Extended OCI 2004 Civic Hybrid

[DaCookieMonster]

My father wants to know what the best oil for his application will be.

It's a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. He says the manual calls for 0W20. He will mostly just be driving the car in Santa Cruz, Ca, so no harsh winters or summers. He occasionally romps the car a little, but most of the miles are very gentle. His main commute is about 7 miles of country road, but some city and hwy as well. The car has no engine-related problems, and consumes almost no oil in spite of 260,000 miles.

He says that he wants to go for a 10,000 mile interval (or longer). I suggested M1 EP or Amsoil. Am I on the right track with my suggestions?

 

[jdavis]

M1 EP 0w-20 and a Fram Ultra if available for that engine.

 

[jdavis]

Just checked, Fram Ultra XG7317. Good to go with that combo.

 

[Nick1994]

Even Mobil 1 0w20 AFE would do that easily.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

If 10000 miles is no big deal, can we push it a little farther with something like amsoil? I think he is more interested in minimizing maintenance time, rather than maintenance costs. Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: DaCookieMonster
If 10000 miles is no big deal, can we push it a little farther with something like amsoil? I think he is more interested in minimizing maintenance time, rather than maintenance costs. Thanks for the replies guys.


I would think so...at just over 23k/year he would be a good candidate for an extended OCI. Amsoil SS is designed for extended intervals, but IMO perform a few UOAs along the way to be sure. Maybe start around 10-12k and work up from there, and you could simply take a sample every few thousand miles, and leave it in until you get the results.

I'm thinking a 1 year interval will work.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Honda probably recommended 10k on SL or SM dino, and a filter change every other OCI! So it sounds like a Classic and Kmart oil could do 10k, I'd at least use a synthetic for a better margin.

For you, I'd go to Carquest and get the $20 Havoline synthetic oil change special that includes the Carquest Red filter. I think the part number would be R84356.

 

[Nick1994]

Sounds like he only makes short trips, 7 miles to work. Being a hybrid the engine probably isn't running full time. If it doesn't get up to operating temperature very often then I'd stick to 10k. If it goes on long drives then I would extend to 15k with Mobil 1 EP

 

[ExMachina]

Originally Posted By: jdavis
M1 EP 0w-20 and a Fram Ultra if available for that engine.

That's almost what I'd do. I'd use M1 5w-30 EP oil and Fram Ultra. For an engine that old, going to a slightly more viscous, not much here, oil would protect better, thicker oil films for worn rings mostly.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Sounds like he only makes short trips, 7 miles to work. Being a hybrid the engine probably isn't running full time. If it doesn't get up to operating temperature very often then I'd stick to 10k. If it goes on long drives then I would extend to 15k with Mobil 1 EP


I thought the older Civic hybrids couldn't run on electric alone, so the engine is always running, except for start-stop.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

Originally Posted By: Kuato

I would think so...at just over 23k/year he would be a good candidate for an extended OCI. Amsoil SS is designed for extended intervals, but IMO perform a few UOAs along the way to be sure. Maybe start around 10-12k and work up from there, and you could simply take a sample every few thousand miles, and leave it in until you get the results.

I'm thinking a 1 year interval will work.


He got the car used a few years ago, and then my mom drove it for a couple years, and now he is driving it. He doesn't put anywhere near 23k on per year. This leads me to another question: at what point should he change the oil even if he hasn't done 10k? A year? 18 months?

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Sounds like he only makes short trips, 7 miles to work. Being a hybrid the engine probably isn't running full time. If it doesn't get up to operating temperature very often then I'd stick to 10k. If it goes on long drives then I would extend to 15k with Mobil 1 EP


Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog


I thought the older Civic hybrids couldn't run on electric alone, so the engine is always running, except for start-stop.


The engine runs if you are moving, but it shuts down sometimes at stoplights. When you let off the brake, it starts again.

I think I'm gonna tell him to go with the M1 0W20 EP with the M1 filter, because I think you can get a deal by buying them together at a couple stores around here. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: DaCookieMonster


He got the car used a few years ago, and then my mom drove it for a couple years, and now he is driving it. He doesn't put anywhere near 23k on per year. This leads me to another question: at what point should he change the oil even if he hasn't done 10k? A year? 18 months?



Ah, ok on the miles. There are guys on here doing 2-3 years on oil changes with no issues. So as long as he makes sure it gets heated up well every couple weeks then it should be ok. FWIW Amsoil says one year.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

Originally Posted By: Kuato


Ah, ok on the miles. There are guys on here doing 2-3 years on oil changes with no issues. So as long as he makes sure it gets heated up well every couple weeks then it should be ok. FWIW Amsoil says one year.


Alright. Thank you.

 

[cb450sc]

I had a 2003 Civic Hybrid. I sold it at 300 000 km and it did not burn a drop of oil. I changed the oil every 5000 km with 5W20 dino. 0W20 was too expensive and hard to get back then. I would suggest maximum 1 year or 15 000 miles on synthetic with a quality filter.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

I bought a 5 qt jug of 0w20 M1 AFE with a M1 filter today. AZ didn't have 0w20 M1EP, and the combo I bought was on sale for around $35. I was hoping to set him up with the EP, but if this is acceptable for his 10k mile goal, I think this is fine.
Thanks for the advice everyone, even if I went a slightly different route than the EP.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Even Mobil 1 0w20 AFE would do that easily.

 

[Clevy]

Oil can tell time. So change it based on hours,miles or fuel burned. We have a member here running Afe in his ford truck,and driving it like a truck. His used oil analysis are fine at 20000 miles with tbn to spare,so 10000 miles on AFE is a piece of cake. EP lasts longer in service and Mobil guarantees 15000 miles with it,however I feel it's on par with amsoils signature series line which says 25000 miles.
However I wouldn't be running extended intervals without uoa data to back up the interval.
10000 miles on EP is a waste.

 

[DaCookieMonster]

I told him 10k would be fine with the AFE, and if it doesn't grenade, to try 12k on the EP next time. Personally I wouldn't want to go farther without a UOA, just in case something is wrong with the engine. I don't think he'll want to spring for a UOA though.