There's a huge difference between the guy that sells service at the Honda dealer, and Honda.

Honda recommends you go by the MM. If it tells you 2,000 would you still wait till 3,750?

 

I change mine a MINIMUM of 5k miles on most of my vehicles.

On the Fit, longest Ive gone on one oil change is 9800 miles.

I try to drive at least 5k miles before changing oil.

If I have a long trip, I change the oil early, and if the current oil had under 2k miles, I do NOT change the filter.


FYI honda buddies, the Honda S2000 oil filter is a great upgrade. A little more oil pressure before the relief spring in the oil pump kicks in, and better flow

 

Yes Honda does recommend 15% with vehicles that have the MM system now, but before the MM, it was 3 months or 3750 recommened.
and yes there is a huge difference between "the guy that sells service at the Honda dealer, and Honda". There is also a huge difference between What Honda recommends and what actually happens. There is no problems going off of the MM system but not a whole lot of people understand the MM is more of a guideline and DOES NOT factor in climate and environment which play a HUGE role in how oil breaks down. My Question to you people is, if a car has 10miles after an oil change, and MM reads 100%, but sits and does not drive for a couple years, is the oil still 100%? Theres no magic to why some engines last longer than others.

 

No honda doesn't/it wasn't. The recommended interval for non-severe service prior to the smart MM was 7,500 miles. This is in 1997 so it may have gotten worse in the intervening years (that's sarcasm).

The MM factors in the engine's climate (time at operating temperature). And yes, this plays a huge role in oil life. Whether you drive in Miami or Boston doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

If a car has been driven 10 miles and the MM reads 100% after two years and you haven't had the oil changed, you failed to read the ******* owner's manual.

sheesh.

 

First oil change was done at 5% left on the MM. Last oil change 10% left on the MM. Normally anywhere between 8,000-10,000 miles for oil changes, based on the MM. Honda recommends completing service using the MM, so that's what I follow.

 

Don't want to gang up on you but, wife's Fit is fast approaching 200,000 miles. My truck is at 200,000, my previous truck went 389,000 all using a light weight synthetic and long oil change intervals. Dark ages are long since past.

 

lol, engine climate? du fuq? you failed to read what I was speaking of which was how oil is broken down not only by how people drive but by weather in an environment which MM does not calculate or compensate for. you also read wrong in my point being that if a vehicle sits for a long period of time and does not move, the weather is going to break the oil down, while the MM is still reading 100%. moisture/condensation destroys oil. last I checked theres no moisture sensor in our oil pans.
You are right tho I checked our old maintenance charts, 3750 which I spoke of, was for severe driving conditions, which we recommended here in seattle due to higher population with more stop and go driving than normal. BUT coming back to what I was saying environment affecting oil and the MM not compensating.

 

its ok im not affended. Synthetic oils lets you have longer oil changes. im not saying your vehicle wouldn't last if it wasn't synthetic your using, but that's a factor.

 

Moisture is boiled off at operating temperature. Oil life is a function of engine temperature and revolutions. This is exactly what the MM tracks and the reason it tracks it.

Sitting idle is not something it tracks which is the reason the owner's manual calls for oil changes by the MM or 1 year, whichever occurs first. (Which you would know if you bothered to read the manual.)

Severe service can require more frequent changes than 3,750 miles and isn't a function of stop and go driving so much as it is driving for short distances and not allowing the engine to reach operating temperature for sustained periods. A New York cabbie has a lot of wear and tear on their car, but frequent oil changes are not something they need for long engine life.

The algorithm the MM uses is based on conventional oils, not synthetic.

Analysis of oil changed at intervals called for by the MM has shown a comfortable margin of service life.

All of this is backed by Honda's engineers, not some shill for Jiffy Lube.

 

LMAO! so how are you backing all of this up? I see a lot of cutting and pasting. I don't care what Honda says or how the shitty MM system works. because calculating rpm and temp ONLY for the life of oil is pretty damn shitty. if you have any knowledge or professional experience that is what I want to know or hear. My point being is that to make an awareness that people shouldnt be doing 10k oil changes just cause Honda or the retarded MM says you can. Your not gonna find any Honda Automotive Technician including me, changing the oil on our person vehicles at 6 7 8 9 10k miles just cuz the MM says so. You can change your oil whenever you want I don't care. But Fact is a computer calculating rpm and speed does not tell you accurately when oil is due or deteriorated. Ill let you think you know what your talking about, but its guys like me waiting for when your timing chain is stretched, or valve lash prematurely worn out of spec, to cash off of it.

 

You know what's , you're a Honda Technician and you've never read your owner's manual in regards to oil changes. You are actually arguing you know more than Honda does about the cars they build. Can I get another, . My dealer calls for 5,000 mile oil changes. I follow what Honda recommends, since they actually built and tested the vehicle. Are you sure you don't work for Jiffy Lube?

 

It is entirely correct that moisture in the oil is removed ONLY during times the engine oil temp is at operating temp.

Do not confuse WATER temp with oil temp. I recommend that if your travels are always short, aka, less then 30 minutes, you take the time once a week to have the car running for at least 45-60 minutes to make sure oil is completely cycled and any waste fuel and water is dealt with.


All my 88-95 year civics had a sticker on the air filter box that said change the oil at 7500 miles or one year. I can probably try to figure out my photobucket account password and post a picture of that sticker.


Honda has NEVER officially recommended under 5k miles for normal oil changes. Dealerships ARE however authorized to adjust that based on marketing and region-specific needs. Example, my dealership says to change at a minimum of 4500 miles. They are honest and do tell you that is THEIR recommendation, and is NOT Hondas specific requirement


3,000 miles is short even for severe conditions.

My version of severe conditions is large temperature change during the day, extremely dusty air conditions, or perhaps not having access to good quality fuel. Yes, fuel can play a part in oil conditions. No engine in the world is 100% sealed, which is why even the best and most efficient motors still burn up some oil between changes. If the engines were 100% sealed, there would be zero oil to lubricate the piston rings and wrist pins.

 

you guys are now officially in an oil thread.

Nobody still has a question.

You're just trying to convince someone who's not going to change their mind that you are right. Hint: maybe they're trolling you.

 

i do it for every 6k miles

 

Spring and Fall

 

Ok, a look into the past may help put some differences out there that will help all of you decide on when you feel comfortable changing your oil.

Back in the old days, when car had carburetors and chokes. Anyone here remember those besides me? Anyway, the warm up was awful and they had the potential to run rich if the precious choke wasnt kicked down quick enough or if the carb was getting tired. So all of that extra fuel leaked by the rings and into the crankcase. The oil wipe rings and cylinder wall finishing wasnt like what we have in modern engines either. So, we had much dirtier oil. I can remember changing valve cover gaskets all of the time on V8s and having to unclog the drain holes at the back of the heads with a piece of wire or the oil wouldnt drain back down when it ran. The point is that engines were much harder on their oil in the past and thats why we always changed it between 2500 and 3000 miles.

Now, with todays modern engines we have microfinishing on cylinder walls, cleaner burning engines, O2 sensors, fuel injection, ECMs to keep the stoichiometric fuel ratio in line and tighter clearances on the engines. All of that leads to cleaner oil and less engine wear so we can wait longer to change it and not hurt the engine.

Add better oil technology today and its a bonus.

So, changing it sooner will cost us a little more and will obviously be better for the engine to have fresh oil but costs more money. If you had the extra cash and ran full synthetic and did the oil change every 1000 miles it would be even better but who would do that? Not me, i change it 5k minimum and have no problem.

Going higher mileage is not a problem and done all over the world but it means you need to check your oil more often and make sure it stays full. My Range Rover Evoque can go 15k betwen changes if I would allow it to. The only way I would do that would be to change the filter at the halfway mark and keep the oil full. In other words, maintain it and use a high grade oil. The Evoque has a different spec oil which is chosen for extended change interval. Conventional oil would not meet that spec and not last the 15k.

Change it whenever you like and feel comfortable changing it if it makes you feel better but 3k is an old school thought that appies to a different breed of engines.

 

I bought my '13 new. First oil change I did at about 7500 miles and I just did my second one at about 13,800 miles (MM said 5% left).

 

I think you've made a strong case for not getting a Honda serviced at Honda. Congrats.

 

I change it at 0% which reflects about 6800 to 7000 mile range per oil change.

 

I change mine at MM 0% which is usually around 12K miles.