Andy Cheng

So I got my 2011 Acura TL SH-AWD about 3 months ago. Love the hell out of it.
Just today my oil life dropped to 15% and I got a B1 code. Looked it up and it's a change oil, filter, tire rotation, check this and that blah blah blah.
I bought this car used from an Acura dealer. I had assumed they did basic maintenance before putting the car on the lot. What I don't know is what type of oil they used, and if they rotated the tires and such.

I'll just go ahead and rotate the tires, but I'm also going to put fully synthetic oil into my engine. My question is, how will this affect the maintenance minder? I'm positive that there isn't some magical technology in my TL that knows if it's conventional or synthetic, so how does the maintenance minder know if it's synthetic?

teh CL

iTrader: (1)

Synthetic oil doesn't affect the minder at all.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Like teh CL says, there is no ability for the maintenance minder system to determine the actual condition of the oil. The system is either programmed for a certain number of miles for the minimum grade/type of oil or it tracks certain specific metrics to determine how the assumed oil is aging. Either way, using rot-but dime store oil or the world's most expensive oil enhanced with unobtainium additives, the system will still call for an oil change at the same point.

Anicra

With w20 oil there is problem between car manufacturers vs lubrication companies. So to live up to EPA MPG standards, they have over years to get a better burn in engines have increased the overall temperatures of engines. So a lot of modern cars thermostats are full open near to 200 to 205 degrees increasing the oil temperatures respectively. Oil temps run 25 to 60 degrees higher than water temp and with w20 oils will push many of the petroleum based oil into their intermittent range which will starts to break down in standard every day driving. So when you push your car or stuck in a situation where temps will rise, the petroleum based oil will be already in bad shape. Hence a good reason to always to run synthetic oil. Anyways no synthetic oil does not effect the minder.

Sidenote: Everyone has their favorite synthetic: At this moment my money is all in on Pennzoil Ultra Platinum with a high quality filter like Mobil 1, Royal Purple or Amsoil. Sidenote: the new PurolatorBOSS Premium Oil Filter after tearing one apart looks like a solid filter. So it will probably be my goto if I need a local filter for a oil change and I forgot to stock up. Though, I have been searching for a large oil filter that fits since you cannot get a hold the Amsoil EaO21 anymore, a tip from Regeorge. Larger filter that fits for the Acura TL. Though I rarely follow it and use my own schedule. After reading something about shear forces effects on different AWD fluids, mainly not so great results on DPSF, I have started to change my AWD basically when I do an oil change. Ya overkill however I do what I want!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^s2k filters fit. they are larger in Girth. more media surface

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Sorry, my BS meter is registering; can you provide any substantiation for the stuff you wrote above?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

one could argue that 0w20 is synthetic

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Agreed; as far as I know, there is a Honda branded semi-synthetic 0W-20, but all other oils of that grade are full-synthetic.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

i've tried a 0w-40 before!
I switched back because the sheer rate was lower than what I was using. I think it was the M1 extended something, which made me realize that the m1 extended something was intended to sheer at high temps.
that was a couple years ago, dont know if they have changed formulas

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm, I used to use Mobil 1 0W-40 in my BMWs as well as our 3.8 liter Chrysler minivans; I sent the oil out on a number of occasions for analysis and it always came back well in grade, even after 10,000 miles (minivans) and 15,000 miles (BMWs). That said, I haven't used it since the mid 2000s so I suppose the formula may have changed.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

in my short "test", nothing measurable happened. the car operated normally.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

I raised an eyebrow as well but I'm glad we can all count on you to call it out.

I tried about a dozen different oil types (viscosity, brand, syn vs. non syn, high mileage, etc.) on my old engine with the broken oil control ring, to see if I could somehow magically solve a mechanical problem using a chemical solution. Too bad mechanical problems are best solved with mechanical solutions because none of the fixes ever worked. Anyways, I never noticed any difference in all the varieties of oil I ever used. No difference in performance or mileage. Very minor difference in sound - thicker sometimes quieted the valve train a bit, possibly because of the increased "cushion". And of course, thicker oil burned out slower. But otherwise, not much of a difference. Not that I don't believe in the chemistry behind oils - that well established. But yeah, I'm pretty sure most engines are versatile enough to use a variety of oils without a massive change in operation.

ATLS_666

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

m1 0w40 extended Performance?
and I ran out of my last bottle of Redline 5w30, so i just stuck in m1 5w30. (I live in Texas)
I want to disclose I have a junkyard motor in it right now. I really dont care about it, as I did with the stock engine. so for now on, it's getting the walmart/autozone special 5w30 synthetic blends

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Mines technically a junkyard motor as well but the "refurbishment" process pretty much replaces 50% of it. My "junkyard" motor runs better than the original Are you planning on doing a custom build or larger engine swap in the future?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I'm open to the idea! it already has a junkyard '05 motor with more than 100k miles on it. if it blows up, it aint no thing! as i've already had the experience going through it the first time! LOL

What I really want to do is keep the car until it becomes a project car. we're talking about years here. (I bought the car with keeping it for 10 years, it's coming up on 8 years of ownership.) this has allowed me to save $$$$$$$$$, as I pay myself first instead of it going to a car payment.

What I really want is at least Two 11-15 unit apartment complexes. depending if i keep my day job or not, i then can have free time and $ to play with cars!
ultimately, I want to buy a TIG welder and learn to fab up some aluminium piping for a turbo for the TL. but we're talking years here.
And I rambled on about my plans for life. thanks for listening.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Good investment. I wish I had a couple complexes like that here in SLC. Growth and Real Estate prices are out of control here. I'm glad I purchased my home in 2001.

And nevermind another J. Just dump an LS1 in it.

Edit: Or go lightweight with some tricked out B18 build

Just kidding on both of those though. Conversion stuff FTL.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

the car industry is selling over 15 million cars each year, since 2015!
which means used prices will come down. i'd pick up something with an LSx already in it!!!

it's crazy to see JUST in the last 10 years how much property has increased. Low rates are def. helping that. My whole entire adult life, rates have been low.

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

True. I can't imagine paying the 15% that my parents used to pay on a house in the 80's. About 90% of your payment on a new home would be interest. Then 8% or so in escrow. 2%ish on principle. OMG.

Oh, uh, on topic. I like synthetic oil. It's pretty cool. Use that. And just go to 0% on the maintenance minder since it lasts longer. There's some new knowledge no one has ever mentioned

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

He-he; my mom bought a new house in 1981 and the interest rate was something like 21.9% or 22.9%.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

they had a lower price of entry tho.
Which I'M HOPING that the rise of rates drops housing prices.

Kinuto

I get my oil changed at the dealer and they always use Full Synthetic 0w-20 in my 3.5 motor on my 2013. You should be fine. I noticed no difference regarding the maintenance minder.

thoiboi

That's because there is currently no way the ECU/car can determine the type of oil that's in there