Honda OLM - Time vs Miles

[spf182]

Hi,
I've have seen many comments here recommending x number of miles or a year for oil changes. I have a 2013 accord with the 2.4l and the oil life monitor would have me go to about 11k miles to get to 15% life remaining. I'm comfortable from a miles perspective, but it takes me about 16 months, sometimes more, to get that mileage. So, two questions...

Is the Honda OLM accounting for time in its calculation? For example, at the extreme if I drove 4k miles in 4 years would it still be telling me the oil has 60$ life remaining?

Should I be proactive if the OLM is having me wait significantly over a year on oil changes and just change it out based on time?

 

[Sayjac]

If you check your owners manual you will see footnote *1 in maintenance MM section says change your oil once a year if the MM A/B oil service light doesn't show. Under warranty, I'd not got go past that max time limit.

And the MM is based on an algorithm. For example I generally hit 10-15% MM on my 3.0L Accord at ~9-10 months and ~6800 miles.

So If it was mine under warranty, I'd not go past the 1 year max. After that would be your call.

 

[Indydriver]

I will say this about the OLM-at least on my 2011 Accord V6-it is very accurate. I lab tested every oil change for a while because this car was part of the VCM class action lawsuit. 0%~8,000 miles on Honda Genuine Full Syn and it tested out above 2.0 TBN. This engine does put off an incredible amount of copper during break-in.

 

[SilverSnake]

I never go past 6 months for oil changes (regardless of mileage). I view it as very cheap insurance for my considerable investment in vehicles. In your case, I would not exceed a year between changes.

Contrary to what some might believe, oil CAN tell time. Here are some quotes from an excellent 2012 article by Dan Peterson (Vice President, Technical Development at Amsoil) entitled “Chemical Reactions Occur in Motor Oil, Even When Not In Use”

“Many people already know that severity of service puts additional stress on engine oil, but we don’t talk much about the effects Father Time has on oil. Chemical and physical changes are occurring in your engine oil from the day it is installed in your vehicle, even when the vehicle is not in use. Just like inside your body, there are a number of different reactions occurring inside your engine that impact its overall health. Like eating too many Big Macs and drinking too much Coca-Cola can accelerate reactions that can harm your health, contaminants introduced into your motor oil can accelerate reactions that can harm your engine.”

“The bottom line is that after being used for one year, there are just too many possible chemical reactions to guarantee protection without used oil analysis for verification.”

The article does a great job of explaining how contaminants such as combustion by products, fuel, water, and coolant degrade motor oil over time and is well worth reading in its entirety.

There used to be a link at Amsoil but it has since been taken down or I would have posted it. The article is located in the May 2012 Dealer Edition of Amsoil Magazine (page 7).

Dave

 

[Scout1]

That's a lot different than my 2013 Accord. My OLM turns the light on at about 7k miles probably due to a lot of short tripping my wife does. But if it's taking you 16 months to go 11k miles, you must short trip a lot too? Strange you get 11k...

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: Scout1
That's a lot different than my 2013 Accord. My OLM turns the light on at about 7k miles probably due to a lot of short tripping my wife does. But if it's taking you 16 months to go 11k miles, you must short trip a lot too? Strange you get 11k...


It might be also calculating OLM based on amount of fuel burnt?

 

[LotI]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
I never go past 6 months for oil changes (regardless of mileage). I view it as very cheap insurance for my considerable investment in vehicles. In your case, I would not exceed a year between changes.

Contrary to what some might believe, oil CAN tell time. Here are some quotes from an excellent 2012 article by Dan Peterson (Vice President, Technical Development at Amsoil) entitled “Chemical Reactions Occur in Motor Oil, Even When Not In Use”

“Many people already know that severity of service puts additional stress on engine oil, but we don’t talk much about the effects Father Time has on oil. Chemical and physical changes are occurring in your engine oil from the day it is installed in your vehicle, even when the vehicle is not in use. Just like inside your body, there are a number of different reactions occurring inside your engine that impact its overall health. Like eating too many Big Macs and drinking too much Coca-Cola can accelerate reactions that can harm your health, contaminants introduced into your motor oil can accelerate reactions that can harm your engine.”

“The bottom line is that after being used for one year, there are just too many possible chemical reactions to guarantee protection without used oil analysis for verification.”

The article does a great job of explaining how contaminants such as combustion by products, fuel, water, and coolant degrade motor oil over time and is well worth reading in its entirety.

There used to be a link at Amsoil but it has since been taken down or I would have posted it. The article is located in the May 2012 Dealer Edition of Amsoil Magazine (page 7).

Dave

Not a big surprise having an oil company saying you should buy more of their oil since it goes bad on the shelf. I bet some shops have been sitting on some oil for years. Better order more pyramid scheme oil.

Sheesh.

 

[Danh]

I
Originally Posted By: LotI
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
I never go past 6 months for oil changes (regardless of mileage). I view it as very cheap insurance for my considerable investment in vehicles. In your case, I would not exceed a year between changes.

Contrary to what some might believe, oil CAN tell time. Here are some quotes from an excellent 2012 article by Dan Peterson (Vice President, Technical Development at Amsoil) entitled “Chemical Reactions Occur in Motor Oil, Even When Not In Use”

“Many people already know that severity of service puts additional stress on engine oil, but we don’t talk much about the effects Father Time has on oil. Chemical and physical changes are occurring in your engine oil from the day it is installed in your vehicle, even when the vehicle is not in use. Just like inside your body, there are a number of different reactions occurring inside your engine that impact its overall health. Like eating too many Big Macs and drinking too much Coca-Cola can accelerate reactions that can harm your health, contaminants introduced into your motor oil can accelerate reactions that can harm your engine.”

“The bottom line is that after being used for one year, there are just too many possible chemical reactions to guarantee protection without used oil analysis for verification.”

The article does a great job of explaining how contaminants such as combustion by products, fuel, water, and coolant degrade motor oil over time and is well worth reading in its entirety.

There used to be a link at Amsoil but it has since been taken down or I would have posted it. The article is located in the May 2012 Dealer Edition of Amsoil Magazine (page 7).

Dave

Not a big surprise having an oil company saying you should buy more of their oil since it goes bad on the shelf. I bet some shops have been sitting on some oil for years. Better order more pyramid scheme oil.

Sheesh.


The article doesn't say oil goes bad sitting on the shelf. It refers to changes that occur in the oil after it is installed in an engine. So I don't think this is "sheesh" - worthy.

Oil makers do say unopened, properly stored oil also has a shelf-life, but it's in the 4-5 years range.

 

[LotI]

Ok, sheesh rescinded.

 

[vinu_neuro]

Before the OLM's were introduced, the K24 4cyl's had a fixed interval of 10,000 miles.. on non-synthetic oil. Those engines are just easy on oil.

The V6 had an interval of 7,500 miles.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Oil(and filter) companies like drivers change oil(and filter) as often as possible, their bottom line depends on how often drivers change their oil.

Car companies doesn't benefit in customers oil change habit, their recommendations are based on their test and following their schedule will keep engine running for many miles.

There are some UOA showed that oil in engine for 2-3 years without problems.

 

[Darris]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Oil(and filter) companies like drivers change oil(and filter) as often as possible, their bottom line depends on how often drivers change their oil.

Car companies doesn't benefit in customers oil change habit, their recommendations are based on their test and following their schedule will keep engine running for many miles.
.


Yet he car's warranty will expire the exact same day even if it's nowhere near the mileage limit. Not nearly the same enthusiasm in making powertrain warranties based only on mileage...

Originally Posted By: vinu_neuro
Before the OLM's were introduced, the K24 4cyl's had a fixed interval of 10,000 miles.. on non-synthetic oil. Those engines are just easy on oil.

The V6 had an interval of 7,500 miles.


I've come across enough mentions of oil consumption on the driveaccord forum that I would not be entirely comfortable takingthat to the bank. Their intervals could have had a slightly greater margin for safety considering the grade of oil and the sump size. Not saying problems are common place, but slightly shorter intervals would be betteer still - with little if any difference in annual cost & inconvenience.

 

[vinu_neuro]

If there is consumption, the oil loading would be even less than normal due to top off.