2008 Acura TL-S, 3.5L V6, 5W-20 whatever Midas uses, 4,547 miles

[Greg123]

I've always got an oil change every 5,000 miles, but I changed mine myself this time due some screw-ups when the last place didn't tell me there was a gaping hole in the air filter cover. (They checked the filter, which I didn't ask them to do nor want them to do.) And I had read some negative reports about K&N air filters, which I've used for years, so I perhaps panicked a bit and changed it sooner than normal, fearful of dirt getting into the engine, and did a UOA just to see how things were.

I drive about 10,000 miles a year with a mix of driving, but I do like to floor it at times. A lot of short trips as I work just 2 miles from the office, and I go back and forth to the office a few times a day. The multi-information display showed 40% remaining life on the oil. The old oil was in the car six months. Don't know the specific oil that Midas used, but the filter was NAPA.

Now that it looks like the air filter hole and K&N filter didn't cause any problems (see if you agree), I was hoping to find out if I can comfortably go longer, until the display tells me 15%, or even longer. I just put in Super Tech full synthetic from Walmart and a Fram Ultra Synthetic oil filter. I am even considering just changing the oil next time and draining then reusing the filter since it's supposedly good for 20K miles.

 

[ctechbob]

Seems that the OLM is completely linear in these and tied to mileage (I've suspected this since I've been changing the oil in mine). 40% on mine gets me right at 5000 miles as well, and I tend to drive longer trips in mine.

Non VCM J-Series motors are solid mills.

What color do you have?

 

[Greg123]

Originally Posted by ctechbob
Seems that the OLM is completely linear in these and tied to mileage (I've suspected this since I've been changing the oil in mine). 40% on mine gets me right at 5000 miles as well, and I tend to drive longer trips in mine.

Non VCM J-Series motors are solid mills.

What color do you have?


Pearl (an off-white). I loved the car so much, when it was totaled from an accident I just had it fixed. I didn't want to buy a new car and have to redo all the radio station presets. Want to keep another 5 years when I hope to retire.

 

[ctechbob]

Yep, White Diamond Pearl. Pretty color, almost bought one like that before I found mine (KBP)

 

[KevD47]

Originally Posted by Greg123
I didn't want to buy a new car and have to redo all the radio station presets.

"Battery tender during all repairs please, do NOT let it lose power to the radio!"

 

[Greg123]

Sorry it looks like I included a link instead of the direct report from Blackstone...trying again.

 

[Sayjac]

Looks like a good report. On my 3.0L Accord my MM 5-15% , 6400-7100 miles in mixed driving.

As for your plan of leaving an XG7317 in place for two ocis with ST Syn to ~20k miles, should be no problem. I just removed one 2 ocis over 2 years ~11.5k miles. There's an XG7317 2 oci, ~20k mi. Civic anecdote on the OF board. Looks fine.

 

[Greg123]

This is awesome feedback. And looking at the threads about using this Fram Ultra filter for 2 OCIs, I think I'll just run down to 15% on the maintenance minder and empty then reinstall the filter and fill her up with fresh oil.

Assuming < 10K miles between OCIs, the filter should hold up fine. I'll save time and expense from needlessly going overboard with 5K mile OCIs.

 

[Greg123]

Well while I'm on a roll, let me ask another question about my pick-up truck. I put about 2,500 miles a year on it since I use it just to haul stuff. I was thinking of doing annual oil changes, and then replacing the filter (Fram Ultra) every two years. But that means I just get about 6K miles out of the filter.

I'd keep the filter even longer (several oil changes) if I knew the filter didn't have an age limit as well as the 20K mileage limit. Any thoughts about that?

 

[BAJA_05]

My Acura TL with the 3.2L VTEC hits 40% at around 5000 miles also. Happy motoring and I luv my Acura also. I tend to change my oil every 5000 miles and run the Fram Ultra 3X then change to another Fram Ultra. Dont think the J-series motors are really picky when it comes to 20 weight oils overall.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Greg123
Well while I'm on a roll, let me ask another question about my pick-up truck. I put about 2,500 miles a year on it since I use it just to haul stuff. I was thinking of doing annual oil changes, and then replacing the filter (Fram Ultra) every two years. But that means I just get about 6K miles out of the filter.

I'd keep the filter even longer (several oil changes) if I knew the filter didn't have an age limit as well as the 20K mileage limit. Any thoughts about that?

It could go that far easily-BUT, watch for rust and any road damage on the filter (which will chip away the Sure-Grip and expose bare metal), that is the Ultra's one weakness. I just got done with a 2 1/2 year run on the FG Stratapore Venturi on my Dodge, it could have probably gone another 2 1/2 (only around 3500 miles).

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Greg123
...and empty then reinstall the filter and fill her up with fresh oil.

If you remove the oil filter, replace it. I wouldn't risk messing up the filter's face gasket. It doesn't hold enough oil to worry about either.

FWIW, I have had (3) FU filters in the past 2 years or so where the gasket comes off of the filter when I remove it. I know it can happen every so often, but it's happened to me routinely. I do lubricate the gasket on the 'new' filter before installing it too.

 

[Gebo]

I'm very old's cool. I wouldn't trust an OLM. I'd just do a 3k change (or twice a year) with OEM filters and never worry about any sampling. Actually, I'd never be concerned with about a lot of things.

I love changing my oil and it's not black as tar. Roughly costs me 4 extra oil changes at about $100 extra/year. I can afford that. But I keep my cars like I do my wife, til death do us part....

 

[ctechbob]

Originally Posted by BAJA_05
My Acura TL with the 3.2L VTEC hits 40% at around 5000 miles also. Happy motoring and I luv my Acura also. I tend to change my oil every 5000 miles and run the Fram Ultra 3X then change to another Fram Ultra. Dont think the J-series motors are really picky when it comes to 20 weight oils overall.



They're really not picky about oils in general. I have a post somewhere on here and pics of my 200k+ J30A4 in my 03 Accord. I've tracked every oil change and I've used everything from 10W-30 (Back in the days before BITOG and when 5W-20 was 'that's too thin for a car in Georgia summer heat') to 0W-20. It keeps ticking just fine.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by Greg123
Well while I'm on a roll, let me ask another question about my pick-up truck. I put about 2,500 miles a year on it since I use it just to haul stuff. I was thinking of doing annual oil changes, and then replacing the filter (Fram Ultra) every two years. But that means I just get about 6K miles out of the filter.

I'd keep the filter even longer (several oil changes) if I knew the filter didn't have an age limit as well as the 20K mileage limit. Any thoughts about that?



I would just do an oil and filter change every 2 years.