2010 Honda Accord V-6 VCM Engine using Oil

[Puckman5]

I have a 2009 Pilot with the V-6 VCM and I used to use up to 2 quarts in a 5-6k OCI. The Pilot is my wife's daily driver and I find it incredibly frustrating that we've had to worry about oil consumption on a new vehicle. At about 29k we brought the vechile to Honda and I complained that it had been running rough when cold (this was a complaint for about the last year)and I told them about the consumption. The dealer found three spark plugs fouled with oil so they replaced them, updated the comoputer and started an oil consumption test. I just changed the oil myself tonight after about 8k miles and if there was any consumption, it was less than 1/4 qt. We generally happy with the vehicle but I still dont trust these V-6 VCM engines. We inted to keep the vehicle for the long haul and I'm wondering how many miles I can count on this engine for.

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

I'm guessing that you are doing a lot of highway miles? If so I would wager a guess that the VCM is activating a lot? These engines seem to use more oil when the VCM is activated. Drivers in city environments where the VCM is not on a lot do not seem to have problems with oil consumption. GM has also had problems with oil consumption and variable cylinder management. Unfortunately there is no real fix for this. Keep a very close eye on the oil level, let the dealer maintain it, and if the engine dies, there will not be a warranty fight.

Good luck

 

[friendly_jacek]

Do we know what oil is recommended in these engines in Europe/Asia/Australia? Do they have oil consumption issues?

 

[SLCraig]

I've heard about this before a while ago.. Not on this site..
One of the reasons I recommend the 4 cyl Hondas.
Someone I work with has an 09 or 10 Accord and has oil consumption too, although not that much, only about a quart per OCI. Although they do love the car and have no other issues with it.

 

[NocturnalLife]

Originally Posted By: NocturnalLife
I failed to find what weight oil is in the Accord. I assume it is probably running a Xw20 weight oil like most new Honda engines recommend.

These are just my thoughts from maybe why these VCM engines are consuming oil or blowing it out. When these cylinders are not in firing mode, how does the oil react? I'm sure the oil may not instantly cool in the cylinders, but that could be the case. Air is still breathing through these cylinders with engine coolant circulating also. I would assume this would cause a cool zone in the engine. How fast can an oil change its viscosity when in this type of environment? Maybe when it gets thin so fast it is just being burned by the other cylinders when it reaches them. Almost like the motor oil never reaches operating temperature. A good test would be to run the engine at high RPM's, I assume this vehicle is an automatic. Switch to a high gear and get it revving. Make that oil reach its operating temperature. See if you get any consumption on running it hard. Of course that would give you bad MPGs, but it may keep the oil at the viscosity it needs to be. Otherwise, I would probably experiment with a heavier weighted oil to see what would happen, if the engine is already on the verge of failing. Just my thoughts...


I keep reading other peoples thoughts on this and I agree that the consumption may be happening on highway trips when the cylinders are turned off. Can someone comment on my thoughts I posted earlier? I'd like to hear your opinion on my thought. Thanks.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: NocturnalLife
Can someone comment on my thoughts I posted earlier? I'd like to hear your opinion on my thought. Thanks.


Since you asked, I thought they made no sense.

What is probably happening oil is sucked into dead cylinders and later burned when they fire again.

BTW, air is not breathing in turned off cylinders, the valves are closed.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: NocturnalLife
Can someone comment on my thoughts I posted earlier? I'd like to hear your opinion on my thought. Thanks.


Since you asked, I thought they made no sense.

What is probably happening oil is sucked into dead cylinders and later burned when they fire again.

BTW, air is not breathing in turned off cylinders, the valves are closed.


If the valves are closed, would that not create vacuum in the cylinders which would draw oil past the rings?

I would expect the valves to operate, otherwise the other three cylinders would have to work against the pressure, then vacuum in the inactive cylinders.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

If the valves are closed, would that not create vacuum in the cylinders which would draw oil past the rings?


This is why I think you have oil consumption in these motors. Thicker oil should help, but that would negate the MPG effect of this gimmick.

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

I would expect the valves to operate, otherwise the other three cylinders would have to work against the pressure, then vacuum in the inactive cylinders.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Cylinder_Management

 

[Sunnyinhollister]

The higher vacuum in the deactivated cylinders may indeed be the culprit. I don't know if a higher viscosity oil will help, but feel free to try it. I ran xxW-30 in the V6 of my 2005 pilot with no ill effects. I did this mainly so I would only have to stock one oil for my three vehicles.

 

[Indydriver]

Our 2011 is not my daily driver. But I am struck by how the Eco light comes on EVERY TIME you close the throttle. How can this not be hard on an engine? Shouldn't it be fairly simple for Honda to offer a software patch for those owners who want to turn VCM off?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

If the valves are closed, would that not create vacuum in the cylinders which would draw oil past the rings?


This is why I think you have oil consumption in these motors. Thicker oil should help, but that would negate the MPG effect of this gimmick.

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

I would expect the valves to operate, otherwise the other three cylinders would have to work against the pressure, then vacuum in the inactive cylinders.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Cylinder_Management


That doesn't strike me as a brilliant implementation for the very reasons we are discussing. Wow.

 

[Rob_Roy]

This thread prompted me to go out and check the oil in our 2008 V6 Accord. Sure enough, almost 1 qt low in 2300 miles. We just bought it in January, so I haven't had much of a chance to experiment. It didn't use this much oil on the initial OCI with the dealer supplied oil, but the current fill of synthetic 5w20 seems to be doing sone cleaning and getting consumed in the process.

Considering the cost of replacement Iridium spark plugs, I think it will get 10w30 the next time around.

 

[NocturnalLife]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Since you asked, I thought they made no sense.

What is probably happening oil is sucked into dead cylinders and later burned when they fire again.

BTW, air is not breathing in turned off cylinders, the valves are closed.

Thank you for your response. Lead me to find some animations on how this engine works. Honda 6 cylinder VCM animations Honda sure has a clever way of controlling the valves. The pressures being dealt with must be extremely high on the oil for this type of VTEC operation on the dead cylinders. I think the engine is squirting oil out the exhaust valves and burning up in the catalytic converter (due to oil temps being low in dead cylinders) or the hydraulic pathways in the VTEC system are causing problems.

Anyhow I'm done pondering on this engine, I hope the problem is fixed for people having issues soon. I look forward to hearing what the fix is. Thanks for the response.

 

[Mark_S]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
Our 2011 is not my daily driver. But I am struck by how the Eco light comes on EVERY TIME you close the throttle. How can this not be hard on an engine? Shouldn't it be fairly simple for Honda to offer a software patch for those owners who want to turn VCM off?



That was my thinking. It seems like such a simple fix.