Honda Car Forum

"Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:iKQFf.23891$wk5.12284@news02.roc.ny:

> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:RRNFf.2164$UF1.313@newsread3.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
>> "warlock162" <bray@dwsd.org> wrote
>>>I own a 1998 Honda Civic EX Sedan. It has 160,000 miles on it. I
>>>recent
>>> got an oil change on it.
>>>
>>> During the life of the car, I have used 5W-30 motor oil. However,
>>> some of
>>> the mechanics at my oil change place have said that I should switch
>>> to 10W-30, due to the mileage on my car, and because 10W-30 is
>>> thicker.
>>>
>>> Should I take heed to this advice?
>>
>> Not to dispute Tegger's claim, but just to offer evidence that your
>> mechanics are not totally whack-o: I have seen internet sites that
>> suggest switching to a higher viscosity oil for older cars. It's
>> worth googling.


I'm not seeing your posts, for some reason, just other peoples' replies to
them.

If an engine is consuming oil, it means the oil control rings are worn out.
If you were using 5W-30 and were experiencing excessive oil consumption,
you'd have to move up to something like a 20W-50 before it made any
meaningful difference. Simply going up from 5W to 10W will do absolutely
nothing, especially when the hot end of it is still the same (30).

My oil consumption used to be roughly 8K/qt when the car had 100K miles.
Now I'm down to just over 2K miles. That's with 5W-30 and 260K on the
clock.

My oil check procedure is this:
1) Change oil
2) With engine COLD and having sat overnight, check oil and note dipstick
reading
3) Drive car 1,000 miles
Repeat from #2.

The car is ALWAYS checked with it parked in the identical same spot, at the
same slope.

When I temporarily switched from 5W-30 to 10W-30, there was zero difference
in oil consumption. I moved back to 5W-30 to take advantage of 5W-30's
slightly better cold flow characteristics.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

>
> It's the same principle of
>> why you don't use synthetic oil on old cars. It's so slick that
it
>> will leak in almost every seal. Another thing is the piston rings
>> that might not scrape the oil from the cylinder walls.
>
>
> Utter nonsense.
>

Okay then fill your car with synthetic and see what happens.

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"TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:OCRFf.20991$oG.1312@dukeread09:


>
> Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
> with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls for
> 5-30 or possibly 10-30 in hot weather which we have in abundance here
> in mid GA in Summer. Am I right to be uneasy about using 5-20.



What year is your Prelude? How many miles?

Try it for one go-around and see what happens. I'll bet you won't notice
any difference of any kind. The 5W-20 is part synthetic, so it has slightly
better film strength. Film strength is probably comparable to that of 5W-
30.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote
> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
snip
>> Not to dispute Tegger's claim, but just to offer evidence that your
>> mechanics are not totally whack-o: I have seen internet sites that
>> suggest switching to a higher viscosity oil for older cars. It's worth
>> googling.
>
> I've seen that also, but usually in reference to burning oil and how to
> stop said oil from making it into the combustion chamber. If the thin
> stuff isn't sneaking by the rings, then switching to thicker stuff won't
> have any benefits.

I agree. Jumping the gun on switching to a higher visc. oil may reduce
engine efficiency, as well.

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns9762C67F54F53tegger@207.14.113.17...
> "TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:OCRFf.20991$oG.1312@dukeread09:
>
>
> >
> > Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
> > with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls for
> > 5-30 or possibly 10-30 in hot weather which we have in abundance here
> > in mid GA in Summer. Am I right to be uneasy about using 5-20.
>
>
>
> What year is your Prelude? How many miles?
>
01 62k miles. I have been running 5-30 Mobil 1 for the past 30k miles,
rather than risk the Honda 5-20. Maybe overkill though since I change oil
every 3700 miles anyway.

> Try it for one go-around and see what happens. I'll bet you won't notice
> any difference of any kind. The 5W-20 is part synthetic, so it has
slightly
> better film strength. Film strength is probably comparable to that of 5W-
> 30.
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in message
news:6USFf.21003$oG.6468@dukeread09...
>
> "TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
> news:Xns9762C67F54F53tegger@207.14.113.17...
>> "TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:OCRFf.20991$oG.1312@dukeread09:
>> >
>> > Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
>> > with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls for
>> > 5-30 or possibly 10-30 in hot weather which we have in abundance here
>> > in mid GA in Summer. Am I right to be uneasy about using 5-20.
>>
>> What year is your Prelude? How many miles?
>>
> 01 62k miles. I have been running 5-30 Mobil 1 for the past 30k miles,
> rather than risk the Honda 5-20. Maybe overkill though since I change oil
> every 3700 miles anyway.

What's the "risk" with the factory recommended 5w-20? My '01 Accord EX-v6
with 148,000 miles and 7k between changes is still running strong, running
smooth and starting up on the first try.

I bought a Honda for durability and economics. You seem to be wasting a bit
of the economical advantage of a Honda.

"TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:6USFf.21003$oG.6468@dukeread09:

>
> "TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
> news:Xns9762C67F54F53tegger@207.14.113.17...
>> "TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:OCRFf.20991$oG.1312@dukeread09:
>>
>>
>> >
>> > Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
>> > with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls
>> > for 5-30 or possibly 10-30 in hot weather which we have in
>> > abundance here in mid GA in Summer. Am I right to be uneasy about
>> > using 5-20.
>>
>>
>>
>> What year is your Prelude? How many miles?
>>
> 01 62k miles. I have been running 5-30 Mobil 1 for the past 30k miles,
> rather than risk the Honda 5-20.



You didn't say that. I assumed you were using mineral oils. Mobil 1 is a
pure synthetic. Honda's 5W-20 is part synthetic, part mineral. Mobil 1 is
the better oil of the two.



> Maybe overkill though since I change
> oil every 3700 miles anyway.


You are performing excellent auto maintenance! You can look forward to long
life from your engine.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns976350C615F7tegger@207.14.113.17...
> "TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:6USFf.21003$oG.6468@dukeread09:
>
>>
>> "TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>> news:Xns9762C67F54F53tegger@207.14.113.17...
>>> "TWW" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in news:OCRFf.20991$oG.1312@dukeread09:
>>>
>>>
>>> >
>>> > Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
>>> > with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls
>>> > for 5-30 or possibly 10-30 in hot weather which we have in
>>> > abundance here in mid GA in Summer. Am I right to be uneasy about
>>> > using 5-20.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> What year is your Prelude? How many miles?
>>>
>> 01 62k miles. I have been running 5-30 Mobil 1 for the past 30k miles,
>> rather than risk the Honda 5-20.
>
>
>
> You didn't say that. I assumed you were using mineral oils. Mobil 1 is a
> pure synthetic. Honda's 5W-20 is part synthetic, part mineral. Mobil 1 is
> the better oil of the two.
>
>
>
>> Maybe overkill though since I change
>> oil every 3700 miles anyway.
>
>
> You are performing excellent auto maintenance! You can look forward to
> long
> life from your engine.
>
I like the Prelude and want to keep it for a long time. Thanks for the
input.

>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

I did google and ran into the AMSOIL oil, amsoil.com.
And I had read all the information on this web site, how accurate of the
information?
TA

TeGGeR® wrote:
>>> > Our local Honda dealer only offers 5-20 for all Hondas new and old
>>> > with the claim that Honda has authorized this. My Prelude calls
>[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>> 01 62k miles. I have been running 5-30 Mobil 1 for the past 30k miles,
>> rather than risk the Honda 5-20.
>
>You didn't say that. I assumed you were using mineral oils. Mobil 1 is a
>pure synthetic. Honda's 5W-20 is part synthetic, part mineral. Mobil 1 is
>the better oil of the two.
>
>> Maybe overkill though since I change
>> oil every 3700 miles anyway.
>
>You are performing excellent auto maintenance! You can look forward to long
>life from your engine.
>

--
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"TA via CarKB.com" <u18620@uwe> wrote in news:5bf98ebf12448@uwe:

> I did google and ran into the AMSOIL oil, amsoil.com.
> And I had read all the information on this web site, how accurate of
> the information?



Functionally, AMSoil and Mobil 1 may be taken as equivalents.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/