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Sedans Honda Accord Older Honda Accords
20241 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 9:18 PM
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Replying to: jrock65 (Dec 02, 2004 10:27 am) |
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jrock wrote: "How often are people changing oil on their Accords? 3750 miles or 7500 miles? Do more frequent oil changes improve gas mileage?" Let the Games begin!
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Replying to: aggie1995 (Dec 02, 2004 10:36 am) |
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jrock65, the suggestion to search through the discussion is an excellent one - the "Search This Discussion" feature will point you to all the information - and way, way more - than you ever needed to know. 
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Replying to: jrock65 (Dec 02, 2004 10:15 am) First; you might know that petroleum-based oils begin to break down at high temperatures (above 275-F) but are more resistant to water break down than synthetic oils. Synthetic oils are the opposite, tolerating high and low temperature extremes well but breaking down more in the presence of moisture. Unless you run your engine all day or can afford to change synthetic oil frequently, your best bet then might be to use a petroleum/synthetic blend to cover all odds. Some years ago a Consumer Reports study of motor oil in taxi cabs concluded that fully-synthetic oil held little advantage over using just one quart of synthetic per oil change (somebody here wrote about it previously). Second; some synthetic oils claim that they maintain viscosity and resist additive depletion for a ridiculous number of miles (like 15-20,000?). While that may well be true in a lab, in everyday use your crankcase oil will be subject to the build-up of moisture, corrosives, and particulates. So at 15,000 miles your expensive oil may be holding up really well - even though it’s loaded-up with acids and unfiltered abrasive particles. I drive my car twice as much as my wife does hers and I used to change the oil in both cars about every 4,000 miles. At 97,000 miles, my engine looked clean as whistle inside while her car at 45,000 miles showed a lot of gumming and varnish under the valve cover. Same oil, same maintenance schedule. The problem was the number of short trips she makes without the engine fully warming to burn off the moisture. That’s why Jiffy-Lube wants to change your oil every 3,000 miles –OR- 90-days. I now believe that I should have been changing my wife’s oil every 2,000 miles (!) whenever I changed my primary car’s oil (about every three months). I guess you could argue that gum and varnish doesn’t necessarily indicate premature wear and that her dirty engine might be just as sound as my clean one was. But I doubt that’s true. Third; deciding on an oil-change regimen for your car is about finding a balance between protection and cost. It’s also about buying peace of mind. If you sleep better at night changing $45 worth of synthetic oil every 3,000 miles then go for it. The Consumer Reports taxi cab motor oil study showed remarkably little difference whether oil was changed at 5,000 or 10,000 mile intervals. But those were warm engines, run for looong periods each day. From personal experience I know what shorter trips can do to oil. Honda says the Accord’s engines are good for 10,000 miles between changes in normal service. Why not listen to them then? For starters, they don’t know where you live, how you drive, and what quality of oil you’re using. They also warranty your powertrain for just 3 years or 36,000 miles whichever is less. Personally, I’ll change the factory oil at about 3,750 miles. Thereafter, I’ll be using a quart of full-synthetic mixed with quality petroleum oil every 5,000 miles. I’ll change my wife’s engine oil at the same time at only about 2,500 miles. For now, I’m stocked up with Honda oil filters that I’ll change with the factory oil and then at every other oil change thereafter. That’s MY balance of cost, protection and piece of mind. You do whatever makes you happy. |
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Does anyone know what type of valve lifters the Accord 2.4 I4 engine uses? Are they hydraulic? I just completed my 30K service on my 2003 EX-L. I have been using dino oil until the car is no longer under warranty. At the next oil change, however, I was thinking about changing to either synthetic or a synthetic blend. Any thoughts or suggestions? One mechanic I spoke to suggested synthetic oil would be fine as long as the lifters are not hydraulic (something about upper . I am probably going to go with the blend. Thanks in advance for your comments.
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Replying to: sockpuppet1969 (Dec 02, 2004 5:48 pm) In ANY modern engine, synthetic oil is reasonable and appropriate, if you can bear the expense. If you are going to change oil at intervals of 5k or less, though, it doesn't make a whole lot of economic sense. Virtually ALL Mercedes and BMWs have hydraulic valve actuation, and all require the use of synthetic oil. This is a long, complicated discussion, which veterans of the Edmunds boards do get weary of participating in - but there is no topic more mythological than oil [unless it's tires, another chronic source of stomach acid around here]. It just disturbing to me that "mechanics" continue to perpetuate urban myths on this topic, and others...on another board, I had to step in when a "trusted mechanic" allowed that the front suspension on a W202 C-class [late 90's] couldn't be adjusted to correct for drift...when our dealer did just that on each of our last 3 MBs, including the type of car in question. Use synthetic, or not - on an engine this new, the choice is yours, but it has nothing to do with the valve design.
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Replying to: jrct9454 (Dec 03, 2004 6:59 am) |
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On the following site, there are some interesting insights into how Honda's variable valve timing system compares to Toyota's. This might make you think more about your oil changes while you're reading too. LOL. http://www.billzilla.org/vvtvtec.htm
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Replying to: ktnr (Dec 03, 2004 8:31 am) |
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