Consensus on Honda J-series engines

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: KneeGrinder
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Marine version of that Engine, Honda specifies a 10W30 with high HTHS.


Sure, but in boat use the engine will be run much harder for much longer than it will be in any road vehicle.
Comparing apples to oranges.


I used to drive my Acura TL-S back and forth lower California to the very top of Idaho, 1420 miles, average speed 75 to 85mph only stop for fuel, 18 hours straight on 5w20 conventional. Drove thru Montana, Utah, Nevada, and California desert in the summer. Oil is not an issue, unless your engine runs out of it!

That said, I would run 10w30 in the lower states any time of the year provided it was synthetic.


That's nothing like marine use in terms of the power the engine will be asked to put out for any sustained period of time.
75-85 mph on the freeway is nothing.
Were you going 100-110 mph for a similar period, then you'd have a good point.

 

[cheesepuffs]

I didn’t even know people disabled VCM. I have it and it seems fine to me, why are people keen on disabling it?

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Marine version of that Engine, Honda specifies a 10W30 with high HTHS.


Sure, but in boat use the engine will be run much harder for much longer than it will be in any road vehicle.
Comparing apples to oranges.


Of course...was just putting it out there...before people bring "improved flow" into the convo.

 

[mclasser]

I also have a VCMuzzler. I do 5k mile OCIs using whatever 0w20 syn is on sale. I reuse extended drain filters (FU or M1) for 2-3 changes.

The J35 doesn't like to be babied so I make sure to give her the beans whenever possible. This is especially important for your iteration, which is DI.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Originally Posted By: cheesepuffs
I didn’t even know people disabled VCM. I have it and it seems fine to me, why are people keen on disabling it?


Oil consumption, broken engine mounts, rough engagement, all kinds of reasons. Honda had a huge class-action against them for VCM. Google will give you everything you ever wanted to know about this engineering boo-boo.

 

[cheesepuffs]

Originally Posted By: SubieRubyRoo
Originally Posted By: cheesepuffs
I didn’t even know people disabled VCM. I have it and it seems fine to me, why are people keen on disabling it?


Oil consumption, broken engine mounts, rough engagement, all kinds of reasons. Honda had a huge class-action against them for VCM. Google will give you everything you ever wanted to know about this engineering boo-boo.


Mine burns oil but I thought the class-action was for stuck piston rings and that was the reason for the oil consumption?

 

[PWMDMD]

Originally Posted By: cheesepuffs
I didn’t even know people disabled VCM. I have it and it seems fine to me, why are people keen on disabling it?


Definitely issues with the last iteration of VCM switching between 3, 4 and 6-cylinder modes. I have NOT seen the same severity of issues reported with the current version of VCM which switches between 3 and 6-cylinder modes. The worst I’ve read about the current version is some oil consumption/fuel dilution and it’s “hard” on the oil.

 

[PWMDMD]

Originally Posted By: cheesepuffs
Originally Posted By: SubieRubyRoo
Originally Posted By: cheesepuffs
I didn’t even know people disabled VCM. I have it and it seems fine to me, why are people keen on disabling it?


Oil consumption, broken engine mounts, rough engagement, all kinds of reasons. Honda had a huge class-action against them for VCM. Google will give you everything you ever wanted to know about this engineering boo-boo.


Mine burns oil but I thought the class-action was for stuck piston rings and that was the reason for the oil consumption?


My understanding is the inactivated cylinders are cooler and never heat up to operating temperature to expand the rings and seal the pistons/cylinders. The result is oil blowing by the rings in one direction and fuel blowing by the rings in the other direction leading to oil consumption and oil dilution.

 

[andyd]

what is a VCM????

 

[nap]

Originally Posted By: andyd
what is a VCM????


A gadget Honda uses to please EPA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZP0024stE

 

[parshisa]

I really could never feel the VCM, I don’t know when it is off and when it is on. It doesn’t burn any oil either. With that said, not sure it muzzler is needed at all. I’ve been running two OCI with M1 and currently with Pennzoil Platinum 0w20. used oil analysis showed normal wear altgough fuel dilution drops vis pretty good. I’d say for my driving patterns 4.5-5K will be the max

 

[Bullwinkle007]

Castrol 0/40 and a Purolator Boss or filter. I run this oil in my Acura J series. Runs Very smooth

Shell AU says run shell Helix 5/30. Which is a acea A3/B4 oil. Well so is Castrol 0/40. Castrol 0/40 is on the lighter side, more like 35wt. Has a low noack, great match imho

 

[nap]

Originally Posted By: Bullwinkle007
Shell AU says run shell Helix 5/30. Which is a acea A3/B4 oil. Well so is Castrol 0/40. Castrol 0/40 is on the lighter side, more like 35wt. Has a low noack, great match imho


Their first recommandation seems to be the Helix ECT 5w30 which is acea C3 (mid SAPS high HTHS). Followed by the one you mentioned, then another C3, and ending the list is a 10/30 , yay!

If I remember correctly, in the Euro market they seem to favor the ECT 0/30. Maybe they’re onto something with their preference for C3.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: parshisa
I really could never feel the VCM, I don’t know when it is off and when it is on. It doesn’t burn any oil either. With that said, not sure it muzzler is needed at all. I’ve been running two OCI with M1 and currently with Pennzoil Platinum 0w20. used oil analysis showed normal wear altgough fuel dilution drops vis pretty good. I’d say for my driving patterns 4.5-5K will be the max


Around town I agree. Other than the eco light going on and off, it's just seamless.

On the highway I can feel it engage and disengage, or whatever the right terminology is. It's a little clunky, since new, and I can see how it would potentially harm mounts when under 60-70hp, propelling the vehicle.

 

[UncleDave]

I have a 2017 Ridgeline with the j series in it - and don't find VCM annoying whatsoever. If anything its fairly rare with the terrain we have in so cal for it to engage.

The mill is silky smooth with only little low end grunt but a great midrange and top end whallop.

At most it feels a bit like shifting to top gear in manual early and feeling the engine grunt a bit to pull the gear.
What I hear people describing is nowhere near what Im feeling and Id like to think I have a sensitive derrier for these things.

It ate oil like crazy the first 1K then absolutely stopped and has run tight as a drum the last 3K so Im feeling pretty good about it.

Other than having to replace timing belts - its a sweet mil.

UD

 

[deven]

I have that engine in my car that's in the sig and love it. Sounds like a sewing machine at idle but has a nice little growl when redlined. The best part about the engine is that it only takes 4.5 quarts of oil with filter and I do 10,000 OCI's.

 

[OilSwine]

I just posted a used oil analysis in that section for our 2017 Pilot. It has had a VCMuzzler at 120 ohm on it since new. As someone who had a 2012 Odyssey that had oil consumption (1qt/1500 mi) and plug fouling/coil issues, I’m a believer. We have a 2012 Pilot, 2017 Pilot, and 2017 Ridgeline, all with VCMuzzlers and no issues whatsoever.

As far as oil, long term for my climate I’d probably do Mobil 1 5W-20 and Fram Ultra 7317 and follow the MM, meaning the filter every other oil change. But I’ve got alot of other inventory to run through.

 

[nap]

Quick question for the J35 - if, for a similar price, you could buy ethanol free 91 octane vs “up to 10% ethanol” 91 octane, which one would you preffer, and why?

 

[bulwnkl]

"Similar" does not equal "same," so I'd choose based on cost per mile for my J35. Since there's nothing here that is reliably without ethanol, I don't have that choice.

 

[PWMDMD]

Originally Posted By: nap
Quick question for the J35 - if, for a similar price, you could buy ethanol free 91 octane vs “up to 10% ethanol” 91 octane, which one would you preffer, and why?


For a small engines sure...I’ve seen non-stabilized 10% ethanol fuel render a small engine useless after a single season. For cars that go through fuel relatively quickly...not too much of an advantage.