Acura 3.7L engine oil consumption..another thought

[MajorCavalry]

I currently own a 2012 TL with the 3.7L engine which recently had the short block replaced along with valve guide seals due to oil consumption issues.
I have owned this car since new. Despite following the break-in procedure to the letter and changing oil at 15% MM with synthetic 5W-20 oil, it started consuming oil at the 50K mark.

My question is: Is this a problem unique to the US market? This 3.7L engine is used in many European countries with a recommendation for 0w-30 oil or as an alternative 0w-40. Do these countries suffer the same oil consumption issue?

I do not think Acura NA has stated a reason for the oil consumption in this engine. I hear internet rumors (ya, I know) that there was a defective batch of rings or they were installed incorrectly. I find it hard to believe it would not have been corrected from 2010-2014.

Perhaps our international members can chime in.

 

[Indydriver]

Is it VCM?

 

[MajorCavalry]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
Is it VCM?


nope. Acura did not start with VCM until 2015 on the TLX

 

[cptbarkey]

All engines consume oil, yours happened to be a special snowflake.

 

[JC1]

So much for Honda quality. How much oil is it consuming between oil changes?

The 97 civic burns no oil. It only has 184,xxx KMs on it.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: MajorCavalry
Originally Posted By: Indydriver
Is it VCM?


nope. Acura did not start with VCM until 2015 on the TLX


Acura's first use of VCM was in 2013 (on the RDX). The 2014 MDX has it and, as you note, the 2015 TLX does as well.

I personally suspect that this is unique to the J37 engine with the alloy cylinder liners (though, of course, not all J37s consume that much oil)...or you were simply unlucky. Neither of our J35s consume oil, my mother-in-law's J35 in a 2010 TL did not consume oil, and my folks' 2014 MDX (with VCM'd J35) does not consume oil. By "consume oil", I mean use enough oil that you can see it on the dipstick. By that measure, I'd be highly skeptical of a "it's because of 5W-20" conclusion.

Regarding the piston rings, they say that a number of the older Chrysler 3.8L OHV V-6s would consume oil because the rings were installed upside down, so I guess that wouldn't be unprecedented. Hard to say for sure. Only a detailed inspection of the specific engine would answer this. Were the rings installed correctly? Were any of them broken? What was the condition of the cylinder walls? Lot of variables.

 

[Andrew1972]

The few owners I know with 3.7 in TL and lots of MDX including myself have never had oil consumption issues. I think you just had bum luck but Acura corrected.

This likely won't crop in TL as 3.7 is rare bird there. If it were widespread is see what 2007-2013 MDX owners state as that is bulk of 3.7 v6 out there.

 

[Chris B.]

Is this 3.7 L V6 related to Hondas 3.5 L V6? I have a 2012 Honda Accord with the 3.5 L V6 VCM and it burns zero oil between 5000 mile oil changes using mobil 1 0w20. I bought the vehicle new and I have 56,000 miles on it.

 

[Smokescreen]

Have you tried a heavier weight oil to see if consumption changes?

 

[MajorCavalry]

I guess I should have clarified.

Oil consumption in this engine, 3.7L j37a4, which was used in 2010-2014 TL AWD, along with other models, has been determined to be excessive in oil consumption in a very high number of cases. This is not in question. Acura has finally acknowledged it and issued a bulletin to dealers. A large number of short blocks have been replaced. Some multiple times! Mine is not just a "snowflake" or anomaly.

My question was, is this engine having the same issues in Europe where a higher viscosity is specified.

 

[MajorCavalry]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
Have you tried a heavier weight oil to see if consumption changes?


My oil consumption has decreased to zero since the replacement of the block and guide seals. I tried higher viscosity oils in the old block with limited success. I will be using 0w-40 Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge in this engine.

 

[MajorCavalry]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
The few owners I know with 3.7 in TL and lots of MDX including myself have never had oil consumption issues. I think you just had bum luck but Acura corrected.

This likely won't crop in TL as 3.7 is rare bird there. If it were widespread is see what 2007-2013 MDX owners state as that is bulk of 3.7 v6 out there.


This is a known problem and currently, and finally, being acknowledged by Acura. It is not bum luck. See link to Acura service bulletin.

http://www.urvi.net/forumfiles/SB/BTS160705.PDF

 

[MajorCavalry]

Back to my contention that perhaps the North American 5w20 oil recommendation for the 3.7L engine is insufficient.

Here is a link to the EU and non EU oil recommendations for the 2007-2010 Honda Legend engines. The is a page from an owners manual. Again, I would like to hear from EU members if their 3.7L engines suffer the same oil consumption issues.

http://hondakarma.com/guides/recommended-lubricants-and-fluids.312/

 

[SumpChump]

On a related note my silly littlr Scion xB burns about 3 - 4 ounces per 100 miles. Has a known issue with too small drain back holes in piston getting coked up. But their threshold is notoriously hard to meet in a test. Mine has ' failed' twice.and it eats more than a quart regularly in their test duration. They just dont want the warranty work taking up a bay.

 

[meep]

my step-daughter has an 02 MDX that's been in the family since new. ~130,000 miles. burns a quart every 5000 miles.

 

[MajorCavalry]

Originally Posted By: meep
my step-daughter has an 02 MDX that's been in the family since new. ~130,000 miles. burns a quart every 5000 miles.


Fortunately that MDX has the 3.5L engine which is not the same.