2007 Civic SI Oil Question K20Z3

[fourwizzy]

Hello

I'm new to the site and I've seen a bunch of people recommend M1 EP, AMSOIL, or PP for the 2007 Civic SI. I currently run M1 EP 5w30. Before switching to M1 I ran AMSOIL 5w30 for my first oil change. Personally the gas mileage was better by almost 3-5 mpg with the AMSOIL. So I do intend on switching back to AMSOIL the next oil change or at least trying PP once before going back to AMSOIL. My question is I've seen a few people run 0w30 by AMSOIL in the 2007 Civic SI. Is there any benefit to this? Also does it provide needed protection for a high revving motor? I like to drive spiritedly whenever I can safely do so. Secondly I have about 3000 miles before I would like to do an oil change. Winter is coming soon and I wanted to know if there was an oil that you would recommend for the colder months (Western Connecticut area) or should I just stick with whichever oil I am running when the season starts. Thank you guys for your time in advance.

~Jesse

 

[crazyoildude]

I believe your civic calls for 5w20 and almost any 5w20 will do the job well and your engine will outlast the rest of the car i lean toward pp but mc 5w20 shows good numbers too i have not tried amsoil but i find it hard to believe a 3-5 mile mileage improvement if that was the case all the engine makers would be using amsoil. There must be a different reason for the mileage increase. I like pennzoil i have been using it for 25 years and i have one 83 oldsmobile 307-v8 that is going to have 400,000 miles on it this winter still runs perfect on the old yellow bottle.. Just a quick note we find on the ford 4.6 v8 the engines run and last longer on 5w20 than on 5w30 and everyone knows the bearing temperatures are cooler on the 20 wt.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I agree that there must have been other factors at hand to have a 3-5 mpg increase just by a different brand of oil. Even changing viscosities is unlikely to have that drastic of a change. Can't go wrong with Amsoil though, it's a top notch oil although I doubt you'd get your money's worth considering your car is still under warranty, you have to go by the manufacturer's recommended intervals (or OLM, if equipped). Personally, what I would do, is use Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1, or another OTC synthetic of your choice, then switch to Amsoil after your warranty expires. Just my 2 cents...

 

[mpersell]

Don't assume the original mileage was the real baseline. If mileage goes up because of an oil change you've got a lot of variables that could have caused the pre-Amsoil mileage to be lower than normal.

I know when I change oil I go over the whole vehicle and bring the tires up to inflation, clean the air filter, vent filter and check for other small problems.

 

[tropic]

Some owners run and like a 20 in the SI, but if you like to hit VTEC occasionally I'd stick with the recommended 5w-30 or a 0w-30. Amsoil's 0w-30 will protect very well in your car. So will PP 5w-30 or M1 0w- or 5w-30, and both carry the warranty-friendly starburst.

I know parts of Connecticut can get pretty chilly during the winter, but there's no urgency to dump the 5w-30 for a 0w-30. Run it til the maintenance minder hits 15% and replace with the oil of your choice. You might want to check your dipstick every so often. Some K20Z3 engines consume a bit of oil even if you drive like a grandmother.

Have fun.