New member saying HELLO! (Many questions warning.)

[Cicero]

Hello to all. Been reading and searching all afternoon. WOW, Information overload!!!! Could I please ask several rookie questions? I need to change my truck's oil tomorrow and I realize today that I don't know much about oil and filters.

I have two vehicles to ask about. I let Honda change the car oil: my oil, their filter for $6.85, but the Toyota truck I do myself.

(1.) '04 Honda Accord, 8,000 miles, only used the Honda XXX...- A01 filters and Castrol 5-20w. Went in to change oil at 300 miles and was told by dealer that it was too early and it didn't need a change until about 7,000. Never felt comfortable so I took it in at 3,000 anyway and ask them to change it. I changed it again at 6,000. Am I overdoing it? Also, they couldn't tell me if Mobil 1 0w20 was OK to use in my car so I used Castrol 5-20w. The guy just said Honda says use 5-20w. Should I stick with dino Castrol 5-20w? Switch to Mobil 1, Amsoil or Castrol Syntec or blend? Will that void my warranty? Should I stay with the XXX..-A01 filters? (Thankfully they aren't the FRAM A02's as I read today.)

(2.) I rebuilt a 1990 Toyota 4x4 3VZE 15,000 miles ago. I've used a FRAM DG3614 and Castrol 20-50w ONLY every 3000 miles. The guy who rebuilt it said just run 20-50w year round. Then I discovered this site. Have I hurt my engine much using the 20-50? Never drive hard, always warmed up at least a minute. Always filled my filters 1/2 way.

I live near El Paso, TX. Very hot summers 90-100's F. Short winters are mild with most days 40-70's with a few nights under 32 F. Spring is dusty, 70-80's F.

What should I be doing oil wise?

FILTER QUESTIONS:
The FRAM goes. Besides getting an Japanese Toyota filter, what are good options for this truck. I think there is enough room for a longer filter and maybe a Toyota 4X4 owner can confirm that. Am I OK staying with the "good" A01 Honda filter or should I start using something else?

Any answers and help will be appreciated. (I'm new to this kind of Forum thing and hope I'm not asking too much.)

 

[Quest]

Hello!

I guess my concern with Honda 5W20 wt oil is that there are some dino/dino-blend 5W20 wt out there that is Ford/Honda approved and I would go with that. On my dad's Civic (00) I've been using Mobil 1 5W30 for the past 80,000kms and it's been very good. Here in CA, 5W20 wt oil, exp. those that are Honda/Ford Approved are rather difficult to come by.

As for 3VZE engine unless your rebuilt engine has a very large bearing clearance, otherwise I would go with 10W30 or 15W40 Delo. I serviced my wife's 1991 4-Runner with 3VZ-E block on it and I've been running 10W30 Quaker State for 6+ years, never a problem with bearing or heat problems (OCI set at 6Kkms). Personally, I think 20W50 is just too much for that engine.

 

[arkainzeye]

yeah when i read that you were using 20w50 in a toyota engine my mouth dropped. Isn;t that a 4 banger? even if it was a V6 10w30 would be perfect for it. I have a suzuki 2.0 engine and im running amsoil series 2000 0w30. I was using the series 3k 5w30. But i wanted to try the series 2k 0w30 this winter. either way i would have been fine. but i just couldn't even imagine putting 20w50 oil in my metric engine. I could imagine the dry starts on that engine.

 

[The_Jeff]

First, move the "W" in your oil weights to the left, it goes with the smallest number.... a matter of semantics.

The 3614 gets longer and becomes a 3600 which is also a nice motorcraft FL400S. Depends on clearance for your truck. The champ labs 3614 has just switched to a new design (e-core) with promise and the occasional skeptic. If you want "classic" better hustle to walmart and get their supertech; open the boxes and look down the middle hole for perforated metal. New will be a plastic spaghetti strainer that could flow better. Depends on your philosophy. Champion labs is respected on this BBS for the price.

and congrats on losing the fram, that's number one in the 12-step program.

 

[Spitty]

Originally posted by medic:
[QB]

Originally posted by arkainzeye:
[qb] yeah when i read that you were using 20w50 in a toyota engine my mouth dropped.

I ran my 81 PU with 22R on 20w-50 year round (and even used STP on a few occasions

) but managed to rack-up 500,000 before I sold it.

 

[medic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by arkainzeye:
yeah when i read that you were using 20w50 in a toyota engine my mouth dropped. Isn;t that a 4 banger? even if it was a V6 10w30 would be perfect for it.

---

Thick oils (20w-50) in Toyota engines are very common outside of this country.

 

[Cicero]

Thanks Medic & Spitty. I don't feel so bad now.

Maybe I should thank the others too for SHOCKING me into trying something new today. Mobil 1 5W30 with a Toyota OEM (USA) filter. (They didn't have a Japanese one.) A Motorcraft FL-400S looked interesting and I think it would have worked, but the $4 OEM made me feel safe. It has a "rounded" seal on it, not the flat kind I see on the aftermarket ones and that made me wonder if that would make better "contact". (But, I never had a problem with the flat FRAMs I used so maybe that's not a big deal.)

Hope the Mobil 1 5W30 was a proper choice. The valves seemed slightly quieter. Other comments might be speculation on my part, but It did start smoother and hot oil pressure was a bit lower at idle then before. I thought it would be. Pressure under load seemed the same. (I'll search and read more before I ask dozens of rookie questions I have in my head at the moment.)

I will say this..... I had no "imformed" idea today as to WHOSE oil to buy, WHAT EXACT WEIGHT and WHY. Just thought it shouldn't be 20W50.
5W30, 10W30, 10W40??? Mobil 1, Amsoil, Castrol, a blend, Syntec (no GC), etc.....Absolutely clueless. The buy 3 get 3 free was what "made" me try the Mobil 1. I have always used dino-Castrol in everything I have ever owned. I always thought that one was supposed to ALWAYS stick with the same brand of oil or bad things could happen. So it took a leap of faith that I wasn't doing something wrong pouring Mobil 1into the engine today. Silly but true, I guess.

I resisited any additional discounted purchases of Mobil 1today because I am pretty sure over the next few months I might learn more and make a better informed and reasoned oil change next time. At least I hope that's what happens.

Thanks for helping me get started with my oil education!

[ January 01, 2005, 05:10 AM: Message edited by: Cicero ]

 

[michaelc80]

Cicero,
Probably the best thing you can do is experiment a little and see what works best for you. A used oil analysis (used oil analysis) can be a valuable tool to understand what is happening in the engine, however your observations (easier starts, smoother idle) are just as important. Find what works best for you.

Sometimes the old habits are hard to break, but as is proven on this board, some of them should be.

Good Luck!

 

[pennzoil_guru]

Motorcraft blends post good used oil analysis on here. Why not try their 5w20 blend for your Honda?

 

[medic]

Okay, now that I have said that 20w-50 in a Toyota is the norm in some countries, I must also add that I don't see a need for it.

Personally, I would try a quality 5w,10w,or 15w40. Too bad you said no GC, that stuff is very close to a 40wt. Anyway, try a XXw-40 and see what happens. If you don't see an increase in consumption, run it for a few OCI's and go from there. If you see increased oil consumption, switch back to the 20w-50. A used oil analysis wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Cicero]

Originally posted by medic:
[QB] Too bad you said no GC, that stuff is very close to a 40wt.

What I MEANT to say was I could not find GC anywhere. Only the North America stuff. Looked at all the Autozones, etc.

I've only used 20w50 or w40 Castrol in my '73 1/2, R75/5 BMW since 1973 and have run 20w50 Syntec for about 1K w/o ANY weeping. Seems to like that and I was cautious because many BMW riders don't thnk syntetics are worth it in their boxers. I'll keep looking.

 

[Cicero]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cicero:

Originally posted by medic:
[QB] Too bad you said no GC, that stuff is very close to a 40wt.


The truck was using about 1/5-1/4 a quart of 20w50 Castrol between 3000 mile changes since the rebuild 15K ago. That seems good to me. If I am understanding your post correctly, I should keep a eye on the oil consuption and if it is higher then "normal" I should use a higher grade? Should I expect more, same or less consumption now that I switched to Mobil 1 5w30? Is oil consumption a possible indicator of too light an oil or is oil consumption a more complex issue? I can also see myself getting pulled into the UOA check and I'm researching how and where to do this economically. (The wife just looked at me like I've gone mental or something when I told her I might start doing that. You know that "my little boy" smile....)

Oh. I'm not lazy and I'll be searching for answers to these questions above so they don't have to be responded to. Thanks to all, again.

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[ January 01, 2005, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: Cicero ]