Another "First Oil Change" Thread

[rstcso]

Reached 494 miles and wanted to do the Pilot's first oil change before we leave on a 5k mile journey. I realize recommendations are all over the place as to when a first oil change should be performed, but I'm retentive, so changed it now.

Realizing I have zero baseline pictures as to what Honda's OEM fluid looks like new, here are the mid-stream catch of OEM at 494 miles vs virgin Amsoil Signature Series 0w-20. I also cut open the filter, and quite honestly, I'm not sure if I'm seeing any anomalies or not. I'll let the media sit until we get back home and take a closer look with my Sherlock Holmes' spy glass.

I realize there's a fill line which I exceeded in both samples. Either I'm being extra thorough, or can't follow simple instructions. I know what my wife would say.

 

[Sienna dude]

In addition to breakin oil change, there is also a breakin procedure to make sure your car gets a good healthy start. I did my breakin oil change at 600 miles.

 

[Glenda W.]

I always do my first change between 500-1000 miles on a new car. Sometimes it’s a glitter bomb, sometimes it’s not. Enjoy the trip in your new Pilot!!

 

[rstcso]

In addition to breakin oil change, there is also a breakin procedure to make sure your car gets a good healthy start.

I've been pushing to get to this first oil change before our trip (my wife's Mom died. Funeral in one state and will be buried in another). I've read the worst thing you can do to a new engine is run it at constant speed without varying the load, e.g. using cruise control on a long trip. I think I'm relatively safely past that point.

 

[Klutch9]

You’ll be fine. When we bought our Carnival last year, we went on a long road trip within a few weeks of getting the vehicle. Had only a few hundred miles on the ODO when we left. I made sure to turn off the cruise control every few minutes, decelerate like 10 mph, then accelerate again. I varied the cruise control too. I did this until we reached 600 miles (Kia’s recommended break in window). Vehicle seems fine at over 10k miles now and I don’t notice any discernible oil burning.

 

[rstcso]

As my wife and I switch driving duties, no doubt the engine loads will be different between us, as she suffers from get-there-iitis when we're traveling.

I've been splitting using Drive and Sport modes about 50/50 since new, so it's had a good chance to explore revs up to about 4k-ish and lots of back pressure upon deceleration.

I always shut off auto Start/Stop before driving, and my wife is getting pretty good about remembering, too. FYI, Sport mode disables Start/Stop (as well as a few other driving modes) on the Pilot. With the latest EPA announcement, I hope there will be a software update disabling Start/Stop as the default and you can enable it if you want.

 

[Sienna dude]

77

I've been pushing to get to this first oil change before our trip (my wife's Mom died. Funeral in one state and will be buried in another). I've read the worst thing you can do to a new engine is run it at constant speed without varying the load, e.g. using cruise control on a long trip. I think I'm relatively safely past that point.

You have read exact right

 

[duck__dodgers]

the 2025 Pilot still has VCM, right?

it's now time to think about what to do with that. i'll get my whiskey and donuts as the comments stream in

 

[rstcso]

Being ignorant on that subject, I can hardly wait to hear what this entails. Is this the shutting down of cylinders under lighter loads (based on the computer's software)? Perhaps I should just go back to my old Studebakers?

 

[Zee09]

I have a 1000 miles on my QS Ultimate Protection right now. Bumped up to 5w30.....
I had it here and it came highly recommended by @KCJeep because it had GTL and a green jug... now I call that science

 

[Titan]

That's an acceptable amount of what I call "scharf" in the pleats. Enjoy a long engine life with that vehicle!

 

[KCJeep]

I have a 1000 miles on my QS Ultimate Protection right now. Bumped up to 5w30.....
I had it here and it came highly recommended by @KCJeep because it had GTL and a green jug... now I call that science

That's GTL and a gorgeous green jug Mister.

 

[KCJeep]

As my wife and I switch driving duties, no doubt the engine loads will be different between us, as she suffers from get-there-iitis when we're traveling.

I've been splitting using Drive and Sport modes about 50/50 since new, so it's had a good chance to explore revs up to about 4k-ish and lots of back pressure upon deceleration.

I always shut off auto Start/Stop before driving, and my wife is getting pretty good about remembering, too. FYI, Sport mode disables Start/Stop (as well as a few other driving modes) on the Pilot. With the latest EPA announcement, I hope there will be a software update disabling Start/Stop as the default and you can enable it if you want.

Flog that sucker like a rented mule and forget about it.

Filter looks just fine.

 

[Zee09]

That's GTL and a gorgeous green jug Mister.

It sounds so ..... nevermind

 

[rstcso]

Flog that sucker like a rented mule and forget about it.

Second day of driving completed. Gave my wife "the speech" on varying speed, gears, turning off start/stop, etc., basically show the car some love. Lots of traffic certainly helped, but one point when she was driving and had lots of cars around, shot up to 90+ mph! I knew she was frustrated with the others and wanted to create some space, but when I said "What are you doing?", her response was "showing the car some varying speed love"! How could I argue with that response?

About 1400 miles on the Amsoil SS 0w-20 and nary a drop down on the dipstick. Had I not brought along a couple of quarts, I'd already needed some, because that's my life.

 

[rstcso]

Results from the VOA and UOA at the first oil change. I was brain dead yesterday and started a new thread with the results. Sorry about that.

 

[ka9mnx]

Amsoil is pretty stout! I like the numbers.