Honda Pilot VCM Sludge

[FranklinJL]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
The Honda VCM V6 is very hard on oil. 10,000 mile OCI is WAY to long for this engine! Tell her that. 5,000 mile OCI using full synthetic is a safe practice and should not be extended any farther. If you go to a Honda forum this is talked about a lot and most agree that 5,000 miles with full synthetic is best for these engines.


Ive ran either Motul 5w30 8100,or PUP 0w20 the life of the car. I've got Blackstone reports on both at 10k OCIs that look great. I change filters at 5k...

 

[hemitom]

Hmmmm , changed the good looking neighbours oil !!
could have a field day with that one.. then to top it off you take her for a 30 min hard run ... bet she has no carbon now.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: Marco620
Could be moisture and short trips. My ex had a Ford Escort that went half a mile each day to work. After we drove it long distance and used Redline SI 1 occassionally and used synblend and changed PVC is was way less milky looking.


We have a winner.

But I'm sure flooring it with 40 weight oil did a lot of good lmao.



x2. That exercise with the 40 wt was just a waste of oil.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Run 0W20 full syn for 1K, change, ...

Why?

Syn will start cleaning engine and there is potential of sludge separating from walls. I would actually run 1K, change both oil and filter, run several OCI's 3K, then settle at 5K.

 

[Truck&Cycle]

Originally Posted By: Marco620
Could be moisture and short trips. My ex had a Ford Escort that went half a mile each day to work. After we drove it long distance and used Redline SI 1 occassionally and used synblend and changed PVC is was way less milky looking.


That is it! I had the same thing happen to me and a long trip cleaned things out.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: Truck&Cycle
Originally Posted By: Marco620
Could be moisture and short trips. My ex had a Ford Escort that went half a mile each day to work. After we drove it long distance and used Redline SI 1 occassionally and used synblend and changed PVC is was way less milky looking.


That is it! I had the same thing happen to me and a long trip cleaned things out.

Long trips will do wonders for cars, especially valves in non-DI engines and if pushed hard in DI engines.

 

[jayg]

Yes and it must be long trips, not just idling. It needs a drivetrain load and water/oil temps up.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Yes and it must be long trips, not just idling. It needs a drivetrain load and water/oil temps up.

Of course.
For example most Euro cars who are designed for high speeds have slew of problems in the U.S. because of "soccer mom" regime of driving. BMW X5's are notorious there since profile of buyers who tend to drive them to football practices, schools etc.

 

[KingCake]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Can she afford PUP? Will an oversized filter fit? How long do you want to be a "good neighbor" ... How far are YOU willing to pursue this?

IF you are going to follow this out the end, I'd put oversized filter (to catch the crud) on it and run PUP and add 8 oz of Kreen every change. Change spring and fall for two years and see where you are ... Most of the sludge should be gone by then.

But it ain't your car, and if anything happens you may get blamed...

If you want to duck a bullet, have her start to go to Jiffy Lube with 5 bottles of PUP every spring and fall and explain that in your research, it seems these engines have issues with round town driving if not changed more frequently ...


He's already going to be blamed if that engine dies. Last thing I would do is put the wrong filter on it. That's asking for a lawsuit.

As a young man I used to volunteer my services to everyone that came along. Got bit hard from it several times. Now I only help close family that are truly in need. Everyone else pays.

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: FranklinJL
Originally Posted By: Chris B.
The Honda VCM V6 is very hard on oil. 10,000 mile OCI is WAY to long for this engine! Tell her that. 5,000 mile OCI using full synthetic is a safe practice and should not be extended any farther. If you go to a Honda forum this is talked about a lot and most agree that 5,000 miles with full synthetic is best for these engines.


Ive ran either Motul 5w30 8100,or PUP 0w20 the life of the car. I've got Blackstone reports on both at 10k OCIs that look great. I change filters at 5k...


Regardless of what you posted, this is not the norm. Most VCM V6's have problems going that far on an oil change. It is well documented.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Run 0W20 full syn for 1K, change, ...

Why?

Syn will start cleaning engine and there is potential of sludge separating from walls. I would actually run 1K, change both oil and filter, run several OCI's 3K, then settle at 5K.

Synthetic oil is not a parts washing solvent. Using it isn't going to break off chunks of crust and goop. Engines have filters for a reason. Changing synthetic after 1k is a waste of money and resources.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Can she afford PUP? Will an oversized filter fit? How long do you want to be a "good neighbor" ... How far are YOU willing to pursue this?

IF you are going to follow this out the end, I'd put oversized filter (to catch the crud) on it and run PUP and add 8 oz of Kreen every change. Change spring and fall for two years and see where you are ... Most of the sludge should be gone by then.

But it ain't your car, and if anything happens you may get blamed...

If you want to duck a bullet, have her start to go to Jiffy Lube with 5 bottles of PUP every spring and fall and explain that in your research, it seems these engines have issues with round town driving if not changed more frequently ...


He's already going to be blamed if that engine dies. Last thing I would do is put the wrong filter on it. That's asking for a lawsuit.

As a young man I used to volunteer my services to everyone that came along. Got bit hard from it several times. Now I only help close family that are truly in need. Everyone else pays.


No good deed goes unpunished! If I were to help a friend clean up that engine, I'd spell out all the potential issues and make it perfectly clear I'm not responsible if things go wrong. And that would have to be a special friend that knew the pitfalls. Bottom line is I'd probably pass on helping with that engine.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: edyvw

Of course.
For example most Euro cars who are designed for high speeds have slew of problems in the U.S. because of "soccer mom" regime of driving. BMW X5's are notorious there since profile of buyers who tend to drive them to football practices, schools etc.


Tons of X5s putzing around my town...just had a fun encounter with a guy in one who refused to even touch 50mph on the highway and did his very best to impede traffic whenever he could. I finally got around him, looked back and saw a giant raised pickup getting close to driving right over him.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder

Synthetic oil is not a parts washing solvent. Using it isn't going to break off chunks of crust and goop. Engines have filters for a reason. Changing synthetic after 1k is a waste of money and resources.


I wish more people would think like this.

 

[SilverGGA]

I have a 2011 Pilot with VCM. This is what I do now while not ignoring the the maintenance minder:

a) change the PCV whenever B3 comes up, that would be about every 30k miles
b) change oil when the minder shows 60% (ie 50-60% oil life) without resetting the MM. Then again at 0-5%, change oil and other stuff that shows on the maintenance minder
c) VCMuzzler II to disable VCM

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder

Synthetic oil is not a parts washing solvent. Using it isn't going to break off chunks of crust and goop. Engines have filters for a reason. Changing synthetic after 1k is a waste of money and resources.


I wish more people would think like this.


+100