2003 Accord Oil Change, once a year?

No, actually "extreme" in oil change speak means anything but a steady
diet of freeway driving. Which means everyone should use the "extreme"
schedule for oil changes.

 

No, actually "extreme" in oil change speak means anything but a steady
diet of freeway driving. Which means everyone should use the "extreme"
schedule for oil changes.

 

I didn't think much of this study.

A NYC taxi is turned off oh, maybe once a day when they fuel it, so they
won't blow up the filling station with static from the car. It doesn't
have a chance to accumulate water in the oil, because the oil never
cools.

Jim Mowreader's Accord is started early in the morning, driven ten
miles, shut down for nine hours, restarted, driven ten miles, shut down
for an hour and a half, restarted and driven three miles, shut down for
six hours...you get the idea. Lots of stop-and-go, lots of idle time.
And they picked a car that is fairly easy on its oil--one with a big
V-6.

If I was designing the test, I wouldn't have used NYC cabs. I'd have
used Geo Metros (they have 1-litre 3-cylinder engines), and run the test
in Missoula, Montana, which is for Montana an urban area. Lots of
stop-and-go, plenty of "get on the Interstate and drive flat out"
activity, and a much harsher test of the oil. Either that, or use
motorcycles--their engine oil lubricates the gearbox too, hence the
viscosity improvers get a real torture test as they're run through the
heavy gearing.

 

I didn't think much of this study.

A NYC taxi is turned off oh, maybe once a day when they fuel it, so they
won't blow up the filling station with static from the car. It doesn't
have a chance to accumulate water in the oil, because the oil never
cools.

Jim Mowreader's Accord is started early in the morning, driven ten
miles, shut down for nine hours, restarted, driven ten miles, shut down
for an hour and a half, restarted and driven three miles, shut down for
six hours...you get the idea. Lots of stop-and-go, lots of idle time.
And they picked a car that is fairly easy on its oil--one with a big
V-6.

If I was designing the test, I wouldn't have used NYC cabs. I'd have
used Geo Metros (they have 1-litre 3-cylinder engines), and run the test
in Missoula, Montana, which is for Montana an urban area. Lots of
stop-and-go, plenty of "get on the Interstate and drive flat out"
activity, and a much harsher test of the oil. Either that, or use
motorcycles--their engine oil lubricates the gearbox too, hence the
viscosity improvers get a real torture test as they're run through the
heavy gearing.

 

After I bought our '03 Accord EX 5speed I called my mechanic...whom by
the way sold my '94 Accord EX with 285K miles for $500...which is what
the dealer was offering me as a trade-in value. Anyway, while I was
asking him if he wanted to buy it...he suggested I change the oil on
the new Accord at 650 miles and to not drive the engine hard. Reason:
Brand new engine will need all internal parts to set in. As it does
there will be debris, very small debris, that will come off. Some of
it will be traped in the oil filter but some will recycle into the
engine. This will in the long run cause engine damage. I did exactly
what he suggested...from there on he suggested every 3K miles.

I've learned to trust Dave, my mechanic. My Honda rarely...I mean
rarely needed to be repaired...except for the five sets of tires I went
thru, 4 sets of breaks, 2 sets of rotors, 2nd mufler install with
catalyc converter and some other major exhaust pipe that cost a
bundle.

And by the way...the oil change for the '03 Accord EX is more
expensive..it requires 5/20..or something like that....

Enought talk....

 

The minute debirs that floats around, suspended in oil is actualy doing a
job there. It helps polish out any rough surfaces in a brand new engine.
That's partly how the break-in takes place. And that's why it should be
left there for as long as Honda recommends to finish this job. Otherwise,
your engine will not be properly broken-in.

Does Dave know more about this engine than Honda engineers that designed it?
Why would Honda suggest something that would "cause engine damage",
especially right at the beginning, when there is almost 3 full years of
warranty still remaining?

And? 5w-20 is no more expensive than other oil grades, unless you choose to
buy it from a Honda dealer of course.

Cheers,

Pete

 

The Honda manual makes it clear that they strongly recommend that you
leave the initial oil in the engine for the specified interval. I've
heard from others in this group that there is a special break-in oil
in the car. I can't confirm that, but their specific instructions not
to do the first oil change until the right mileage would support that
notion. Note they don't just put the interval in the maintenance
chart. They specifically say not to do the first one early.

I'm glad you have a mechanic you trust and like. But why would you
assume that he knows more about how to properly break-in this engine
than the engineers that designed it? Why would Honda recommend so
strongly a first change approach if it was so obvious that it can
damage the engine?

 

Many of you may not believe the following, many more of you may think I am
crazy, but I am 50 years old, have owned 7 cars in the last 32 years, have
never owned a car that did not get at least 200,000 miles on it before I
traded it in, and in every single instance, after the first year of
ownership, never did I change the oil in any of them prior to at least
30,000 miles, if at least that little. Call me lucky? Call me crazy? Well, I
have always felt that if someone who wants to sell you oil, he will try and
sell you as much of it, and as often as he can talk you into it.

 

Many of you may not believe the following, many more of you may think I am
crazy, but I am 50 years old, have owned 7 cars in the last 32 years, have
never owned a car that did not get at least 200,000 miles on it before I
traded it in, and in every single instance, after the first year of
ownership, never did I change the oil in any of them prior to at least
30,000 miles, if at least that little. Call me lucky? Call me crazy? Well, I
have always felt that if someone who wants to sell you oil, he will try and
sell you as much of it, and as often as he can talk you into it.

 

I'm glad that works for you, but I've never heard of anyone having a
problem because they changed their oil too often.

Rob

 

I'm glad that works for you, but I've never heard of anyone having a
problem because they changed their oil too often.

Rob

 

You are Lucky and you are Crazy.

 

You are Lucky and you are Crazy.

 

I had a 77 Ford wagon , which I did the same only the engine packed it in at
80,000 miles
ed/ontario

 

I had a 77 Ford wagon , which I did the same only the engine packed it in at
80,000 miles
ed/ontario

 

Of course you have to bleed the old air out of the tires and put new air
in. Tires are porous and that is why air leaks out over time. In the
process moisture is able to get into the air in the tire and now you have a
mass of water in your tire. This mass throws off your balancing and give
you tire wobble and shimmy. That is why it is important to change the air
in your tires regularly.

I am sure someone will believe that.

CaptainKrunch

 

If you want to spend some time learning about oil, check out the discussion
forums at Bob Is the Oil Guy:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

More hard data is available there than anywhere else in the public domain
IMO.

John

 

If you want to spend some time learning about oil, check out the discussion
forums at Bob Is the Oil Guy:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi

More hard data is available there than anywhere else in the public domain
IMO.

John

 

Yep. Only your purse/wallet suffers. The thing is that: sometimes you
just never know, and we all better be safe than sorry.

The new Brita water filtration pitcher nows uses a timer instead of a
"mileage" gauge for the filter, so that you will be reminded to change
the filter every two months.

Does the filtration materials (active carbon and ion exchange resins)
break down or are less effective after two months? I don't know. Does
this guarantee the manufacturer a stable revenue? You bet, if you are
squeamish. Is it more convenient? Yes...

 

Gentlemen, don't forget to bleed the stale air out of your tires and
recharge with fresh air every two years, too. Endorsed or discredited
at cartalk.com, I forgot.