First oil change for my '08 Acura MDX

[dory]

It's come time for the first oil change in our '08 MDX and I have a few questions. I am also new to this board, so if there is somewhere specific I should be looking for the info, could you please point me in the right direction? I did search, but didn't find anything specific to the MDX.

• I'd like to use a full synthetic. Any recommendations? The manual says an API Premium 5W-20 detergent oil should be used. If it makes a different, winters here get down to -31°F and summers are as warm as 95°F.
• our computer is telling us that service "A" is due and when I look it up in the manual it says "change engine oil" but does not mention the filter. Service "B" mentions both the oil and filter (as well as a few other things not related to oil). Do you think this is an error in the manual, or does Acura seriously not want the filter changed every time? (seems not right to me)

 

[MGregoir]

Honda generally only says change the filter every second change. You probably could get away with it, I would prefer to change it every time personally.

Pennzoil Platinum is generally the first name to come up for off the shelf synthetics here, although Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec will certainly be easier to find. I would probably use Mobil 1 5W-20.

If you use your block heater when temperatures get below -20 Celsius, you can use conventional safely year-round.

 

[buster]

If you are following the OLM, it really doesn't matter. They are all practically the same unless you're getting into racing/turbo's/extended drain intevals. A lot of people like Pennzoil Platinum right now as the best bang for your buck. M1/Amsoil are great also.

 

[MGregoir]

It's next to impossible to find 5W-20 Pennzoil Platinum readily in Canada it seems like. Mobil 1 is really the only synthetic that is an easy off the shelf grab in a huge variety of grades besides Syntec. It's pretty rare to find 5W-20 in jugs in many stores except for Castrol GTX.

I guess my question would be where does Dory live?

 

[dory]

I'm in Saskatchewan.

With my last vehicle, I just took it in for oil changes and got Mobil 1 put in. The vehicle previous to that went to my dad for oil changes and I think he picked up Mobil 1 at Wal-Mart. I've decided that my husband is going to do the oil changes in the MDX. Is there any place other than Canadian Tire, PartSource, Wal-Mart to pick up oil?

 

[dory]

Oh, and I recall that in my last Acura magazine, it said that you can get Acura branded synthetic oil at the dealer. I would suspect that this is a re-badged name brand synthetic? Anyone know if that's the case?

Would it be worth looking into if the dealers sells it directly to customers? or is it likely they just have it in large vats to use when you bring your vehicle in for an oil change? Then again, even if they do sell it in sizes small enough to take out, it's probably pricier than any other synthetic out there.

 

[VK56VD]

I'd use Pennzoil Yellow bottle or another quality dino oil until the 10k mile mark and than switch to synthetic. Some who switched to synthetic early experienced oil burning in their negines later down the road.

 

[dory]

Originally Posted By: Spartuss
I'd use Pennzoil Yellow bottle or another quality dino oil until the 10k mile mark and than switch to synthetic. Some who switched to synthetic early experienced oil burning in their negines later down the road.

Are you speaking specifically about 2nd generation MDX owners?

 

[MGregoir]

I would not doubt the Acura branded synthetic just being Mobil 1.

To be honest, unless you are extending drains or not using a block heater in -20 or lower conditions, there is no real reason to use synthetic. Synthetic will offer better performance but not enough to justify paying $38 for five litres of Mobil 1 at Wal-Mart versus $17 or less for Pennzoil.

The price-performance ratio is off.

This winter I did use Mobil 1, but it was due to facing unaided cold starts at -35 or lower occasionally. I sent to the oil away to be analyzed and it did do a good job. However, every other oil change this vehicle has had was 5,000 km with conventional oil and a Wix filter. Looking inside the engine after 140,000 km it is still extremely clean.

Do what works for you, there is no question that a good synthetic will work, but I think the argument may be in the value of its use.

 

[VK56VD]

Originally Posted By: dory
Originally Posted By: Spartuss
I'd use Pennzoil Yellow bottle or another quality dino oil until the 10k mile mark and than switch to synthetic. Some who switched to synthetic early experienced oil burning in their negines later down the road.

Are you speaking specifically about 2nd generation MDX owners?


No, referring to 1st gen MDX's and other vehicles who have experienced oil related issues in the past from switching early on to synthetic.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Wouldn't it be advisable to use a synthetic since it is a DI engine? I remember reading on here that DI engines are especially hard on oil.

 

[dory]

Originally Posted By: phaphaphooey
Wouldn't it be advisable to use a synthetic since it is a DI engine? I remember reading on here that DI engines are especially hard on oil.
What do you mean by a DI engine? (direct injection?) I'd like to hear more if you know anything else about this.

We're due for the 2nd oil change now. We went with a good quality traditional oil for the 1st change, but we're thinking synthetic this time round (and from now on).

 

[kurt6652]

My wifes new car is a 2008 MDX. We are still on the original oil(bought the car 3 weeks ago). I am waiting for the maintenance minder for the first oil change(per the manual). I'm going to do a 3,000 mile run with Chevron Supreme 5w-20, then switch to Mobil 1 0w-20 and change at the maintenance minder interval. My wife gets in her car and drives it hard with little regard to warm up. From everything I have read the Acura MDX 3.7l engine is not direct injected. I hope you like your new car as much as we do ours. I have a 2004 Honda Pilot with 80,000 miles on it, mostly city miles with 3 young boys. The Pilot drives as good now as when it was new, no rattles or problems. The Acura's engine uses a similar engine block, the J block, 60 degree v6, the engine was designed in North America and my Pilot and MDX were made in Canada. I couldn't be happier with my Honda product.

 

[dory]

Yes, I absolutely love the MDX. Glad you're enjoying your wife's!

The first oil change I went with a Mobil conventional oil 5W20. This time round, ended up with the Acura branded full synthetic 5W20. Per litre it was cheaper than Mobil 1 (and heck could be Mobil 1 since Acura branded conventional is Mobil). I couldn't find Pennzoil Premium 5W20 anywhere in my city, couldn't find Amsoil XL 5W20 either. I really wanted to try Petro Can's full synthetic since it comes in 5W20 this year, but no one of the Petro Can's in my city carried it!

Oh, and I am also following the maintenance minder for all services. Just got the B16 at approx. 14 000Km (or heck, maybe it's 15 000). Going to do the rear differential ourselves along with the oil change again. For filter, using the Napa Gold 1356 like we did for the first oil change. The "inspections" due this service shouldn't be difficult. My co-owner and my dad just inspected the brakes this evening while swapping to our winter tires (first snow today

).

 

[Mau]

Pennzoil Platinum is what I say. I put it in our RDX and it loves it. Mobil 1 is factory fill for the RDX.

MDX v6 wants 5w20? wow, I'd think you would be safe with 5w30 as well as the motor has not changed much and I beleive the earlier model MDX required 5w30.

Search this forum I believe it was talked about.

 

[dory]

Originally Posted By: Mau
Pennzoil Platinum is what I say. I put it in our RDX and it loves it. Mobil 1 is factory fill for the RDX.
I couldn't find Pennzoil around here so I went with the Acura badged full synthetic that I picked up at the dealer.

You say the RDX comes with Mobil 1 from the factory? I wonder what was in my MDX.... also wonder if that means that the Acura synthetic is indeed Mobil 1.

Originally Posted By: Mau
MDX v6 wants 5w20? wow, I'd think you would be safe with 5w30 as well as the motor has not changed much and I beleive the earlier model MDX required 5w30.

Search this forum I believe it was talked about.
I did a search but didn't come up with anything. But yes, 5W20 is what the manual says. I'm not comfortable with going to 5W30, wouldn't want to cause any warranty issues or affect the gas mileage!