acjones20

I just got a new Civic and the manual calls for 10,000 mile oil changes. Have any of you followed this and had any problems? I'm gonna run mobil 1, but still, 10K is a LONG time.

SMX

Don't run synth for the first 20k. You need to seat your rings first. Change oil at 5k intervals, I don't trust the filters for much more than that...

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

Change it every 3800K as per the old recommendations. New maintenance is terrible.

reddawnman

Thats a good post. However, if your rings haven't seated by about 10K, then they probably wont be seating much at all...

I put redline in mine at about 14500, and it runs great. no leaks or burning. One thing about syn is that even if you don't fully change the oil, you have to still change the FILTER every 3K. Also, buy a good filter. Mobil 1, K&N are the best.

hondaguy2582

You ppl need to get schooled about syns. You can change to syn after the first oil change if you want now. Just look at the vette, cobra r, and porsches. All of them come factory fill with mobil 1.

zen_master

iTrader: (6)

dude, you guys really confuse me....

anyway, wtf is this ring that ur talking about?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

Basic engine break-in stuff. Piston rings or something. Engine should be broken in before 1k miles anyway.

reddawnman

Honda recommends their dyno break in oil for the rings to seat in the ALUMINUM block....

Last time I checked, the cars you list with syn from factory didn't have aluminum engines, and tah makes a difference.

Zen, rings are:

Definition: An open-ended ring that fits into a groove on the outer diameter of the piston. Its chief function is to form a seal between the piston and cylinder wall. Most automotive pistons have three rings: two for compression sealing; one for oil sealing.

So basically like a metal gasket to keep the combustion pressure in, and the lube oil from getting burned. "seating" the rings basically means that from factory, the engine is made to certain specs. However, no spec is totally accurate, and for a while the rings actually need some friction or wear to seal as exactly as possible to the cylinder wall. this is the "Break in" period of an engine. Honda actually fills with a special break in oil full of moly, and it says in the owners manual and when you talk to the service techs that you should run that oil for about 6K or so so that the moly coats the pistons / rings / valves / moving parts.

Mobil 1's website says that you can put syn in from the first day you have a car, however, and that's where hondaguy is getting his info (Actually it's verbatim off the site what most of his post was). To me, I'd rather be safe than sorry about my break in, so I waited. Do what you want, but the general consensus is that if you put synthetic in during break in, it actaully can be "too" lubricating and the rings won't grind / seal in the cylinders. Also, Mobil 1 seems to have a vested interest in selling you stuff.

Funny thing, the guys from RedLine synthetic, and the guys I talked to at honda said "Break the engine in and be safe, then go syn if you want to."

I don't know who to believe right now, but i hope that info is helpful.

pnoyster2k1cvic

iTrader: (29)

just change your oil every 3-5k, that's what I do, 35k now and I don't any problem with it...

NoLeadEmSoMuch

iTrader: (3)

I goofed when I first bought the car and waited til 10K...saw a wacky drop in gas mileage after about 6500. I thought I was following the book and the service guy at my dealer said that 5k should have been published and wasn't. Now I'm at 13.5K with no issues. Probably gonna start changing my own and doing synth and K&N filters soon.

zen_master

iTrader: (6)

thanx!

that's really nice information!

haha...oh well...i dont have to worry about that kind of thing...

hondaguy2582

IF you want your engine to stay clean, I suggest going with synthetic.

acjones20

actually, all of the engines listed are aluminum. I also think that if you dont run Mobil in the Vette or in bimmers (could be more brands too) that they void your warranty

robbclark1

iTrader: (8)

You CAN change into sythentic after the first oil change. and Fvck the 3000 mile oil change. You can get at least 5000 out of dino and 7500 out of sythetic. I have almost 40k now and no problems. Change my sythetic ever 7-7500.

Rings are pretty much seated early on during the first few thousand miles.

There are so many misconceptions about oil and we have had tons of posts about this.

Sickboy

iTrader: (3)

I went to Mobil 1 at 9k.
Every engine is different. My g/f's cavalier runs noticeably rough and slightly burns dino oil after ~2.5k. My civic acts a little different after ~4k.
You COULD get 5k out of dino and 8k out of syn if the engine, oil filter, air filter, and all conditions are great. Just like E.P.A. estimates on fuel economy which most people don't get.
*I had 2 datsuns that ran at least 4k on dino and actually ran worse when I went to syn. So, just do whatever works best for your motor and how you drive it.

reddawnman

Interesting. Thanks for the info on aluminum engines. I stand corrected about that. I still maintain that for the high $$ engines, the manu tolerances are a bit tighter and you could probably wear in the rings on syn because they don't grind as much. However, for our engines, I'm gonna have to stick by my story, as it's what the Honda people, and the Red Line Oil people, have repeatedly told me.

Anyways, you have a lot of good info there, and I appreciate it

botlbobjr

My father owned a viper and if use anything but mobil1 your warranty is garbage(no longer intact)

reddawnman

They would only let you use mobil 1? That usually mans under magnussen-moss warranty act that they had to provide scheduled maintenance for oil changes, etc. Bet the car was a bat outta hell, though :-)

botlbobjr

pretty f'n fast seen my dad lay into street bikes w/ that car

Was a 98' GTS(coupe) last 100 cars made in 98 ran out of stock cams so dodge used their GT class cars race cams giving him 50 hp more thanstock. thenhe did dual flowmaster exhaust with K&N filters in his custom intake and was pushing around 535hp. he then added a 125 shot NOS kit w/ WOT. He is currently one of the head mechanics @ west coast vipers.

rckdrmr

iTrader: (2)

i get an oil change every 3000-3500 miles.

reddawnman

Damn skippy, I'd like to see that sometime

I got a buddy named Howie that lives over in northridge, works on bikes and drives for movies. He just finished building a 57 nomad, biggest block custom chevy motor he could find, blown. Fscking thing is pushing 800 horses... the first time he took it out, he twisted the rear axle so much torque.. he since built it up and that damn thing just hauls.

I also went to school with a member of the iskenderian clan... makers of isky racing cams. The girl was valedictorian and is now at MIT, and she drove a little ford escort usually. But on days when her dad and grandpa were around, wow, powerful machines sometimes, lol :-)

werm

I change at 2k, it's not like oil and a filter is going to bankrupt you

Plus it's better to be safe then sorry

StealthCivic

I change mine with regular oil(you don't need to waste $ on synthetic, go ask honda mechanics) 5,000 miles is safe, you could go more, but if you drive it hard, my friend at honda says every 5,000 is very good

zen_master

iTrader: (6)

im not gonna say bad things about your decision....

however, you might want to check the inside of your engine...sludge, etc....?
check ur MPG too..........

later on, u might find much lower MPG (because of dirty engine, in a long run)and start freakin out on how to fix it.....how to clean it???? omg??? right......
clean engine == good MPG.

I DO freakingly care about MPG. LONG LIVE MPG! when i bought my car....i used standard bulk dino oil....i got 25MPG....i TRIED HARD to clean my engine...with cleaner etc and change to synthethic....NOW, i got clean 32MPG for ever 12 gallon of gas...and...Approx. 38MPG at highway....

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

if your manual say every 10K, do you have an HX? If so they are designed to go a little farther than normal between oil changes. My aunt has an '01 HX and goes 7500 between oil changes with almost 50K on it now without a problem. It runs normal valvoline too. I go 3K and use Mobile 1 5w30, but I have an EX and it says to go only 5k or something like that with an EX.

zen_master

iTrader: (6)

HX?

hm..even my aunt change her oil in her hybrid every 3K

Jrfish007

iTrader: (3)

The HX's have a retuned EX motor. It only has 117 horse (rated by Honda) but has a different cam and engagement points for VTEC. Some people call them lean burn motors. She gets around 50 MPG with it and it's not a hybrid or anything. If you really want MPG, the HX is the way to go.

flamike

Here is the info I got:

1st oil change should be at or over 5K miles the initial oil in your engine has wear in components in it and should be ran 5,000 miles or 7,500 if not in extreme conditions.

I was told it is 100% fine to run full synthetic on the first change.

My G/F's 2001 and my 2004 Civics (both EX's) both recommend 10,000 miles between oil changes. Mine is only at 2K miles so I haven't done anything yet.

My g/f's has 45K miles and gets Mobil 1 5w20 every 7,500 miles so I will do the same.

If you live in the dust bowl or extreme conditions then stick to 5,000 I think 3,000 is a waste of money personally.

flamike

What year EX do you have? I think anything after 2001 suggest 10,000 miles, I would go 7,500 or at least 5,000.... 3,000 seems like a waste if your dumping $20 worth of synthetic?

Anyone else care to chime in?

StealthCivic

hey Zen, look man, I am gettin 32-38, sometimes I think 40+ miles per gallon out of my cool civic.......I told you I use castrol gtx, change every 5,000. i'm not wastin $$ on synthetic, I don't autocross! I street drive. And I use purolator oil filters. I don't understand where you cats get such bad gas mileage from???