What is my Honda Pilot engine's REAL problem?

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Originally Posted By: AVB
What does the oil dipstick look like? The varnish and build up on the dipstick can be a indication of how dirty the engine is.


As long as there is no issue with low oil pressure which there doesn't seem to be, I would get the valves adjusted and start getting the oil changed every 3000 miles or less to try to clean the engine out.


Good advice. Maybe run Rotella T6 for a few 3k oil changes and see if the noise goes away?
 
Originally Posted By: AVB
What does the oil dipstick look like? The varnish and build up on the dipstick can be a indication of how dirty the engine is.


As long as there is no issue with low oil pressure which there doesn't seem to be, I would get the valves adjusted and start getting the oil changed every 3000 miles or less to try to clean the engine out.


I just had another look. The inside of the oil cap has a swirly mark like someone wiped it out (maybe to collect a sample). The dipstick cable shaft looks clean but the tip is varnished. The inside of the motor that I can see with the fill cap removed looks to be heavily varnished but I don't see any gooey-looking sludge from my limited viewpoint. I'll see if I can get a picture in the morning.
 
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There is a tsb # 08-017 that may apply here.

Symtom: The engine knocks or ticks at idle. The noise is usually more noticeable when the engine is warm.

Probable cause: The rocker shaft bridge has excessive clearance which causes the rocker shaft to rotate and make noise.

Corrective action: Loosen and retorque the rocker shaft bridge bolts.
 
This is why I change my oil every 3k! I don't care what anybody says on here extended oci's are just plain dumb! Every 3k or 3 months whichever comes first when using Dino.
 
Originally Posted By: AVB
What does the oil dipstick look like? The varnish and build up on the dipstick can be a indication of how dirty the engine is.


As long as there is no issue with low oil pressure which there doesn't seem to be, I would get the valves adjusted and start getting the oil changed every 3000 miles or less to try to clean the engine out.


The dipstick tip is varnished. There is no issue with low oil pressure to my knowledge. The dealer said they adjusted half of the valves but it wouldn't do any good to spend money on the other half. If I keep the vehicle I'll definitely try something to clean out the motor and run synthetic/detergent oil as you suggest.
 
Originally Posted By: AVB
There is a tsb # 08-017 that may apply here.

Symtom: The engine knocks or ticks at idle. The noise is usually more noticeable when the engine is warm.

Probable cause: The rocker shaft bridge has excessive clearance which causes the rocker shaft to rotate and make noise.

Corrective action: Loosen and retorque the rocker shaft bridge bolts.


Thank you. The dealer did cite that very bulletin and recommended this work but the tech got into it he said the camshafts were already worn past the point of adjusting the noise out of it. In actuality the noise is worse since they worked on it.
 
Originally Posted By: boosted
This is why I change my oil every 3k! I don't care what anybody says on here extended oci's are just plain dumb! Every 3k or 3 months whichever comes first when using Dino.


LOL! You're a funny man. If you're using synthetic, in my application I don't see any reason not to have an extended OCI. Dino oil is another story. I'm assuming you're saying no matter the oil, 3k or 3 month oil changes are desired?
 
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Nope not really. Grandpa and dad taught this Guy right, maybe that's why I've never had any problems with the 30 plus vehicles I've owned?? Synthetic is a different story... yes talking about just Dino, probably should of made it MORE clear.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Get a second opinion. Any CEL or other system warning lights ever come on and the engine looses power then comes back?


No warning lights or power loss what soever. I wouldn't know there was anything wrong except the valve train ticking is getting louder and louder...
 
I don't see why the cams would be worn out unless they were starved for oil or the valves were adjusted too tight. That engine has a rocker arm oil pressure sensor, so if it was starving for oil there should have been a warning.
 
Originally Posted By: Adam_in_NH
I have a 2009 Honda Pilot I bought new and have maintained as per dealer recommendations, which is to use the on-board maintenance minder computer. At 80K miles the engine developed a tick in the valve train, which has since become louder. At almost 90K miles the dealer went to do a valve adjustment but instead told me that the engine has heavy sludge which caused premature wear of the camshafts, probably cylinder heads, and possibly lower end. They now recommend significant engine work, engine replacement, or vehicle replacement. I am troubled by the fact that my dealer insisted the Pilot would be fine running conventional oil as long as the 9K to 10K mile service intervals the maintenance minder ran before indicating an oil change was due. I spoke with Mobil who told me that the conventional Mobil Super oil the dealer was running had a 5000 mile rating and although this oil would continue to lubricate beyond its rating, the additives and detergents would begin to break down after that point. My conclusion is that the maintenance minder on this vehicle was operating in error by letting conventional oil run as long as it did, and the breakdown of the overused oil caused the accumulation of sludge over the lifetime of the engine. This seems obvious to me as I have always changed my oil at 5000 miles, yet the dealer service department said they, "Just don't know" what happened. My dealer's parts department told me that Honda started using synthetic-hybrid oils for their 2011 models. Can someone please tell me if my conclusion is correct, or if there is another solid reason for what might have happened here? Many Thanks!


Sorry to hear of your troubles, but you are much better off with posting this topic on piloteers.org or hondasuv.com, where people are more familiar with this vehicle and the issues associated with it. There may be a few people on this site who are very familiar with Pilots and even this engine family, but the rest of us are likely giving very general advice that may or may not be helpful when you are in need of a fast resolution. Best of luck!
 
Originally Posted By: boosted
Nope not really. Grandpa and dad taught this Guy right, maybe that's why I've never had any problems with the 30 plus vehicles I've owned?? Synthetic is a different story... yes talking about just Dino, probably should of made it MORE clear.


Also doctors recommended smoking tobacco for a sore throat. Or a more direct comparison manufacture's recommended using 20 grade oil in winter and if that was not good enough mix the 20 grade with kerosine to thin it out.
 
Originally Posted By: boosted
Nope not really. Grandpa and dad taught this Guy right, maybe that's why I've never had any problems with the 30 plus vehicles I've owned?? Synthetic is a different story... yes talking about just Dino, probably should of made it MORE clear.


Lol, sounds like a lot of wasted money over blindingly following your pops, you must not read a lot of threads around here or you would have been cured of the 3k or 3 month thing a long time ago.
 
Originally Posted By: Brenden
Originally Posted By: boosted
Nope not really. Grandpa and dad taught this Guy right, maybe that's why I've never had any problems with the 30 plus vehicles I've owned?? Synthetic is a different story... yes talking about just Dino, probably should of made it MORE clear.


Lol, sounds like a lot of wasted money over blindingly following your pops, you must not read a lot of threads around here or you would have been cured of the 3k or 3 month thing a long time ago.
Bwahahaha.. Read lots around here and don't agree with all of it, other things come into play besides how good the tbn looks in a uoa, I get my oil free so I don't mind wasting it if that's how you want to look at it...
 
Originally Posted By: boosted
Read lots around here and don't agree with all of it, other things come into play besides how good the tbn looks in a uoa


What are these "other" things?
 
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