schedule / oil recom. for 2015 Honda Accord V6

[Viche]

Hi all!

Background:

• 2015 Honda Accord Coupe V6 (7 months old)
• 5,300 miles (original oil)
• Manual says change oil when reminder gets to 15%
• Reminder currently reads 50%
• Manual says 0-20 weight (need to check certifications)
• Live in Central Maryland (winters occasionally get down to single digits, summers get up to 90s, paved roads, lots of salt in winter, not a lot of dust except pollen)
• I try to save gas, so I drive moderately, and generally baby the car, but link to punch the gas pedal every once in a while
• 15 mile each way commute
• 75% highway, 25% back roads
• Plan to keep car at least 250- 300k miles or 20 years

Questions:

• Does the car really have special break-in conditioning oil?
• Should I leave the original oil in until the reminder gets to 15% or change now?
• How often should I change it after that? I don't mind doing it more frequently if it will make a significant difference in engine longevity
• I don't mind spending more for synthetic - will it make a difference over 20 years?
• Which oil do you recommend?
• Which filter?

My concern is that the local garage will not be cool with me bringing my own oil/filter, or that they won't even use what I give them. I really don't want to offend this place as I have been using them forever. Any advice?

Also, I buy a lot of stuff online, but I'm a little paranoid about buying some sort of counterfeit product from Amazon for my car. Not completely closed to it, though.

Thanks for the help!

 

[2010Civic]

I'd change it now or at least fairly soon. 5,300 miles is enough. Especially considering you want to keep the car for a long time. Nice car BTW!

 

[HTSS_TR]

I always changed factory fill as normal OCI, no need to change it out early.

Honda didn't specify synthetic for the car, right ? If you use full synthetic 0W20 then you can easily go all the way down to 0%, especially if you go with oil filter Fram Ultra XG7317.

 

[Mark_Walk]

I wouldn't let the factory fill go past 7,500

 

[mazdamonky]

I believe Honda claims they have special break in oil and it needs run to its normal interval. All 0w20 is synthetic and I believe any 0w20 will do. Just pick the cheapest one or pick your favorite brand and you can't go wrong.

 

[Brybo86]

Call the place and anonymously ask how much they charge if you bring your own oil and filter.

Or change it yourself.

I think the manual says any API SN 0w20.
For the transmission drain and fill one every 30K miles with your Honda fluid

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
I believe Honda claims they have special break in oil and it needs run to its normal interval. All 0w20 is synthetic and I believe any 0w20 will do. Just pick the cheapest one or pick your favorite brand and you can't go wrong.

Not really. There are some semi-syn 0W20, one of them is Honda.

 

[Trav]

Is this the VCM engine? If it is its a whole different animal.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Wait until 15% or one year, whichever comes first.

 

[AirgunSavant]

My 2013 Sport went to 9500 by the olm and used no oil.
Go by the olm. I have purchased 1000's of items from Amazon and never got anything bogus.

 

[ag_ghost]

I agree with most of the replies above. As to which oil, page 463 or 464 of the owner's manual lays it all out. Note that it says you *may* use "full synthetic" as long as it has the API certification (link below to a 37 MB PDF):
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AH/A3L1515OM/enu/A3L1515OM.pdf

BTW, the term "synthetic" is *NOT* a precise term, especially in the US.

I recently posted a UOA, albeit for an I-4 engine in a '15 CRV; the primary difference measurable in a 'consumer-level' analysis was that the factory oil has loads of moly. I'd be blown away if yours was different.

With the proliferation of brands and viscosity in today's market, good service mechanics are used to people bringing their own oil and filter. Just tell them you'll pay a nominal "corkage" fee if they whine. You've been using them forever, then they should respect your wishes.

I'm not surprised the OLM is only at 50% OLM. Of course, you can choose to follow the owner's manual/OLM or pay attention to online opinions to do it sooner. It's your time, money and ability to sleep at night. If you run across verifiable data that the engine will last longer by changing the oil sooner than the OLM indicates, please post it. Enjoy the ride - drive it like you stole it!
Kevin

 

[Eddie]

I wonder why we sometimes feel we know better than what the factory recommends? Do we have data or is it just a "feeling" that the factory is wrong. Just go with what the factory recommends and enjoy your vehicle for the 250K miles. Ed

 

[fdcg27]

Your first buy should be a set of ramps.
You can then do your own oil changes easily.
Why pay someone to do an easy job?
WRT first drain, listen to Honda. Their factory builds are world class, so if they think that the excess moly from the assembly lube should be left in the engine oil for a full normal OCI, then why not do it their way?
They know more than you, me or anyone else on here.
I dropped the FF at 8.7K and 15% MM on our '12 Accord, because that was what Honda recommended.
What to use?
While I hate to join the choir, you really can't go wrong with a Fram Ultra, although the OEM rock catchers are quite cheap online.
For oil, any 0W-20 would be a good pick, but M1 AFE seems like a bargain for what you get.

 

[dew]

I would leave the FF in exactly as the manual states. Full synthetic will probably make a difference over 20 years. Plus, it allows you to go the full extent of the MM without much risk

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
I wonder why we sometimes feel we know better than what the factory recommends? Do we have data or is it just a "feeling" that the factory is wrong. Just go with what the factory recommends and enjoy your vehicle for the 250K miles. Ed


I wonder if sludge in engines, failed spool valves, coked up rings, high oil consumption, a lost class action law suit has anything to do with it.

 

[Indydriver]

Oh boy, my favorite subject...Honda V6's. I became an expert when our 2011 VCM Accord was included in the national class action lawsuit. Let me try to distill a TON of research and hard won knowledge for you.

1. Does the 2015 Coupe have the VCM (cylinder deactivation)? In 2011, the manual coupe did not.
2. If yes, all below applies. If not, less to worry about.
3. The high moly in the factory fill is not due to special oil but rather a coating applied to the piston skirts that slowly dissolves into the FF. This is why Honda taught their dealers to insist on not changing oil early. This has been confirmed by UOAs on this forum. The moly coating was added in 2011 to VCMs as part of the solution to the class action failures. So, Honda engineers are telling you that this engine works better/lasts longer with initial exposure to high moly.
4. Check engine oil levels religiously. I'd suggest at least once per week. 2011 VCMs have a five qt sump and were burning oil as fast as one qt/1000 with an OLM that tells you to OC at 8000+. Not a good equation. Make sure this engine has a full sump throughout its life. Keeping oil in it will be the most important thing you do to achieve your goal of 300000 miles. Keep meticulous records on your oil changes just in case.
5. For a refill oil, knowing how desperately Honda engineers want moly in the crankcase, I'd choose one with elevated moly. In 2011, this was SM TGMO. SN TGMO doesn't test as high for moly but some experienced oil people here think it's due to a change of vendors with a different type of moly that does the same at lower levels. I'm not a fan of Mobil AFE oils because of documented reductions in anti-wear additives vs their standard oils. I did extensive research, used and tested the Honda brand "full Syn" 0W-20 and found it to be serviceable but not as good as TGMO. You will have to develop your own comfort level. But, the oil brand is not nearly as important as the level on your dipstick, so watch that like a hawk until you develop a comfort level on whether or not your VCM will burn oil and how fast.
6. The VCM problems were tracked to steady-state highway driving where the engine runs on three cylinders for an extended period, i.e. Cylinder de-activation. If you drive this way frequently or on a road trip, check your oil level daily.

Good luck.

 

[dedonderosa]

Because the vcm is so harsh on the oil, i would go with a good 5w30 synthetic oil such as castrol edge or pennzoil plat and chang it out every 5-7000 miles, and check it religiously and you should have no problems. IMHO

 

[Mark_Walk]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Eddie
I wonder why we sometimes feel we know better than what the factory recommends? Do we have data or is it just a "feeling" that the factory is wrong. Just go with what the factory recommends and enjoy your vehicle for the 250K miles. Ed


I wonder if sludge in engines, failed spool valves, coked up rings, high oil consumption, a lost class action law suit has anything to do with it.

+1.......following the manufacturers 7500 mi OCI on the Volvo in my sig with semi syn Magnatec causes the PCV system to completely plug up and the engine to be full of heavy varnish....borderline sludge. Switching to full syn every 5000.

 

[demarpaint]

I often wonder how long it takes the engineers to figure out a fix to the problems they sometimes design into an engine.

 

[ag_ghost]

wrong section.