2026 Honda first service questions?

[Goodyearwing1]

Hey guys, I am going to beat a dead horse. 2026 Honda passport first oil change recommendations? Some people say the factory fill oil has special additives for break in an allow it 5000-8000 miles before changing and some are changing around 3K… thoughts on this????

Also I am going to run mobile 1 advanced fuel economy with OEM Honda filter. Decent ?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Wait until the minder tells you to change it, unless it still doesn't come on after a year. Honda says to change the oil at 15% or a year, whatever comes first. It automatically adjusts for driving conditions to suggest the OCI that's right for you.

Mobil 1 0w30 is good stuff and a good price. There is nothing wrong with the OEM Honda filter, but the Fram PH7317 is basically the same thing for less money, and you can pick it up at Walmart along with the Mobil 1

You should add a muzzler to disable the VCM. Honda's cylinder deactivation is hard on oil and even harder on those $600 motor mounts.

 

[Drifter]

I could not make it past 1100 mi. Had to get the factory swill replaced with fresh/clean oil. I would never go beyond 3k. And get a sample if possible. Keep us posted.

 

[rstsco]

We bought a 2025 Pilot with the J35Y8 engine in May. I did the first oil change at ~500 miles. Here are the used oil analysis (UOA) so far. Sample PC-00662 was the factory fill oil. You can see the high level of molybdenum, but some may be attributed to assembly lube, not just the oil. Wear metals are high, which is not unexpected. I don't regret for a minute doing this early oil and filter change. One thing I wish I'd done was install a magnetic drain plug at the first oil change. Better late than never, as it got a new plug the last oil change (and new crush washer each time).

Recent Mobil 1 filters are getting good reviews. I'm running a Pentius. Calling @Glenda W. She can tell you what are comparable and high quality filters, as well as other oil options to consider.

You should add a muzzler to disable the VCM. Honda's cylinder deactivation is hard on oil and even harder on those $600 motor mounts.

There are no muzzlers for the J35Y8 engine.

 

[Wheel366]

We did 5k changes on my wife's 14 CRV including the first change cause that was what we paid for. Every 5k up to 100k. According to the paperwork, they used Mobil 1 and Honda Filters. I am assuming it was Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy.

 

[Goodyearwing1]

Wait until the minder tells you to change it, unless it still doesn't come on after a year. Honda says to change the oil at 15% or a year, whatever comes first. It automatically adjusts for driving conditions to suggest the OCI that's right for you.

Mobil 1 0w30 is good stuff and a good price. There is nothing wrong with the OEM Honda filter, but the Fram PH7317 is basically the same thing for less money, and you can pick it up at Walmart along with the Mobil 1

You should add a muzzler to disable the VCM. Honda's cylinder deactivation is hard on oil and even harder on those $600 motor mounts.

Have not found one avail

 

[K20FA5]

Have not found one avail

I’m pretty sure the Passport has the latest J35 and the 10 speed automatic. If so, there isn’t a muzzler available for that yet.

 

[I<3oil]

Wait until the minder tells you to change it, unless it still doesn't come on after a year. Honda says to change the oil at 15% or a year, whatever comes first. It automatically adjusts for driving conditions to suggest the OCI that's right for you.

Mobil 1 0w30 is good stuff and a good price. There is nothing wrong with the OEM Honda filter, but the Fram PH7317 is basically the same thing for less money, and you can pick it up at Walmart along with the Mobil 1

You should add a muzzler to disable the VCM. Honda's cylinder deactivation is hard on oil and even harder on those $600 motor mounts.

VCM-4 doesn’t have any defeat devices yet

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Many manufacturers no longer use any special new vehicle break in oil when they ship them out for sale these days. One can look up any new car or truck and they will provide the answer if the ones in question came with it or not from the factory......

 

[rstsco]

The 2025 Pilot Elite and 2026 Passport use the same J35Y8 engine and 10-speed transmission. I've read where using Sport (or Tow) drive mode keeps the VCM from activating. I've also been told that's a lie. To satisfy my curiosity, and because I'm already seeing what I consider high levels of carbon deposits in the oil filter media at 10k miles, I've ordered a scan tool which I'll be able to monitor all the injector pulse widths (duration) in each drive mode. When VCM activates, the deactivated cylinder's injectors should go to zero. It should be here tomorrow and hope to do the tests this weekend.

 

[UncleDave]

Hey guys, I am going to beat a dead horse. 2026 Honda passport first oil change recommendations? Some people say the factory fill oil has special additives for break in an allow it 5000-8000 miles before changing and some are changing around 3K… thoughts on this????

Also I am going to run mobile 1 advanced fuel economy with OEM Honda filter. Decent ?

View attachment 313339

Here's what I gleaned from a few years on the Ridgeline forum prior and after purchase as well as my own experience and observations you can look up that I've posted if you'd like.

The only thing different about the factory fill is the remaining assembly lube left in the oil which is rich in Moly.

Honda does not recommend an early OCI because of this but prefers for you to follow the maintenance minder and treat the original FF as you would any other.

You will find that Honda only recommends a filter change every other oil change and the maintenance minder (MM) refers to this as an A or B code.

Sure that oil is fine. Is to anyones fav - prob not.

I've chosen to run ester based oil after finding carbonaceous material in the filter after following the MM using rated or better than rated oil at the time, that said I tow frequently at high RPM at or near the vehicles rated tow limit so I have reason to believe my duty cycle is harder than most.

The Honda filter has changed quite often over time and will be just fine, but is not what this board considers a top tier filter in several ways.


Congratulations on your rig. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

UD

 

[facility1]

you will do fine with the Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w-20, do a couple of changes at 800 miles and 2k with fresh filters, even the Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30 would be fine after break-in time is over.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Pick up a FilterMag, the SS250 is the size you need for stock Honda filter (and similar replacements).

Slap it on the filter, first oil change make sure you cut it open and share what that looks like inside.

I would use either Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 or Valvoline Restore and Protect in whichever viscosity you prefer. I use 5W-30 in my '19 Pilot after used oil analysis in my very short trip conditions. I also reduced to 5k intervals not MM. I do not reset the MM until it shows with whichever other codes done on time so I can do them accordingly.

 

[MStarmer]

I just brought home a new Passport and was just thinking the same thing. Should I change at 1k? I think I will and probably use 0W-20 Restore and Protect, just because that's what I have sitting on my shelf. Here in the PNW we don't see too much freezing weather and my rig is garaged at home and at work. I could probably get away with 5W-30 I'm guessing. Here's mine, got it black friday.

 

[GW.]

I like doing early changes on a new vehicle. Sometimes it’s surprising what comes out. I second Restore and Protect until we know if these engines will have deposit problems. Mobil 1 and Carquest Premium(or equivalent) filters continue to look great.

 

[Carlostrece]

I'd put a pair of SS Filtermag on the oil filter and leave the stock oil and filter in place for this amount of miles:
3000 miles if you drive mostly city (driving less than 30 min each drive).
5000 miles if you drive mostly city (driving 30+ min each drive).
7,500 miles if you drive around 50/50 mix city/highway (driving 30+ min each drive).
10,000 miles if you drive mostly highway trips (driving 30+ min each drive).

An average quality oil filter (probably what you have) can remove most particles 30 microns and larger. A good quality oil filter can remove most particles 23-25 microns and larger. A pair of Filtermag SS (on the oil filter) will remove all ferrous metal particles 3 microns and larger.

That is very helpful for a new engine because new engines shed a lot of ferrous metal wear particles that are too small for the oil filter to catch, but Filtermag will catch them. This allows you to use the original oil and filter the normal amount of miles. So if there are any breakin additives in the original oil, you can benefit from them as long as manufacturer intended while having ferrous metal wear particles continuously removed by the Filtermag SS magnets.

I also think that a pair of Filtermag SS is somewhat beneficial for high mileage cars engines, but their biggest benefit is for new engines because new engines shed a lot of metal.

The 1st photo sows a pair of Filtermag SS. The 2nd photo shows a pair of Filtermag SS mounted on an oil filter. The 3rd photo shows an oil filter cut open. You can see the metal particles stuck to inside of the filter can (where where the Filtermag had been on outside of can).

P.S. - Filtermag SS is reusable. At each oil filter change, you move the magnets to the new filter.

 

[Carlostrece]

When you do change the oil and filter, my preference is NAPA Gold oil filter.

My next choices are (in no particular order) Oreilly Microgard Select, Carquest Premium, Autozone STP XL, Valvoline Premium, Premium Guard XL, or any other brand of premium filter made by Premium Guard.

I mean their premium filter, not their cheaper filter, for those brands.

===

As for oil, there's a lot of affordable, excellent oils that are better than Mobil Advanced Fuel Economy, including better Mobil 1 oils, and other brands better oils.

I'd choose Havoline Lifelong or Quaker State Ultimate Protection because they're excellent and very low cost at Walmart. If you prefer Mobil 1, then I suggest using Mobil 1 Extended Performance or Mobil 1 ESP. Valvoline Extended Protection is another excellent choice. Castrol Edge is another excellent choice. All these are reasonably affordable at Walmart.

All the oils I suggested above are excellent. You can't go wrong using any of them. Best prices on them are at Walmart. Havoline Lifelong is the best price per ounce, but is only sold in 6 quart box. Quaker State Ultimate Protection is the next best price and is sold in 5 quart jug. I think they're as excellent as the slightly more expensive options I recommended. Even the slightly more expensive options are affordable prices at Walmart.

Walmart often has price rollback discount sales on Tues, Weds, & Thurs, but is often sold out of sale items by Thurs. So I suggest shopping Walmart online on Tues or Weds.

Another excellent oil is NAPA Full Syn. It's made by Valvoline and I think it's the same oil as Valvoline Extended Protection. It performed very well in wear testing done by Lakespeed Jr.

NAPA Full Syn at NAPA is same price as Valvoline Extended Protection at Walmart (and is probably the same oil). NAPA Full Syn is excellent oil.

The convient thing about NAPA Full Syn is I already go to NAPA to get a NAPA Gold oil filter. NAPA sometimes has a monthly discount sale on oil & filter as a package deal for $5 off. I don't recall which week of the month the sale occurs.

Here's a wear test comparison video, which includes NAPA Full Syn (which I think is same oil as Valvoline Extended Protection).

 

[facility1]

When you do change the oil and filter, I recommend NAPA Gold oil filter. My next choice would be Oreilly Microgard Select, Carquest Premium, Autozone STP XL, Valvoline Premium, Premium Guard XL, or any other premium filter made by Premium Guard.

Fram Ultra is a fine filter also to add.

 

[Carlostrece]

Fram Ultra is a fine filter also to add.

Does Fram Ultra use a leaf spring? If so, then no thanks. If no leaf spring, then add it to my list of excellent filters.

 

[Carlostrece]

I just brought home a new Passport and was just thinking the same thing. Should I change at 1k? I think I will and probably use 0W-20 Restore and Protect, just because that's what I have sitting on my shelf. Here in the PNW we don't see too much freezing weather and my rig is garaged at home and at work. I could probably get away with 5W-30 I'm guessing. Here's mine, got it black friday.

View attachment 313357

I love that color!