The manual has no table of service vs. mileage!

[dosmalo]

Anyone encounter problems when switching over to synthetic motor oil? (Jun 2016)

The above link is to the thread that gave me the balls to make the complete synthetic change over. Excelsior! And I've not looked back!

 

[gadget73]

Synthetic is nice and all, but even just conventional oil with regular changes will do amazing things for keeping stuff alive and not nasty inside. Motors that are full of sludge and oil cookies are usually badly maintained in some fashion.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Thanks for that link dosmalo, I'm going to check it out and consider it for my older cars.

 

[MacNoob]

Of course the 4.6 takes a little more .2003 f150 4x4 with 100,000 plus miles and doesn't burn a drop of oil period.5w20

I have an '03 F150 4.6 as well, just turned over 150k km. Local Ford parts counter sells an oil change kit - 6L 5W20 and Motorcraft filter - for about $38 Cdn incl all taxes. Doesn't come much cheaper than that around here. I do it every 10k km (6200 miles) because it's really easy to remember. Oil analysis (not mine, others with same engine) report this oil is good to at least 7500.

 

[tonyk]

As far as using Marvel Mystery Oil or Seafoam in your crankcase for correcting oil consumption issues I would highly advise against it. Both are not much more than solvents that do bad things to the lubrication properties of oil.

If your having oil consumption issues and feel you have to try something, your better off doing an overnight piston soak with either MMO or Seafoam to loosen any stuck rings. Pour a very small amount right down the spark plug hole, let it sit over night with the plugs out. In the a.m. crank your engine over first, then install the plugs and start the car, you'll get quite a bit of smoke but when the smoke subsides change your oil immediately. Don't drive it without changing the oil.

 

[Gazdatronik]

I bought a 2015 Honda Civic last month. I've always done my own oil changes and I keep a little notebook in the glove compartment with all the service info - mileage, date and work done - so it's easy to look up when I had something done or whether I need to change the oil soon.

Manuals for every car I've owned had a chart telling you when to do everything from changing the electrons in the radio to replacing the timing belt.

My new car does not.

It has a dashboard indicator that is supposed to show a number, and you look in the book and find out what the number is telling you to do. That's fine for people who don't have a clue, and it probably helps with maintenance. Or maybe it just helps the customer bring the car back to the dealer and hand them the keys and their wallet, I don't know.

But you would think it's fair to at least include in the owner's manual how often you should change the oil. That's not asking too much, is it?

Lotta stuff in this thread so far, but the most important thing to remember, no matter what oil you use, is to check it every fill up, and add as needed.

Some engines use oil, even new ones depending on how they are put together. Just keep it full. Ive seen a lot of people that just drive all the oil out of their car because they think they have been told they can go 15k between oil changes but never bother to check.

Case in point, my wifes Plodge Caravoyager, which is on its return trip from the moon, and burns and leaks oil. I change the filter once a year, and top off as needed with cheap 20w50.

I do not drain the oil. Ever. It uses enough that the oil pool is relatively new, and the filter probably isn't doing much these days.

And its fine. Its a completely reliable beater.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I actually haven't changed the oil all summer in the '93 Mazda because it's using enough that I had the same thought, the oil in there is pretty new. I should at least change the filter. I might chat with my veteran mechanic who's taken care of this car for the past 13 years and ask him about the stuck carbonized ring theory. Or whether he thinks the rings are just wearing out. It doesn't smoke.

 

[gadget73]

never changing the oil and filter and relying on leakage / burning really doesn't work. The filter clogs and then the particulates in the oil have nowhere to go. If you're not going to change the oil (I would), at least change the filter every once in a while.

personally I can't stand cars that I have to put oil in. Max allowable is 1 quart low when it's due for an oil change so I don't actually have to add anything.

 

[dosmalo]

Case in point, my wifes Plodge Caravoyager, which is on its return trip from the moon, and burns and leaks oil.

Oh sh*t! Thanks for the only real laugh I've had since I don't remember!
I'm going to give you a like for this.

 

[Djcoolray]

The viscous property of oil plus condensation from the changing temperatures of metal causes a thinning out of the oil and a reduction of viscosity of the oil. Which increases friction between moving parts irregardless of how well something is made. If you don’t get caught up in the advertising and change your oil at least every 5K.....you’ll do just fine !!

 

[Stefus_Prime]

I can't seem to find a schedule in my 2018 manual either, I've just been going off what I could find on various Honda specific forums. Normally I'd just do my usual schedule (3,000 miles) but this is my first synthethic oil car so not too sure what to expect.

 

[Tim64]

I run full synthetic Q state in my wifes car I still change it every 4500. I run Q State Semi Syn in my truck change it every 3000 which the manual actually recommends.

 

[2011etec]

I remember my old 1970 f100 use to burn up the oil to the point id go to the gas station and tell the attendant (remember them?) to check the gas and fill up the oil,lol.When I had that I don't even remember one self serve.

 

[Wildcat]

I can't seem to find a schedule in my 2018 manual either, I've just been going off what I could find on various Honda specific forums. Normally I'd just do my usual schedule (3,000 miles) but this is my first synthethic oil car so not too sure what to expect.

If you go by the maintenance minder, it's all good. I did changes in my '97 CR-V at 7,500 (sometimes a little more) and she's still running fine at 290k miles! Full synthetic with each change since new, as well, with premium filters.

I've noticed the maintenance minder in our blue '09 now shows 30% oil life, where it was 90% in mid October. So it looks like I'll be doing a change near the end of Feb.

 

[savatage1973]

I just use all synthetic oil and high quality filters--change oil and air filters every 6K, but do an oil filter and top-off every 3K--never had an issue. My diesel truck (which works for a living) has a DEF tank that goes low every ~5K, so I just change everything then and fill the DEF tank.