- Joined
- Dec 29, 2023
- Messages
- 20
Good afternoon BITOG and I hope everyone can enjoy their Memorial Day if you are in the US.
After changing my partner's oil and CVT on their 2021 CRV, Youtube's strange algorithm recommended to me another engine sludge video.
(Seriously, these are addicting for me to watch, sort of like those Dr. PimplePopperMDs videos are for some!) What caught my eye was that the vehicle in the video was the same 1.5T CRV that my partner currently has, and what was even more shocking, was that there was "only" 18K on this OCI (likely never changed from factory fill) because you can see the odometer in the video with 18k clearly in the dash!
I know 18k is way more than any Honda MM is going to let you go for but still it was shocking that a presumably full synthetic sludged up that much in 18k miles. Now, I am one who never likes to spend more money than I have to and believe that modern synthetics can be trusted out to 10k miles in most engines when their driving habits allow. I also generally trust the Maintenance Minder and Honda engineers. I've seen people's valve covers off after forgetting 1 OCI and they are usually in no worse shape since it was a 1-time thing. However, this video gave me pause to rethink that paradigm of thinking if we are running our oils to the edge like that in our 1.5Ts on the MM.
One thing that makes me feel a little better is the fact that this is a slightly older model CRV, I think in the video the mechanic mentions that it is 6 years old with only 18k on it and was therefore short-tripped a lot which I know can cause engine oils to degrade faster. UOAs of the Honda MM seem to show that it is pretty conservative in its estimation of oil life as well, with not much looking amiss besides oil dilution in some cases.
I end with this: Is short-tripping that much of a catalyst for sludge buildup? Or is the factory fill perhaps not full synthetic? Are we really running our oils to the tipping point on the Honda MM? Or is there something else at play here?
Just thought this would be a little discussion for a Sunday afternoon!
Link to the video here:
(Link removed- profanity)
After changing my partner's oil and CVT on their 2021 CRV, Youtube's strange algorithm recommended to me another engine sludge video.
(Seriously, these are addicting for me to watch, sort of like those Dr. PimplePopperMDs videos are for some!) What caught my eye was that the vehicle in the video was the same 1.5T CRV that my partner currently has, and what was even more shocking, was that there was "only" 18K on this OCI (likely never changed from factory fill) because you can see the odometer in the video with 18k clearly in the dash!
I know 18k is way more than any Honda MM is going to let you go for but still it was shocking that a presumably full synthetic sludged up that much in 18k miles. Now, I am one who never likes to spend more money than I have to and believe that modern synthetics can be trusted out to 10k miles in most engines when their driving habits allow. I also generally trust the Maintenance Minder and Honda engineers. I've seen people's valve covers off after forgetting 1 OCI and they are usually in no worse shape since it was a 1-time thing. However, this video gave me pause to rethink that paradigm of thinking if we are running our oils to the edge like that in our 1.5Ts on the MM.
One thing that makes me feel a little better is the fact that this is a slightly older model CRV, I think in the video the mechanic mentions that it is 6 years old with only 18k on it and was therefore short-tripped a lot which I know can cause engine oils to degrade faster. UOAs of the Honda MM seem to show that it is pretty conservative in its estimation of oil life as well, with not much looking amiss besides oil dilution in some cases.
I end with this: Is short-tripping that much of a catalyst for sludge buildup? Or is the factory fill perhaps not full synthetic? Are we really running our oils to the tipping point on the Honda MM? Or is there something else at play here?
Just thought this would be a little discussion for a Sunday afternoon!
Link to the video here:
(Link removed- profanity)
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