Valvoline EP 0w-20, 4,775 miles, 2017 Honda CR-V EX 1.5 GDI turbo

[SCOOTERTOM69]

4,775 miles on oil, 42,175 miles on vehicle. OLM @ 15%.
Sampled due to concerns with fuel dilution but since adding the Fumoto valve and draining the oil hot, the fuel dilution that was present in previous samples has improved.
I plan on keeping the OCIs to around 5K miles.

 

[kschachn]

Unfortunately I would not trust any fuel dilution estimation from Blackstone. They do not measure it accurately.

 

[fantastic]

Keep an eye out for Al. Everything else seems to be normal.

 

[JavierH19]

Bump up a grade as vis is low, more so fuel related and some base oil related though Blackstone can't measure fuel well, nonetheless 6.6 is low.

 

[MParr]

Yep, fuel in oil. When will Honda get the problem straightened out?
You are in Georgia so, I would go with a 0W30 or 5W30.

 

[Thermo1223]

Other than Blackstone's unreliable testing for fuel but if you take it face value the fuel dilution is dropping possibly due to engine actually sealing up or your driving style. Get it analysed by Oil Analyzers and compare.

 

[dkryan]

ScooterTom69:

You were at 15% on the OLM
Lots of stop and go driving?

 

[SCOOTERTOM69]

Yep, fuel in oil. When will Honda get the problem straightened out?
You are in Georgia so, I would go with a 0W30 or 5W30.

Seriously thinking of going to a 0 or 5w-30 and shortening the OCI to 3K.

 

[SCOOTERTOM69]

Yep, fuel in oil. When will Honda get the problem straightened out?
You are in Georgia so, I would go with a 0W30 or 5W30.

Thinking about that and shortening the OCI.

 

[Thermo1223]

Thinking about that and shortening the OCI.

Why it's not affecting wear per your own UOA's. Run to the normal OCI again but use a different lab.

 

[SCOOTERTOM69]

ScooterTom69:

You were at 15% on the OLM
Lots of stop and go driving?

My commute is only about 10 miles each way and the trip home is a lot of stop and go.
The mileage was actually over a 10 month period as well.
We have too many vehicles for just my wife and myself not to mention the boat and SeaDoo.
Wife's daily driver is the '09 Accord coupe so that leaves me to rotate between the CR-V, two trucks and a motorcycle.

 

[SCOOTERTOM69]

Why it's not affecting wear per your own UOA's. Run to the normal OCI again but use a different lab.

I guess I'm just too old. It took forever for me to get past 3,000 mile OCI's.
I may have to try one of the other oil labs on the next OCI.

 

[VTECOverRated]

1) I doubt you were at 15% Maintenance Minder...It could happen but ****, did you idle a lot? If you did, the fuel dilution should be a hell of a lot worse. Neither of my honda's reach even 60% when I change the oil (at 4-5k).
2) Flash point is 400...so fuel dilution is better than the first 2 tests...but you wont know for sure without a GC test.

 

[SCOOTERTOM69]

I just checked my last oil change and it was actually at 20%. It was the wife's Accord that was at 15% and it had a hair over 6K miles.
But still, I was surprised that the mileage was only 4,800 miles +/-.
I don't know if the CR-V maintenance minder factors in the length of the OCI or not, but it was approx 10 months and 4,800 +/- miles.
When I do drive the vehicle, my daily commute is a little less than 20 miles round trip with a few 300 mile mile round trips to the lake thrown in.

 

[dezlpwr]

I'm skeptical that adding a Fumoto valve and draining the oil hot would improve your fuel dilution. I have a Fumoto valve and I always drain the oil hot and still have quite a bit of fuel dilution in my '22 Subaru Crosstrek engine. I do 3,000 mi OCIs. Check out my recent thread if you haven't already. I sent the same sample to Blackstone and Oil Analyzers. Blackstone said I had no fuel dilution and OA flagged over 3%! Enough said. As others have stated, if you are worried about fuel dilution, do not use Blackstone! You definitely have fuel dilution in that sample! I'm guessing 3% or higher.

 

[himemsys]

The drop in viscosity hints that there's more fuel dilution despite the 400F flashpoint. It could just be that the virgin flashpoint of this oil is very high.

If you don't drive a lot of miles, Honda's OLM will calibrate to hit 0% at 12 months despite mileage. If you drive low miles, it'll still hit 0% at 12 months. I think that's what's going on now. Our '18 CRV is at 4400 miles now on its oil and is at 20%. We're 10 months on the oil. I've done tests before and it always will accelerate to 0% as you approach 12 months even if you drive very little miles.

 

[Oliveoil2]

15-20% on the maintenance minder is just fine. Keep calm and carry on! I don’t see any reason to change a thing.

 

[dkryan]

The drop in viscosity hints that there's more fuel dilution despite the 400F flashpoint. It could just be that the virgin flashpoint of this oil is very high.

If you don't drive a lot of miles, Honda's OLM will calibrate to hit 0% at 12 months despite mileage. If you drive low miles, it'll still hit 0% at 12 months. I think that's what's going on now. Our '18 CRV is at 4400 miles now on its oil and is at 20%. We're 10 months on the oil. I've done tests before and it always will accelerate to 0% as you approach 12 months even if you drive very little miles.

Interesting! Thanks for sharing.

I’m wondering if that’s a “Honda thing” owing to known fuel dilution.
That’s why I asked about your OLM versus mileage.

Fuel dilution concerns? Definitely use Wear Check or Oil Analyzers.

 

[Thermo1223]

My truck is no different and other than the latest change all others were done by the OLM that counts engine temp, hours, oil temp, weather, rpm...etc.

A lot of winter short tripping will get me maybe 4k miles.

'15 Chevy Colorado 3.6 V6 5595 oci, 0w40 PP Euro

Just wanted to try it and see what happens as truck calls for 5w30 Dexos 2. Went a little over as I wanted to change at 5k but life got in the way. I find it odd there was a trace of water in it as it was not cold sampled and in fact it was such a hot day I waited about an hour so I didn't burn...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[DirectRejection]

4,775 miles on oil, 42,175 miles on vehicle. OLM @ 15%.
Sampled due to concerns with fuel dilution but since adding the Fumoto valve and draining the oil hot, the fuel dilution that was present in previous samples has improved.
I plan on keeping the OCIs to around 5K miles.

After draining the oil, did you unscrew the fumoto and remove the remaining oil ? Residue above the lip of the screwed in fumoto otherwise ends up distorting your numbers.