I've been using Castrol products for ~25 years. In use and occasional published tests I've always seen their engine oils as one of the best out there.

I've used GTX, Synblend, and Syntec for motor oil in Honda/Acura cars & SUV's, and Honda motorcycles. I think one of the distintions of Castrol motor oils is how clean the engine internals look after ~250K miles. Can't say I understand all the chemistry and additives in their products but they seem to work extremely well.

Like some others on this thread, today I don't think there is as large a difference in oil from a lubrication point than in the 60's-80's. But one of the most important factors in a good oil is keeping the varnish and deposits off the internal engine parts. I've seen far too many engines in the past decade get trashed but entending oil changes too far, or the oil sludge (coking) in some hot spots of the motors.

Another area I believe where Castrol oil excels is keeping engine seals supple and conditioned. Can't say I have any hard core evidence, but none of our Honda/Acura's ever needed any engine gasket besides the occasional cylinder head cover seal.

Motor oil talk is sorta like a religion, but I've never had any problems whatsoever from Castrol.

 

I just had my first oil change done at the local dealership so i used whatever they put in, didn't ask so i'm not sure. From here on out i plan on changing the oil myself using Mobil1 oil and filter.

 

i have switch back from synthetic and regular oil all the time! i have used cheap walmart oil before in my TL and i do have almost 150k miles on my TL and nothing apears to be wrong i cant feel any diffrents. but i have now starting to use castrol synthetic and a k&n filter because it was on sale at advance 5 quarts of castrol synthetic and a k&n filter for 20 bucks. so i bought 5 oil changes

 

^ thats a pretty good deal 20 bucks

 

I can't tell any difference.

 

Those Using Synthetic Castrol? What kind of filter do you use, and how often do you change the oil?

 

Well, I've notice that after my last oil change, using Castrol, it last much more... I'm 3,500 miles since last oil change and supposed to change, last week, since both mileage and date reach the suggested by service shop...

However, my MID shows the oil life still 60%.. and this is like 3 months already, I guess I might reach end of July before my next oil change...

BTW, I'm using K&N oil filter in my last change.

 

Hey where did you get 20 bucks deal for Castrol Synth + K&N oil filter?

 

Follow the MID, not what the service shop suggests, and you'll save yourself some money. Of course they want you to come back every 3000miles/3 months, they are in the business of selling you stuff. That 3000 mile interval routine was developed years ago, it's outdated like leaded fuel.

Regular oil lasts longer than 3000 miles these days, and certainly synthetic can go even longer. One of my co-workers didn't believe about this with her new civic. I had her look it up in the owners manual and sure enough it said she could go up to 7500 miles between changes. I regularly go 1000+ miles over the MID with Mobil 1 synthetic and I have 105k on the car with no problems. My wife's 98 Pathfinder was given regular oil and changed on about the same schedule as my TL. We just sold that Pathfinder with 212k on it with zero problems.

I think some people here (and any car forum I've read) tend to be a little over analytical of oils and filters, it's really not complicated. Feed your car a quality oil, in the proper viscosity, with a good filter, follow the MID, and you'll be just fine.

 

hell yea
i got it at advance autoparts last week. No lie true f***** story man. Lol i dont know if they still got the deal. I bought it and change my tl and my wifes 03 accord.

 

 

QFT. It's not rocket science although in these oil threads you would think it is. I think people WAYYY over analyze oil change intervals, types of oil, etc..
I have yet to see someone post that their engine blew up/stopped working specifically because of the oil change interval or oil type used.

 

I have an oil and filter that are rated to go 25,000 miles but I change at 5K or sooner.

The reason is contamiate load. Sure, the oil is probably in tip top shape at 5,000 miles and I'm sure I'm a little too conservative but no matter how good the oil is you still have all that crap in suspension getting recirculated through the engine. Will it matter at 100,000 miles? Probably not at all, but for those of us that plan on keeping the car forever it should pay off.

 

i've been driving since 1986 and I have only used synthetic in one machine and that is my scooter. The only reason I use synthetic in the scooter has everything to do with it being air cooled and pretty much spending it's life at 8K+ on the tach.......

SOS oil analasys shows me that there is NO REASON for me to use synthetic in my car......I have drivn close to 600K miles in my life and have never had an engine die due to oil related problems......matter of fact I have had only 1 engine die and it was due to oil contamination with ethyl glycol when the head gasket broke.........

IMHO anything other than what is recommended by the manufacturer is a waste......

 

I agree for the most part. But there are places where synthetics shine.

Better cold flow in extreme cold.

Better viscosity retention in extreme hot

Less oxidation and breakdown if you're shooting for extremely long intervals (which I don't do).

One of my favorites and it goes with the cold flow properties is my straight 30wt that flows better than just about all 10w-30s with a 66.3cst at 40c. No conventional straight weight could touch that cold flow.

I agree that for 99% of us a quality dino will work. For those like me with oil OCD I sleep better at night with a full "true" synthetic grp IV/V in there.

I don't run synthetic in the GN for what it's worth. I don't know why but dino has shown less wear via teardowns, but the oil never gets past 190 degrees and I change it at 1,000 mile intervals.

 

OEM oil is semi-synthetic oil.

 

COLD weather NEEDS SYNTHETIC IMO.

 

I've asked 3 different Acura Dealers and they've told me they actually use a blend of 30% synthetic and 70% regular...

And that they don't actually use Mobil 1....

Mobil 1 aka Acura OEM oil is more expensive, and they'll charge more if you specific ask for it...

 

is it normal that with the low mileage i do, i need to wait almost a year if i go buy oil % life.
I used to own an 04 accord, it was semi-synthetic as well (i think), but i needed to change it at 8000km or 6 mths whichever came first.
does anyone know what the time frame is for a tl?

 

no, it dosent.........

Here in MN it routinely gets to -20 or lower and I have never had a car not start due to oil being too thick to flow. using the proper viscosity oil for current conditions is a must..........but it does not have to be synthetic.........


current car has 81K on straight dino oil
98 accord had 100K on straight dino oil
94 accord has 230K on straight dino oil
92 sable 143K on straight dino oil (totalled)
89 sable 196K on straight dino oil before the HG cracked
82 chrysler 5th avenue 380K on straight dino oil and that was with it popping t-stats every 30K or so......

 

That is what is called semi-synthetic oil, different kinds of blend.

 

Just curious... has anyone ever heard of a car crapping out due to severe cold weather conditions using regular factory recommended oil? I just don't believe it. To me it seems like an old wives tale. Everyone seems to think it happens, but i can't find a single post on Acurazine that actually supports this "theory."

What I do see is post after post of actual people who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on factory recommended oil that live in all different kinds of weather conditions and have never had their engine crap out due to the fact they were using factory oil.

 

well this thread isn't conclusive at all...

 

Yea.
Someone said it before.

Oil is like religion, everyone has their own preference. Some view Acura as "God" and the owner's manual as the "bible"/Sacred Book. Those that stick with the manual are traditional/completely Orthodox.

Most deviate, holding onto the general beliefs written by the "good book". We put our own twists on things, changing it up while holding the core belief constant. Are we going to be "burning in hell" (motors die an abyssmal firey death)?

According to the truly orthodox, yes. To hell we go! or Reincarnation as a VW Bug! SQUISH! in your next life! - depending on your beliefs of course....

But most believe we will be taken care of at the end of it all (selling time/rust bucket-death time)

 

I personally go by scientific testing and data that back up why the oil I use is technologically the best.

 

So I had the dealer change my oil today (free life-time changes) but that deal just includes the conventional oil. I wanted to go synthetic because most of my driving is freeway and I'm averaging about 8k between changes. So I bring in Mobil 1 synthetic and the Mobil 1 M110 filter. The service advisor is all pumped about the switch and tells my how much better my TL will run with synthetic, but then he tries to tell me to go with the OEM filter because it has some back-stop or something and that the Mobil 1 filter isn't as good.

Can anyone confirm this?

And I had them put the Mobil 1 filter on since I already bought it!

 

Probably the anti-drainback valve which the M1 filter should have. As long as you see the oil pressure light go out as fast as it did before when you start it, you should be fine.

The M1 is a good filter.