Synthetic oil for '02 Accord

[brickman]

Honda recommends 5w-20. I cannot find a 5w-20 synthetic. What would be a comparable synthetic weight?

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by brickman: Honda recommends 5w-20. I cannot find a 5w-20 synthetic. What would be a comparable synthetic weight?

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Mobil 1 0w20 meets the Honda specs and is specifically recommended for Honda applications that call for 5w20.

 

[buster]

I'd go with M1 0w-20 too. If you can't find it, use M1 5w-30. It's a lower 30wt oil and will do just fine in this car.

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

AMSOIL makes a 5W-20 synthetic.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dick in Falls Church: AMSOIL makes a 5W-20 synthetic.

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That depends on how you define "synthetic."

 

[PaJohn]

I've got M1 0W30 in the wife's MDX. Went in at 7,500, now at 12,000. It will be tested at 15,000. Seems fine so far.

 

[mike1qaz]

I've been using 5&10W30 M1 SS (whatever Walmart has in the 5qt jug) in my '01, for which Honda also recomments the 20w oil. I'm approaching 100K miles and my Accord still idles and runs very smoothly. I also have noticed no leaks to date and don't have to top off in my 6-8K intervals. Like others have stated, the viscosity of this product is low in the 30w class. Good to see another cordclub member here. [ June 01, 2003, 06:10 PM: Message edited by: mike1qaz ]

 

[metroplex]

I would just use 5W-30.

 

[Bror Jace]

The 5W20 oils out right now and very good ... Group II+/III "synthetic" blends of a sort. I wouldn't get all hung up on the word "synthetic," especially with all the Group III pretenders out there. There is no longer a world of difference between "synthetic" and "conventional" with most brands. I had heard Red Line makes a 5W20 but I have not confirmed this. Perhaps someone can contact myoilshop.com and ask them? If you will settle for a non-synthetic, I'd go with Pennzoil or the Honda OEM oil with all that moly. --- Bror Jace

 

[buster]

quote:

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AMSOIL makes a 5W-20 synthetic

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They do, but it's there XL 7,500 mile oil. Looks decent, but makes no sense to mail order this oil when you can buy M1 anywhere and it looks better IMO in terms of specs.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bror Jace: I had heard Red Line makes a 5W20 but I have not confirmed this. Perhaps someone can contact myoilshop.com and ask them?

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I have a PDF file from Redline which lists 5w20 and shows it's technical specs too.

 

[Schmoe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bror Jace: If you will settle for a non-synthetic, I'd go with Pennzoil or the Honda OEM oil with all that moly. --- Bror Jace

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So, you feel pretty comfortable that a non-synthetic will protect an engine as well as a synthetic? I'm talking the standard 3 to 4K drain intervals, not for the extended intervals. That seems to be the concensus here: pick a quality name brand, if you change religiously every 3 to 4K, you'll get great results, regardless whether it's syn or non-syn.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bror Jace: Yes, exactly. If I were to spend a little extra money on an oil, I'd look for a better additive package (moly, boron, etc ...) and not worry so much about the base oil. This is why I happily shell out $3+ for Schaeffer Supreme 7000 even though it's "only" a synthetic blend (mostly mineral). Unfortunately, Schaeffer doesn't make a 5W20 ... at least not yet.

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And they probably never will, according to Bob. And legally speaking, Schaeffer Oil could label their Supreme 7000 5w30 a full synthetic, since it's base oil is 75-80% group 3 and 20-25% PAO. So it's more "synthetic" than your typical Walmart sold synthetic oil.

 

[Schmoe]

You know, this site just can't get ANY better. That's it, I'm going to give Bob a couple of bucks. I'm serious. Bror jace: Exactly HOW do you pronounce that? Appreciate the info. I have kind of felt that way for a while. But I tell you, go to a super Walmart and if you got your mind made up on brand "X" you will second guess yourself every freakin' time you walk in there. You KNOW you will find yourself re-reading a label that you have already read some umpteen times. If you don't think so, ask your wife. She will gladly inform you of it You know what's weird. I just looked at Quaker State web site and they do not even mention the 5W-20, but that's what the local lube and screw place has been using, I THOUGHT....... even went to Wally World yesterday and couldn't find it there. Only use QS because of the warranty, I tell you, company claiming to protect oil failures for 10 years/250K miles takes some nards. Going to do a UOA when I change it myself here in a couple of weeks.

 

[brickman]

Wow! Ask one little question and see how far it goes. I did not expect such a deluge of responses but thanks to all, nonetheless. One more question....I read about different ratings on oil...whether it is a type II or type III. I use Castrol GTX 5W-20 now and I can not find any type of rating on the bottle like a II or a III. Can anybody tell me what type it is? [ June 02, 2003, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: brickman ]

 

[Bror Jace]

"So, you feel pretty comfortable that a non-synthetic will protect an engine as well as a synthetic? I'm talking the standard 3 to 4K drain intervals, not for the extended intervals." Yes I do. The strong points of most PAO-based synthetics (Mobil 1, Amsoil) are low pour points for winter driving and the resistance to shear/oxidation at high heat, high RPMs and/or long drain intervals. Most people don't tax the oil heavily enough to see the (slight) benefits of synthetic oils over a good Group II or II+. And like I said, many so-called synthetics use Group III base oils which are just a little better than II or II+ oils ... but triple the price at the retail level. I would not have said the same thing several years ago but the "conventional" base oils have gotten better while a lot of the "synthetics" on the shelves have downgraded their base oil from a PAO to a hydrocracked mineral stock. Ester-based synthetics (Red Line and others) may offer an additional advantage because the esters have an affinity for metal ... but UOA (used oil analysis) don't show this to be terribly significant. "That seems to be the concensus here: pick a quality name brand, if you change religiously every 3 to 4K, you'll get great results, regardless whether it's syn or non-syn." Yes, exactly. If I were to spend a little extra money on an oil, I'd look for a better additive package (moly, boron, etc ...) and not worry so much about the base oil. This is why I happily shell out $3+ for Schaeffer Supreme 7000 even though it's "only" a synthetic blend (mostly mineral). A number of tests suggest this stuff will protect as good or better than $4 Mobil 1 SuperSyn for short-to-moderate drain intervals. Unfortunately, Schaeffer doesn't make a 5W20 ... at least not yet. --- Bror Jace

 

[mike1qaz]

Even their sites don't mention hydrocracked base oil (I did a site search there). They use the term "superior base oil". But knowing that most conventional oil products today start with a hydrocracked base and that their Syntec is a group III product, I would think their GTX is a group II/II+ base product. Anyone have a link to more explicit info for the GTX product. [ June 03, 2003, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: mike1qaz ]

 

[Sin City]

I don't have any specific information on GTX 5w-20 but I did see a UOA on this oil in a 2001 Honda Civic LX and the oil certainly did very well. Use a search of Gasoline used oil analysis on Castrol 5w-20 to see the UOA info.