need advice

berge · Jan 10, 2004

hello,
1992 acura legend 3.2L V6- 75000Km's. vehicle is parked outside and endures a 4km trip to her office every day. occasional use on weekends. I use the cheapest 5-30 non-synthetic oil I can buy and change it (with a honda filter) every 4000km's.
should I go to a synthetic or am I ok with this setup?

also, just purchased new toyota echo. will see about 25000Km's/yr regular use by me. mixed city/hwy. is it safe to stick with toyotas OCI for regular driving with non-synthetic or should I use severe service schedule.

I change my own oil and enjoy it so am not disinclined from doing it more often. just don't want to be needlessly wasteful.

opinions, recommendations welcomed.
thanks.

TooSlick · Jan 10, 2004

I'd use the Mobil 1, 0w-40, or the German sourced 0w-30, Castrol Syntec in both these vehicles.

I'd change the oil in the new Toyota every 12,000 km or six months, whichever comes first. You need to get out of the dark ages of 4000 km oil changes and into the light ...

You'll note I don't sell either Mobil 1 or Castrol products ....

Tooslick

[ February 15, 2004, 07:36 AM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]

TSoA · Jan 10, 2004

On a whim, I'd shoot for a 6 month oci. You did not mention climate, but I'll assume you need some cold performance. Probally you want one oil for both applications and it should be cheap. I would consider two different, but similar, blended oils. For the older Acura, a Hi-Mi oil like Castrol GTX HM or Pennzoil product would be great. Formulated thicker than you basic dino 5w-30, I will stay in-grade for a longer oci and conditon your seals with esters. For the Toyota, same thing, a $2 blend...Syntec Blend gives great analysis results and is formulated for a newer vehicle. A better oil lets you go out to and beyond mfg ocis....up to 6000-8000 miles with a quick test to confirm suitability during the first usage. Mobil 1 would be great if you drive lots of miles in the 6 months. The twice a year oci works for me, no more counting miles and wondering what is the exact oci, 6 months is simple and convenient.

berge · Jan 10, 2004

forgot to mention were in toronto and it's somewhere around -960C right now.

so yeah, for the poor acura, cold weather/short trip performance is critical.

out of curiosity, I took her car on a weekend morning and drove it to her office. I was shocked to discover that the coolant temp gauge did not reach its normal operating level during the drive.

the acura does see what would I guess be considered 'normal usage' on weekends.

the toyota dealership won't tell me what bulk oil they're using, any way I can find out?

Johnny · Jan 10, 2004

Sort of

TooSlick: I'm confused about your post above. You would recommend Mobil 1 or GC - German Castrol. But on another post concerning Motul you stated that American synthetics were the best. If this great GC was FC would you still rocommend it? It's not French products, technology, or people we should be angry at, but their government decisions, as we disagree with the German government decisions. I don't believe the French hate us or our products, they just disagree with our government. And the French do have good technology. Remember it was one of them that discovered the cure for polio.

TooSlick · Jan 10, 2004

Johnny,

I've been over to France and found the folks very friendly and the food just wonderful ....The whole "hate the French" thing is very immature in my opinion. The French have been our allies for over 225 years - since the Revolutionary war - in fact it is doubtful we would have won without them. People might want to note that the British weren't exactly on our "A" party list back then either ....

I've known my best friend since we went to kindergarden together in 1962 ....If I ask him a tough question, I don't expect him to blow sunshine up my butt - I expect an honest answer. If the French really thought invading Iraq was ill advised, I would have respected them less if they didn't tell us so ....

Actually I forgot about the Motul, but they do have that 0w-40, 8100 Series, diester based oil that looks very interesting. I believe that stuff can be found in the Great White North.

Ted

Pablo · Jan 10, 2004

I would take a bit different tact on the Acura - I would go with a top dino oil such as Pennz long life and see (via UOA) if you could go 8000Km, instead of 4. The price of the oil shouldn't be 2X (will it?) but the OCI will be 2X.

The echo would do nice on a good synthetic.

How did the bloody French get into this thread too?...sheesh TS...Yeah the French are cool...Peugot, Renault...personally I could give a rat if the French approve or dissapprove of what we do. But when they support our enemies, I gotta start thinking they are not exactly our friends....but this is an oil thread, sorry.

yannis · Jan 10, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Pablo:
I would take a bit different tact on the Acura - I would go with a top dino oil such as Pennz long life and see (via UOA) if you could go 8000Km, instead of 4. The price of the oil shouldn't be 2X (will it?) but the OCI will be 2X.

The echo would do nice on a good synthetic.

How did the bloody French get into this thread too?...sheesh TS...Yeah the French are cool...Peugot, Renault...personally I could give a rat if the French approve or dissapprove of what we do. But when they support our enemies, I gotta start thinking they are not exactly our friends....but this is an oil thread, sorry.

Pablo, they have to defend their own interests ,to do the best for their country first .Personaly i don't blame them.
And America's interests in the two world wars was to let the participants in Europe fight to death and just gave the final strikes in the last round.
I can't blame USA eitheir.

Patman · Jan 10, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by TooSlick:

Actually I forgot about the Motul, but they do have that 0w-40, 8100 Series, diester based oil that looks very interesting. I believe that stuff can be found in the Great White North.

Yep, a friend of mine owns a high performance shop just outside of Toronto (which specializes in modifying LT1 and LS1 f-bodies and Corvettes, as well as Grand Nationals) and keeps 0w40 Motul in stock. He charges $13.50 per liter though. This is the guy who arranged for me to test out this oil, and Motul was going to donate it to me for free, but I didn't like the conditions of the testing so I turned it down. (besides, many of you will recall that my last test with free oil didn't go so well)

radiometer · Jan 10, 2004

Yannis: I looked at your profile because I suspected your vocation or avocation would not be history. I've spent years studying WWI, and to a much greater extent, WWII. These wars caught the USA with Its pants down. It required time to build up our depleted forces for participation. Even as at present, there were loud Leftist voices much against the USA getting into the conflicts because that could bring about an American victory and that goes against their grain. WWI was at about a draw till American forces got into the fight. My studies show me that the USA got into the European fight in WWII as it built up its badly depleted armed services, which actully began as war winds were blowing. We had no choice in the Pacific. You know the story there. I've been in the military and I can tell you we were trained for and expected to go up against numerically superior forces in Europe and expected to win. There would be no time for build up in case that war broke out. Oh yes, excuse me; this is an oil subject forum. However, the subject I digressed here did come up here. Most of you are really part of a great bunch of guys and I much appreciate that. krholm

berge · Jan 11, 2004

ask and ye shall receive.
wow.
I'm more confused now than when I asked the question.

the manual in both vehicles lists distance and time(whichever comes first) on the OCI. the acura will always reach the time limit well before the mileage allotment.

on good quality dino oil in the acura can I disregard their time limitations on OCI and just stick with mileage.(which means that if I go about 8000KM's on the oil/filter it will be about 1 year between changes.)
thanks.

berge · Jan 11, 2004

tooslick-what's your OCI recommendation for the acura with the mobil 1 0w40
TSoA-do I have to buy something to 'condition the seals with esters'?
robbie alexander-I've been buying the holy crap canadian tire no name $5 for 4L brand.

before I found this site I thought as long as the SL(or whatever it is now)was on the bottle it was fine. honest.

consensus seems to be stick with good quality dino for the acura and change 6months/8000Km.s

and new toyota synthetic. how long should I keep the factory fill in the car before swithching? should I do several changes first few thousand miles?

berge · Jan 11, 2004

my goodness. I have never in my life put this much thought into the friggin oil in the car.

haley10 · Jan 11, 2004

I think you're doing fine on the Honda. I'd keep doing it, but I might use Castrol, since I don't know that much about the QC on Canadian Tire oil.
I think your plan is ok imho. I'd basically keep doing what you are doing and re-cycle.

On the Echo I would go with the severe schedule on dino and use Mobil 1 if you want to go with the regular schedule.

yannis · Jan 11, 2004

krholm, i appreciate your polite answer, nobody is perfect ,especially me.

hkkc · Jan 11, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by berge:
robbie alexander-I've been buying the holy crap canadian tire no name $5 for 4L brand.

before I found this site I thought as long as the SL(or whatever it is now)was on the bottle it was fine. honest.

Stay away from the Nugold and the no-name stuff. The Formula 1 and Supreme are decent oils. You know the oil is repackaged Esso now Shell oil.

Robbie Alexander · Jan 11, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by berge:
*-*- I use the cheapest 5-30 non-synthetic oil I can buy and change it (with a honda filter) every 4000km's. *-*-

The price? what range have you been buying, or better, what brand?
IMO it's usually safer just spending an extra
25 cents to 50 Cents a quart than the risk of a CHEAP oil.
The only people I know that blew their engines up EARLY, way early, even when changed 3-4K, were the guys that used the Elchepo. They still got 150-180K, but could have kept going by spending the price of a cup or two of coffee at every oil change extra.

berge · Jan 13, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by hkkc:

quote:

Originally posted by berge:
robbie alexander-I've been buying the holy crap canadian tire no name $5 for 4L brand.

before I found this site I thought as long as the SL(or whatever it is now)was on the bottle it was fine. honest.

Click to expand...

Stay away from the Nugold and the no-name stuff. The Formula 1 and Supreme are decent oils. You know the oil is repackaged Esso now Shell oil.

this **** site has turned me paranoid over something I never used to think twice about before.

I just returned 8 jugs of 'nugold' to crappy tire for a refund.

berge · Jan 13, 2004

just picked up the echo.

I don't know what exactly toyota is thinking but this thing DOES NOT have a severe service schedule for the OCI. It's 4 months /5000Miles, whatever your driving pattern is.

obviously, to keep the warranty, I gotta stick with this schedule. should I keep dino or go synthetic.
the dealer has 'TOYOTA SYNTHETIC' in stock, whatever that is.

also, manual calls for 1000 mile break-in. is an oil change necessary once this is done?

If I go synthetic, when should I switch?

sincerely, confused.

BTW. appreciate everyones advice on the acura. I've decided to use mobil 1 5-30(readily available)and change with regular OCI(6months/7500miles) I think we more than make up for it's tough weekday life with nice long drives on the weekends.

this little toyota reminds me of my crx-si, what a great little car

[ January 13, 2004, 10:37 PM: Message edited by: berge ]

berge · Jan 16, 2004

ok, just put in mobil 1 5w30 synthetic in the acura with a fresh filter. going to start with an 5000mile/8000 km. interval and get an analysis done on it.

told the wifey to stop idling the **** thing for 15 minutes in the mornings and just get in and drive.

echo is close to 1600km.s (toyota manual break in period) will get dino oil put in, then next interval go with mobil 1 with 6month/8000K interval as per toyota warranty requirements.

thanks everyone for the input. I'm now an oil junkie.

need advice

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