07 Odyssey Valve Cover Photos and Cam Scoring

Guilty as you too. I went so far as to picking up unopened cases of it at a time that they stocked behind the shelves on paydays. There wasn't an AZ that didn't see me for a 40 mile radius. That stuff seemed to make any 5W-30 application purr like a kitten. Was it me, or did that stuff smell like you could drink it? Like, gummybear candies or something?
Gummy bears.
 
This wasn’t the greatest vehicle produced by Honda by a long shot. My parents had a 05 0dyssey which they purchased in ‘10 at 110k miles. The transmission also had a slight delay, a little lag, when starting off. The fuel pump went out at 130k miles. And for some reason, the engine bay attracted mice like crazy. Dad did a ton of tlc on it, replacing the timing belt, always used Mobil1 Extended Performance 5w-30, and later in life it started misfiring. That being said, they sold it when it had 213k miles, the motor still running and transmission shifting like when they first bought it. I’m guessing the 255 horsepower engine on a front wheel drive setup weighing 6000 lbs took a toll as it felt very loose. Nonetheless being a Honda, the van operated when many Dodge Grand Caravans would nuke their transmissions and would see the end of their life early on.
 
I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with the VCM engine. My cousin had a 2008 Accord V6 VCM purchased new and the engine never gave him any issue. It didn’t use any oil when he traded it in with 200,000 miles. I will say he was adamant about keeping up with the maintenance intervals.

Back when I had my 2013 Accord, I went to the dealership for its first complimentary oil change and there was a younger woman with 3 or 4 little kids, one was a baby and she was carrying him, the others were climbing in and out of the van. Anyway, she was talking to their service advisor in the service drive, while her 2005-2010 era Honda Odyssey was knocking and tapping like mad. I don’t even know if hers had the VCM engine.

Regardless, I have no idea who the woman was, but I’ve known so many people throughout the years that resembled her. Main priorities are the kids and the family, vehicle maintenance is the last thing to worry about. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s my belief that these engines were a little too advanced for minivan and family SUV use. Any VCM/cylinder deactivation engine needs to be running synthetic oil IMO. With these minivans and suvs, they more than likely got the cheapest oil change possible and likely over extended the interval.
 
There is a lot to be said for 5K OCI and Synthetic oil.
With Walmart SuperTech High Mileage Full Synthetic 5W-30 5 quart jug for $21.48, doing 4k OCI with this oil is a smart choice for engine longevity, cleanliness, and your wallet.
 
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