Honda break-in oil

[obbop]

The search function hereabouts is marginal so didn't bother poking around.

Short on time, anyway; departing tomorrow for anuddah' multi-thousand mile trek in the truck weighing a bodacious 5,280 pounds.

Recall the discussion regarding Honda break-in oil. Can't recall if the mention made about the glop in Motor Trend magazine was mentioned.

If not.... well, here it is ye sluggards:

"The first oddity was when the service lights started to flash at the 5000-mile mark. Like all conscientious enthusiasts, we took it into the dealership right away and were told the oil shouldn't be changed until the 7500-mile mark. Turns out Honda puts special break-in oil in new vehicles that needs to bond with the metals for a set amount of time.The "break-in" oil actually leaves behind slippery agents that reduce subsequent wear and use."

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/trucks/112_0707_2006_honda_ridgeline/

Article about a long-term test of the Ridgeline.

Golly, that sure is an ugly vehicle. But, that's okay; I'm sorta' ugly too in a rotund blubbery yet lovable way.

You kids be good while the Old Coot (tm) is gone.

 

[Quest]

Nah! I don't believe in those so-called "super slippery" break in oil. (yes, I changed out my Honda factory "break in " oil in 3750kms).

They way they "worded" it sounds like one of those PTFE snake oil salesman than technically competent serviceman.

 

[tsmay51]

Toyota dealer told me to wait till 5k before oil change as well. Said there was no need to change early for break in reasons. We are at 950 miles on new car and I plan on changing this week. Probably not a practice needed these days but for 12 bucks or so it seems like cheap insurance.

 

[Jake07SEv6]

I changed the Factory fill at 1200 miles and went M1 synthetic.
6000 miles changed to PP 5w-20
8800 miles " " M1 EP 5w-30 got my sample for UOA.
13104 miles " " M1 0w-20.

 

[LouDawg]

Honda says the break-in oil is specially formulated. (Yes, that's what they say...it's been quoted and posted here numerous times from numerous sources, and I've read it in my own Honda literature and documentation.) Why not just leave it in until they say you need to change it? Maybe...just maybe...there's a good reason to use it for break-in. Maybe it will actually help your engine to...I don't know, break-in better. Maybe they actually know something about their engines. (FWIW, I changed mine at around 5600 miles, even though the OLM was still on 30%.)

I'm not saying you're going to have catastrophic failure if you change it early, as I know this has been the norm for many years. But perhaps times have changed.

 

[wileyE]

Can't find it again but read somewhere the new honda fill had a lot of moly in an oil with an ashless detergent?

Did a drain on new honda atv engine and the stuff came out green. FWIW

 

[ChromiumSteel]

M1 EP

 

[Dad2leia]

On both of our Hondas, I changed it out between 1000-1500 miles, no ill effects on either. Although the CR-V had only 56K miles on it when we upgraded to the Pilot. It currently has 16.7K miles on it, and still purrs like a kitten.

 

[BrianWC]

I think I went somewhere between 7500 and 10k on my factory fill in my CR-V. But those were all easy highway miles. As for me-three kids and I'm fighting to keep the V as long as possible. It's too dang good to trade for anything.

 

[07TLS]

My wife and I own a new 2007 Acura TL type S, and a new 2007 Honda Civic LX sedan. I changed the Civics oil and filter at 1500 miles, and have seen no problems within the 5000 miles currently on the car. The Acuras "break in" oil was left in the crankcase for 3100 miles until the dealer changed it themselves. The Acura illuminated the low oil pressure indicator and was towed to the dealership for warranty service. The dealer removed the oil pan and valve covers, but could not find a problem. They had to drain the "break in" oil to remove the oil pan, and replaced it with an unknown to me oil. They left the original oil filter on it, but just changed the oil. The low oil pressure indicator has not re-illuminated in a subsequent 500 miles, and I do not know if they even used the specified 5W-20 to refill the engine. I dont trust the dealership because they blatantly refused to let me see the documentation for the 21 days that the car spent in service.

After four trips to the dealership to get my repair paperwork, they finally gave me just one sheet that stated that they did an inspection of the engine internals and no problems were found.

I don't buy into the 7500 mile oil change service on this "break in" oil. I changed the original oil early in my Civic and have had zero problems with it. I did not change the original oil early in the Acura, and have had, and continue to have some real problems.

 

[wgtoys]

Motor Trend and it's dealer were obviously impaired at owner's manual reading ability. If the change oil now indicator came on then Honda is saying it is time for new oil. Hondas now use an oil life monitor system similar to the one GM has had for some time and you don't go by time or mileage with that system. I suspect that Motor Trend beat the **** out of that vehicle and thus caused the need for an earlier oil change than light use would have required.

On 07TLS' problems, I would investigate Tenn. law for lemone law buy backs. In some states it only takes a certain number of days in the shop to qualify you for either a replacement new car or a 100% refund.

 

[Dad2leia]

I agree with wgtoys on that one. 21 days seems just a little excessive, by any standards...

 

[lindermant]

Quote:

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Motor Trend and it's dealer were obviously impaired at owner's manual reading ability. If the change oil now indicator came on then Honda is saying it is time for new oil...

---

Let me start by saying my Honda's are '04 & '05 models w/out OLM, so I'm not sure how the OLM % is indicated on the gauges.

The quote in the OP said 'service lights' started to flash at 5000 miles; is it possible MT may have been referring to the MAINT REQ'D light? Again, I don't have an OLM, so I'm venturing a guess that the OLM % is a separate dash indicator light than the MAINT REQ'D light, otherwise they would have mentioned the OLM % remaining in the article?

From the Honda shop manual for my '04 Ody:

 

[LouDawg]

Yes, the oil life % indicator is a toggled display on the tripometer, odometer, and outside temperature display. It is different than the maintenance required indicator, which on the '06 and '07 is in that same display, but in the top section. It's called the "Maintenance Minder System". It can be either an alpha (A or B), numeric (1,2,3,4,or 5), or any combination of them. Each code refers to a different type of maintenance or set of maintenance procedures or inspections required. Of course, the code(s) only comes on when the maintenance is required and needs to be reset (disappears from display) after the work has been completed.

 

[lindermant]

cool, thanks for the clarification (& education) LD!

 

[blackdiamond]

My only comment would be to ask the following questions:

(1) Why would the factory/dealer recommend NOT changing the oil in a new car when it costs them money? This is counter-intuitive at best.

(2) Is it possible that there is some merit to what they claim?

I doubt it would hurt to change it early, but I also doubt if the dealerships would recommend against early changes unless it was specifically directed by engineering.

 

[MatchboxCar]

I had my OEM Honda fill subjected to UOA and it came back as a "regular higher Moly content oil". Regular oil with moly assembly oil left over.

 

[benjamming]

Quote:

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"The first oddity was when the service lights started to flash at the 5000-mile mark. Like all conscientious enthusiasts, we took it into the dealership right away...

---

I was not aware that enthusiasts take their vehicles into the dealership right away without investigating anything at all even at the risk of looking like an idiot in the service bay when it turns out to be nothing? I guess there are different categories of "enthusiasts". The "enthusiasts" I know wouldn't take it to the dealer for much of anything b/c the dealer will possibly screw it up, & the owner is the only one allowed to touch it.

From the article:
"We put this vehicle through its paces, as evidenced by its ending odometer reading of 24,219-just about double theaverage number of miles generally put on a long-term truck"

MotorTrend's long term test is 24k miles & that's considered putting it through its paces? Sure that's 24k miles in 1 year but that's not exactly long term for the end user (or maybe it is

). That's laughable as is obbop's quote from the article.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:

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I had my OEM Honda fill subjected to UOA and it came back as a "regular higher Moly content oil". Regular oil with moly assembly oil left over.

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I'm under the impression that there's nothing special about the oil ..but that Honda wants the ample amounts of moly used in the engine assembly process to be retained for the specified period of time to allow it too do its thing.

 

[LouDawg]

Honda states the following, and I quote:

"Your Honda engine was delivered with an oil that is specially formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.

American Honda strongly recommends this special oil be left in the engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your specific driving conditions."

So whatever "specially formulated" means is what they do. Sounds like more than just random mixing of assembly lube.