2009 Honda Civic Oil/Filter Recommendations?

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Hi everyone I'm new to this forum and just got a great deal on an 09' Honda Civic EX Coupe. I plan on keeping this car until it falls apart. My previous car was a 95 Ford Explorer and I know absolutely nothing about Honda's. So what oil and filter combination has good results in the 1.8L motor? Any other things I should now as a new Honda owner.
 
Havoline has worked great in my Honda engine and other users' Honda engines. Pennzoil Platinum is also excellent, if you're planning on going the synthetic route. How much do you plan on driving and what are your driving habits like? For oil filters, I prefer Purolator filters.
 
Hi, welcome to the forum.

Just follow the Maintenance Minder system for all service intervals. The vehicle has an oil life monitor for the engine oil and also has a computer algorithm that determines the service interval for the transmission.

Use any 5w-20 and a quality filter for your oil changes. I prefer conventional oil as synthetic oil is not needed. The service interval can be as low as 2k to as high as 10k. Leave the original oil in the car until the computer gives you the "Service Due Soon" message at 15% oil life remaining.

Also, the Honda has several maintenance items that you may not have had on your Ford. It has a cabin air filter, which should be replaced along with the engine air filter whenever the Maintenance Minder displays a code 2, which should be around 24-30k. The brake fluid also needs to be flushed every three years. When it's time to change the spark plugs around 110k (you'll get a code 4 for this), you also need to adjust the valves.
 
I am a college student at OU so I usually only drive once or twice a week. I make some short trips every once in a while during the week usually under 10 miles most of the time to run to the store ect. One thing that concerns me though is I recently had surgery and am still recovering so sometimes to get to some of my classes I have to drive and park near them because I physically can't walk that far I realize this can't be good for any car these trips are all under 1 or 2 miles at most. At least once a week though I do a good 20-30 minute drive on the highway between the university in Norman and Oklahoma City.
 
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It's a good thing that you get it out for a good 20-30 minute drive once a week, that should help burn off any moisture and fuel dilution from the short trips you do. Like The Critic said, follow your OLM algorithm for the proper OCI. It will take those short trips into account, along with the temperatures, RPMs, etc.

By the way, Welcome to the site!
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The engine is cool. i have a 07. i use M1 5-20 but seeing that you are a city driver i would use a regular oil such as pennzoil or castrol GTX.
 
The oem fill is to be left in 5k. Then,take some PP to the dealer and pay 'em $20 or so for oil change labor including the oem filter. You will then have warranty documentation of timely oil changes,good oil,and a good filter.
 
Originally Posted By: ThirdeYe
Havoline has worked great in my Honda engine and other users' Honda engines. Pennzoil Platinum is also excellent, if you're planning on going the synthetic route. How much do you plan on driving and what are your driving habits like? For oil filters, I prefer Purolator filters.


I like Mobil 5000 5w-20 on closeout for his Civic with Mobil 1 oil filters for maximum flow. Keep in mind Hondas come with a Exxon Mobil FF and despite Havoline's ton of moly, Mobil 5000 or even better, the syntheitc blend Mobil 7500 5w-20 would be excellent. Havoline has a ton of moly so that certainly makes it a real good candidate too. Hmm, tough call but I am getting 24 mpg in 98% city driving out of my V6. I can see his Civic pushing 38-40 mpg if broken in correctly. Now the question is what is more important, using an oil close to FF or another brand altogether that may have more moly but might not be a better fit elsewhere.
 
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I don't think the oil matters that much. On mine (an 07 EX Coupe) I got good UOA results with Motorcraft. I ran Exxon SuperFlo for a couple OCIs before that but didn't get a UOA. I should have a Pennzoil conventional UOA posted in another couple months or so here.

The filter may matter a bit more. The recommended change interval is every other oil change, which for me is about 12k miles on a filter. With your frequent short trips it will probably be shorter than that. I've used OEM Honda and Napa Gold (Wix). I've got a Napa Gold on there right now, and won't need to replace it for another 7k miles at this rate. I'm a little tempted to change it but darnit, I'm gonna leave it on for 2 changes and get a UOA each time to prove [to myself and others here] that this filter can handle 12-13k miles! I think I've had 4 oil changes on this car so far, and the only time I've left the filter on for 2 OCIs so far was the factory filter. I will not succumb to temptation this time!
 
Amsoil EAO13, Mobil 1 M1-110, Wix 51356 (Napa Gold 1356), Purolator PureONE PL14610, K&N HP-1010, and even the Honeywell-made 15400-PLM-A02 will be great on your car. I like the Amsoil, Mobil and Wix filters for no particular reason.

I think rationull's right about the oil. My R18A1 likes pretty much every Xw-20 I've tried it on, the thinner the better. Seems to be really easy on oil, too.

BTW, get a couple cans of factory touch-up paint. Road rocks LOVE recent Honda paint jobs.
 
Originally Posted By: tropic
BTW, get a couple cans of factory touch-up paint. Road rocks LOVE recent Honda paint jobs.


Better yet, get the Ventureshield 2nd generation paint protection film. It costs around $700 installed for a pre-cut kit that covers the high impact areas on the front end. It is WELL worth the money. One of the members on this forum hit some cones on the freeway and the film sacrificed itself. There was no damage to the bumper at all.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Why does the paint on Hondas chip so easily ?


Thin paint. Something about not using multiple stages or coats but I can't recall the exact term used to describe the thin paint. As rationull stated, I also have used Napa Gold oil filters and even the FRAM A02 made by Honywell so yes there ae alot of great choices. I used Mobil 5000 and 7500(2 OCIs) along with this A02 filter to break in my car up to 21,500 miles. It depends on how he wants to break-in his car and for how many miles. My thinking was that I wanted to break-in the car to 20,000 miles because as we all know, gas mileage tends to increase as the engine ages from burth so it stands to reason that you want to use oil as close to FF as possible and that goes for the oil filter too. For me it was 21,500 miles with Mobil 7500 and A02 and then I put in Motorcraft with yet another A02 and it was after this that I began trying different filters like Fram Extended Guard, NapaGold and Supertech (along with trying PP and M1 5w-20 oil both for one OCIs)
 
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Take it in to a Honda dealer when the OLM tells you to. They will probably even offer a semi synthetic or full synthetic. Just keep up on regular maintenance and that motor will last forever.
 
Forget the paint- nothing you can do about it. What you can do for the engine is get it broken in as quickly as possible. IMO that means getting at least a quick 500 miles on it with 'suburban' type driving. Some highway, some city, speeds varying between 30-60 mph---> no wide open throttle and no cruise control for the first 500. Then from 500-1000 increase rpms to 3500 4000 and 4500, let off the gas and let it cruise down to 25 or so, and repeat a few times. The changes in vacuum in the crankcase between acceleration and deceleration will help to seat the rings quickly and effectively. That is the goal. If you only run it a couple of miles a day before it's broken in, IMO you'll have oil consumption issues for the life of the car.If it was me, I'd rather worry about school than breaking the engine in, so get it done before the cold weather sets in.
Steve
 
So should I just go to the dealer for oil changes until it's out of warranty so I have a record of them? I usually like to change the oil myself and thought I might use a synthetic like PP or M1 since I'm make short trips often but on the other hand it might make more since to just use dino since I won't be driving that much. How does everyone feel about changing the filter every other oil change as the manual states? This kind of scares me a bit but I guess I could get used to it. I plan on doing a lot of driving on the weekends especially since it's a 5 speed and all of my previous cars have been automatics (I know how to drive a standard I could just be a lot better at it)
 
will77,
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to BITOG from an OU alumni to a future alumni. Boomer Sooner my friend.

Pennzoil Platinum 5W-20 and a WIX filter will serve you well. You can do it yourself or you can take your Pennzoil to the dealer and use their filter as I do.

I might add, he won't have to worry about the paint. The red dirt will cover it up.
 
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Civic coupe... best car ever. I had to get rid of this baby when I got a human one
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My wife still has the sedan version and since I didn't know about BITOG before, we went to the dealer for oil changes.
He put dino oil in it (supposed to be Mobil 5000 or equivalent), the UOA is stellar following the OLM ( Here it is ). I was chicken and changed it earlier this time but on the previous ones, we went to 0% (time to get an appointment, etc...).

My wife driving habits are 100% city driving and a lot of short trips, like you.

So, you can go the dino route if you want to save some $$, or put some syn you got on sale, if you can get some (what I did).

Oil filter wise, the dealer will probably changes the filter every time as he can charge you for it
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(or he doesn't read his own documentation
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), but now I go every two OCIs as prescribed in the manual.

Keep the receipts and fill the service manual with the information and you should be ok.

Break in it nicely as said above and it will last forever.

Enjoy you ride, lucky ba...
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24mpg on a V6??? Forgive me for being doubtful but I am getting 24-26 on mine Civic 2001 and I am a very easy on the pedal with gas being what it is. Also check tires and change air filter at 30k mile interval.
 
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