Will 5w-20 oils handle Honda solid lifter 4cyl?

[Tucson Five-O]

Family members have two older hondas (1990 & 1994) with the 4 cylinders that have the solid lifters that occasionally need the lash adjusted.

Honda didn't back-spec their engines past 1996 for the Civics and 1998 for the accords. This is when they changed to the hydraulic non-adjustable lifters.

Do you think that the better 5w-20 oils (MC and Havoline) have enough AW ingredients to adequately protect the cam lobes and lifters using the normal honda 7500 mile drain interval for mixed city/hwy driving?

 

[Mr Nice]

Stick with 10w30 oil.

There is a good chance your Honda will consume more oil with 5w20.

 

[hominid7]

On newer Hondas i'm all for the 5w20, as it's had excellent results. However on older cars, i'd stick with 10w30 or 5w30.

There is no reason to change. Your oil pump, oil jets, etc were all conceived with xxW30 in mind, so stick with it

 

[Brett Miller]

My 2003 Civic stills calls for a valve lash adjustment.

 

[sxg6]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett Miller:
My 2003 Civic stills calls for a valve lash adjustment.

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I have an '03 civic as well, and since i have 96k i asked about a valve adjustment. Honda said they didnt really want to do it since it wasnt noisy yet. They said thats the only time you need to adjust the valves on the newer models and there is no scheduled interval. I dont have my manual anymore so i just went along with it.

 

[Ray H]

If the valve faces or valve seats recess, the lash adjustment will wear "tight". Tight valve lash isn't noisy because the valve faces no longer seat sufficiently long against their seats to cool adequately. They burn instead. If your stealership won't do the service, find an independent mechanic or knowledgeable friend or relative who will. Expect a little noise afterword.

 

[mike1qaz]

My 2001 2.3L has solid lifters. I believe the 2.4L, which was used in Accords starting in 2003, does also.

 

[hominid7]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:
If the valve faces or valve seats recess, the lash adjustment will wear "tight". Tight valve lash isn't noisy because the valve faces no longer seat sufficiently long against their seats to cool adequately. They burn instead. If your stealership won't do the service, find an independent mechanic or knowledgeable friend or relative who will. Expect a little noise afterword.

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What damage can occur by NOT having them adjusted regularly?

I have an '01 Mazda V6 with the solid lifter pack and the manual states to have them "inspected" at 30K. This seems over-kill even to me. I'd planned to have them adjusted when/if my valve cover begins to leak, or they make noise. So far at 5 years and 50K miles it hasn't.

Am i taking a big risk?

 

[SWS]

I think that Ray H has said it. Personal experience with a '65 VW Beetle and recent conversation with a Honda Master Mechanic both agree that mechanical lifters can go tight, which won't make noise, or they can go loose which will make noise. SLIGHTLY loose is the "better error" to keep the valves from over-heating, since they get more time to dissipate heat into the head.

I don't know how to judge the risk, but I plan to have my '00 Odyssey valves (77K miles) checked in the next several months instead of waiting to 105K miles as recommended in the owner's manual.

I have 3 Hondas, '00 Odyssey, '03 Civic, '06 Accord (all VTEC). As far as I know all of them have a mechanical valvetrain.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

My '01 Civic has solid lifters. So does the '05 CR-V. The Civic has some noise currently at cold startup; both with 0w-30 Amsoil and 0w20 M1. I need to get it pulled but the mechanic who I want to do it said to change the oil at the same time.......I have to wait at least 8k before that as I just changed to M1. With my travels that should be August or early September. I'll get the timing belt done at that time as well. I'll have approx. 90k on the clock.

 

[Rickey]

And to complicate matters it is possible to have on one valve more valve/seat wear which results in a poor seal and a burned valve but no noise 'till its too late. And its neighbor could have more tappet wear resulting in noise and little or no damage. Hydraulic tappets do have their advantages.

 

[Anthony]

My 04 frontier 4cyl makes a light tick for maybe 2 sec when its 1st started.
It has 32k on it and it gets M1EP 10w30 every 4k.

The light tick was not there when new.
Is it possible it needs adjustment?
Its had M1 since 11k.
Ive thought about switching oils to see if thats what the problem is but cant decide on what I would want to use yet.

It runs excellent so im not to woried about it.

 

[Rickey]

quote:

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Originally posted by Anthony:
My 04 frontier 4cyl makes a light tick for maybe 2 sec when its 1st started.
It has 32k on it and it gets M1EP 10w30 every 4k.

The light tick was not there when new.
Is it possible it needs adjustment?
Its had M1 since 11k.
Ive thought about switching oils to see if thats what the problem is but cant decide on what I would want to use yet.

It runs excellent so im not to woried about it.

---

IMHO The tick is probably caused a slight delay in the oil pressure building up. Since I guess its in warranty maybe this is a question best answered by the dealer though. Maybe a different brand oil filter next time?

 

[i]

A set of feeler gauges and a gasket will set you back $15. Takes about 20 minutes to check the clearances. It's NOT rocket science, any grade school kind can do it. Adjusting them is something else best left to someone who has a bit of experience, but if you want to set your mind at ease that the valves aren't too tight, just check them!

As several folks above have said, a valve too loose is just noisy. A valve too tight is a very bad thing indeed. What happens is that it doesn't close completely, and there are always hot gasses blowing by and eroding the surfaces with every power stroke. Ouch.

 

[Anthony]

Thanks Rickey.
Im assuming if it was a valve issue it would be more consistent.
I run the oem oil filter on it.
It seems like its done it only the last 2 oil changes.
Maybe I got to defective filters.
Who knows, Ill see what happens next oil change.

 

[meep424]

my '02 accord sounds like marbles in a can when cold if I stick w/ 5-20 or 5-30. Hard to believe the OHC vtec uses hydraulic lifters. Haven't pulled the cover yet, but was planning to adjust soon.

Can anyone tell me that the 2.3L is NOT a solid lifter type?

Meep

 

[dustyjoe1]

sxg6 if I recall, my 02 civic manual states to adjust after about 115k miles IF they are noisy.

hmmm, just read Ray H's post...maybe I'll go get me some feeler gauges....

 

[Mr. P]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no such thing as a hydraulic lifter in a Honda car or truck (VTEC or not, 4 or 6 cylinder)and I have owned many. The older Hondas used to have you check the valves at 30K intervals, my late 90's cars said to check the valves when noisy (I did the CRV valve adjustment last weekend - second time in 95K miles). My 2004 V6 says to check at 105K miles. Honda motorcycles do not have hydraulics either.

I had read some car makers (Toyota is one) have switched back to mechanical lifters in some engines due to noise and accuracy (read emissions) concerns.

Also, I note less startup clatter when using Honda filters than SuperTech brand, so I assume the drain-back valve in the OEM filters is superior.