World wide oil recommendations Acura 3.7L engine

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As many of us know, the 3.7 L engine is known, at times, for significant oil consumption issues. My own uses 1 QT per 2K miles but some use much more. I have been doing a bit of research based on information I was given by Trav and in looking at the oil recommendations for this engine in the UK and Germany, the recommended oil is quite different from that in the US. Could it be that the 5W-20 recommendation for US models is less than optimal and contributing to the oil consumption issue? I have used synthetic 5W-20 since removing the break-in oil.

The following is copied from the Mobil 1 UK website.

Make
HONDA
Model
Legend 3.7 VTEC V6 Saloon 4WD (217kW)
Engine
P
Year
2008-
MOBIL 1 ESP 0W-30
Application Recommendation Capacity (ltr)
Engine (P) MOBIL 1 ESP 0W-30 (a) 4.3
Lubricant / Capacity Notes

a. Alternative recommendations: 40°C, 0W-20/0W-30/0W-40; 40°C, 5W-30/5W-40; -20°C to >40°C, 10W-30/10W-40
General Notes

There are no notes to display for this model

This is from the Castrol UK website

RECOMMENDATIONS
FIND THE RIGHT OIL FOR YOUR VEHICLE
REFINE SEARCH NEW SEARCH
MAKE: Honda MODEL: Legend, KB (2005 - ) TYPE: Legend 3.7 V6 (2008 - )

IT'S MORE THAN JUST OIL. IT'S LIQUID ENGINEERING.
YOUR ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATION
EDGE 0W-30
Use: Normal (Change 15000 km / 12 months)
Filter: 0,3 liter , Capacity: 4,3 liter Service fill, Capacity: 5 liter Dry fill


From the Castrol German website

MARKE: Honda MODELL: Legend, KB (2005 - ) TYP: Legend 3.7 V6 (2008 - )
MOTORENÖLE FÜR SIE

CASTROL EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4
Einsatz: Normal (Wechseln 15000 km / 12 Monate)
Filterkapazität: 0,3 Liter , Füllmenge (gesamt): 4,3 Liter Servicebefüllung, Füllmenge (gesamt): 5 Liter Trockenfüllung
Mit der Stärke von Titanium FST™. Für viele Fahrzeuge mit Otto- und Dieselmotoren, die einen Motorenschmierstoff nach den internationalen Spezifikationen ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4 oder API SN/CF fordern.
API SN/CF; ACEA A3/B3, A3/B4; VW 502 00/ 505 00; MB-Freigabe 229.3/ 229.5; BMW Longlife-01; Porsche A40; Meets Ford WSS-M2C937-A

From the Mobil 1 German website

Fabrikat
HONDA
Modell
Legend 3.7 VTEC V6 Saloon 4WD (217kW)
Motor
B
Jahr
2008-
Mobil 1 Fuel Economy 0W-30
Anwendung Empfehlung Kapazität (l)
Motor (B) 1. Wahl Mobil 1 Fuel Economy 0W-30 (a) 4.3
2. Wahl Mobil Super 3000 X1 Formula FE 5W-30
Schaltgetriebe
Automatisches Getriebe
Differential
Kühlmittel
Hinweise Schmiermittel/Kapazität

a. Alternative Empfehlungen: 40°C, 0W-20/0W-30/0W-40; 40°C, 5W-30/5W-40; -20°C bis >40°C, 10W-30/10W-40
Allgemeine Hinweise

Es gibt keine Hinweise zur Anzeige für dieses Modell

Ölwechselabstände

Motor
Monate max. 12
Km max. 20000
Copyright © OATS Ltd. 2014
 
I'd run a 0W-20 in the cold winters (if you do shorter trips) and a 0W-40 in the summertime and just live with the oil consumption or shearing. Adding a quart of a thin or thicker oil (to adjust the viscosity) is worth considering too.
 
Originally Posted By: 147_Grain
I'd run a 0W-20 in the cold winters (if you do shorter trips) and a 0W-40 in the summertime and just live with the oil consumption or shearing. Adding a quart of a thin or thicker oil (to adjust the viscosity) is worth considering too.


The oil consumption does not bother me (too much). Would certainly like it better if it used none between changes. I really like this car and oil is (relatively) cheap. My question was more to why the US engine calls for 5W-20 when in the rest of the world (mostly) 0W-30 or 0W-40 is the norm? Certainly the climates of UK and Germany are close to that found in the US.
 
This drives me crazy that Honda can get most engines right and then poops the bed on this kind of thing. I love Honda but this amount of consumption should be left to the other manufacturers who consider this "normal." My 3.5 from 2008 doesn't burn anything over a 6500k run. M1 0w20.

I guess everybody gets it wrong sometimes.
 
I think on a 3.7L Acura you'd be able to use a 0W-20 year-round, but especially in the winter. Shearing shouldn't be too much of an issue if you're using M1 EP or RP
 
The country with the lowest fuel economy requirements despite Xw20 is not causing your engine to consume more oil. If Xw20 had "burning" issues, we would see it much more often (and I do think we are seeing more oil burning because more makes have oil-level monitors... which is making people check their oil). Plus, the way manufacturers are able to "cheat" for their fuel economy claims, the weight of the oil for the end-user is not a major concern.

Also, keep in mind different regions have differences with the powerplant as well as difference in expectations with OCI.

Oil consumption does not mean there is always something wrong as known oil burners (for example Toyota S engines and my 1ZZ) can be bullet-proof as far as longevity. Variations in the factory likely have differences in consumption rates. I see differences in similar fleet vehicle despite being the "same' and using the same oil.

Still, at the end of the day, use whatever the maker requires for warranty purposes and then use whatever you like after that.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: bigt61
"why the US engine calls for 5W-20"? CAFE & EPA - the force of government.


I grew up with 10w30/10w40 weight oil's. I don't trust 20 weight oil in summer time.
I have an '09 Saturn Vue and 2014 GMC Terrain, both with the 2.4 Ecotec engine. In Europe, A3 5w30/0w30/5w40/0w40 oil's are used in the Ecotec engines. Once the warranty
is up, I'm going with 0w40 or a mix of 5w30/0w40 in the D.I. Terrain engine.
 
Start with a non Euro 0w30 eg M1 AFE. You can use it year round. No need for the winter / summer nonsense.

You only want to go heavier in small steps. Could even try a heavier xw20 before going to a 30.
 
Usually going up a grade can reduce oil Consumption. 20 is an epa boost the mpgs oil.
 
I'd try M1 AFE 0W-30 and see what happens.
What does the dealer have to say about the oil consumption of your engine?
We've owned Hondas for nearly forty years and I've never seen anything like that much oil use, although all of those that we've owned have had four cylinder engines.
Even after 200K, our last Civic used no detectable amount of oil on the 3K drains I then did.
Our '12 Accord had no noticeable oil consumption out to 8.7K on the FF.
On a high-zoot Honda with only 49K miles, I'd be looking at Honda to make it right under warranty.
You paid good money for this CUV. High oil consumption on a new vehicle should not be a part of the deal.
 
Only Honda engine is known to consume excessive oil is the F20C in Honda S2000 AP1 from 2000 to 2003, the F22C in AP2 from 2004 and later didn't consume much oil between OCI of 7500 miles. But the F20C usually doesn't consume more than 1 quart per 3-4k miles, unless it has many track miles.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I'd try M1 AFE 0W-30 and see what happens.
What does the dealer have to say about the oil consumption of your engine?
We've owned Hondas for nearly forty years and I've never seen anything like that much oil use, although all of those that we've owned have had four cylinder engines.
Even after 200K, our last Civic used no detectable amount of oil on the 3K drains I then did.
Our '12 Accord had no noticeable oil consumption out to 8.7K on the FF.
On a high-zoot Honda with only 49K miles, I'd be looking at Honda to make it right under warranty.
You paid good money for this CUV. High oil consumption on a new vehicle should not be a part of the deal.


This 3.7 L engine is known for a higher percentage of engines with oil consumption issues. I have undergone an oil consumption test by the dealer which confirmed the use of 1 qt per 2k miles. Both the dealer and Acura corporate dismiss this usage as normal. I have not been able to get them to evaluate it further. I am still pursuing this with Acura.
 
I know this doesn't really answer your question, but I've said it before and I'll mention it again. The rate at which your engine consumes oil is higher than most engines, but I couldn't call it "alarming". At the least, you know that your cylinders and pistons are lubricated very well, and this engine will likely run in this condition for many hundreds of thousands of miles. I would use an inexpensive 5W-20, keep it topped-off, and just enjoy the car.

My personal choice might be Valvoline MaxLife 5W-20. It's a well-known good synthetic blend oil that's available for something like $3.50/qt when you buy it by the jug. Great performance and great value.
 
Unless that engine starts burning 1qt per 1K, I don't think they will do anything (and even then they might now budge). It is "normal". If the TL is out of warranty, use whatever you want in that engine.
 
Originally Posted By: FutureDoc
Unless that engine starts burning 1qt per 1K, I don't think they will do anything (and even then they might now budge). It is "normal". If the TL is out of warranty, use whatever you want in that engine.


You are correct on the 1 qt per 1 K. My biggest concern was that the engine used to consume 1 qt per 4K miles and now that rate has doubled. This also does not concern Acura enough to investigate. I guess I have to hope the rate increases to a point they will diagnose the problem before the warranty runs out.
 
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