2020 Acura RDX, Valvoline 5-30 R&P, 4500 miles

[GW208]

2.0 turbo GDI with 34,200 miles on the car. This was my second time using Oil Analyzers and the fuel reading is still high. I believe this is going to be the norm with this motor. This was with Restore and Protect, the first sample was with Valvoline Advanced. The TBN held up better this time for some reason.
The 4500 miles was split pretty much 50/50 with highway and in town driving. The maintenance minder was at 60% at the time of the oil change.

 

[TomYoung]

That fuel dilution number is too high to watch and wait. I would take that car back to the Acura dealer.

 

[fantastic]

Yeah these GDI's are something else... nature of the beast & some are obviously a bit worse than the others. Try to use Top Tier fuel. The viscosity is still above 20 grade & I'm assuming that's what this Acura specs? Using this 5w-30 gives a bit of a buffer. Oil contamination is low so the fuel appears to not be hurting much. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Nuclear_42]

That fuel dilution number is too high to watch and wait. I would take that car back to the Acura dealer.

This has been the norm in DI vehicles with as little as 1.5-2k. 4-5% is ok.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

The wear metals appear to be in good shape on this run. While the fuel reading is higher then one would like, it doesn't appear to be hurting anything. These Honda TGDI engines, 1.5L & 2.0, seem to just put way more fuel in the oil compared to most other TGDI engines for some reason. The fuel is something to keep an eye on, but one would hope Honda did their validation testing with conditions like this.

 

[edyvw]

This has been the norm in DI vehicles with as little as 1.5-2k. 4-5% is ok.

In Honda? Yes. In other, yes, 20 years ago.

 

[mitsuman47]

The more time goes by, the less concerned I am about these Honda/Acura engines diluting the oil with fuel.

I bet if you had used Blackstone the fuel would’ve come back at <0.5% due to their inferior testing method, “wear” would appear to be low as it does now, the peasants would rejoice at the sight of your flawless UOA, and you’d sleep just fine at night.

I think your OCI is perfect for this use case.

 

[Nuclear_42]

In Honda? Yes. In other, yes, 20 years ago.

What do you mean in 20 years ago? Pretty much most DI vehicles especially turbo models have been doing this since creation. I'm sorry but if you really think 4-5% is excessive than you've been living under a rock for the past 5 years.

 

[GW208]

Yeah these GDI's are something else... nature of the beast & some are obviously a bit worse than the others. Try to use Top Tier fuel. The viscosity is still above 20 grade & I'm assuming that's what this Acura specs? Using this 5w-30 gives a bit of a buffer. Oil contamination is low so the fuel appears to not be hurting much. Thanks for sharing.

Acura recommends premium but doesn't require it and I've been using Costco regular grade which I believe is Top Tier. And yes, Acura specs 0w-20 but I've been using 5-30 since the first oil change. I forgot to mention that the filter was a Fram Endurance if that might mean anything to the report.

 

[Nuclear_42]

Acura recommends premium but doesn't require it and I've been using Costco regular grade which I believe is Top Tier. And yes, Acura specs 0w-20 but I've been using 5-30 since the first oil change. I forgot to mention that the filter was a Fram Endurance if that might mean anything to the report.

Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s working out great. A strong eurospec 0w-20 or regular 0/5-30 will be fine. I’d say it’s ok to just do 5k intervals and not worry about. FRAM FE is great!

 

[edyvw]

What do you mean in 20 years ago? Pretty much most DI vehicles especially turbo models have been doing this since creation. I'm sorry but if you really think 4-5% is excessive than you've been living under a rock for the past 5 years.

No they are not. Shady engineering ones or first one like VW TSFI from 2004? Yes. My VW does not have more than 1.5%. If I see 4-5% in VW, BMW, Lexus, Toyota, Mercedes, I would start looking for leaky injector.
Your benchmark vehicles are obviously ones that have questionable engineering, including Honda.

 

[fantastic]

Acura recommends premium but doesn't require it and I've been using Costco regular grade which I believe is Top Tier. And yes, Acura specs 0w-20 but I've been using 5-30 since the first oil change.

Thanks for the added details. I'd do the same as you did if I had an RDX.

I forgot to mention that the filter was a Fram Endurance if that might mean anything to the report.

Not much since UOA measure really small size particles & below what your FE is able to filter out.. A particle count would do more than a UOA when it comes to filtering.

 

[Nuclear_42]

No they are not. Shady engineering ones or first one like VW TSFI from 2004? Yes. My VW does not have more than 1.5%. If I see 4-5% in VW, BMW, Lexus, Toyota, Mercedes, I would start looking for leaky injector.
Your benchmark vehicles are obviously ones that have questionable engineering, including Honda.

Questionable engineering? Some dilute more than others. Even with 5% dilution most reports show perfect wear numbers. Your comparing Toyota with mostly uses multi port injection not the same animal. Last I spoke with Polaris oil lab specialist they assured me 3-5% dilution is the norm and nothing to worry about.

 

[edyvw]

Questionable engineering? Some dilute more than others. Even with 5% dilution most reports show perfect wear numbers. Your comparing Toyota with mostly uses multi port injection not the same animal. Last I spoke with Polaris oil lab specialist they assured me 3-5% dilution is the norm and nothing to worry about.

VW TSFI engines that seen the light of the day in 2004, were diluting 3-5%. They were considered fuel dilution monsters.
Now, ask yourself, why companies make engines with such fuel dilution 20 years after VW had that issue, and it does not have anymore (no port injection)?
Again, your benchmark is low, and yes, it is questionable engineering. Because, the example how NOT to do that went out of production sometimes in 2009.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

Imo fuel dilution is blown out of proportion on this board. Wear numbers look great despite the flagged fuel. I personally think OP can go 5-7k miles on any syn and sleep well at night

 

[Nuclear_42]

VW TSFI engines that seen the light of the day in 2004, were diluting 3-5%. They were considered fuel dilution monsters.
Now, ask yourself, why companies make engines with such fuel dilution 20 years after VW had that issue, and it does not have anymore (no port injection)?
Again, your benchmark is low, and yes, it is questionable engineering. Because, the example how NOT to do that went out of production sometimes in 2009.

Seems like you just want to prove how superior VW is. When you say questionable what’s your basis? What’s the downsides to other auto makers 3-5%. The wear numbers are very very low even with low viscosity.

 

[edyvw]

Seems like you just want to prove how superior VW is. When you say questionable what’s your basis? What’s the downsides to other auto makers 3-5%. The wear numbers are very very low even with low viscosity.

UOA is not analysis of an engine. You need far more than that, pretty much disassemble an engine. We discussed this NUMEROUS times, but there was a time when private pilots relied on UOA to determine health of their engines, which led them to death. Fuel dilution can influence various components that will not show up in UOA.
I am not sure superiority is right word. I am giving you an example. I would say questionable, "good enough" engineering of companies like this would be. They had so much time to get this in order, to properly design, and here we are. If this is normal, what is then 1.5% in my VW? Or in average BMW DI engine? Or Toyota? Or name any DI that sorted out this long time ago.

 

[TomYoung]

This has been the norm in DI vehicles with as little as 1.5-2k. 4-5% is ok.

It may be the norm, but it is not okay. The only prescription is more frequent changes, and more cowbell. At 4500 miles, the OP is in a tricky situation.

 

[himemsys]

Acura recommends premium but doesn't require it and I've been using Costco regular grade which I believe is Top Tier. And yes, Acura specs 0w-20 but I've been using 5-30 since the first oil change. I forgot to mention that the filter was a Fram Endurance if that might mean anything to the report.

There have been several discussions on these forums about premium octane reducing fuel dilution in these engine types. I switched our 2018 CRV from 87 to 91 and did notice that the oil level stopped climbing up the dipstick. I've seen several other people comment similarly. Not that you have to change fuel grades, but there does appear to be some benefit to doing so if you ever want to explore that.

 

[tolian21]

It is absolutely not true that premium fuel will help with fuel dilution. My results for 2020 RDX show the same fuel dilution numbers, and I was getting only 93 Octane top tier from Costco.
Xw-30 is the right viscosity if you simply want to end up with 0w-20 viscosity as recommended in so called owner manual....