Oil recommendation for Honda Fit L13Z engine.

[LeoStrop]

Hello Bitogers!

I would like your help to find a good oil for my car (that belongs to the family now).

It is a 2009 Honda Fit/Jazz with the L13Z engine (i-VTEC - SOHC) and about 40k miles (bought with 25K miles), here in Brazil this engine is Flex Fuel, and we use ethanol (E100) in it, for about 99% of the time.

There was a bit of an oil discussion here, for this and other Hondas, because the manual says "only use SL 10W30 Mineral oil, never use synthetic!". But Honda dealers stop selling their mineral 10W30 and changed for the 0W20 (both Honda labelled oils), saying that "hey synthetic is our friend now, don't worry".

So i started using the 0W for about 3 OCIs, with no problem. But now, learning a bit more about oils, i started to feel that maybe is better to change for a XW30 . I used to push that engine when it was mine, specially because is a low power Honda. The family drives slow but i still want to be able to drive it hard when i get it, and not having to worry.

The main brands i can have here are: Castrol, Shell, Mobil, Motul, Total and Valvoline.

I was inclined to use the 5W30 Shell Helix HX8 (SN -ACEA A3B4) or Motul 6100 Flexmax (SL /A3B4). What would you choose btw these 2?

Do you think i should move to another oil or stay with the Honda 0W20 (I think it's produced by Total)?

What specs should be better for this engine (ACEA A3/B4 or A5, C1 C2?) ?

I don't worry about fuel economy, i just want the engine to last.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dave1251]

The Shell Helix is good stuff. Personally this is what I would use. But a 30 grade which meets API specs is really all you need. The 0W20 would be fine also.

 

[StevieC]

Any name brand oil that meets the spec required in your manual is all you need. I would think about changing it more often than traditional oil if you aren't going to do an analysis on the oil because Ethanol can in stress the oil more.

 

[zeng]

A3B4 or C3.

Edit: Depending on local fuel quality standards.

 

[stockrex]

any Xw20 oil will be good, I ran one for 100k miles with whatever syn I had on my shelf.

 

[PimTac]

Any of those brands will suit your Fit well.

 

[Bjornviken]

A5 or A3 if you use ethanol. Dont ever ever ever run a c1,c2,c3 oil with ethanol fuel or low quality fuel.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I had the 2015 1.5 VTEC port injected

Valvoline 0w20 worked VERY well on E10.


Your case is completely different though.

I have been non-plussed with Pennzoil plat 0w20

 

[LeoStrop]

Originally Posted by dave1251
The Shell Helix is good stuff. Personally this is what I would use. But a 30 grade which meets API specs is really all you need. The 0W20 would be fine also.


Which would you prefer for that situation?

> Shell Helix HX8 5W30 (SN - A3/B4)

or

> Shell Helix Ultra 5W30 (SN - GF-5 - A5/B5)

The price difference is small, where i am buying.

 

[LeoStrop]

Thanks for all the answers!

These are the options that i may use (all 5W30):


> Shell Helix Ultra or HX8 that i mentioned on the last post.

> Motul 6100 Flexmax (SL - A3/B4)

> Total Quartz 9000 Future XT (SN - ILSAC GF 5)

> Castrol Magnatec ( SN - A5)

 

[LeoStrop]

So, let me share my frustration with you.....

The oil change was done today, not by me because the car stays with the family that live on another city.

I decided to use the Helix HX8 5W30 , yesterday i went to a Shell station to have look, and found it under these specs:

API SN, ACEA A3/B3 A3/B4, MB 229.3, VW 502.00/505.00, RN 0700, 0710

I was happy with that.

Today my dad did the OC on a Shell shop close to him, i asked for a picture of the bottle, and for my surprise it only had these specs:

API SN, ILSAC GF-5

And not recomended for diesel anymore.

Why would the "same" oil lose all those approvals?

 

[littlehulkster]

It will be fine, don't worry about it. You could probably put sand in the crankcase of a Honda and it'd still do at least 150k.

 

[dave1251]

It will still be good. Change according to the factory recommendations and don't worry.

 

[PeterPolyol]

Went from ACEA to ILSAC and dropped the Diesel engine rec. Maybe the formula changed to something more ILSACy ie. <3.5cP HTHS . Looks like the old stuff was from 2016 vs 2018 on the new one...plenty of time for formula to change if it has

 

[JAG]

Not only did the specifications that are met severely change but the HTHS viscosity also dropped quite a bit. Strange. It is a Honda Fit though and should do fine using that less viscous and less "strong" oil.

 

[LeoStrop]

Thanks for the answers!

Yes it will be fine, is just a little bit frustrating because i chose it based on those spec, especially ACEA A3/B4 for the higher TBN.

The car left the factory with the Honda Mineral 10W30....

At least i am bit more confortable using a thicker oil, we are at summer now and it's very very hot. Also, less top ups for the family to worry about.

Next OC i will probably use Motul or Helix Ultra.

 

[LeoStrop]

So guys, if you owned that car and you had these 3 options:

> Shell Helix Ultra 5W30 - SN; A5/B5

> Shell Helix HX8 5W30 - SN; ILSAC-GF5

> Motul 6100 Fleexmax 5W30 - SL; A3/B4; LL-01

They are in order (top is the most expensive to less expensive on the bottom).

Which one would you choose? Would you keed using the HX8 or change for the stronger TBN, LL-01 and lower price of the Motul?