How funny! A local dealer here told me that due to the auto stop feature, the metallic moving parts (the reason the oil is in there in the first place) aren't moving and thus do not need to be lubricated for that amount of time. And that the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) helps power the engine and takes some of the strain off the components. So with less stress on the oil, the oil would last longer between fillings.

And the fact that today's oils are far superior to the conventional oils of several years ago when the adage: "every 3K miles or 3 months," evolved from.

If fact, if I can find my owner's manual to my '59 Ford. I believe the oil change interval was something like every 1200 miles or so. I get a kick out of that every time I see it. If that was the standard back then, it sure did take quite a lot of barraging new information into our brains about the "3K or 3 mos" rule. Because now we can't seem to get past it!

From the looks of things, from auto manufacturers stating longer changing intervals in their owners manuals, oil companies advertising they have formulas for 3750, 5000, and even 7500 miles intervals, we're bound to finally break the old school thought of the "3K miles or your car will burst into flames and return to hell" view everyone has.

 

First oil change this past weekend at 4525 miles. I did it myself and it took 20 minutes. Drain plug (17mm) and filter are easily reachable lying on your side with your head in front of the left front tire...did not have to shimmy under the car. I did have to use a plier type filter wrench on the filter (picked it up at Wal-mart). Used a Honda filter (Filtertech) and drain plug crush washer that I picked up at the Honda dealership parts counter for under $6. Oil of choice was Valvoline Synpower Synthetic, 5W20 from Pep boys...4.5 quarts for less than $6 per quart. Also added 1 ounce per quart (4 ounces total, a tiny amount when measured out) of Valvoline Synpower Oil Treatment (small silver bottle) to boost the molybdenum to near Honda break-in oil concentrations (there is much positive feedback regarding this product and it's use in many web forums).

This week, I have definitely seen MPG gains over the same usual commute routes with average traffic conditions, etc. The gains aren't huge, but noticible since the commute has been pretty repetitive with regard to attainable MPG in the past. Over the same 20 mile round trip commute in the city (part stop and go and part freeway), I am seeing gains of 2 to 4 MPG. Where I was accustomed to attaining 30 to 32 MPG day after day, I am now seeing a pretty consistent 34 MPG to even 35 MPG, which has never been attainable on the same route, same time of day, same temp, same traffic.

I'm sold on the friction reducing properties of synthetic lubricants.

 

The owner's manual for my '59 Ford says the oil change interval is every 2,500 miles.



All the information available that says oils are more advanced these days still doesn't convince you? Albeit, 10K, 15K, or even some manufacturer's claims of 25K intervals are extremely hard to believe, but still... I've always gone 5K, with no observed problems. My '93 GMC (read: American automobile) has 177K with 5K intervals of NON-synth oil. Still getting EPA numbers, even after all those miles and 12 years of hard driving. The interval in my owner's manual says 7,500 for regular and 3,000 for severe. I'd classify what I do with that truck as severe. Also, I don't burn oil. I have good compression numbers. Oil always comes out brown.

I still haven't decided what interval to change the oil in the HAH. I'm around 4,500 miles now. I'll either do it at 5K, or at the recommended 7.5K. Living in Phoenix, it should probably be changed on the severe scale. So I'll probably do my changes at 5K, like usual.

 

Several years ago, I believe Truckin' Magazine did a test with a Toyota truck and dino vs synth oil. I think they were using the stock oil for the first part of the test. They ran the truck on a dyno to get baseline HP and torque numbers. Then, they changed the oil out with synthetic oil. I think the oil was from a company called Royal Purple. The company claimed using their "race blend" synth would produce more power. When the magazine ran the truck now loaded with synth on the dyno, they did indeed notice an increase in HP/torque output! But, it was very slight. If I recall correctly, it was only up to 1 HP increase. The changes were in the tenths of a HP. I don't recall the torque increase, but it was about the same.

So yeah, it increased output power! But, at the cost, was it worth it? At least from the perspective of power. As far as engine longevity, wear, and reduced friction (better FE), maybe it's worth it. In fact, I'm considering switching the synth at my second oil change. Mostly for the extended oil change intervals. But also for reduced engine wear.

 

How funny, I've been posting to this thread today, and ever realized I've already posted to this thread back in September!

I'm getting close to 5K in my HAH and wanted to do some research on GH to see when everyone else is changing their oil, so I come across this page, and didn't realize I've read it before!

 

I just bought oil today from the Honda dealer. I paid $4.81 per quart for Honda 0W-20, $6.49 for the filter, and $2.70 for 10 crush washers. Total cost was $35.83! For another $5, I could have gotten them to change the oil for me! The dealerships must not make a lot of money on oil changes.

 

Hi Bar10dah:

___Now that you are beginning to receive excellent FE, purchasing some 0W-20 from the Honda dealer was probably a good idea??? The price is ~ equivalent to Mobil1 synthetic but nobody I have read of knows what that stuff really is? Call all the NAPA’s in a tri-state area if you have to as it (0W-20 Mobil1) is still available and will supposedly be re-released in the spring of 06. $2.07 for a SuperTech filter at your local Walmart as well

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes

 

Is that a question? I don't follow. Maybe I'm just mentally exhausted from work today, that I'm overlooking what you're saying.



I think it's a good idea. Mostly based on the fact that I hear it's good to do the first oil change with dino oil, and if I want to switch to Mobil1, do it on the second oil change. But besides that, I have no evidence to back up my choice.







Yeah, I noticed the price similarity. I think I'll go the M1 route starting on the second oil change, since I can get the synth for the cost of the dino. Also, tri-state? I live in central AZ! It's a 2-3 hour drive to get east or west to get to California or New Mexico. About 2 hours south to hit the Mexican border. And about 4 hours north to hit Nevada.







I'm going to stick with the Honda filters. I'm going to buy them in bulk, to save cost. I think they're about $4.50 each from an online retailer. Maybe, order 10 or 15, just to get started.







I'm really leaning towards a 5K mile oil change interval. I'd like to stick with the 7,500 interval, but when the temps hit over 90 degrees for most of the year and over 110 degrees in the summer, I'm in borderline severe conditions (as stated in the owner's manual). But, changing the oil at every 3,750 is just too often.



Too short an oil change interval supports terrorism!

 

I run:
5k oil & filter
10k air filter & rotate tires
50k fuel filter & tranny flush

got that from my daddy, who got it from his daddy...

not because of any science or gut instinct, but because its EASY to remember- no need to pull out the maint log to recall when it was last done.

I never thought of using the dealer as my 0W20 source!!

 

I think people forget that back 30 years ago, the general consensus was that, at 100,000 miles, your car was D-E-D dead, go ahead and dig a hole six feet deep and drive the Coupe DeVille in face first.


Of course, NADA, Kelly, etc STILL hold this belief when they start price quoting a 10 year old car with 110,000 miles as being "high mileage" when some cars (like a Mercedes Diesel) aren't getting broke in good till 150k miles! (Now THAT is an experience - the first time you see what the oil looks like dripping out of an M-B diesel!)



But the 7500 mile oil change interval (I have to do that to keep the car serviced to qualify for the "Free Tires For Life" program from the dealer. What a COOL profit center that program is!) makes perfect sense to me on a car whose first tune-up is at 103,000 miles. So I just take the car in every 7500 miles and throw $25 at them to change the oil (plus then add on all the other regular service from the Owner's Manual) and I get free Michelins. Sweet.


But then.... I'm happy to say that my only self-service knowledge of this car is a vague knowledge of where to put in the gas, and how to load all 6 CDs in one sitting.