Honda Break-in Oil?

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Honda engineers recomend leaving the factory oil in till the OCM advises. as per the Honda manual listed above. Why try to outguess the factory engineers? I wonder how many "self appointed experts" have shorten the engine life by changing oil out before 4-6,000 miles?
 
Personally, i doubt Honda wants your engine to last forever (say 1/2 million miles). What if their car doesn't break down? The sales is going to be slow, and causes net loss.
 
I personally changed mine just a little early (20% remaining). I didn't have enough facts on the subject to feel comfortable changing at the 1,000 interval that I wanted to use. I do know moly has an important role in proper cylinder wall cross hatch "break in". If I had it to do over again I would've changed early and added some extra moly.

So far so good though. My dyno was spot on what it should be, fuel consumption is average, and no oil burning. Not that any of this means anything, I won't know if I made the right choice until it has half a million miles lol.
 
Originally Posted By: BuickGN
I personally changed mine just a little early (20% remaining). I didn't have enough facts on the subject to feel comfortable changing at the 1,000 interval that I wanted to use. I do know moly has an important role in proper cylinder wall cross hatch "break in". If I had it to do over again I would've changed early and added some extra moly.

So far so good though. My dyno was spot on what it should be, fuel consumption is average, and no oil burning. Not that any of this means anything, I won't know if I made the right choice until it has half a million miles lol.


Precisely. Lots of us out here that change the "so-called break-in oil" when we want and use what brand we want. I changed my break-in oil out early, 10 years ago. I do regular changes and its fine. Quit obsessing this stuff. We are not running F1 power plants.

Personally, I feel Honda would be happy if these same people that follow every little suggestion that Lord Honda makes would also purchase Honda branded oil for the life of their car.
 
I always think how you break-in the motor (hard vs. granny) has more impact on engine performance/longevity than this factory break-in oil.

Coming from the two wheel world, I always change out my factory fill early, say..within the first 1000 mile.
 
Originally Posted By: adibigs
That is why Honda has owned their reputation. Honda does things right the first time.


Tell that to all the pizzed off owners of the Honda V-4 motorcycle engines that suffered cam failures from inadequate upper engine oiling.
 
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
Originally Posted By: ruralcarrier
Check out page four (4) from this link.

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SN/a060800.PDF


Based on page 4 I'd leave the oil in until the OLM tells me I have about 10%-15% of oil life remaining.

AD


Thanks ruralcarrier for that link. I have one question though. That article was written in August 2006 so I wonder if anything has changed. Plus IIRC it is not the engine oil thats formulated specifically for break-in period but its the molybdenum thats applied to the critical engine components that change the chemistry of the motor oil. So if was to do an oil change before driving off the dealer lot(ofcourse I wouldn't do the change. I'd let the service department do this but I bring my own oil & filter) Yep I am thinking way too much into this so I guess I changed my mind and just keep the oil in for 3k miles.

Thanks for the link ruralcarrier. My only question from that article is that it was written in 2006. I am wondering if its changed now. One other thing I learned reading that article is that its not the oil that's any special but Moly that they use to lube
 
That's not a conclusion that can be drawn from that service news article. All that's said regarding moly is that it's the reason the oil turns dark quickly. The bulletin does not discuss factory-fill composition.

Honda is arguably the finest engine manufacturer in history. I'd follow their instructions for something as critical as break-in. Make sure you avoid highway driving like the plague, during break-in.
 
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I suspect the service department would refuse to change your oil. When I picked up my 08 Honda I was told no less than 3 times not to dump the factory fill until at least 5,000 miles. I almost made it.

I don't think it matters where the moly comes from... Honda seems to want you to leave it in there a bit. I honestly cannot think of a compelling reason to dump it.

edit: My engine really purrs now, but it didn't feel that way until a period of controlled beating around the 12,000 mile mark. Could be chance, could be design, could be a result of dumping the original fill earlier than Honda recommended. I really don't know.
 
Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
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Make sure you avoid highway driving like the plague, during break-in.


I bought my '04 S2000 from a dealer that doesn't have the color of my choice, they had to exchange with another dealer about 30-35 miles away, that means my car was driven about 30 miles on highway. I took delivered the car with 50+ on odometer.

I was on highway from dealer lot to home, and on highway again in the evening to friend's home for diner.

One thing to avoid is using cruise control in the first 1000 miles on long trip, you want to vary the speed while you're on highway.

As of today, after 5.5 years and 30k miles, my S2000 does not consume measurable oil between OCI's, that it is needed to top off, and the car rev to 8000 red-line as smooth as it was after 600 miles. I tried to stay below 6000 rpm the first 600 miles as recommended.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
...
Make sure you avoid highway driving like the plague, during break-in.


I bought my '04 S2000 from a dealer that doesn't have the color of my choice, they had to exchange with another dealer about 30-35 miles away, that means my car was driven about 30 miles on highway. I took delivered the car with 50+ on odometer.

I was on highway from dealer lot to home, and on highway again in the evening to friend's home for diner.

One thing to avoid is using cruise control in the first 1000 miles on long trip, you want to vary the speed while you're on highway.

As of today, after 5.5 years and 30k miles, my S2000 does not consume measurable oil between OCI's, that it is needed to top off, and the car rev to 8000 red-line as smooth as it was after 600 miles. I tried to stay below 6000 rpm the first 600 miles as recommended.


Yes, I have no choice but take the highway. The dealer is 40 miles away. Maybe I will use the Navigation and tell it to avoid the highway but it might take 2 hours to get home though. When new I like to punch it a bit to make sure the rings seat properly. I have done this with all my cars and many have made it past 200k miles with hardly any make-up oil. We will see.
 
Originally Posted By: deven
Yes, I have no choice but take the highway. The dealer is 40 miles away. Maybe I will use the Navigation and tell it to avoid the highway but it might take 2 hours to get home though. When new I like to punch it a bit to make sure the rings seat properly. I have done this with all my cars and many have made it past 200k miles with hardly any make-up oil. We will see.


I think you're supposed to avoid high RPMs during break-in.

The more you rev Honda engines, the more oil they burn. Just ask buster.
wink.gif
 
The rings don't care about high-rpm, they care about load. The rpm limit is for the cams and rockers. Rings need load to seat which is why highway driving during break-in is terrible; very little load on the highway; worse than removing the break-in oil imo. These break-in details may not be apparent initially but they do once the engine starts accumulating miles.

deven, think about how many thousand hours you'll use the car for. An extra hour or two during break-in is hardly a price to pay. Frankly I find it ironic that you're obsessing over removing the factory-fill (which would also be the wrong call), but don't feel like taking the long way home.

GL with the engine.
 
The only problem with highway use is steady speeds, NOT revs.

As someone else already mentioned, don't use cruise, don't drive at a steady speed for any length of time.

Instead, occasionally step on it and then let off abruptly. This will pull oil into the upper cylinder. The load created when accelerating is what helps the rings to bed in. Just make sure no one is following too closely when you do this.

You don't have to take the long way home, just drive accordingly.
 
Originally Posted By: paul246
Instead, occasionally step on it and then let off abruptly. This will pull oil into the upper cylinder. The load created when accelerating is what helps the rings to bed in. Just make sure no one is following too closely when you do this.


This is what I have been doing with all my cars bought new. I follow the mototune website. Doing this has worked for me but I also change the oil at about 1000 miles. I guess I will keep the original fill till the OLM shows 10% but I will change the oil filter to M1-104 just to make sure I have optimum filteration.
 
How big a difference is there between giving it a little gas on the highway occasionally and not doing it at all.

What's this about pulling oil to the upper cylinders, what does that have to do with anything. Everytime the piston goes to tdc you get oil there. Not only that, oil pump flow IS a function of rpm.

Originally Posted By: paul246
The only problem with highway use is steady speeds, NOT revs.

As someone else already mentioned, don't use cruise, don't drive at a steady speed for any length of time.

Instead, occasionally step on it and then let off abruptly. This will pull oil into the upper cylinder. The load created when accelerating is what helps the rings to bed in. Just make sure no one is following too closely when you do this.

You don't have to take the long way home, just drive accordingly.
 
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On another note, wicked car!!!!

Dont let the BMW crowd talk too long about the new front end Acura has developed, the TL is the first car that Acura has produced (NSX aside) that has really shaken the performance stick at BMW. Overall the new TL is amazing, and I can imagine its an incredible drive.

My folks picked up an '05 RL with the SH-AWD and its spooky good in the winter, and feels like a WRX on dry pavement, minus the turbo lag.

Enjoy the car.
 
I deal with many Honda that had their FF changed at 3000 miles, and last for 200,000 miles, so I doubt the factory fill needs to be kept in for extended periods of time.

I also heard from a Honda dealer that the FF needs to be used for extended periods of time. It was back in 1999 when my mom bought a new CRV. He said never change the oil before 3800 miles. I ignored him and told mom to have it done at 3000 miles... Too bad the car was totaled in a wreck around 42,000 miles. I would have loved to see the results.

My dad bought a demonstrator car from a Honda dealer in 1995. The factory fill was in there for 7200 miles. The car turned out fine, and went to 186,000 miles before it was sold.

I just don't know if the Honda factory fill means so much.
 
Just dumped the factory fill in my folks 08' Highlander. My father is dead set on dumping the factory fill at 1K. Arguing with him is not worth it... Personally, I would have left it in there for 5K. 90% of the vehicles mileage is on the highway. anyway, I filled with 5 quarts of MC 5w20 and a quart of TA 5w30. I'll attempt the filter change on the next OCI... What the [censored] was Honda thinking with this filter design???
 
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