2003 Accord - Oils, Filters, By-pass setup, and Test results - all in one post

[Fast_Draw]

Well, I figured since this is the most read section of the board, and this being my first post, I may as well tell my whole car's oil history in one fell swoop and get some feedback on the choices I've made.

1 - Started with factory fill of whatever honda puts in their new accords, with factory filter

I ran with this for 4600 miles - taking it each for the first 1000 miles

2 - Went buck wild with some money I had and bought a case of 5w-20 AmsOil 7500 and a big-arse jug of Royal Purple 5w-20

Was the Royal Purple a bad choice? I haven't see nmuch about any Royal purple on here

3 - Bought AmsOil ByPass set-up

4 - Had my factory fill changed out at 4600 miles and had the by-pass setup installed at a local performance shop and filled with the 5w-20 Amsoil - which my car now take about 6.5 qts. per change

4 - The by Pass set up I'm using the SDF-20 full flow, and smallest 90 size by-pass filter from AmsOil

My Questions:

Q1 -I really don't know much about oils, technical stuff, etc. All I know is that sythetic is better - and probably shouldn't have gotten the juge thing of 20 qts. of Royal Purple, and should have went woth 0w-20 Mobil One that is now out - but it's too late for that - and I'm not going to drop any more money on an oil that is inly going to be slightly better ---- unless poeelp on here say it's MUCH MUCH better and will make a big difference, or I'll regret it when I'll starte using the Royal Purple.


Q2 - When the shop installed the by-pass set up - they really didn't find room for it anywhere but on the firewall between the engine compartment, and the passenger area - that's fine with me - BUT they mounted it up HIGH - just uneder where an after market strut towner bar is runing. The lines then go down (I assume) to where the original oil filter went, etc. I DEFINETLY can hear a 'wheazing' noice when i accelerate more, like (possible, again - no idea) an/the oil pump being strained more to push the oil up and through the by-pass filter and full flow filter - and then come back down to where the original filter went. Again, a bit more noise when accelerating more.

Is this placement bad? Is this noise bad? Is the oil pump being strained? Or is the noice juse the oil flowing throw thetubes that I hear - and is normal for it be be a bit louder and pump more, etc. when going at higher RPMs?


FINALLY - I had the shop take a sample of the factor fill after the 4600 miles with the factry filter - and sent it off to Oil Analyzers - form a sample kit thing I also bought while going shop-crazy on the AmsOil website.

I know, according to the notes on the test - that Al and Si levels are high - and it mentioned it is/was probably due to normal break-in. Can others comment on any other oddities - things I should be worried about.

Also - assuming my set-up with the AmsOil system I have now is fine - once I change (I plan to change the oil and full flow filter every 5K miles, and by-pass every 15K miles) te oil next - should the results of a oil test show much lower (better>) numbers than other people's test because of the by-pass filter?

Was this a good purchase/set-up idea? Or Waste of money?

ANYWAYS
Here are the results:

Iron - 25
Chromium - 2
Lead - 4
Copper - 27
Tin - 0
Al - 21
Nicle - 0
Silver - 0
Silicon - 87
Boron - 31
Magnesium - 8
Calcium - 2177
Barium - 0
Phosph. - 893
Zinc - 1095
Moly - 356
Titanium - 0
Vandium - 0
Potasium - 0

Fuel VIS @ 100 C - 7.08
Water - 0

TBN - 4.93
Oxid - 9.0
Nitr - 4.0


I'm not sure if there is a "newbie" guide here at all - but can anyone help me interpret these results?

Like if the oil is breaking down from it original 5w-20 to less? is that the TBN? If not, what is TBN? What does the VIS at 100C mean - is that what I shoul be looking at for break down?

What results SHOULD I expect in the 'major' categories for the 5w-20 AmsOil with my By-Pass Setup?


OK - I think I get the award for longest first post! ;-)

 

[Pablo]

Wow - lots of questions. As far as placement of the dual remote, it's probably OK...but you may want to get a mechanical oil pressure measurement.

No comment on the Royal purple, but should be ok to use as you are the Amsoil. What will be really telling will be your next oil analysis.

Yes the factory oil vis looks thin - can't remember what cst should be for a 20 wt but I think the number is OK midlow range. The TBN (total base number) is not (directly) related to viscosity, 4.93 at OAI would be about 6.5 at other labs so the oil was holding it's own against acid build up. Si does seem high, but that may partially be gasket materials and sealant in a new engine. Wear metals are break in...if they trend down rapidly, you'll be OK.

[ June 17, 2003, 11:27 AM: Message edited by: Pablo ]

 

[mikeinaustin]

since this is a brand new vehicle, under full warranty, i certainly would not have done the bypass filter. a great way to let the dealer use that as an excuse to void your engine warranty.

perhaps, if it is easy to remove (or mostly so), if any engine problem does occur, i'd remove before taking to dealer for service.

on the other hand, honda is very good, maybe the best, about honoring their warranty and not using this or that as an excuse.

 

[msparks]

With the amount of restriction on the Amsoil by-pass, I can't see how your oil pump would be overworked. As the by-pass is using less than 10% of your oil at any time. The rest goes through your full flow to the engine.

Next If your setup is mounted on the firewall you could be hearing vibrations from that thing through the firewall.

I can't comment on your oil choices but the XL7500 with a bypass can last significantly longer than what is advertised. You should be able to see this in your oil analysis.

This oil anlaysis you posted was with 4600 original miles on the car? I would suspect that you will see a noticeable difference on your next one. We will have to wait and see.

AS far as the warrenty, that is for you to decide. Hopefully the shop that you had install the system was competant enough to do it right. (getting the hoses connected properly) If not, it will be on them(or you) if anything goes wrong with the car/system.

With that in mind, I just installed a by-pass on my 03 Jetta TDI with 10,000 miles. I'm not worried one bit as I plan to keep my car well past the warrenty period, at least 200,000 miles!!

 

[Schmoe]

I will assume that you have the V6 since it takes now 6.5 quarts. The oil filter on the V6 is mounted pretty low, it's almost parallel with the oil pan. With your new bypass system, you've mounted it up another 20 to 24 inches. That may create some problems when the oil is cold and when you rapidly accelerate. Got to go with Mike W on this one, you over did it. Honda's don't typically have problems that would warrant you to dump all that extra money in the engine. Also, look at the UOA section, there is some info on the 5W-20 dino oils that have been showing really great results. Who actually says synthetic is the better choice? It is dependent on engines and manufacturers.

 

[MikeW]

You're missing the point. Let say something is really defective in the engine, and it breaks within the warrantee period. If your engine is stock, the assumption is that it's a manufacturing defect, and the dealer will likely fix it without giving you grief. However, if you modify anything even vaguely related to what broke, the dealer almost automatically takes the position that the modification is responsible for the problem, and you are now in the position of having to prove that the problem was a defect, not caused by your mod. Maybe you can, maybe you can't, but I can guarantee your grief level just went up several orders of magnetude.

All this for a modification that in all likelyhood isn't going to buy you very much.

quote:

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Originally posted by msparks:

With that in mind, I just installed a by-pass on my 03 Jetta TDI with 10,000 miles. I'm not worried one bit as I plan to keep my car well past the warrenty period, at least 200,000 miles!!

---

 

[Steve S]

I really don't see the need for a bypass filter,what is to be accomplished by having one? longer oil drains? less wear? yes to both. But engines last a long time when properly maintained, usually the engine will last as long as the rest of the car. Now a days cars are engineered down so as not much is left for the consumer . Having a million mile engine in a half million mile car does not work for me plus what is the cost of the filter setup, oil analysis etc. Is it worth it ?

 

[pedaltothemetal]

I know you must be very anal on clean oil. If that is your goal then you will be very satisfied. What can I say, we all need something to float our boats.

Leo

 

[greencrew]

I have my truck in for warranty work right now with a by-pass filter.

I was advised by the repair man at the Subrau dealer 20 years ago to put a by-pass on my turbo subraru, or the turbo would not go far beyond 60k. I followed his advise and was told at 140k, by another mechanic, that he had never seen the turbo go that far on this engine.

The by-pass does not hurt the engine, it helps it.
I have never heard of a dealer having an issue with a by-pass filter, though there are not many out there.

They have to big problems. First is to find a place to mount it. That's the biggest problem to overcome. The second is the up front cost which means you better plan on keeping the vehicle.

Why do it? For the same reason we change oil every 3,000 miles when 4,000 or 5,000 will do. We want the engine to have as much hp the last year we drive it as it did the first year, and we want it to run smooth every day we use it.

Some of us want more than that, we want a good oil analysis like the Subaru with 199k and just posted one at 13,500 miles on Amsoil.

Your by-pass is already installed, and it will do well. I drove that turbo Surbaru over 100k and only changed the oil filter every 2000 - 3000 miles and added a quart of Castrol GTX.

I got rid of it because it needed over $3000 of repairs in brakes, auto adjusting air shocks, and clutch, and that was with putting up with the rust and broken windshield.

I did drain all the oil once when I converted it over to Valvoline, then again changed only the filter. I never did an oil analysis, but the oil was always clear on the dipstick and never required makeup oil.

 

[timzak]

What do you mean by:

"I ran with this for 4600 miles - taking it each for the first 1000 miles"

That last part "taking it each for the first 1000 miles"...what did you mean by that?

 

[Fast_Draw]

quote:

---

Originally posted by timzak:
What do you mean by:

"I ran with this for 4600 miles - taking it each for the first 1000 miles"

That last part "taking it each for the first 1000 miles"...what did you mean by that?

---

I meant taking it easy for the first 100 miles - not flooring it, etc.

 

[greencrew]

quote:

---

Originally posted by timzak:
What do you mean by:

"I ran with this for 4600 miles - taking it each for the first 1000 miles"

That last part "taking it each for the first 1000 miles"...what did you mean by that?

---

That was the first 1000 miles on a new car. I read it as "taking it easy for the first 1000 miles," a common way to break in a new engine.

As a point for comment, this is a common miscomception when breaking in an engine. The best way to break in a new engine is a healthy dose of acceleration and decelleration. That's your typical drive through the city. Anything at the same speed is good, idling and driving the same speed for long periods.

 

[timzak]

Makes sense now.

Thanks,
Tim

 

[MikeW]

Personally, I think you went too far. I'll bet you dollars to donuts that if you have a problem with the engine, the dealer and Honda are going to give you a world of grief about the bypass filter setup, deservedly of not.

I would have gotten some M1 0w20, a good quality filter (M1 or Purolator Pure 1), and just done a conventional oil change.

 

[Fast_Draw]

quote:

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Originally posted by greencrew:

Originally posted by timzak:
[qb] Anything at the same speed is good, idling and driving the same speed for long periods.

---

Actually - that's exactly what happened. I eneded up buying my car in NJ - but I live in Pittsburgh - a good 7 hr. drive away. I went 70 MPH non-stop all the way home - and got 35 MPG doing it!!!

 

[greencrew]

Ooops, that should read:

Anything at the same speed is not good, idling, and driving the same speed for long periods.

That engine most likely has been run on a bench and has been through the initial brake in already. It's not as important as it used to be.