I've been using the Mobil 1 oil filter with Mobil 1 oil for the last year in my 06 TL. Is the factory Honda oil filter any good (or are all filters about the same if changed regularly)? I'd bought a bunch of Mobil1 1 filters on sale last year and am down to just 1 left. I'm considering getting the Honda filters since I can get a box of 6 for a good price. Thanks.

 

I like the Purolator (Pure-1 as well as regular white) filters and use the Honda filters when they're on sale. As long as you change the filter everytime the oil is changed I think you'll be fine with almost any filter. There's been a lot of bad press against the Frams so those are the only ones I actually try to avoid.

 

i've been using mobil 1 oil and purolator PureOne filters...for some reason i noticed a huge difference in throttle response last time i changed my oil...must of been pretty dirty...

 

I've been using the Purolator PureOne filters ($5-$6 at Pep Boys) and I have not encountered any problems.

 

Spend the money on K&N or Mobil 1 filters, both very similar inside and top quality construction and filtering
10 bucks to help your engines life- cheap insurance

 

Before I started working for Acura, I used the Mobil 1 filters and oil. The oil we have here at the dealership is by Mobil 1. Since I've been working here..all I use is the OEM ones.

 

I use the OEM Filtec (A01 version) oil filter, it's made of good construction. I found you have to get them via mail since all the Honda and Acura dealers around my area only carry the Fram (A02 version) which I do not recommend (not as well made as the Filtec).

 

are you using the mobil 1 M1-104 or M1-110?

 

do all dealers use Mobil 1?

 

Libertyville Acura in chicagoland uses Pennzoil, i think. (least thats what they advertise) So i dont think all dealers use Mobil 1

 

I only use WIX. I think they are the best, but I have no proof- just used to work in a shop and that is what the mechanics agreed upon as the best- but its prob because Nascar endorses them tho.

 

Mobil 1 no longer uses the same formula- but still calls it the same thing

Dealers and private shops use what they get the best lowball price on bulk purchases of,
I know- I ordered the stuff

Has anyone tried the Shell Synthetic with adaptive molecules? feedback?
Roush racing in Nascar uses it- but they replace engines alot

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I think I'll definitely need to start changing my oil myself and not at the dealer. I ask the dealer to use Mobil 1 for an "A" service on my 06 and it's says "Motor Oil" on my receipt. After I spoke w/ a tech, they did went ahead and swapped it w/ Mobil 1. Is this bad on the engine? How difficult it is to change the oil yourself? I do have a garage.

 

Agree! Fram is cardboard

 

i'm probably one of the most scared people there are to do anything to their car by themselves and i'm changing my own oil now...ever since we bought our TL, i wanted to make sure it got the best of things, so i've been changing my own oil and it's VERY easy...and i don't even have a garage (condo with a carport)...

i just roll my front wheels up the two ramps i have, crawl under the car, take off the oil plug (which is even labeled on the car for you ), and let the oil drain...i swear it's easy as hell...

 

I use either Mobil Oil Filters M-104 or M-110 (one is a little larger but both fit). Wix makes a good filter as does Purolator PureOne which I also use.

Avoid the "Orange Death" Fram filters as they have a flimsy construction. As someone mentioned, one of the filters Acura sells is a branded Fram.

Changing filters is even more important than changing oil. You can read lab studies and comparison analyses of oil and filters at www.bobistheoilguy.com

I have read them in depth and that's why I use what I use.

It has been shown that a person can keep the same oil in their engine for 10-15,000 miles if they merely change the filter and top off with a quart to replenish the add pack. Of course, I don't recommend that. I am very conservative and change my Mobil 1 about every 3,000 miles. Most would say that's a waste of money but I like the peace of mind and, besides, that's all I drive in a year.

 

Hahahaha...same here! (about 10 months of ownership and only have 3200 miles on the damn thing! Already changed my oil twice! ahahaha)

 

damn, how can you guys drive your TL so little? ...3200 miles is just over two months worth for me...i love driving this car, so i rack up miles pretty quick...

 

Hahaha...I get that reaction all the time! But i have to take a train to work, so the commute to the station is like 1/2 mile one way but i do take detours when going back home juss to have a lil fun! lol!

 

I'm right there with you. I've only had mine a month, and I should be hitting 2k miles this weekend...

While we're on the topic of oil changes, I've seen in this forum where people change their oil anywhere between 5-7500 miles. Being that I drive so much(75% = stop and go traffic, the other 25% is at 70mph + over long distances), what would be the recommended interval for me? My MID says that I'm at 70% right now, and I have 1,900 miles on it.

 

OT: My 2004 TL is 3 years old next month. I have 7,000 miles on it. My Jeep Wrangler with the top down is my daily driver in the Florida sun. The TL is a "garage queen" I back it out of the garage once a week to detail and take a 35 mile round trip to my buddy's house in Boca Raton- but only if it's not raining.

You can't go wrong following your Oil Life message on the MID. It takes into consideration all the variables except time. The owner's manual says to change your oil once a year at a minimum, regardless of the MID. That's what I end up doing. I change oil every January 14th. The Oil Life is usually saying about 70%

That said, I recommend the FIRST oil change to be at about 3,000 miles just to get the manufacturing debris and break-in particles out. For this change only, Havoline 5W-20 matches the factory break-in oil almost exactly.

From then on, I recommend following the MID and using a good synthetic like Mobil 1 and staying to the factory recommended viscosity. Castrol Syntec is also very good. They are all good, actually.

I don't subscribe to the need for additives. If they did anything good, Acura would recommend them and probably install them at the factory. After all, they are the ones who are guaranteeing that the engine won't break.

 

i change my oil between 30% and 15% on the MID...

once a year...?? ...it's at least 3-4 times a year for me...

 

I got a couple boxes of Amsoil filters when i bought a case of amsoil oil. They're rated fo 10 - 15,000 miles or something like that.

 

I use Mobil M1-104

 

M1-104. It's a little larger.

 

I hope you do more than just the above. As in change the filter.

Here's a nice little tip, courtesy of Road Rage. To avoid the mess you will get from residual oil when you remove the old filter, do this. Loosen the filter just enough to where you can remove it the rest of the way by hand. Get a 1-gallon ZipLock bag and place it up over the filter and the pickup arm so that it envelops both. Then continue removing the filter. When it comes off of the pickup arm, all of the residual oil will go into the ZipLock bag and not on your car's suspension, your driveway or garage floor, and you. No muss, no fuss.

 

i should have been more thorough in my statement...i change my oil AND my oil filter...i change the filter everytime i change the oil...piece of cake...and i use the ziplock bag method everytime...

 

Really, I was just using a little tonque-in-cheek humor.. funnin' with ya'.

The ZipLock bag idea is simple and super. I'm ashamed I didn't think of this myself.

 

only thing i hate about changing my own oil is getting it from the oil pan back into the empty bottles my new oil was in....even with a funnel, it's a bitch not trying to spill oil everywhere...

 

Thanks Xpditor. I plan on taking the car in for its first service in about two weeks. Is this something that the dealership would know to do on their own, or do I have to specifically ask them to do it? I'm not sure how Acura does it. I've driven mostly American, and any good 10 minute oil change place always worked for me. This is the first real nice car that I've had.

Thanks again.

 

If this helps.....I use old laudry deterget bottles (bigger mouth at tops helps hold the funnel better IMHO) and your local oil change shop should take them free for disposal (I hand them into Firestone in Chicago).

 

Put the empty oil container in-between two full ones to prevent it from tipping over. Otherwise, as you know, the funnel fills up and it becomes top-heavy = mess.

 

Acura will tell you you're supposed to leave the break-in oil until the MID says to change it as it is "special" break-in oil.

They don't have a clue, usually, as to what that oil is. Nor do they have it available. I had mine analyzed at a laboratory (can provide on request). The only thing unusual about it is that it has a high molybdenum content. Havoline has the same moly content as the break-in oil. It is an anti-friction additive. So, to keep Acura (dumb and) happy, I changed before they told me to but put the same kind of break-in oil back in. Also changed the filter of course.

I always send a sample of my used oil to the laboratory for analysis. I also write the date, mileage, and oil type on the new oil filter with a sharpie. Then, I save the old oil filters (after they have drained well) as further proof, together with my receipts, that I maintained the car better than the factory recommends. I also utilize the maintenance record keeping feature of the Acura Owner's Link on the Acura website to record everything I do to the car--- even waxing/sealing, injector cleaner, etc. It's free and everything is documented there which is a good selling point when the next owner buys it.

Know upfront that I am anal about this. I even have the factory build sheet and window sticker laminated and stored in case I keep the TL a long, long, time and it becomes a classic. (Hey! The owners of 1957 Chevy convertibles didn't know their cars would some day be a classic either.)

Barrett-Jackson - here I come! 2050. It should be worth about a bazillion dollars by then. But a loaf of bread will be $10,000.

 

i appreciate the tips ankur914 and Xpditor...i never thought about using empty detergent bottles...i'll have to start saving them....those Tide bottles could hold a lot...

 

Hey guys,

I always use empty 1 gallon windshield washer bottles to hold my used oil. After I fill up 5 or so, I bring them to my local Auto Zone for free recycling. One of my buddies uses a 5 gallon Hinkley & Schmidt water bottle. It took him a couple years to fill that thing up!

 

I use Amsoil's new EaO filters if you don't mind spending the extra money. Here is a link if anyone is interested. https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/eao.aspx

Puralator Pure One is the bang for the buck!

 

I have had my TL-S since last Thankgiving. I just changed my oil this past weekend with 1,400 miles on her. I used Mobil one synthetic and honda oem oil filter.

 

One brand of oil filter to NEVER EVER use is Group7. It's a cheapo brand used by many independent garages and is sold at some no-name discount stores because they're cheap. I once knew a mechanic at a Cadillac dealer who told me that all the Caddies towed with blown engines had Group7 filters on 'em. A buddy of mine who owned an auto parts store for 25 years says they're worst garbage ever.

I used a K&N Gold filter with Castrol Syntec 5W-20 my last oil change.