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Just got finished watching your video on motor oils: synthetic vs conventional oil. Maybe I’m stupid, but I’m still a little confused. Recently purchased a new 2015 Honda Accord. I believe the car came from the factory with conventional motor oil, at least that’s what’s listed on the oil cap (Premium Grade 0W-20 detergent oil with an API Certification Seal ). There is no longer any printed maintenance schedule in the owners manual–all maintenance requirements are flashed on the dashboard with numbers designating what maintenance should be done at the proper intervals. Don’t much like this new feature, but, I guess that’s progress. Anyway, I’m getting off the track. When it’s time for the first oil change, could you recommend which oil I should use–conventional or synthetic? One fact I did not see covered in the video was that synthetic oils (like Mobil 1) advertise 12,000 to 15,000 miles between oil changes. The synthetics are more expensive, but, if it’s true that you can go 4 or 5 times the miles of a conventional oil between changes, it would probably be more cost effective than conventional oils. I just need your personal opinion on this matter, not the pros and cons of each type of oil. If you had just purchased a new vehicle, which oil type would you use in your car? Whichever oil I go with I will stick with that oil from that point on and not switch back and forth. Please advise.
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Did you see these videos? My personal opinion is mobil1 synthetic.changed every 10,000 miles
http://www.ericthecarguy.com/re-videos/510-re-regular-oil-vs-synthetic-oil
You have a brand new vehicle covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. My advice is to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule to the letter during the warranty period, and keep all receipts and service records of the scheduled maintenance performed. If you don’t, you run the very real risk of being denied warranty repairs should the need arise.
What this means, as far as oil changes go, is that you probably won’t be making full use of synthetic oil’s extended oil drain intervals. If you ignore the manufacturer’s recommended schedule and stretch the oil change intervals, the few bucks you save won’t compensate you for repairs that would have been covered if you hadn’t voided the warranty conditions.
Check your owner’s manual carefully, especially in the last few pages. There’s usually some information about how to obtain things like factory service manuals and related materials, and I’d be very surprised if there wasn’t a way to get a paper copy of the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. (It usually comes in the form of a maintenance booklet divided into chapters for every scheduled maintenance event, with places for mechanics to record the date and mileage, and sign and stamp each scheduled maintence item.) And when it comes to maintenance schedules, the recommendations are usually split into two different service categories, usually labeled something like “Normal Use” and “Severe Use”. Read the severe use section carefully. There will be many driving conditions that you would think would be considered “normal”, (like operating the vehicle above or below certain ambient temperatures), which the manufacturer deems to be “severe” use. If your conditions place the vehicle in the severe use category, you’ll be responsible for attending to certain scheduled maintenace items even more often.
GM is this way with anything 2011 and newer with their engine warranty which dexos approve oil has to be used only.My dad’s 2015 Chevy 3500 HD with the Duramax,he has 4 more free oil changes left and the dealership has it on record when the oil changes have been done using Mobil 1 only.If you get a 3 valve 5.4 Ford and Ford V10 in with a lifter rattle,the cause is the wrong grade and oil type used.These two use synthetic oil only,5w20 synthetic is used in the 3 valve 5.4 Fords only and says 5w20 on the oil cap.
OP, I would use the Honda 0W20, you can buy it at most auto parts stores. If not that, M1 0W20 Synthetic.
I’ve learned some things about conventional vs. synthetic oils and I wonder why people use conventional oil. Conventional 10W30 is just 10 weight oil with paraferin wax put in to keep it from thinning out too much, so it behaves like a 30W when hot. 10W30 Synthetic is a very refined, pure 30 weight oil with long chain polymers to keep it from getting too thick as it cools.
The 10W is taken at the freezing point. The 30 part I believe is taken at boiling point (not sure on exactly where) but when you go higher and lower than those two numbers, that is not accounted for. You can do a test, take a bottle of each and put it in the freezer, a deep one if you have it and get it to -20. Try to pour them and you’ll notice how much better the synthetic flows. Really cold and you’ll see the wax separate in the conventional so use clear bottles if you can. Now, heat up a pan (you won’t be cooking with) and compare how they act at really high tempratures. The synthetic will hold it’s properties at much higher tempratures, and the conventional might start burning.
Since your car is 2015 and still under warranty, I would follow all of the maintenance requirements listed in your owners manual and keep a record of such just in case you need to make a warranty claim in the future. There is a maintenance minder system, however there is a section in the owners manual that lists certain service intervals for hot weather, dusty conditions, etc.
Conventional motor oils are very highly engineered oils these days. They have to be to pass the latest specifications. 20 – 30 years ago there was enormous difference between full synthetic and conventional motor oils at almost every level of performance. Now with how good refineries have gotten in processing base stock oils that difference is very marginal. Top quality conventional motor oil with good additive package (e.g. Pennzoil yellow bottle) vs M1 at the same grade and average driving conditions you’ll really see no difference except cost with a 5000 mile OCI. Where I live now I use M1 or Penzzoil 5W-30 or 10W-30 sythetic mainly due to the winter, short commute to work, the number of months I can go between oil changes (5000 mile OCI), and sometimes a trip where I will drive 3000+ miles in two weeks or less. Back home where single digit winters are no concern and my driving is more regular I’d use a conventional or synthetic blend with a 5000 mile OCI. Oil selection should be based on a good evaluation of driving habits and conditions.
I have an 86 Isuzu Amigo that started burning oil recently, about 1 quart every 200 miles. It has 186000 on it and I’ve always used 10W-30 Castrol in it. I did not want to rebuild the engine so I tried an oil additive to stop the burning problem and changed to a heavier grade 40W straight. It. After driving it about 500 miles it basically completely stopped burning oil! I found this advice in a forum and it seems to have worked. Many people claim they drive for years after the treatment without a problem. Something to think about before rebuilding your engine. I found an awesome car maintenance software program named Automotive Wolf Vehicle Maintenance Software. It tracks your car maintenance schedule and reminds you when anything is due. I’m using it for three different vehicles. I highly recommend it.
Those Amigo engines are practically bullet proof. Odd that one would develop such an issue at that mileage. I’d be wary using a straight weight oil for more than a few hundred miles. Burning a quart every 200 miles sounds more like a leak if you aren’t seeing a blue cloud everywhere you go. Might take a flashlight and crawl under the engine and start looking. If no leak then you might want to switch to a high mileage 10W-30 from now on, additional seal conditioners and additives might help but once you start using it you really need to stick with it.
Actually I am seeing a lot of smoke but mostly when I stop at a light for a minute and then accelerate. While I’m driving I don’t see any smoke behind me. This vehicle also has an exhaust gasket leaking because I can see the soot around it. I’m not sure if that is where the smoke is coming from or not.but it is going thru oil fast! What is the problem with using the straight oil ?
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