Friends 2007 v6 accord 185k mi burning 1.5 quart every 1000 miles. Would changing to heavier oil help till the car is traded in ?

[Cujet]

It may be the dreaded low tension piston rings and some of those early ones lose oil through the valve stems too. A switch to 5W-30 won't help much. Minimum is a 10W-40. You might even try M1 15W-50. I know that sounds absurd, but that's what it takes to prevent the ineffective low tension oil rings from pumping oil into the combustion chambers.

 

[gregk24]

Is this a VCM engine?

No, which is why I’m confused why it would have had TSB work done regarding “rings and bearings”. These 3.0’s are very stout. The early 3.5’s from 2008+ are another story.

 

[PimTac]

Since this friend is committed to using Mobil and with the engine burning that much oil, I would go with the cheaper Mobil Super. No need to run the more expensive synthetic in a motor that is burning a quart every 500 miles

If he is reasonable to change brands then go with Havoline High Mileage at $19.98 for six quarts.

Bump it up at least to a 30 grade.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Lease or buy a Corolla or Elantra with that usage.

 

[wlk]

May want to try the piston soak and/or a run of the HPL EC30. When we got our Element the beginning of last year(oci not properly done on time) it was burning about 2qts every 5k w Mobil1 HM 5w20 that I did the first oci w. Did piston soak, PCV, 5w30 instead of 5w20, tried Maxlife red bottle, couple Rislone runs and Gumout Multi-System Tune Up the last 500miles and it helped cut it down but not stop burning. Put HPL EC30 in it w QSFS 5w30 and it is close to 4k miles on it now and 2nd filter change. Since the last filter it has 1k miles now and checked the dipstick the other day and it is just off full maybe 1/8" now. Hopefully it stays that way, may give it a shot or at least 30w or 40w.
Could also try adding a pint of Schaeffer Moly EP w a 0/5w20, would probably bring it up to a high 30weight or low 40weight. It has helped w my trucks oil burning.
Edit- Or the HPL EC40.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

Is this a VCM engine?

I was wondering same thing, they are oil burners due to low tension rings and 5w20 doesn’t help.

 

[OVERKILL]

I was wondering same thing, they are oil burners due to low tension rings and 5w20 doesn’t help.

And they tend to completely cake up the rear head and rings from what I understand based on @Trav's posts on the subject. Just an awful engine design.

 

[Sedin26]

My 2005 CR-V used a litre every 1000km with anything from 0w20 to 5w30. When I switched to 5w40 (Supertech but I’m sure others would be fine) it went 4000km before I need to add any. Heavier weight may very well help.

 

[doublebase]

I’d use whatever the cheapest, thickest oil you could get away with...drive it as long as you could, and then get rid of the thing. No oil is going to cure a poorly designed engine...no products are going to “fix” a poorly designed engine. You might be able to help it slightly with a lot of effort, products, money and time, but a bad design is a bad design. It’s all it knows, and it’ll come right back.

Did I mention that I didn’t make it as a motivational speaker?

 

[TiGeo]

I would do the bare minimum to get it to the point of trading in - no way I would sell this outright in that condition. I'd just start topping off with cheap 10W30 (Supertec) and run a bottle of whatever cheap auto parts store/Walmart oil additive (Lucas etc.) to reduce consumption. No reason to do anything else to this car that sounds like it's past due to get rid of it.

 

[Trav]

He is going to buy a new honda as soon as he can afford one.

Glutton for punishment eh? If Honda did the pistons, rings and bearings already the engine is probably had it with no remedy other than a replacement. Once these things start burning oil at that rate there is no slowing them down long term. Heavier oils may slow it down for a time but it will get back to its old tricks in no time.
A 4K car needing 2K in repairs and a basically duff engine is something I wouldn't saddle anyone with, buy another car and junk it IMHO.

 

[Quantico]

Its a family of mom n dad not made of money. They got 15 years out of the honda. And they will buy another honda or toyota...the two brands they buy.. they want a suv this run so my advice is a highlander or pilot. But its not my car.. not my family.. not my payment..

I prefer to limp or fix stuff myself.. but a 4000 dollar used car needing 4000 in work with a bad engine and 15 years in wisconsin salt winter is just a dumb place to put money. This is my friends wifes car.. her work , grocery , family , go on vacation , go to school car. They only buy new cars.. they like the warranty.

My friend owns a camry around a 2009 or so.. with about 175 k miles but its in way way better condition than the family honda.. so the unspoken deal is that within a few years they will need a second new car. So the financing for the new car are not a simple take 35 grand out of the pile of money account. These are hard working middle class folks. So even gas prices and food costs and saving for childs college and retirement saving get involved. Its none of my business and I am not part of the planning.

 

[Quantico]

They he would do well to sell it now while still in reasonable condition. Maybe he can afford a newer Honda now if not a new one.

That is exactly my friends plan. He and his wife are trying to determine how to pay for a new car..
They do not buy used cars ever.. and only honda and toyota are the cars they consider.
The PCV valve was questioned and replaced with a new honda part. So many experts keep saying PCV valve and I have never heard that fixing oil consumption. Not that I have seen.

 

[Merek]

Certainly using a thicker oil wouldn't hurt here, I'd use either 0w40 or 5w40 in WI, Honda's are fairly bulletproof but sometimes even they miss the mark.

 

[SC Maintenance]

A lot of engines drive off the lot using a quart every 1000 and the dealer will tell you thats "normal".

If there poor (not derogatory - I grew up dirt poor) I would fix the brakes and bearings, try some different oils, and drive it until it plugs a cat or something. Honesetly with the use there giving it they might get years on it. The way to become not poor is avoid car payments.

Just my $0.02 which was given for free and may be worth less than that.

 

[StumblingElk]

Thicker oil in that engine wouldn't be my first choice with the tight clearances and narrow passages for the VVT. I'm not usually the guy to say this, but I would sooner throw in conventional oil than synthetic and see if that makes any changes.

Figure out where the oil is going is step 1. Leak or burning. Maybe add some AT205 with fresh oil. I have had good luck doing this for valve stem seals.

A quick compression test wet and dry can rule out the rings. It can be done at home and is cheap and easy. Even if done only on the front bank, you will have a good indication.

The car isn't worth much and the current market is nutty. I would limp it along with any repairs it needed for safety, like the brakes.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Just be glad the car isn't rusted out

Try M1 0w40 with one of those canned additives like Liqui Moly Motor Oil Saver, Motor Honey, or that silver Restore can. You could also try seafoam

A HM 5w40/10w40 might also be a good idea. Honestly, with burning that bad, just use the cheapest oil you can get

 

[Merek]

Thicker oil in that engine wouldn't be my first choice with the tight clearances and narrow passages for the VVT. I'm not usually the guy to say this, but I would sooner throw in conventional oil than synthetic and see if that makes any changes.

Figure out where the oil is going is step 1. Leak or burning. Maybe add some AT205 with fresh oil. I have had good luck doing this for valve stem seals.

A quick compression test wet and dry can rule out the rings. It can be done at home and is cheap and easy. Even if done only on the front bank, you will have a good indication.

The car isn't worth much and the current market is nutty. I would limp it along with any repairs it needed for safety, like the brakes.

VTEC runs off oil pressure, in general a thicker oil wouldn't really change anything in the way that it works but using too thin of an oil can cause issues mostly due to possibly not having enough pressure for it to operate properly but that's more of a low oil issue.

Conventional oil has gone by the wayside, almost everything now is at least a synthetic blend to meet the requirements of vehicles that are made today.

 

[wpod]

I would imagine the freezing winters weren't easy on the engine.

 

[Quantico]

Thicker oil in that engine wouldn't be my first choice with the tight clearances and narrow passages for the VVT. I'm not usually the guy to say this, but I would sooner throw in conventional oil than synthetic and see if that makes any changes.

Figure out where the oil is going is step 1. Leak or burning. Maybe add some AT205 with fresh oil. I have had good luck doing this for valve stem seals.

A quick compression test wet and dry can rule out the rings. It can be done at home and is cheap and easy. Even if done only on the front bank, you will have a good indication.

The car isn't worth much and the current market is nutty. I would limp it along with any repairs it needed for safety, like the brakes.

Look.. the guy does his own oil changes. There is no leak.