[Melophile]

I've started performing my own oil changes and had a few questions:

- how often to change the oil on a '03 Honda Accord EX V6 with 125k miles; I use to take my car to a car maintenance store and they suggested every 5k, but everywhere I read on the internet has different intervals; 5k, 7.5k, 10k.

- what's the importance of oil temp? Everyone suggests performing an oil change when the oil is warm.

- what brand of oil should I use? Does it really matter? Same question for the oil filter as well. For my first oil change, I used 5w-20 Castrol GTX High Mileage with a Fram Ultra Synthetic filter.

 

[Drew03Accord]

Honda's recommended OCI is 10K but I change every 7.5K. You'll have folks tell you less, but if you use a decent synthetic, the oil can last 10K without a problem. After reading through countless oil samples, 7.5K seems to be a good sweet spot, just before the oil begins a slow degradation. What's more important, is to check it, top off and never let it get low. I check mine around once a week.

I use Quakerstate Ultimate Durability 5W20 (full syn). Not a fan of Fram filters, but the one you're using is decent. I use Bosch Distanceplus... they are a bit spendier than the Fram though.

Edit: Forgot....Change oil just after running engine so particles are suspended.

 

[salcuta]

An 03 V6, huh? Better replace that transmission fluid as soon as possible if you haven't. Timebomb ticking.... (03 V6s are known for bad transmissions)

 

[carlson03]

I change my synthetic oil at about 6k miles...that is when on my 06 the maintenance minder is at 15%....I use mobil 1 and a wix filter.
I change when oil is warm because it flows out better (get more oil --maybe sludge too-- out when warm)...well, that's always what I thought, who knows if it does

 

[t-rd]

One more oil thread,... I expect another 6 pages of read on oil type debate.

 

[chris918]

Best to change every 5K, and that's because it's easy to keep track of. These VVT engines like their synthetic oil too. Any filter will work good enough that you will never notice a difference, though I personally use Honda A01 filters.

 

[200366HFP]

I just changed the oil on my daughters '03 I4 at 27k. Yup, you read that right, 27k. Added a quart about every 7k. Car has 130k right now.
I use AmsOil 0w30 with their bypass oil filter setup.

I'm sure Chris918 will have plenty to say about that.

Just changed the oil on my sons '03 V6 at 10k+ (10,318 to be exact) added 1 quart during that change interval. Car has 157k on it right now. Again, AmsOil 0w30, no bypass filter on this one.

Honda's maintenance minder generally will take you 7500-10,000 miles per change if you want to follow that.

 

[chris918]

I just changed the oil on my daughters '03 I4 at 27k. Yup, you read that right, 27k. Added a quart about every 7k. Car has 130k right now.
I use AmsOil 0w30 with their bypass oil filter setup.

I'm sure Chris918 will have plenty to say about that.

What're you hating on me for? You act like it's so difficult to drive up on ramps and drain the oil every few months. Thanks for conserving oil, so crazy people like me who change every 5k have more oil to use.

 

[Drew03Accord]

Best to change every 5K, and that's because it's easy to keep track of.

Chris, that's gotta be the silliest reason to waste oil that I've ever heard. Pull out your phone, go into memo pad or whatever and keep track of it there.

 

[Wazari]

A lot depends on your driving habits. Driving 2-10 miles a day in stop and go traffic vs 50 to 100 miles of highway driving will dictate oil change intervals. A good quality synthetic oil with high mileage additives should serve you fine since you are already using a high mileage oil. 5 to 7.5K should be a good guideline. Filter quality varies greatly and there a numerous studies on the web. Honda filters used to be one of the best until they changed suppliers about 7 years ago, now they're middle of the road. I personally think Wix and Mann make some of the best oil filters after seeing what they look like deconstructed.

 

[Drew03Accord]

I just changed the oil on my daughters '03 I4 at 27k. Yup, you read that right, 27k. Added a quart about every 7k. Car has 130k right now.
I use AmsOil 0w30 with their bypass oil filter setup.

It's good enough to get 623K on a Dodge, running 100K OCI.

Mike Shatto?s 623,000-mile 1998 Dodge Dakota

"While the Dakota was powered by a V6 whose ancentry dates back to the reliable LA V8 engine family, by Mike Shatto’s report it was the Amsoil Series 2000 0W-30 oil run through an Amsoil remote bypass filter mounted under the bed. He changed the Spin-on filter at 20,000 miles, and used oil analysis every 40,000 miles, which allowed running up to 100,000 miles between changes."

 

[carguy1234]

I just change my oil and filter every 5,000 miles using your standard conventional. Never any problems.

 

[200366HFP]

What're you hating on me for? You act like it's so difficult to drive up on ramps and drain the oil every few months. Thanks for conserving oil, so crazy people like me who change every 5k have more oil to use.

No hating, its just pretty commonly known on this board that you over do your change intervals, and are wasting money. There is absolutely no reason to change your oil as often as you do. But hey, you wanna keep dumping time and money into it, that's your choice. I'd prefer not to run a car up on ramps every couple months if I don't have to.

 

[chris918]

No hating, its just pretty commonly known on this board that you over do your change intervals, and are wasting money. There is absolutely no reason to change your oil as often as you do. But hey, you wanna keep dumping time and money into it, that's your choice. I'd prefer not to run a car up on ramps every couple months if I don't have to.

Yes well I don't have the money to be trading my car every so often and taking on payments. I literally intend to keep this car until it blows away in the wind.

If you don't like frequent intervals then don't do them on your car. MY car is MY car so get over it already.

 

[carlson03]

Am I the only one who doesn't need ramps to change oil? I can reach the bolt easily from the front and the filter thru the passenger side front tire...

 

[qman]

7500 is perfect and your choice of oil and filter is above and beyond. Make sure to use the correct weight.

40 years ago the recommended change interval was 3000 miles. Oils have gotten far better and so have engines. 20 years ago Click and Clack (The Car Guys) recommended 5000 mile intervals. From every thing I've read these days 7500 is fine. It is possible that one day the engine will be a sealed unit and never require an oil change. We're not there yet.

As you have already seen, you get many opinions states as facts. Synthetic is a far superior oil but not required. Your engine does not enjoy or require it. It has no clue what oil is in it. If your engine hasn't blown or seized up then the oil you have in there right now is perfectly fine. Changing it at 3000 or 5000 is just a waste of money but if it helps you remember then do it. The important thing is to change it. The reason you change it isn't because it wears out, it is because it is dirty and dirty makes it lubricate less.

I have a 95 Tercel that requires a quart every 1000 miles and it's capacity is 2.5 qts. I change the oil every 5000 miles. In reality I'm putting an extra 5 qts through there between filter changes but that's how I do it. I use the cheapo Walmart Syntec $11.50 jug oil and the car keeps on ticking.

 

[chris918]

7500 is perfect and your choice of oil and filter is above and beyond. Make sure to use 20W-50.

40 years ago the recommended change interval was 3000 miles. Oils have gotten far better and so have engines. 20 years ago Click and Clack (The Car Guys) recommended 5000 mile intervals. From every thing I've read these days 7500 is fine. It is possible that one day the engine will be a sealed unit and never require an oil change. We're not there yet.

As you have already seen, you get many opinions states as facts. Synthetic is a far superior oil but not recommended. Your engine does not enjoy or require it. If your engine hasn't blown or seized up then the oil you have in there right now is perfectly fine. Changing it at 3000 or 5000 is just a waste of money but if it helps you remember then do it. The important thing is to change it. The reason you change it isn't because it wears out, it is because it is dirty and dirty makes it lubricate less.

I did that! Now it sounds all funky......

 

[qman]

I did that! Now it sounds all funky......

My bad. I typed the wrong weight. I meant 5W-20.

 

[chris918]

My bad. I typed the wrong weight. I meant 5W-20.

well now I blew my motor

 

[qman]

well now I blew my motor

All I was really trying to say was use the correct weight. The weight on the filer cap. Gonna fix my post.