'99 Acura 3.5RL Oil Recommendation

[buickmaster]

Well, I got a new car over the weekend and I need to decide what oil to put in it.

1. What kind of vehicle you have? 1999 Acura 3.5RL (C35A1, 3.5L V6)

2. What your owner's manual says? API SJ Energy Conserving 5w30, on a 7500mi/12mo interval

3. Where you live? Cleveland, OH

4. How you drive? Easy, and on rare occasion moderately (its no sports car).

5. What your daily drive is like? I commute M-F, 8mi one way, all city driving.

6. Whether your car has any known problems? No known problems, but i just bought it used. It has 120k mi on it, fill hole looks normal for the age.

I'd prefer a synthetic oil, and I've used GC 0w30 for the last few cars I've had. I'm leaning towards continuing that. I know that the more recent Hondas spec 20wt oil and I wouldn't be opposed to giving a good 0w20 a try.

 

[bepperb]

The C series V6 is a strange beast. If it were mine I probably would go with a 30 weight with something in the 5000~ish mile OCI maybe the full 7500. GC sounds like a good plan.

 

[buickmaster]

bepperb- by strange beast is there anything in particular that you mean? i'm not familiar with this motor.

 

[bodeh6]

GC would be excellent for 5K OCI.

 

[bepperb]

Well, it's a 90 degree v6 which is odd to begin with. But also, every configuration was different. Towards the end it was only in this app and also the NSX supercar. It's a good engine, but un-characteristically Honda every application was different. So it's probably better that unlike current Acuras where the Accord/Odyssey engine is shoved into the RL... you get one that somebody spent some time on designing it for a luxury car. The downside to that is when you get a deal on a NSX or late 90's TL, things won't be as familiar as you expect.

 

[buickmaster]

bepperb- gotcha. appreciate those tidbits.

anyone have an idea as whether 20wt would be fine to run? or would it get too beat up with my commute? i guess i could always stick with GC.

 

[addyguy]

I wouldn't run 20wt. in this car.

I'm no expert on them, but it 'seems' like Honda V-6's are much harder on oil that the 4-cylinders - TBN goes down really fast on all of them.

I'd stick with a 30-weight synthetic, and the GC you are planning on using sounds perfect - it's a pretty stout oil. I'd do a 7500-mile interval on it, and maybe see how it does with a UOA.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Agree with others - GC would probably work fine here, unless you really want to follow the manual and use Energy Conserving oil. If so, I'd take a look at Edge 5w-30 or PP 5w-30, maybe even the new PU 5w-30.

 

[buickmaster]

hmm... that pennzoil ultra looks pretty intriguing. although i don't care for the marketing strategy (but it seems everyone is doing it). maybe i'll give it a try.

 

[PhoenixTL]

I have a 07TL currently with M1 soon to be PP....Give PP a try or even better(?) ULTRA BABY!

 

[calvinnnnnnnnn]

valvoline synpower 5w-30

 

[Andyge]

I have 2000 civic I run PYB 5w-30 and a Pure one oil filter.

OCI 4,800-5,000

Andy

 

[The Critic]

You should fill it with Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 and get back to us on how well it cleans.

 

[Andyge]

I think pp 5w-30 would work just fine for him too.

 

[Andyge]

Buickmaster,

Try this Link.


http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/motoroil/car_care/which_oil/WhichOilOption1.aspx

 

[buickmaster]

so i wanted to try something different. i decided i'm going to give RLI 0w20 a try. i wanted to give them a shot since they're a local company (just down in akron) and i wanted to try a 20wt. we'll see how it goes. maybe i'll try getting some analysis too.