Wasting money on full synthetic for an engine that calls for conventional?

[jayjr1105]

Car in question is a 2005 Honda Odyssey with 130K miles. I've been using Supertech full synthetic high mileage 0w20 in winter months and 5w20 in summer months. It seems to be pretty good oil but maybe burns a tad bit more than the Valvoline FS HM I was using. I pay zero attention to mileage on OCI's and go strictly by the honda % system. Owners Manual calls for regular conventional 5w20 oil. Am I wasting money on full synthetic?

I do frequent maintenance on this car and want it to last to 200K and beyond. I've had my eye on the Havoline 5w20 synthetic blend HM at walmart for $14.

Also, I try to use some type of 99%/10,000 mile filter with a silicone drainback valve. Usually a purolater one or bosh premium.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted by jayjr1105
I pay zero attention to mileage on OCI's and go strictly by the honda % system. Owners Manual calls for regular conventional 5w20 oil. Am I wasting money on full synthetic?
Given what you described, yes.

 

[jayjr1105]

Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
I pay zero attention to mileage on OCI's and go strictly by the honda % system. Owners Manual calls for regular conventional 5w20 oil. Am I wasting money on full synthetic?
Given what you described, yes.




Honda's % system appears to be around 5-6K miles at the 15% mark when the maintenance light kicks it. I usually change it by 10%. Should I just take it down to 0 and keep using full syn?

 

[y_p_w]

Depends on which version. I generally believe in following manufacturer specifications, but the early Honda VCM engines were notorious for sludging on "conventional" motor oils. Oils like Mobil 1 0W-20 or Mobil 1 5W-20 used in these cars seemed to avoid those issues. Also - this seemed to be something avoided with more frequent oil changes with conventional oil.

I'd be careful if it's one of the variable cylinder management versions. Not sure if they handled it with a substantial redesign or if they simply specified better motor oil (now 0W-20 more or less across the board). Some owners figured out how to turn off the VCM.

I feed my wife's 2002 Civic LX Chevron Supreme 5W-20 and sleep well at night. I'm probably going to go about 7500 miles on it with a mix of long freeway drives mixed in with short grocery trips. Since the filter is a pain I'm going to skip the filter change as Honda allows. However, that engine is well known for being pretty easy on motor oil - especially compared to the early Honda VCMs.

 

[Warstud]

I'd say if 80% of your driving is on the highway you could run it down to 0%

 

[czbrian]

Keep using the synthetic but let the monitor get to 0%.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Since your Odyssey does not have a VCM engine, personally I'd get the $14 Havoline blend and change it at 10-15% on your OLM. The first OC I got on my 2017 was in South Dakota and the dealer used a 5w-20 blend at my request.

 

[Nickdfresh]

How much money are you saving by buying Havoline blend over SuperTech syn?

 

[UncleDave]

Agreed- waste. Hondas system is calibrated to be conservative on the spec'd oil.

Take it down to 0 and fill wit the cheapest rated stuff you can find.

Running anything more expensive than the min rated grade, but dumping at Hondas interval is a waste of money.

Run a good filter as honda specs a filter change every other oci so the filter should be rated double the highest mile the system allows.

In the case of a ridgeline (3.5 DI) which has up to 10K max (or one year) I run a 20K filter.

UD

 

[ctechbob]

If its an EX-L or touring it will have VCM, if that's the case synthetic and on time. If its a non-vcm J-Series it really won't care all that much.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...36809/re-it-just-doesnt-matter-sometimes

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Just saying I don't like to run mine all the way to zero. I like to pick the day and the weather to do my changes in while giving the car max protection. Beside my 2004 doesn't have one of those Dooley Bob's.

 

[kstanf150]

Only talking about a few $ an oil change
Lots of guys that post here run Supertech with good results
Don't fix what ain't broke, I'd stick with what's been working for ya.

 

[JLTD]

Plenty of opinion but not ONE suggestion for OP to perform a UOA.

Jayjr1105, perform one UOA when your monitor gets to (I'd say zero but 10% is more conservative) and you will find out how your oil is doing, for a given oil with your driving habits.

 

[Dave9]

If you need high mileage (which you didn't mention a reason for except burning oil?) you could switch to 5W30. That should reduce the burn rate and help prolong your catalytic converter and O2 sensors.

Use synthetic, it's not that much more expensive.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Just saying I don't like to run mine all the way to zero. I like to pick the day and the weather to do my changes in while giving the car max protection. Beside my 2004 doesn't have one of those Dooley Bob's.



Yeah, my ole Camry has a "maint requir'd" thingy that goes on at 5k.

Too many gadgets and "stuff" in cars these days

 

[jayjr1105]

Thanks guys. I do have a VCM motor (EX-L) but an 82 ohm resistor fixes that so pretty much no more VCM for me. I use high mileage oil because my engine has 130K miles. Should you not use HM oil if you have high mileage??

 

[2010Civic]

The Supertech is only $16 for 5 quarts. Why wouldn't you use synthetic?

 

[2K2AcuraTL]

^^^ +1

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by 2K2AcuraTL
^^^ +1


^^ +2. Synths and dinos are so close in price there's no reason these days to use a dino oil.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

If you're patient you can get 5qt syn jugs on sale with rebates