Switching to synthetic oil

The scheduled oil change intreval on my Accord calls for every 3,750
miles or 3 months, whichever occurs first. Until recently it usually
occured before 3 months but lately I drive a lot less and sometimes it
takes even 5 months to get another 3,750 miles into my car. This causes
a dilemma, because I also have some other maintenance items at every
7,500 miles, which would be normally at every other oil change. Since I
still want to have only one oil change in midway of the 7,500 mile
maintenance interval (i.e. at every 3,750 miles,) I am in conflict with
the 3 month maximum interval. So I've been thinking of switching from
natural oil to synthetic which would not degrade as fast. What do the
experts here think about it and which synthetic oil would they
recommend. Right now I use the same 5W-30 Castrol oil that Honda dealers
use.

 

Where do you live? That's important.

 

US NW. Puget Sound.

 

I think you may be lookng at the "Severe" maintenance schedule.

Take another look through your Owner's Manual. I think you may find that
oil-change intervals for "Normal" use are longer than 3 months.

 

I've been doing this oil change at every 3,750 miles for such a long
time with the intervals shorter than 3 months that I never even bothered
to recheck this in my Owners Manual. Now I did and you're right. Again.
Thanks.

 

No harm done. Too-frequent oil changes are NEVER a bad thing! You've been
doing your Accord a /big/ favor by changing the oil as often as you have.

 

I see no reason to worry about the 3 month interval even using conventional
oil. I don't even understand why are you chaging oil at 3750 miles. That
seems like the severe service schedule and if you are in the US, it is
unlikely that you actually meet the requirements of that schedule. Honda
says the following:

Which Schedule to Follow:
Service your car according to the time and mileage periods on one of the
Maintenance Schedules on the following pages. Select the schedule for
"Severe Conditions" if most of your driving is done under one or more of the
conditions listed on that page. Otherwise, follow the schedule for "Normal
Conditions."

U.S. Owners
Follow the Normal Conditions Maintenance Schedule if the severe driving
conditions specified in the Severe Conditions Maintenance Schedule do not
apply.
NOTE: If you only OCCASIONALLY drive under a "severe" condition, you should
follow the Normal Conditions Maintenance Schedule.

Canadian Owners
Follow the Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions.

U.S. Owners
Follow the Severe Conditions Maintenance Schedule if you drive your vehicle
MAINLY under one or more of the following conditions:
Driving less than 5 miles (8 km) per trip or, in freezing temperatures,
driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip.
Driving in hot [over 90° F (32° C) conditions.]
Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving.
Driving with a roof-top carrier, or driving in mountainous conditions.
Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.

Canadian Owners
Follow the Maintenance Schedule for Severe Conditions.

It seems to me that unless you are in Canada or Florida (and then only in
the summer) or you are using your Honda as a taxi, you probbaly don't need
to follow the severe sevice schedule. We are in North Carolina and my Sister
has owned two Hondas. She only ever used the normal service schedule (and
then only sparatically - often she forgot to change the oil on schedule) and
although both of her Honda were horrid piece of crap to drive after 150k
miles, neither had any engine problems. Changing oil more often than
necessary just wastes your money. Oil is much better than it used to be.
Fuel injection system are much better at maintaining the correct mixture and
this means that dilution of the oil with unburned fuel is much less of a
problem than in the past. Air filters are better, meaning less contamination
gets into the oil. Despite all of this, people still fall for the line about
needing to change oil every 3000 miles. To be honest I shocked that Honda
specifies the severe change schedule for Canada under all conditions. At
least for a few monthes each year Canada is hardly an ice box. Is there
really a lot of difference between Detroit and Windsor, or Seattle and
Victoria? And why in Europe does Honda allow for 12,500 mile oil changes for
similar engines?

Ed

 

Seems to be he has mostly been doing Castrol (BP) the big favor. I doubt
engine failure will be the reasion the car goes to it eventual resting
place, even if the normal maintenance schedule is followed.

Ed

 

This is my reason:
driving less than 10 miles (16 km) per trip

 

That may be one of the reason that the car is still running well and
with good milage approaching 300 K miles.

 

Very likely. Maintenance is /everything/ when it comes to longevity.

I'm going to be going over 360,000 in the next couple of days.

 

My odometer is at the equivalent of 359,997 right now.
It's going over 360K tomorrow.

 

Wow! Way to go ... How long are planning to keep it?

 

Very likely. Maintenance is /everything/ when it comes to longevity.[/QUOTE]

Nope.

It starts with solid engineering.

Which has NOTHING to do with the piece of shit transmission that Honda
put in my $30K 2002 model van, the transmission that--despite
maintenance--failed at 73K gentle in-town miles of my wife driving the
small children around.

And my story is the rule, not the exception.

**** Honda. Whatever they are now, it has nothing to do with who they
used to be.

 

I'm not sure. There are a lot factors at work here. If I pass smog in two
months, that buys me at leat two years, provided the engine and tranny hold
up.

 

Well, we are talking about "used to be" Hondas when we're talking about
300K or more miles in them, aren't we?

On the other hand, even the new Hondas come out on the top along with
Subarus according to the following article. But maybe you know better.

<http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-autos-consumer-reports-20110301,0,6971133.story>

 

Actually, I do. I have inside information from an engineering source.
Things are NOT good withing Honda, and the cars that come out today
truly have nothing in common with Honda's roots other than the nameplate
on the back.

 

september.org:

When it comes to oil changes, the more the better for the engine. You can
/never/ change your oil too often for the good of the engine.

 

Then they sure can fool the people at Consumer Reports.

 

CR isn't doing actual research into any of this. They just tell us what
their surveys say. And they survey ONLY people who have bought within
the last few months.

Not only is nothing apt to go wrong with the car or is any bad
engineering apt to show up in so short a time, anyone who has spent that
kind of money on a car is loathe to tell the world that he made a
$30,000 mistake.

I find it interesting that Chevies are junk, but Buick ranks RIGHT UP
THERE with Lexus in the JD Power ratings. Let's think about that, shall
we? Imagine the typical Buick buyer. He drives about 3000 miles/year,
and does so at 25mph or so. His car is perfect. The very same Chevy,
with the very same engine and transmission and platform and is built by
the same union workers, but which is driven by Joe Sixpack and his wife
hauling the dog and the kids around, gets poor ratings.

Yeah.