Use standard OEM Honda filter for TWO oil changes

[JoeWGauss]

I have a dilemma and need EDUCATED suggestions .

I want to change the oil and filter in my 94 Honda Accord 2.2L 4 cylinder engine , this car is new to me( my long running daily is my 96 VW Golf 2L, which is very easy to do oil and filter changes on. )

A couple of things I noticed about this Accord, firstly I notice that there is only ONE lift point at each corner of the car...my golf has TWO each in the front one for jacking up the car another for placing a jack stand.

Secondly the oil filter on the Accord is almost completely horizontal coming out of the engine so if you remove it oil is going to come pouring out of it!

I figure I will just change the oil and skip this filter this time .

Can that OEM Honda filter stand up to 10k miles or so?

And are there more than one front jack point on the front end of the car?

Thanks for your help.

 

[229]

It is a small filter, change it. Jack up on lower a-arm and put jackstand where you planned.

 

[JoeWGauss]

Originally Posted By: 229
Jack up on lower a-arm and put jackstand where you planned.


No potential for bending that a arm?

 

[cmf]

Not sure about late model Accords, but late model Civics actually recommend changing the filter every other oil change (15,000 miles). I would check your manual to see if it's the same.

 

[johnachak]

Those are some small filters for sure... I would change em 1 for 1 but go to 8000 or so with a nice syn. My friend has been doing that for 45000 or so and the stick is clean and it runs sweet.

 

[chubbs1]

Do you know the basic condition of the engine? Is it a "new" car to you or you just didn't change the oil yourself? If the engine has been well maintained and no sludge, yes you can keep the filter on for two 5K or 1 10K interval, I wouldn't push it past that.

 

[JoeWGauss]

Chubbs, actually I bought it from my Dad, he just broke down and bought a new Scooby Outback...but with an AUTOMATIC..booo. Anyhow he was going to trade it in on the Scooby, but they were only going to give him squat for it, so I told him I would buy it for a bit more.

The car has 130k on it and he had done all the maintenance at the dealer and oil changes it the recommended intervals. So the car has been meticulously maintainted. I'm sure of that. With the exception of some clear coat failing on the roof, the car looks and feels like a nearly new car, amazing. It's really hard to find a 94-97 Accord that is stock these days, most are riced up and on their fourth or fifth owner. LOL only real downside is that it has an automatic transmission, if it had the manual I would have had one of the best scores you can find in used Hondas!

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Removing the filter isn't going to make as big a mess as you think. As long as the engine's been turned off for a while, most of the oil will have seeped out of the passages above and around it and down to the pan. The ADBV will keep whatever's in the filter more or less in there.

Will it be a little messy? Sure, any oil change will be, but you're not going to be mopping up a quart of dirty oil off the undercarriage unless you've done something really wrong.

Change the filter. Changing just the oil is only half the job.

 

[Sayjac]

A few thoughts. Having also owned a fifth gen (96) Accord I too made a few discoveries about changing the oil and filter on the vehicle. The first was that I needed to buy my first set of ramps, metal at the time, to change the oil and especially filter. A wise investment as I still have them for use on later Hondas and other vehicles. Something to consider to eliminate concerns about jack points, I not aware of other jack points.

Second, yes the oil filter is horizontal on the back/cabin side of the the engine. And, it does drain down on some of what is below the filter. I believe they may a deflector tube for the oil, but I've never purchased one. Just take a clean shop towel, when I wipe the gasket mating surface, I also wipe anything directly below. But yeah, not in the best spot for an oil filter, but not the worst I've seen either.

Lastly, Honda has long recommended changing the oil filter every OCI. I can't remember if that was the case with the 5th generation, I think it was. The filter in the 5th gen is somewhat larger than they spec now, IMO it 'could' make it another OCI. That said, I've never done it. Once the car's up on the ramps, after draining the oil, just slide back and get the filter.

Not sure anything I've written helps, but my advice is if you plan on doing oil and filter changes on said Accord long term, get a set of ramps. They will serve you well, and not just on the Accord.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
Lastly, Honda has long recommended changing the oil filter every OCI.
What I meant to write was 'changing the oil filter every other OCI.'

 

[Hootbro]

Another vote for ramps. Also check the oil pressure switch above the filter. They like to leak out through the sensor.

Hootbro

 

[Hokiefyd]

I would use ramps to change the oil, but to address your question about the jack points, having one on each end is common on most of the cars I've owned recently. You can jack the front of the car up in the center in the middle (by using the powertrain cradle if it has one) and put jack stands under each side. And you can jack the rear of the car up in the center underneath (usually with a plainly visible center jacking point), and put jack stands under each side.

On both of my vehicles, I use the front bar of the powertrain cradle to jack the front, and the rear differential carrier mounting bracing has a jack point for the rear. Your Accord should have a powertrain cradle in the front, and I assume a single jack point in the back also.

 

[JoeWGauss]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
They like to leak out through the sensor.

Hootbro


Great tip!

I did look under the car from the side (used a mirror to get a better look!) and noticed a bit of slightly dried oil film around the area, not leaking enough to drip at all, but it does look like possibly a weeping issue

I wonder if that is the culprit?

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: JoeWGauss
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
They like to leak out through the sensor.

Hootbro


Great tip!

I did look under the car from the side (used a mirror to get a better look!) and noticed a bit of slightly dried oil film around the area, not leaking enough to drip at all, but it does look like possibly a weeping issue

I wonder if that is the culprit?


My advice is to check the valve cover gasket first. Would be a good time to do the valve adjustment anyways and change the valve cover and spark plug grommets.

Then proceed to the oil pressure switch. The switch is like a $15 part at any parts chain store. The switch likes to actually weep out the top were the terminal wire hooks into and not necessarily at the block were it threads in.

 

[JoeWGauss]

Again thanks Hootbro!

Oh the irony. My 16 yo Golf had the exact same issue. The oil pressure alarm sending unit decided to start weeping oil through the area where the terminal pins are at ! LOL ! It was a cheap fix at just 8 bucks for the OEM part from Autohausaz.

Yes I noticed that upon inspection that the valve cover gasket is weeping slightly but it doesn't look like fresh oil is finding its way out. Must have been happening at an earlier time.

 

[steve20]

I have an 05 Accord--with the horizontal filter mount out the back of the engine--I change the filter from the top, and crawl under to take out the drain plug--Why do you need ramps and jacking?

 

[JoeWGauss]

My car is a 1994....The engine compartment in that area is very crowded with no obvious way to reach it. Intake and other items are in the way no room to put your hand down there.

 

[ltslimjim]

^Yep. It is murder to get to my PCV valve just above where the oil filter is, under the intake runners.

Not sure about your Accord, but my Civic sits way too low.