2010 Acura MDX w/ 3.7 lire oil consumption issue

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On fathers day I was driving to a cookout and my onboard computer screen came up with a low oil warning. "Pull over check it and if it was low have the car towed!" First time ever have I seen this. A little background, this car has been babied since new, has 124000 miles on it. I did check the oil, not touching the stick, borrowed a car and got 2 quarts of oil, poured them in slow, one at a time checking along the way. Still didn't touch the stick. Had it towed to my mechanic. Next day he tells me it was still down over a quart. 3 + quarts down on a capacity of 4.5 and just get the warning!!!! That was in a little over 4000 miles since the last oil change.

After some research I found this is a common problem with the older 3.7. Acura basically told me they are going to do nothing. My theory, Honda / Acura to limit their exposure to this issue involving who knows how many cars updated the onboard computer software so it would not warn the driver until it was dangerously low. They were hedging their bets that most people would get their oil changed every 3 - 5k miles and never know they had an issue???

I own the technology version and it tells you everything so I find it very hard to believe it would not warn you when you were 1 - or even 1.5 quarts down?

Anybody have any feedback on this theory?
 
A number of questions. Did the mechanic find any leaks or reason for the loss of oil? How often do you check the oil? When was the oil changed last and who did it?

As for the pvc, I would guess your mechanic will recommend that.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
A number of questions. Did the mechanic find any leaks or reason for the loss of oil? How often do you check the oil? When was the oil changed last and who did it?

As for the pvc, I would guess your mechanic will recommend that.


My guess is when the oil light comes on LOL never had a car that gave me an oil light!
 
Try a Xw-30 or40 oil. My Mom owned 2 high end Accuras really disgusting cars in my worthless opinion. Every time I drive them I felt like kicking in the dash board and setting the car on fire.
 
I have a 2007 with the 3.7. I have no issues. I run Castrol 0/40 in it. These motors do not like to be babied. They prefer to shift at 3-4k rpm. I have 103k on mine. These J series engines are great. My ex wife still has hers in her 06 Accord with over 200k. No issues
 
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One thing to take from this is,
if you don't have a oil pressure gauge don't rely on your idiot light to tell you when your oil is low.
Check your dipstick more often.
4000 miles I would have checked it at least 4 times.
That being said, if there's no leaks , pvc is okay, try some hm oil maybe a thicker grade will help.
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The 2010+ 3.7 v6 has a common consumption issue. No idea what changed because 2007-2009 3.7V6 not a common issue at all, I own 2007 MDX with 190k no issues.

Just check your oil every three fuel fill ups and top it. Acura has replaced some motors but you are at 124k so not sure what they will do. You can always ask but 74k over powertrain warranty and over 1 year out not sure much will happen.

Modern car ownership now includes checking engine oil. Car makers btw consider 800 - 1000 miles consumption normal but generally lenient in the in warranty phase.
 
That is surprising the light did not come on until 3 quarts were lost, also surprised a high end Acura does not have an oil level sensor similar to what some other luxury makes offer (BMW and Mercedes) that I know of. My '09 C300 will display a yellow "Check Engine Oil at Next Refueling" warning when the level drops a quart. Quite convenient as it is 1 full quart to bring it back to full so not trying to mess around with fill, check, splash some more, check, splash some more, check.

I believe BMW is the same where it is 1 quart to bring it back to full when you get the warning.
 
Exactly my point here, my onboard computer can tell me oil life, how much power is going to wheels when I turn a corner but it doesn’t let me know until oil level is critical? I had a Volvo xc 70 that had 230k on it, used 1 quart in 5000 miles and let me know if it was low.
 
I find it hard to believe that this level of consumption is due to wear after only 124K, especially since this seems to have been a surprise of recent onset.
I'd suspect stuck, coked up rings.
There are various potential solutions for this short of a tear-down.
Investigate Kreen as well as Valvoline Restore, which nobody here has tried in any engine much less a gasser.
Do a site search for threads on both.
Check out the PCV system as well, but while at least the valve probably should be replaced, I doubt that it's causing this level of consumption.
 
Very common problem with this engine. The 3.7L engine has aluminum/silicon cylinder liners while the 3.5L has cast iron liners. The result has been a high number of engines using oil. My 2012 TL despite 5K oil changes with synthetic oil began using oil at about 50K miles. By 60K it was 1 qt per 1K. It was a fight, but Acura finally replaced the block. Appears to be a ring coking issue.

Later owners only had rings replaced. I sold the car soon thereafter
 
I don't know what type of gas the previous owner used, I tried using 89 and it ran terribly. So since 60 k I ran high-test, shouldn't that have prevented most build up? Will Seafoam help with buildup? I've never been a big fan of oil additives but will research those products.
 
Fuel used has nothing at all to do with ring coking.
Intake valves, combustion chambers and piston heads, sure, but not rings.
I don't think that Seafoam is going to help.
Do a little research on this site on Kreen.
There are posts in which members have detailed their experience with Kreen in freeing stuck rings, at least one with a known ring-coking Saturn.
There is also the Valvoline HDEO made for this purpose that has an entire recent thread.
Given that a major truck diesel engine supplier recommends it as a cure for sticking rings, it probably works and you'd be the first here to try it and share the results.
 
Ok Kreen on order, still a little nervous using it. Maybe try on my tractor first.
 
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