2015 Honda Civic 1.8L; 4.6k mi Pennzoil Platinum 0W-20

[OneLonelyBurrito]

Another yearly oil change done on my wife’s 2015 Honda Civic. OLM was showing 40% at the time of the change. It burned 164 gals for an average MPG of 27.2. This year, with her work schedule, she didn’t have much time to drive any place other than work. So, she only put on 4584mi.

This year, before I took the sample, I did a better job getting the engine up to temp and the hot oil. Which I didn’t make as much of an effort on for the previous two samples and the fuel dilution came in lower this time. 2.7% is something that I think is perfectly acceptable.

With the sample from last year having silicon that was increasing, I was given the advise to take a look at the intake boot, which ended being ripped. So that was replace at the beginning of this last OCI. The silicon is lower this time which is what I was hoping for.

Overall the wear metals appear to be in check. I see nothing that I’m concerned about. Fuel dilution is acceptable in my book. Viscosity is still in the correct range for a -20 oil. The TBN might be getting a little on the low side, but I’m not overly concerned about it. Pennzoil Platinum doesn’t start with a really high TBN. Oxidation and Nitration are still well within the acceptable values. I plan to keep on doing what I’m doing with my wife’s car right now. Pennzoil Platinum went back in.

 

[sxg6]

I know it’s not a perfect comparison, but I did a recent uoa with 3.75qt Pennzoil platinum 0w-16, and 2/3qt leftover stp 0w-16. TBN after similar mileage was just over 5. I think all your fuel dilution might be hard on the TBN? Not sure.

I’m also wondering about OAI and their silicon levels.. Both of my samples were done in Indianapolis. (First sample wasn’t pennzoil, it was 3qt toyota oil, 1qt Mobil 1, .5qt STP. ‘21 rav4 le gas

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

I know it’s not a perfect comparison, but I did a recent uoa with 3.75qt Pennzoil platinum 0w-16, and 2/3qt leftover stp 0w-16. TBN after similar mileage was just over 5. I think all your fuel dilution might be hard on the TBN? Not sure.

I’m also wondering about OAI and their silicon levels.. Both of my samples were done in Indianapolis. (First sample wasn’t pennzoil, it was 3qt toyota oil, 1qt Mobil 1, .5qt STP. ‘21 rav4 le gas
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Maybe they have reformulated. But according to the VOA database, Pennzoil Platinum 0W-20 has a starting TBN of 4.8. So yours being above 5 would throw up a flag to me. Again maybe they have reformulated and its higher now. For silicon, atleast on the 1.8L honda engine, they always seem to have a little bit of silicon in the reports from what I have seen. The silicon on my Mazda CX-50 is much lower than the Honda.

 

[sxg6]

Interesting, I think they have reformulated like you said with a lower starting TBN. The 5qt jugs I used were labeled 15Mar24 with silver caps, I still have some left in the last jug. I recently got a couple more jugs labeled 31Mar25 with black caps. Maybe I’ll get a uoa with the black cap jugs. Ideally I’d do voa and uoa, but.. don’t really feel like spending the money on voa’s.

(I’m a bit out of the loop, I didn’t realize we’ve come to tbn’s starting in the low 5’s… I was thinking 7’s)

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

Interesting, I think they have reformulated like you said with a lower starting TBN. The 5qt jugs I used were labeled 15Mar24 with silver caps, I still have some left in the last jug. I recently got a couple more jugs labeled 31Mar25 with black caps. Maybe I’ll get a uoa with the black cap jugs. Ideally I’d do voa and uoa, but.. don’t really feel like spending the money on voa’s.

(I’m a bit out of the loop, I didn’t realize we’ve come to tbn’s starting in the low 5’s… I was thinking 7’s)

It also depends on which method your using to measure the TBN. The method OAI uses (D4739) results in lower TBN. The method blackstone uses with probably start in the sevens for TBN on pennzoil platinum.

 

[TomYoung]

I think that your OCI time/mileage is your absolute best defense against fuel dilution. Nothing in this UOA would raise my eyebrow, and while I would personally spring for PUP, certainly take no issue with the excellent Pennzoil Platinum oil, especially on this interval. The fuel dilution is a bummer, but the silver lining is that Honda engines seem to hold up, even when there is moderate fuel dilution. Maybe get that rig out for some looooong stretches on the Highway next interval... Best wishes.

 

[himemsys]

It also depends on which method your using to measure the TBN. The method OAI uses (D4739) results in lower TBN. The method blackstone uses with probably start in the sevens for TBN on pennzoil platinum.

Blackstone uses D4739 just like OAI.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

Blackstone uses D4739 just like OAI.

Gotcha, for some reason I had in my head that they used the D2896 method.

 

[JimPghPA]

Pennzoil platinum and pup start with a pure base stock ( GTL ) and because of that do not require a high TBN to still protect at the end of an oc.