2010 Honda Pilot, 3.5, Penn Ultra, 6k on oil

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2010 Honda Pilot, 3.5, 36k on unit, 6k on oil. Penn Ultra 5W20, Bosch Dist filter
BLACKSTONE:
Most metal levels are at reasonable levels, so the only mark we have in the spectral results is for
iron. It's still high at 42 ppm since this oil wasn't in use as long as the universal average interval of about
6,500 miles. It might be a good idea to drop your interval to just 3,000 or 4,000 miles next time, just to see if
that helps keep iron from accumulating so much. The other mark here is for a low flashpoint, which shows
2.0% fuel dilution. 2.0% fuel could be the result of short trips or idling. The TBN was fine at 2.6, but check
back after a shorter interval next time.

Alum; 7
Chrom; 1
Iron; 42
Copper; 19
Lead; 0
Tin; 0
Moly; 40
Nickel; 0
Manganese; 1
Silver; 0
Titanium; 1
Potass; 1
Boron; 32
Silicon; 12
Sodium; 36
Calcium; 1820
Magnesium; 51
Phosphorus; 552
Zinc; 665
Barium; 0

SUS; 55.8
cSt; 9.02
Flashpt; 345
Fuel; 2.
TBN; 2.6
 
Iron (especially) and copper look high to me. Is 5w20 specified for this engine? If so, you may want to try another brand of oil...or a 5w30.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Iron (especially) and copper look high to me. Is 5w20 specified for this engine? If so, you may want to try another brand of oil...or a 5w30.


Agree with you.
Btw, Phosphorus not within SN specs ..... something not quite right here.
blush.gif
 
yup, VCM. Honda extended the warranty on these engines...thought the Penn Ultra would be good, maybe I'll try some QS or Valvo in syn. May even go down to 5k changes. This car is the family trip car, doesn't get used much during the week-I've got a company car.
 
I agree with those who mentioned trying 5W30. I'd give 5W30 a try and see things improve. Trav has worked on quite a few of these engines over the years and felt that a 20 grade oil was not the best choice.
 
These engines are not the best the VCM beats the hades out f the engine and the oil, they need a shorter OCI and a higher viscosity if they are going to have any sort of longevity without needing some very expensive repairs down the road.
Xw20 is the absolute worst thing you could put in it and running it for 6K is too long.
5w30 is okay but 0w40 is even better, change it at 4K those numbers drop like a rock if not I am afraid the engine may already be going away.

If the engine is still okay I would put a VCM muzzler on it and turn that garbage off once and for all.
 
I would first try PYB 5W30 for a 3K OCI and see how that goes. If well, then a good 5W30 syn should stretch it out to 5K OCI's. For whatever reason, I always thought 5K was as long as you could go on any oil in a MDX.
 
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Since the J35 is an 'all-aluminum' engine, with a timing belt rather than a chain, iron is from the valvetrain or rings. I'm guessing possibly both, but I have to wonder about rings here, what with the VCM issue. All that fuel in the oil suggests less than optimum ring seal, too.
 
+1 Rings and cams both go away on these VCM 2 engines but most likely the piston rings.
The dim bulbs at Honda should have called it engine tears itself to pieces mode not economy mode.
 
Thanks for the ideas! Love the Pilot, but I know these VCM engines are not the best. I refilled with Penn Ultra 5W20. I'll change out at 3k and try QS Syn in 5W30 and re-test! Thanks again!
 
Whew, iron looks pretty bad. Copper is bad, too. Perhaps try 0W-40 next time?

Could there be some coolant contamination? I see that sodium is high.
 
There is a lot of fuel in this oil. Something Ive noticed from my own rigs is copper gets affected by the fuel dilute first it seems. I don't think going to a xW30 is enough; the difference between a typical 20 grade (on the high end of spec) and a energy conserving 30 grade (on the low end of spec) is not significant.
I would go to a thicker 30 like Castrol Edge 0W30 European or maybe even Mobil 1 0W40.
 
Penn Ultra-old flavor...thought this was suppose to be a good one...I've got Valvoline and Q-State on hand, in both 5w20 and 5W30. One of those will go in next. My mother=in-law has a Pilot too, I just changed with Penn Plat.-old style. I'll do a UOA on that on and compare. She's got 68k on her 2010.
 
Originally Posted By: p1zippie
Lately some short trips, but a lot of highway. Probably 50/50 on this run.

Is your used oil sample color highly dark blackish indicating severe oxidation? ..........
as KV@100*C is not thinned out despite fuel dilution at 2%.
confused.gif
 
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