Maint Minder is making me NERVOUS!

[1999nick]

As I recollect, before most models of Honda had these computers to tell you when to change oil, they were suggesting 10,000 mile or one year OCI's, and 20,000 on the oil filter. And this was with conventional oil.

Me, I will be 73 in a few months, and have owned many new cars in my lifetime, and have never thought I had to change the oil too soon. Never believed this stuff about metal particles floating around. Thought that was what oil filters were for.

In the past, at various times, many models of GM and Chrysler Corp. cars also recommended a filter change every other oil change. The manual for a 1980 Pontiac Bonneville I used to own says to change the filter every other oil change or once a year. It also said there was no need for an early oil change of the factory fill. The manual for my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder also says the first oil change should be at the first recommended service interval.

Since the Honda engineers recommend leaving the factory oil in until the normal first maintenance, that's what I would do.

 

[StevieC]

BGN,

Sorry wasn't implying "30 minutes", but I think Honda states at least a few thou miles for break-in.

Is it just increased Moly or is there other break-in additives?

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
BGN,

Sorry wasn't implying "30 minutes", but I think Honda states at least a few thou miles for break-in.

Is it just increased Moly or is there other break-in additives?

I wish I knew. As much as I run my mouth, I chickened out and ran it to 5K in my own overpriced Honda instead of doing it early.

 

[StevieC]

It's all good, I probably would have done the same. But don't tell no one...

 

[Gary Allan]

They allegedly slather up the internals with moly at all the usual points. It's not the oil, it's the assembly process (again, allegedly).

Honda is unique in the insistence of retaining the original fill for the specified duration.

Brian ..got a sample pump? Get one and do a used oil analysis while leaving it in ...or not

Either way test it and see where it stands compared to the maintenance minder.

 

[FZ1]

Honda's break in oil has extra Moly in it. I think they want it run about 5k.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Honda's break in oil has extra Moly in it. I think they want it run about 5k.


The used oil analysis show tons of moly and it's BOLDLY apparent that the spec keeping it in for the FULL service interval.

Hordes of ninja mercenaries will descend upon you if you violate this secret pact that was handed down by monks from pre-feudal Japan.

 

[StevieC]

 

[BrianWC]

OK, I wimped out. I picked up some Pennzoil conventional at Wal-Mart. BUT, I ended up dumping it into the Odyssey since it was actually at 15%.

I then went and grabbed some Valvoline conventional and changed the oil on the Fit. I also went ahead and did a filter change even though MM says to only do that every other change.

I didn't grab an oil sample. Wish I'd read this 10 mins ago.

My driving style is VERY conservative since I got the Fit. I'm one of those folks that feels like if you get a fuel miser, you should drive it like one. I do early upshifts with the paddle shifters when practical. So perhaps that's the secret. But a 1.5l that tachs in the low to mid 2ks at freeway speeds can't be that rough on oil anyway. Oh, and even though I left it off my oil change spreadsheet, I snuck in a maint dose of arx.

 

[BrianWC]

Oh, and I noticed just now when I reset maint minder that I had rolled over to 30%. And MM is very hard to accidentally reset. Granted, the first time I tried to reset the trip fuel mileage gauge, I did some crazy things. But that was within the first tank of gas anyway.

 

[StevieC]

Your engine will thank you!

 

[Gary Allan]

Well, I understand your anxiety. Trust doesn't come easy in these matters.


..but it would be nice to see you run it out a bit this time ..and do a used oil analysis to see how the MM stacks up to the GM OLM in accuracy.

 

[BrianWC]

Yeah, I probably will. Just knowing that I have an okay oil with a couple of ounces of arx to boot makes me feel a tad better.

 

[Gary Allan]

Yes. Like I've been saying. Motor oil can be used as a mood stabilizer. People do things with it to make them feel better

Good luck with the 12 step on the MM

 

[Durango]

I would wait until it tell you to change the oil. Many if not all BMW dealership has only one annual oil change per year depending on when you bought the car. Anything in between they won't do it. Cars now a days have an oil change monitor so you own't prematurely change the oil in it's life time. Less oil to buy in this country. I'd wait til around 9K and see what the monitor tell you then.

Durango

 

[nthach]

There's a little trick with the maintenance minder if you have access to the Honda HDS - you can individually reset each maintenance timer. If you hold down the odo select/reset button, you clear out those timers that were due @ that time frame.

 

[BrianWC]

Oh, I just reset the oil one.

 

[BrianWC]

FYI, I'm sure this guy is a member here somewhere, so maybe this has been posted already. But take a look at his Blackstone used oil analysis. The far column is the breakin oil. 648 ppm of moly.

http://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-yours...-synthetic.html

 

[BuickGN]

Could still easily be from assembly lube, not that it matters. Redline has more moly, I believe.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: BrianWC
I also went ahead and did a filter change even though MM says to only do that every other change.


I go back and forth on this. I actually left the factory filter on my Civic for two OCIs, and have since left one other filter (a Wix one) on for two (so, about 13k miles on the filter). Right now I have a Honda A02 on there, with an A01 to go on next weekend when I change the oil. I want to cut them both open and compare, so I'm using that as an excuse to avoid having to decide whether to leave it on for two OCIs.

I wish I had cut open the factory filter...