Delvac saved my old Civic

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Aug 5, 2020
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Hi, I just wanted to share something and maybe get an explanation on how it turned out. When I met my wife she had bought a new 2008 Civic during the year before and the motor was taking alot of oil, we had to add 1/4 liter of oil at every fill-up. The oil changes she told me were made within the intervals at the dealership with Honda oil 5w20. Also we could hear some engine chatter starting when the oil was about 3000 in the oil change and would be annoyingly loud at the 7000 km mark when the oil change was due. The dealer said the oil consumption problem would have to be worse for them to change the engine under warranty (1 liter consumed per 1000 km). Then I was advised by a local mechanic to switch to a thicker oil and it might lower the oil consumption. This when I tried using Delvac from this point on when my girlfriend and I moved together the year after and the car mileage was about 30 k. I did every oil changes with Delvac 15w40 at the 7k mark and the engine chatter stopped immediately and was still silent all the was to the next oil change. The oil consumption stabilised to about 3/4 liter for the whole 7k oil change interval. Now it reached 300 k this week, that's 12 years later and this engine is running strong and starting without a hiccup at -20°C.
 
Theres a guy on here somewhere with a Prius that uses Rotella T4 in his oil burner.
I’m using Premium Blue Restore in a Prius to clean the ring packs. After this, I was looking at Rotella Multi-Vehicle 5W-30 that carries both SN/CK-4 certs but it’s a rare oil.

I’d adjust the valves on that Civic too. The R18 engines also use an in-block air/oil separator that can be accessed and cleaned up as well. It’s a black steel plate that’s sealed with Hondabond and bolted up.
 
I’ve been using T5 10W30 in my friends 99 Civic 1.6 liter for years. Minimal consumption. The valve train is quiet and clean.
 
I’m using Premium Blue Restore in a Prius to clean the ring packs. After this, I was looking at Rotella Multi-Vehicle 5W-30 that carries both SN/CK-4 certs but it’s a rare oil.

I’d adjust the valves on that Civic too. The R18 engines also use an in-block air/oil separator that can be accessed and cleaned up as well. It’s a black steel plate that’s sealed with Hondabond and bolted up.
I would really like to take a look at that air/oil separator plate. Where is it?
 
Rotella T6 slowed the oil consumption on my 89 Accord way down. I had always used 10W-30 synthetic in it from the time it was new. I'm almost certain the consumption was due to worn valve guides and stem seals. I tried the Rotella 5W-40 and I went from adding a half quart every 500 miles to adding the same amount every 1,500-2,000 miles.
 

Here is a little video from many years ago about 0w30 vs 10w30 in the cold, with the valve cover off.



Not sure Rotella T5 10W30, with its -42C pour point, is a good comparison here (esp. in CT where it generally doesn’t get super cold). T5 isn‘t really comparable to old school dino HDEOs, it’s a lot better.
 
If T5 10W30 had been around before I got rid of the Accord I definitely would have tried it.
 
I once knew a guy with a Dodge Caravan. Mitsubishi V6, the ones known for burning copious amounts of oil. The thing fogged the neighborhood every morning and every evening. No mosquitoes anywhere. To sell it, he filled 50% of the crankcase with motor honey. That's that semi-solid slime that is supposed to stop oil burning. It works because it physically can't flow through gaps less than a quarter inch. The van ran great, at least long enough to make it out of the neighborhood with the new owner.

Same thing here. You go from a 5W-20 to a 15W-40, of course oil consumption goes down. Nothing magic about it.
 
But but but....!

In my case oil consumption disappeared....and I went just one grade up...

From 10w30/5w30 PCMO (Toyota requirements) to 10w40 HDEO...
 
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