I am going to get my oil changed in about a week, and I still can't figure out which oil weight to use...I live in Fla, so it's warm most of the year. I want to use synthetic oil, Mobil 1 or Amsoil, but I need some help on whether to use 5w20, 5w30, or some other weight.

 

Why not just stick with the recommended 5W20?

FWIW, I get free oil/filter changes from the dealer using Pennzoil 5W20 and Honda filter. It's more trouble to me to wait for the freebie and to decline all the "dealer service recommendations". So I change my own using Motorcraft semi-synthetic 5W20 with either Bosch or Pur 1 filters. The drain oil seemed in better condition than the Pennzoil/Honda filter.

I've also begun simply draining the 2 to 3 quarts of tranny fluid and refilling with every motor oil change. Easier than changing the motor oil/filter! $4/qt. for Honda ATF.

02 TLS, born Feb 02, 21k miles, 95th percentile tranny

 

Stay with 5w-30 or 0w-30, forget that whimpy 5w-20. It's only recommended so Acura can meet agressive fuel mileage and emission specs. If you want the engine to last and protect it to the max....use the above mentioned weights. Amsoil 0w-30 is probably the best protection going....if you want to save a few bucks, Mobil 1 5W-30 is hard to beat, specially when you buy it on sale at Walmart for $17.88/5 quart container.

 

Which mobil 1 is that? The supersynth I use are at $29/6 quarts (not cheap at all). Mobil 1 now has 3 different type of synthetic at this point I think.

 

I got 2 cases of Mobil 1 with SuperSyn (1-year supply or 3 oil changes at 5k miles each) for $56 and change from walmart. I sent also claims for the FREE mag and Coffee samples

Check here: www.mobil1.com

 

Use ONLY 5w-20, Do Not use anything else. Change every 3,750 miles. Conventional Oil is perfectily fine - Pennzoil, Quaker State, etc (virtually "all" of them - except Chevron). Syn's are a waste of money (in my opinion), since you are required to change at 3,750 (or 7,500 lame duck rule) in order to maintain the warranty.

If for some strange reason you doubt my advice the you should talk directly "in person" with the local Acura Zone Rep.

(the reason I said this was funny is because it has been talked to death at least a hundred times - and yes the Acura "Owners Link" site is WRONG on the motor oil recommendation - - - Look only in your "manual" and on top of the engine "oil cap".

 

Normally I would agree with you, but what was said by gtkman is true, the 5W-20 oil is the new recommended oil due to new fuel economy and emmisions standards Acura set for themselves.

Our engine is the same exact engine used in the 2001 CL-S. The recommended oil for that car was/is 5w-30. Having said that. I use Mobil1 5W-30, and as soon as a 5W-20 syn oil becomes available locally off the shelf, I'll be switch over to it.

 

THE ALASKAN RULE
Use thinner oil when it's cold, thicker oil when it's hot!!

At 40 F. below zero, 10W-30 oil will hardly pour and will almost be a solid block in your oil pan
I use 5 or 10W-30 in the summer. In colder climates use 0W-30 or 5w-30. 5w-30 is good in winter or summer...

There is no need to use ?w-20 weight oil...

Synthetic oils are more expensive for a reason, they just work better in newer engines!!... Try it, you wont go back to conventional oils,... GUARANTEED!!

 

fun reading, then decide what is best for you

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/all/misc/all_oilfaq.html


http://www.1st-in-synthetics.com/newsletter_1000.htm

http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml

0w30 amsoil is made to cover 0w20 requirements

after much oil analysis, I found that 5w30 amsoil + amsoil filter changed every 10k works (radical thought but science is science) granted I change oil every 5 months due to high mileage commute of 90 miles a day.