Originally Posted By: wag123
From what I have seen, it appears that anything from 0W-20 to 10W-40 will work just fine in them. It is their V/6 engines that seem to be a little more picky and harder on oil.
You guessed earlier that EPA/CAFE are the reason behind the 0W-20 recommendation here, and I think you are right to some degree, but not for perhaps the obvious reason.
Part of the EPA rules is that manufacturers have to ensure, to the best of their ability, that users have access to and will use the same lubricant that was used during the fuel economy testing. The reason behind that is probably intuitive: they don't want Honda running a 0W-10 oil or something for the fuel economy test, then recommending that users run 5W-30. So they say that the manufacturer has to do everything in its power to ensure that the user uses the same lubricant when the vehicle is in service.
This is, I believe, why we commonly see these single grade recommendations in the American market. Not "single grade" as in SAE 30, but one single recommendation, as in 0W-20 for all temperatures or 5W-30 for all temperatures.
We already see that lighter grades are recommended (and presuambly available) in other parts of the world, either as a primary recommendation or as an alternative recommendation. It is funny, as an American, to see 0W-20, 0W-30, and 0W-40 all recommended for the same vehicle, with the same temperature spread. I think the take-away from that is, simply, "you can use whatever you like." To be sure, there will still be pros and cons to different grades. I think if the rules were different here, you'd see more recommendations like that.
I don't think the EPA is behind the lighter grades being recommended (or if they are, only indirectly), but I do believe they are behind the single "for all temperatures" recommendation in most American owner's manuals.
From what I have seen, it appears that anything from 0W-20 to 10W-40 will work just fine in them. It is their V/6 engines that seem to be a little more picky and harder on oil.
You guessed earlier that EPA/CAFE are the reason behind the 0W-20 recommendation here, and I think you are right to some degree, but not for perhaps the obvious reason.
Part of the EPA rules is that manufacturers have to ensure, to the best of their ability, that users have access to and will use the same lubricant that was used during the fuel economy testing. The reason behind that is probably intuitive: they don't want Honda running a 0W-10 oil or something for the fuel economy test, then recommending that users run 5W-30. So they say that the manufacturer has to do everything in its power to ensure that the user uses the same lubricant when the vehicle is in service.
This is, I believe, why we commonly see these single grade recommendations in the American market. Not "single grade" as in SAE 30, but one single recommendation, as in 0W-20 for all temperatures or 5W-30 for all temperatures.
We already see that lighter grades are recommended (and presuambly available) in other parts of the world, either as a primary recommendation or as an alternative recommendation. It is funny, as an American, to see 0W-20, 0W-30, and 0W-40 all recommended for the same vehicle, with the same temperature spread. I think the take-away from that is, simply, "you can use whatever you like." To be sure, there will still be pros and cons to different grades. I think if the rules were different here, you'd see more recommendations like that.
I don't think the EPA is behind the lighter grades being recommended (or if they are, only indirectly), but I do believe they are behind the single "for all temperatures" recommendation in most American owner's manuals.
