New Vehicle Initial Oil Change

[airbusdrvr]

I just bought a new 2006 Honda Pilot and this is the first new vehicle I've bought in years. I remember when it was recommended to change the break-in oil at 3K on a new vehicle. When I asked the dealership they said break-in oil is no longer used and the oil should be changed when the message to change oil comes on.

I'm going to use Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30 in this vehicle at the first oil change and yes I know it says to use 5w20 so don't tell on me.

Should I change the oil at 3K or let it go to 7K miles and do most people still change oil at a particular mileage or use the vehicle onboard computer recommendation ?

 

[sxg6]

Whenever the topic on when to drain the factory oil comes up, there is never a general consensus. Some poeple believe in changing the oil 3-4 times before 3,000miles, others say wait until whenever the mfg says to.

My opinion on the subject is to wait until 5,000 miles, and then dump the factory fill. I don't know if i'd use Mobil 1 Extended Performance on the first fill, and if i did i wouldn't run it any more than 5k or so. The engine would still be breaking in and i wouldn't want to run the oil long with elevated wear metals in the oil.

 

[Volvohead]

Hondas and VAG engines have more particular initial oil change recommendations than most others. If yours has such a recommendation, you should follow that. While I hate leaving factory fill in for 5k, we have done that with our latest VW after much consideration. On other cars, I will still drain the factory fill at 500 out of an old school habit that still gives me peace of mind. Oil is cheap when the car is that new.

I know with VAG engines, the street advice is that you can run a Full Synthetic at any time after the initial change. I imagine it would be the same for Honda. However, I do like to wait until at least 3-5k for any engine before switching over to a Full Synthetic, despite what Mobil says.

There is nothing wrong with using an OLM, based on some of the used oil analysis that have been posted. GM's in particular is very good. Still, there are certain engines that should be more carefully monitored with an eye to more conservative changes, such as turbocharged types.

 

[surfstar]

A honda first oil change thread? No way.


If you read throught the pages of them, it'll either help sway you one way or another or leave you too confused to make the choice. Maybe the owners manual would have the answer?

 

[sxg6]

Gotta agree with surfstar on this one.. I didn't want to say it myself but.. There really are a boatload of threads which discuss this type of thing.

 

[Volvohead]

Awww, cut the guy a little slack. He's not even up to 10 posts yet.

Now if he asked "What is GC?", that might merit a gentle nudge.

 

[CBDFrontier06]

It's so funny to me that a huge percentage of people that ask this question are new Honda owners. Whenever I see "Honda" in the first post, I can only say "here it comes..get ready".

 

[Cutehumor]

it seems the only time to change factory fill comes up is only with honda.

 

[Oil Changer]

The engine is built, test fired and shut off.
The engine is started, the car driven off the line, parked outside and shut off.
The engine is started, loaded on a truck and shut off.
The engine is started, loaded off the truck and shut off.
The engine is started, loaded on a rail car and shut off.
The engine is started, loaded off the rail car and shut off.
The engine is started, loaded on a truck and brought to dealership and shut off.
The engine is started and shuffeled around the dealer's lot possibly many times.
If you're lucky some kid before you did not take it out for a test beating even though he knew he had no money but at least the engine may have finally warmed up for the first time.
On my last new vehicle I changed to M1 immediately, 500, 1000, 3000, and every 5000 after. I know it may be a waste but I thank my higher power that I can afford to be able to do that and I sleep great.

 

[surfstar]

Exxon's CEO thanks you as well

 

[Pablo]

Change your first oil whenever up to the OLM, but go at least 3K. Your OLM should trigger a hair before 6k depending on your driving style. It makes no sense to change it earlier 8 or 10 colds starts shouldn't cause paranoia.

I have a larger point. Why the 5w30? THAT really makes no sense.

 

[Laminar Lou]

I also question the use of 5W30. I'd put in the 5W20 and wouldn't deviate from the manufacturers recommendations. You need good flow to those cams and the oil galleries were designed for 5W20.

M1 is fine, but I would probably go with a Havoline or Chevron Dino (5W20) if you are going to change early to match closer to the moly content in the Honda factory fill.

Just my 2 cents. Honestly, do a search on Honda factory fill. Prepare to be confused. I was in the same boat as you, I ended up changing it early but that was due to the paid advice of Terry Dyson. My particular circimstance warranted it.

 

[Laminar Lou]

And, because Pablo probably won't say it - You might want to look at the Amsoil XL 5W20. It seems to do really well in these Honda engines. I plan on running the Amsoil for 2 passes and than switch to the Mobil 1 0W20 to see if I get any mileage gains. I just switched to a 0W30 (from 5W30) in my truck and my first tank of gas on the new oil gave me a pretty significant improvement in MPG (6.75% - but I need to do a few more fill-ups to be sure this isn't just some freak spike).

 

[Louie's gone fishing]

If you change your oil on a schedule like 5k/6 months, or what ever the time part of the schedule is, you could be due for an oil change the day you drive it home, no matter what the mileage reads. And like oil changer points out, the initial use your car is put through is in the severe category. I don't see a sales person saying, take it easy, this is a new car. A car salesman was in the shop this summer with a Hemi-Charger, dealer plates and almost bald rear tires, with just over 200 miles on the odometer. This could be a car that might be a candidate for an early oil change.

 

[cfromc]

How long do you want to keep it? If it is a lease or you plan to sell it prior to 100K. Use the OLM system or the owner's manual. Otherwise, I'd say at 500 miles, then follow the OLM/Manual.

 

[jmacmaster]

Because of the elevated levels of contaminants caused by break-in wear, I favor changing the oil at least a few times during the first 10,000 miles, but I don't overdo it. I usually change it at 1,000, 5,000, and 9,000 miles. And it makes no sense to use a syn oil during this period of low mileage OCI's, so I use a good conventional oil, in my case Havoline. Then, at 9,000 miles I switch to either Mobil 1 or Mobil 1 Extended Performance and extended OCI's and start doing used oil analysis after the 2nd extended OCI.

 

[airbusdrvr]

Why the 5w30 ? Why not ? I've read numerous threads on the 5W30 vs. 5W20 debate in Honda vehicles. What I seem to understand from those "in the know" not just those with a personal opinion is there is not much difference in performance between the 2.

There is one post here on BITOG that actually shows a non-US Honda CR-V owners manual showing 5w30 as the recommended oil. My main reason is the availability of 5W30 vs. 5W20 in my area. 5W20 does not come in 5qt. jugs either.