Has Honda changed their mind?

Brett Miller · Dec 1, 2003

I was just surfing around the Honda Owner's link and I found this under "Did you Know..

Honda recommends using a 5W30 motor oil year-round. Heavy oils make an engine harder to start, which can strain the electrical system. Lighter oils flow easier once the cold engine starts, bringing vital lubrication to moving parts. Learn more about" I wish I would have read this before I just bought a case of Pennzoil 5W-20.

[ December 01, 2003, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: Brett Miller ]

HOndaGuy · Dec 1, 2003

I doubt it, their would be a tsb out for the owner's who have to use 5w20 if that happened. Besides, mobil 0w20 is the best oil out for the 20ws imo, why go thicker when its not better?

TallPaul · Dec 1, 2003

You shouldn't have any problem either returning the case of oil or exchanging it for a different weight oil.

guile · Dec 1, 2003

Brett,

I've noticed the same quote when I look under my 01 Odyssey, yet for my 98 Civic 5w-20 is specified. From what I've been able to ascertain, Honda only specifies the 5w-20 in some of their vehicles and 5w-30 in others ... I believe 5w-30 is the preferred oil in all 3.5l V-6s. My 01 owner's manual specifies 5w-20; Honda claims this is a misprint, 5w-30 is printed on the oil fill cap.

What frustrates me the most is that for my Odyssey 5w-30 is the ONLY specified oil ... seems like 10w-30 would be fine in this engine.

pinoy99 · Dec 1, 2003

It seems that the dividing line in the newer Honda/Acura motors oil weight recommendation is their SOHC/DOHC configuration. SOHC V6's 3.2/3.5 get the 20 weight while the high(er) strung DOHC 4's gets the heavier weight recommendation.

MikeySoft · Dec 1, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by pinoy99:
It seems that the dividing line in the newer Honda/Acura motors oil weight recommendation is their SOHC/DOHC configuration. SOHC V6's 3.2/3.5 get the 20 weight while the high(er) strung DOHC 4's gets the heavier weight recommendation.

Not true!

My 03 Accord is a DOHC i-VTEC 4 recomends 5w20 both in the manual and on the oil filler cap.

mikep · Dec 1, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by HOndaGuy:
.....Besides, mobil 0w20 is the best oil out for the 20ws imo,....

What leads you to form that opinion on M1 0w-20? Is it based on a series of comparitive UOA results, spec sheets, or just an assumption that since it has a Mobil 1 label on it then it has to be the best?

I don't recall seeing a lot of M1 0w-20 UOA reports here. I think the most frequent Xw-20 report has been Motorcraft 5w-20 and they've all been pretty good from what I recall.

Mind you, I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you just wondering what it is about M1 0w-20 that makes you feel it is the best of the 20w crowd.

Mikep

pinoy99 · Dec 1, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by MikeySoft:

quote:

Originally posted by pinoy99:
It seems that the dividing line in the newer Honda/Acura motors oil weight recommendation is their SOHC/DOHC configuration. SOHC V6's 3.2/3.5 get the 20 weight while the high(er) strung DOHC 4's gets the heavier weight recommendation.

Click to expand...

Not true!

My 03 Accord is a DOHC i-VTEC 4 recomends 5w20 both in the manual and on the oil filler cap.

Ok, so it does not seem to be the case.
Is your's 5sp or auto?

MikeySoft · Dec 1, 2003

The 03 Accord's automatic transmissions have 5 forward speeds so all 03 Accords (manual and auto) except the 6 speed manual transmission available in the 2 door coup are 5 speed.

I have a 5 speed manual but that does not make a difference in the oil. My manual (book not transmission) has info for both the manual and automatic transmission also info for the 4 and V6 and the engine oil is the same. The 4 "normal" OCI in 10k and the V6 "normal" OCI is 7.5K. Both OCIs are 1/2 the normal for severe.

PS
I did not call the manual transmission a standard transmission because most Accords come with an automatic.

pinoy99 · Dec 1, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by MikeySoft:
The 03 Accord's automatic transmissions have 5 forward speeds so all 03 Accords (manual and auto) except the 6 speed manual transmission available in the 2 door coup are 5 speed.

I have a 5 speed manual but that does not make a difference in the oil. My manual (book not transmission) has info for both the manual and automatic transmission also info for the 4 and V6 and the engine oil is the same. The 4 "normal" OCI in 10k and the V6 "normal" OCI is 7.5K. Both OCIs are 1/2 the normal for severe.

PS
I did not call the manual transmission a standard transmission because most Accords come with an automatic.

Wow, it's a good thing that I did not call the manual transmission a 'stick shift'.

guile · Dec 2, 2003

pinoy99,

Actually I think you have it reversed. At least with the Odyssey Honda recommends 5w-30 in all 3.5l in their vans.

BTW, are you the same pinoy99 that has posted on the Edmund's Isuzu Trooper boards?

Matt89 · Dec 2, 2003

I've got a 2003 Honda Odyssey. Oil cap & manual say "5W-20". I'm running the 5W-20 Quaker State...2000 miles or so on it, and it looks really good still. I plan to go 4-5K on it.

I noticed that the QS was fairly dark coming out of the bottle, compared to some other oils I've used.

MikeySoft · Dec 2, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by pinoy99:
Wow, it's a good thing that I did not call the manual transmission a 'stick shift'.

khager · Dec 2, 2003

I just got thru loggin in there and it still recommends 5W-20 for my 02 Accord

caremd99 · Dec 2, 2003

I believe Honda started recommending 5W-20 in their vehicles beginning with the 2002 model year in North America. My 2002 Odyssey states 5W-20 on the oil cap. BTW if you look at this model on the Japan Honda site (model is Lagreat not the Odyssey) you will notice they still recommend 5W-30 along with 0W-20 and 5W-40. Go figure.

http://www.honda.co.jp/manual/lagreat/2002/06servis/6-4sarvicedata.html#64enoil

Patman · Dec 2, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by caremd99:
I believe Honda started recommending 5W-20 in their vehicles beginning with the 2002 model year in North America.

It began with the 2001 model year actually.

S2000driver · Dec 2, 2003

Please see your owner's manual and ignore any specifications on Honda's ownerlink website. I have found the owner's link has mistakes, and overall is practically useless.

cvl · Dec 2, 2003

Every Honda sold in the UK has the same oil recommendation, 10w-40 semi-synthetic. That's a far cry from the 5w-20 dino oil recommended in the States.

nortones2 · Dec 2, 2003

Cyl: you may be right, but that's not what it says in the manual for my 03 2.0 iVTEC. A range of weights is given depending on climate. 0w-40 is there as are oils of 30 weight. Garages here tend to chant 0w-40 repetively, but I suspect they have a bulk supply deal with Castrol.

cvl · Dec 2, 2003

That was the information given to me from Honda UK directly. They said that they recommend 10-40 semi-synthetic in every car that they sell in the UK.

It's very obvious that the oil recommendations are driven by marketing and not engineering.

Has Honda changed their mind?

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