Acura MDX Oil Consumption

[Brolly]

So I checked the MDX the other night and it was down a quart. Oil was changed in November went on a 900 mile round trip vacation in December. I checked the oil multiple times while on the vacation trip and it didn't use any oil I was trying to produce a high mpg on this trip 21mpg overall which is my best in this car. Since the vacation its been short tripped by my wife to go to the grocery store. I have been driving it the last 2 weeks and I tend to put it through its paces. Why do VTEC engines consume oil when hitting the 4500 or above rpm range? Has anyone had luck with slowing the consumption down even hitting higher rpms? Im planning on changing the oil in a week or two.
Also when I looked inside the engine through the oil fill hole there seems to be some tarnish look to it any ideas?




2011 Acura MDX 3.7
SH-AWD
88490k as of today
PPU 5w-20
Microgreen oil filter

 

[CharBaby]

Sure, it can happen and I trust others will chime is with things to check such as PCV & IAC.

 

[mclasser]

PCV valve is a great suggestion by CharBaby.

How many miles on this OCI? Any leaks?

 

[Brolly]

Almost 4000k on the this OC.
No leaks that I can see. I park in the exact same parking spot at work and there are no drips.
I have PPU 5w-20 for the next change but willing to try something else to see if it will slow the consumption.

 

[Ohle_Manezzini]

I had a vetc engine in a civic. It didn't consume a drop of oil during the oci, on a 15w40 diet it had. 20weight oils are way more consumed.

 

[Brolly]

I will check the PCV and I dont really see signs of a faulty IAC.

 

[meep]

our '02 mdx would have a fairly stable oil level for the first 4000 miles. then it'd drop a qt over the next 1000-1500. It always needed top-up around 6,000 miles, with abother 1500 to go.

m

 

[Ohle_Manezzini]

The engine looks clean by the way. What's the average oci?

 

[Nick1994]

I'd be more worried about that gas mileage. My 21 year old 4x4 Jeep can do better than 21!

 

[Brolly]

Originally Posted By: meep
our '02 mdx would have a fairly stable oil level for the first 4000 miles. then it'd drop a qt over the next 1000-1500. It always needed top-up around 6,000 miles, with abother 1500 to go.

m


Makes me feel better

 

[Brolly]

Originally Posted By: Ohle_Manezzini
The engine looks clean by the way. What's the average oci?


4000-5000mile OCI

 

[Brolly]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I'd be more worried about that gas mileage. My 21 year old 4x4 Jeep can do better than 21!


17mpg avg as a daily driver on premium gas too sigh only thing I hate about this car

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Brolly
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I'd be more worried about that gas mileage. My 21 year old 4x4 Jeep can do better than 21!


17mpg avg as a daily driver on premium gas too sigh only thing I hate about this car
Yeah that's pretty bad. I had a 96' Chevy truck with a 350 V8 that got pretty close to that commuting around.

 

[Brolly]

Moms 2007 5.7 Tundra gets 17 mpg. They have done better now with the new MDX but they lowered the hp and gave them 9speed trannies. New Escalade will get 22mpg on the highway and its a big box.
But I knew going into buying the MDX of the poor gas mileage oh well. Thats why I mainly use the Camry

 

[Dan55]

It's a known issue on this motor http://acurazine.com/forums/fourth-gener...umption-939258/

 

[Brolly]

Originally Posted By: Dan55
It's a known issue on this motor http://acurazine.com/forums/fourth-gener...umption-939258/


I have read that one before. A lot of those are the J37A4 engine in the TL's in that particular posts. Im thinking mine is from my Right foot. Im just wondering why do VTECs have a rep of consuming oil. What makes them consume oil is it VTEC or a design flaw? I will try to keep it under 4500rpm and see if that calms the consumption down before I perform the OC in a couple weeks.

 

[Nissan101]

I think its time to move up to a 10w30 weight oil

 

[barkingspider]

Wow, my escalade weights like 6K lbs and I get 17 mpg. I agree w the above and would use 10w30

 

[Dino01]

A lot of VTech Hondas are burners, mine included. The 3.7 is known for this, I was super close to buying a TL from this era but it steered me away. That said I'd try 5w30 Maxlife based on my current success with it in my 3.0 v6 burner (1qt/2k to none in the last 4k+).

I know a lot of 3.7 TL guys had good luck cutting oil consumption significantly with 0w40 Castrol too, with no MPG hit (mine is unchanged as well).

 

[KrisZ]

I would ditch the 5w20 for something more stout with at least a European rating and enjoy the engine as it was meant to be. Why have such a sweet engine and be afraid to use its full potential?