Oil Change

[Gaby2010]

I know that it is recommended that you change the oil every 3000 miles, but is it that strict with synthetic oil such as mobile 1?
How often should I change it?
I know it's a dumb question, I should know this haha :rofl:

Thanks,
Gaby :D

[DaveL]

There have been a TON of threads (with MUCH discussion) on this topic. My humble synopsis is that a lot of people change synthetic at 7,500 miles. Some are adamant about changing at 3,000 miles. Several have tests showing that synthetic is still good well past 7,500.

[Gaby2010]

Oh ok :) i wasn't sure if it could go that long. This is first oil change that I have done.

Thanks!
Gaby :D

[kwando]

there is also a lot of discussion about not using synthetic until after 10,000 miles... when did you switch to synthetic?

[mlc]

There are A LOT of opinions about oil. Do some reading here http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=22&t=549120&st=0#entry12038273 and make your own decision. As long as you are checking you oil regularly and using good products you should be fine.

Kevin

[repiv]

There's 2 issues at work here. The first one is warranty. If the car is still under warranty, you are bound by the conditions of that warranty to do the maintenance as per the recommendations dictated by Honda. This would mean changing the oil at whatever interval your car falls under, be it "normal" schedule (7000 miles) or "severe" schedule (3750 miles). Which schedule your car would fall under is determined by a set of several conditions listed in your owners manual. Failure to do so would give Honda (or its dealer representative) the opportunity or excuse to deny a warranty claim. In this case, it doesn't matter what kind or how good an oil you use. You could be using magic pixie dust and still have to change it according to the maintenance schedule if you want to be confident that the warranty stays intact.

The second issue is to do with the oil's efficacy over any given interval. It has been shown that even non-synthetic oil in an S2000 (not tracked) has come up with an oil analysis that has indicated adequate remaining oil life at 7500 miles. A full synthetic should last much, much longer. However, the same cannot be said of the oil filter (which may have to be changed well before the oil has come to the end of its life). Of course, if you track the car or typically drive it to abuse, the interval must be assessed and dealt with accordingly.

With regards to when to change to synthetic, it is my opinion that this originated with the 2.0L engine of the first gen AP1. Those engines were known to use a lot of oil during the break in process. It was found that synthetic was a bit too slippery to promote a reasonable break in period. The use of synthetic did not harm anything. It just prolonged the break in process much, much longer. Since the 2.2L AP2 engine arrived, Honda made subtle changes to the FRM cylinder liner composition and rings. In conjunction with the lowered redline rpm, oil consumption was all but dispensed with. Only the occasional engine would still consume oil. In those AP1 engines, Honda issued instructions to direct owners to not switch to synthetic till about 7500 miles or more. They just never rescinded the memo when the AP2 came out, considering that it would do no harm for owners to use "dino" oil for a while. Many people have switched to synthetic on both AP1 and AP2 cars, with no adverse affects at all. Many others have used dino oil the whole life of the car and have never had any problems, either. Rumours abound and through the years, people just kept perpetuating them because it sounded good even though no real reasons surfaced to say otherwise.

On a side note: There was also mention of "factory fill" oil with "special" additives in that memo. From this, many people started to spread the word around that the factory oil was "different" and it was needed to stay in the engine for XXXX miles. Some years after this memo came out, Acura (aka Honda) issued a press release saying that "THERE IS AND NEVER HAS BEEN ANY SPECIAL OIL PUT IN THEIR NEW CARS". Honda issued this memo to compel owners to keep the first oil in the car so as to let it get a bit older and bit dirtier and help in the break in process. It has been proven that this "special" additive was molybdenum, the main constituent of assembly lube, which is used in the building process of all engines. This moly did it's job within the first 2 minutes after the engine was first started and then got diluted and circulated in with the oil at a concentration that no longer contributed to wear protection. You require huge doses of moly for wear protection. Analysis of "factory" oil and oil from an S2000 rebuild at the local dealer where plain old dino oil was put in, revealed the same composition. Imagine that! So let's no longer perpetuate yet another unfounded rumour about this "magical factory fill, special" oil.

[tomauto]

There's 2 issues at work here. The first one is warranty. If the car is still under warranty, you are bound by the conditions of that warranty to do the maintenance as per the recommendations dictated by Honda. This would mean changing the oil at whatever interval your car falls under, be it "normal" schedule (3750 miles) or "severe" schedule (7500 miles). Which schedule your car would fall under is determined by a set of several conditions listed in your owners manual.

You have the service interval names bassakwards Dave. The "severe" is 3750 and "normal" is 7500. Otherwise super helpful as always. :rockon:

[repiv]

You have the service interval names bassakwards Dave. The "severe" is 3750 and "normal" is 7500. Otherwise super helpful as always. :rockon:

You are right. It's either dyslexia or Alzheimer's but I get those mixed up, too. Will correct. :o

Thanks for keeping me honest.

[tomauto]

You are still the expert :D
I wouldn't have the s2000 knowledge I have today without you. I'd also be paying out the butt for not being able to service my own car.

[Gaby2010]

Ok so if i change it at 7,500 miles, and I drive it very nicely on a day to day basis I'll be fine?

Thanks for the Input!
Gaby :D

[mlc]

Ok so if i change it at 7,500 miles, and I drive it very nicely on a day to day basis I'll be fine?

Thanks for the Input!
Gaby :D


Please make sure oil check your oil regularly. It is not a change the oil and forget about it. S2000's do use some oil as a normal part of there operation. Over 7500 miles you will most likely have to add some oil. Just keep on eye on it.

Kevin

[sixthandredline]

I think it depends on your driving style which dictates how much oil is consumed. The piston rings work to keep oil from blasting on up there and getting burned up by a balance between crankcase pressure, pressure in the head, rpm and a few other factors. Its my understanding that high rpm, light load driving like traffic where you hang out first gear can cause an oscillation in the piston rings that make them unable to do their job as they should. Also if you do alot of real squirrley high rpm driving that will burn oil. Plus it is the inherent nature of the s2000 to burn a bit of oil. The chemical compostion of the oil will not break down before 3000 miles but you may lose some oil capacity along the way. I wouldnt make it a habit of waiting 7500 miles to change your oil. Be nice the S and change it regularly.

Also Im new here...Hello all!

[waltersailing]

First let me say Dave is spot on. Someone needs to develop a special web page called “Advise By Dave” that would be way cool. I personally change my oil every 5K. It just makes it easier for me to remember and add up the mileage.

[repiv]

Ok so if i change it at 7,500 miles, and I drive it very nicely on a day to day basis I'll be fine?

Thanks for the Input!
Gaby :D

I think you'll be fine, but just to be on the safe side and not knowing what your definition of "very nicely" is, I'll quote from the owner's manual ...........................

The difference between "normal" and "severe" service schedule pertains to the following:

1. Less the 5 miles per trip, OR ....... in freezing temps, less than 10 miles per trip.
2. In hot weather (over 90 degrees).
3. Extensive idling or long periods of stop and go traffic.
4. Trailer towing or driving in mountains.
5. On muddy, dusty or de-iced roads.

If you subject the car to ANY of these 5 conditions, then you should be doing your oil changes and other service every 3750 miles. For many of us, we can get away with doing oil changes twice a year. I do mine at the start of winter and at the start of spring. If you track the car, you should do maintenance far more often than even the "severe" schedule.

[The Mangonel]

As for Dino oil, I wouldn't worry about it "breaking down" before 7500 miles. Consumer Reports did a test on engine oil several years ago. They found that NO oil "broke down" by 7500 miles of hard use. As long as your oil has the correct viscosity and is API certified you should have no problems.
Personally, I change my synthetic oil and filter every 7500 miles. That keeps me within the warranty and makes me happy.:)

[Phill_69]

On my 07 it has the Maintenance Minder. It advised me to change oil and filter with mixed use driving after about 6,000 miles or so.

[repiv]

On my 07 it has the Maintenance Minder. It advised me to change oil and filter with mixed use driving after about 6,000 miles or so.

The Oil Minder bases its oil change time on an algorithm that takes into consideration various driving and operational parameters. The one thing that supercedes the oil minder is time. If the oil minder doesn't get down to 0% in 1 year, the oil is to be changed anyway and the minder reset to 100%. I wish I had an oil minder. It takes some of the guess work out of oil changes.

[Lovetodrive2000]

Man.... I gotta stop changing my oil every 3000 miles!!!! :)

[Gaby2010]

Okie dokey :D

Thank y'all!
-Gaby :D

[parkerdt]

I change my AP2 when the Maintenance Minder Oil Service light comes on. This is routinely at 5-5.5k miles.

Just to keep things simple, I also change the AP1 at that interval, and try to keep the mileage on both pretty close. This weekend, they both got oil and filters, diff fluid, tranny fluid, new cabin filters, wiper blades, and a wash. :) Probably in June, they will both get new coolant, brake fluid, clutch fluid, and oil and a filter. And whatever else is needed at 60k miles...

Dave