosity during winter temps.

NiteQwill

None of you got it right. W stands for low temp oil. Oils that have the SAE's low temperature requirement have a " W" after the viscosity rating: 5W30. Oils that have have high temperature ratings have no letter: SAE 30.

daniel1113

The "w" stands for "winter."

azncrew22

What will happen with 5w20 oil in a TSX. Will it hurt it that much. It is my understanding that it will just improve fuel economy and quality 5w20 provides just as much protection??

indydriver

If you are this particular about your oil changes, why not do them yourself?

indydriver

The simple answer to this neverending discussion of oil changes is do what the manufacturer tells you to do. If they tell you to use 5w30, then use 5w30. There's a good reason why the engineers specified that particular oil. If they tell you to change it at 5,000 miles, change it at 5,000 miles (don't forget, engineers are taught to ALWAYS specify with a margin of safety). All car enthusiasts have an innate desire to treat their vehicles with TLC. The manufacturers of maintenance products are not dumb. They know this, and design products and marketing campaigns to sell us more product than we need at higher prices than we need to pay. Guess what? It works. If you supercede the manufacturer's recommendations for type of oil or frequency of change, you won't hurt anything, but you have been "sold" by a clever suppliers marketing campaign to spend more money than required. So, if you buy "boutique" oils, you will feel better about yourself, you won't hurt your car, but, they will not provide one ounce of additional performance or lifespan. Take that to the bank.

eburoon

I owned a 'Ford Probe GT', with 70.000 miles.
Then I changed to Full Syntetic oil. (Better gass consuption etc....).
2.000 miles later, my car needed more oil then..... soo... that was the end.
Now I have a Honda......I never used oil thats not recommended by Honda. Till now, I have no oil consumption or all those things. (20.000 miles).
So, wath do you pay for your oil at your dealer???? Waths the price for Mobil-full syntetic???
With mobil your fuel-consumption is...less....(Not Mobil, there are lot off more....). Honda or Acura can't say that or that oil is the best because.....no, thy only can sugest the best oil for theyr cars(they have the experiance). So, don't try something els...
The ony one who can gane money about OIL is the oilcompany. Acura or Honda can only gane money..by offering you a good product.
I think, they give you the best for theyre procducts.
We have here 3 years off warrenty, so... I don't think they take any risk.
So, don't spend to maney 'dollars' to save some fuell....
Iff we are following the instructors divice.... He can never complanes something to you...

Have a lot off fun with your Acura.

I have mine (since today in the snow).

JeffTSX

As per my friend said who works at Honda told me that since the newer Honda engine (Ks) runs a lot more less clearence compared to the old engine, 5w30 or 5w20 would be the only oil he'll use. I've been using 5W30 Mobil1 syn every since at 6000KMs and it's fine.
On a side note, I saw Canadian Tire selling Mobil1 oil at the weigh or 0w20 and it saids it's recommeded for Fords and Hondas. Read the back and it's 5w20 weigh. Maybe I'll give it a try on my next oil change.

MrChad

As others have said the 5w20 should be fine.

Honda even switched all Accords to 5w20 in '01 while the '00 had 5w30, and they didn't change any engine specs from year to year. It just helps the MPG, you should be ok, I'd ask the dealership about the oil grade before your next oil change though just so they can be sure of it before the change.

I would assume you could interchange Honda 5w20 and 5w30 the same for years without issue.

TSX Hokie

I use Amsoil 0w30 Series 3000. It's possibly the most expensive consumer synthetic on the market, but 3-ball wear tests shows it outperforms even Mobil1 by a large margin. I paid $100 for 12 quarts, but if you are a dealer or know a dealer, then it should be more like $80 or less (with Amsoil, like half of their customers are 'dealers'...its kind of a pyramid scheme since they don't sell it through regular retail outlets). Amsoil claims this 0w30 behaves like a 5w30 within seconds of engine startup, but the extra low viscosity during ignition saves wear and tear on the starter and helps high compression engines start a little easier.

indydriver

Hokie, man, you really drank the kool-aid, didn't you.

poltergeist

The one thing you left out is that the engineers are not the only ones calling the shots on recommended maintanence on Honda products. In the last ten years or so Honda (and all the other manufacturers) have been under increasing pressure to reduce "cost of ownership" numbers, so they have been steadily rolling back maintanence intervals. Not to say that you shouldn't follow what's recommended, but things like ATF replacement is up to 120K mile interval. Knowing Honda/Acura's recent troubles with auto transmissions, there's know way I'd let mine go to 120K before I changed the fluid (that is if I had an AT).