2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L (i-VTEC and VCM) with 76K miles on the odo and 7+ years old.
Nothing wrong with the PU 5w-20 that I have been using and the 0w-20 Napa Syn that is currently in there, but with PU not around any more for a reasonable Walmart pricepoint, I am forced to look at options and while there are numerous, I am thinking of trying the CATERHAM blend or thereabouts.
I already have acquired a couple of cases of TGMO 0w-20 syn and various other 0w-20 SNs (Napa Syn, M1-AFE, M1-EP and PP). I am still within the return window on all the oils except TGMO (and I need that anyway for my new camry hybrid ) so if a blend makes more sense for longer OCIs for my Honda Ody application (discussed later in this post) , then I would like to explore that option.
What do you think of the following in my application (discussed later in this post):
1. CATERHAM blend (TGMO 0w-20 SN + Mobil-1 0w-40 SN)
2. TGMO 0w-20 SN + Mobil-1 5w-30 EP SN (60/40)
3. TGMO 0w-20 + Mobil-1 AFE 0w-30
4. Mobil-1 AFE 0w-20 + Mobil-1 0w-40
Note that I am NOT asking whether mixing oils is a good idea or not, so let’s not get there unless the specific mixes that I am talking about are grossly detrimental. I understand that there are trade-offs in mixes with the possibility of losing in one additive area while benefiting in another! Let’s just say I am open to mixing oils, especially within similar formulations…
My Application:
My Honda Ody is spec-ed for 5w-20 and sees severe service as below:
* Approximately 10K Annual Mileage, will only go up from here on as I am wrapping up my Masters and will be venturing out more often with the family. eWifey drivs 90% of this mileage (kinda important factor as you will read later in the post).
* At least 6 and sometimes more short trips averaging 3 miles spread through the day
* "Cold" starts with no warm-up time (I know...it's the wife, but to her credit it's always a race against time with the kids to get them where they need to before the deadline!). The relief SFO Bay Area, so the "Cold" is not arctic cold but op-temp cold starts, although temps do drop pretty low in the early AMs on a few days.
* Wife thinks she's a race car driver and thinks she is driving an F1 on the track. All starts (regardless of whether they are from stops or slow-downs) are literally accelerator-to-the-floor starts! I have tried...but hasn't helped...I cringe every single time I am in the passenger seat with her in the drivers!
* Summer sees the Ody driven on a few long trips (1K miles avg per trip) on extended 6 hour+ non-stop drives at fast speeds...Trips are in Southern CA, Nevada, Arizona kinda heat! Many a times the outside temps are in high 90s with some even low 100s. At least one trip can be a bit dusty...
* Winters see a few trips in the snow (yes we get that in some areas in CA, for ex. Lake Tahoe) and these are few days in length and not day trips. The temps can be pretty low near zero!
Oil History: Honda 5w-20 first 25K miles and then PU 5w-20 SM grade (2008 purchase when I think the formulation was stronger than the revision) until now (76K miles)
Oil Filters History: Honda A01 first 25K miles and PureOne filter (40 microns media for the specific filter for this van) after then changed with every oil change.
OCI History: Maintance minder OCI till 60K miles and 6K, 10K for the two after then.
Oil Consumption: Almost none on average, although I may have lost under a quart over the last 10K OCI (I say may have because the car was at a dealer who noted in the inspection that oil level low and needed change, and I stupidly rushed to DIY change oil forgetting to check, but almost no oil loss through 66K miles on the odo)
Again, nothing wrong with the 0w-20s SN alone, but maybe one of the above mixes might extend a benefit over the 0w-20 standalone, otherwise I am all set with the 0w-20s from a few different brands.
Nothing wrong with the PU 5w-20 that I have been using and the 0w-20 Napa Syn that is currently in there, but with PU not around any more for a reasonable Walmart pricepoint, I am forced to look at options and while there are numerous, I am thinking of trying the CATERHAM blend or thereabouts.
I already have acquired a couple of cases of TGMO 0w-20 syn and various other 0w-20 SNs (Napa Syn, M1-AFE, M1-EP and PP). I am still within the return window on all the oils except TGMO (and I need that anyway for my new camry hybrid ) so if a blend makes more sense for longer OCIs for my Honda Ody application (discussed later in this post) , then I would like to explore that option.
What do you think of the following in my application (discussed later in this post):
1. CATERHAM blend (TGMO 0w-20 SN + Mobil-1 0w-40 SN)
2. TGMO 0w-20 SN + Mobil-1 5w-30 EP SN (60/40)
3. TGMO 0w-20 + Mobil-1 AFE 0w-30
4. Mobil-1 AFE 0w-20 + Mobil-1 0w-40
Note that I am NOT asking whether mixing oils is a good idea or not, so let’s not get there unless the specific mixes that I am talking about are grossly detrimental. I understand that there are trade-offs in mixes with the possibility of losing in one additive area while benefiting in another! Let’s just say I am open to mixing oils, especially within similar formulations…
My Application:
My Honda Ody is spec-ed for 5w-20 and sees severe service as below:
* Approximately 10K Annual Mileage, will only go up from here on as I am wrapping up my Masters and will be venturing out more often with the family. eWifey drivs 90% of this mileage (kinda important factor as you will read later in the post).
* At least 6 and sometimes more short trips averaging 3 miles spread through the day
* "Cold" starts with no warm-up time (I know...it's the wife, but to her credit it's always a race against time with the kids to get them where they need to before the deadline!). The relief SFO Bay Area, so the "Cold" is not arctic cold but op-temp cold starts, although temps do drop pretty low in the early AMs on a few days.
* Wife thinks she's a race car driver and thinks she is driving an F1 on the track. All starts (regardless of whether they are from stops or slow-downs) are literally accelerator-to-the-floor starts! I have tried...but hasn't helped...I cringe every single time I am in the passenger seat with her in the drivers!
* Summer sees the Ody driven on a few long trips (1K miles avg per trip) on extended 6 hour+ non-stop drives at fast speeds...Trips are in Southern CA, Nevada, Arizona kinda heat! Many a times the outside temps are in high 90s with some even low 100s. At least one trip can be a bit dusty...
* Winters see a few trips in the snow (yes we get that in some areas in CA, for ex. Lake Tahoe) and these are few days in length and not day trips. The temps can be pretty low near zero!
Oil History: Honda 5w-20 first 25K miles and then PU 5w-20 SM grade (2008 purchase when I think the formulation was stronger than the revision) until now (76K miles)
Oil Filters History: Honda A01 first 25K miles and PureOne filter (40 microns media for the specific filter for this van) after then changed with every oil change.
OCI History: Maintance minder OCI till 60K miles and 6K, 10K for the two after then.
Oil Consumption: Almost none on average, although I may have lost under a quart over the last 10K OCI (I say may have because the car was at a dealer who noted in the inspection that oil level low and needed change, and I stupidly rushed to DIY change oil forgetting to check, but almost no oil loss through 66K miles on the odo)
Again, nothing wrong with the 0w-20s SN alone, but maybe one of the above mixes might extend a benefit over the 0w-20 standalone, otherwise I am all set with the 0w-20s from a few different brands.
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