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I have devised this plan, semi-tailored to the Accord V6. Pretty simple, but the intervals are well thought out and not over the top but yet dont undercut. I find that most Accord owners already use a similar interval. I can edit this and include more detail.
First Im going to attempt to educated on how to chose an oil and why.
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First i would like to disband a common myth. 0w-30, 5w-30, and 10w-30, are all the SAME viscosity at operating temperature.
For simplicity, im gonna use 30 grade oils as my example.
Viscosity Index: A rating on how much an oil with thicken when cold, and thin out when overheated. The higher the better. 0w have a higher VI than 5w or 10w, so it remains thinner when cold.
NOACK%: The volatility of an oil. The lower this number the better.
10w oils start out as a 10 grade and use either high tech base stocks or viscosity index improvers (VII) to obtain a 30 grade at operation temp. Same with 5w starting out as a 5 grade. And 0w starting out with less than a 5 grade. With conventional oils, the base stock has to be pumped with VII to get a 5w to a 30 grade, and a 10w to a 30 grade. These VII polymers are activated with heat. So when the oil is cold, it has the properties of a 5w or 10w. When the oil is heated and the polymers are activated, the oil has properties of a 30 grade.
With synthetics, a high tech base stock can be used to achieve this same effect without the use of polymers. So basically, a 10w30 synthetic uses virtually no polymers making it very shear stable. 5w may use a few polymers, and 0w may use a medium amount of polymer. Not all synthetics are created equal, so certain brands may use more polymer than others.
Their is a positive correlation between NOACK% and Viscosity Index (VI). A oil with a high VI and a high NOACK is chaulked full of polymer, good for DD but not for abuse. An oil with a low VI and a low NOACK indicates an oil with minimal polymer, good for abuse, but not for DD. THEN there are special oils, that have a high VI and a low NOACK. These are your Pennzoil Ultra, Redline, Amsoil Signature, Mobil 1 0w-40, Castrol 0w-30, BMW 5w-30 and a handful of others. The low NOACK indicated minimal polymer, so one can assume that the high VI is achieved through superior base stocks.
Oils full over VII polymer are more prone to shear and breakdown. Hence why the S2000 was specced for 10w-30 conventional, and not 5w-30. But, as i mentioned before, synthetics do not use as much polymer to achieve the VI. Also, even in oils like Eneos Sustina (highest VI oil on the planet) which are FULL of polymer are shear resistant due to the quality of the polymer. This is the same case with the Mobil 1 0w-40 im using.
Ok now that you have a background understanding. Toyota 0w-20 has a HIGH VI of 221. When compared to Mobil 1 5w-20 (VI 160), the Toyota is almost 3x thinner at 0*F. Much quicker oil flow and ease of cranking. Toyota 0w-20 has alot of polymer, however it is pretty shear resistant.
Mobil 1 0w-40 is factory fill in Porsche, Mercedes, Aston, and GT-R, it is also approved for new Corvettes. Even the new SRT cars and Viper us Pennzoil Ultra 0w-40. The 0w-40 is a VERY shear resistant oil (low NOACK) dispite its high VI. The VI is achieved through superior base stocks, not polymer. It has a VI of 185. Since it is BMW LL-01 approved, it is considered a long drain oil. Mobil 1 0w-40 is NOT an "energy conserving" oil, so it is not subject to the ZDDP anti-wear limitations that other EC oils are.
For my usage (autocross), the Toyota 0w-20 is too thin, and the Mobil 1 0w-40 is too thick. So i mix them. In the correct ratio, I get a 0w-30 oil that is the same operating temp viscosity as Mobil 1 5w-30 (VI 172). Except, my oil is 1.6x thinner when 0*F, and will not be subject to thinning out as much due to overheating. AND it has more ZDDP than Mobil 1 5w-30. My blend has a VI of 198.
I am a firm believe in using an oil based on the expected usage of the vehicle. My expected usage dictates that i use a medium thick 30 grade oil.
I would also like to add that both Mobil 1 0w-40 and Toyota 0w-20 are made by ExxonMobil
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Filters:
0-3300 miles (0-4 months): Purolator Classic, Fram Extra Guard, STP, Microguard, DriveWorks
3301-5000 miles (4-6 months): Purolator PureOne, Fram Tough Guard, Wix, Bosch Premium, AC Delco, MotorCraft
5001+ miles (6+ months): Purolator Synthetic, Fram Ultra, Bosch Distance+, Mobil 1 EP, K&N, Royal Purple
Ill Rank my top 3 picks for oil in order
Conventional 5w-20: Castrol GTX, Mobil Super, Pennzoil
Conventional 5w-30: Valvoline Premium or NextGen, Mobil Super, Pennzoil
Conventional 10w-30: Castrol GTX, Mobil Super, Valvoline NextGen, Pennzoil
Synthetic 0w-20: Quaker State Ultimate Durability, Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1
Synthetic 5w-20: Pennzoil Platinum, Quaker State Ultimate Durability, Castrol Edge Titanium
Synthetic 0w-30: Mobil 1
Synthetic 5w-30: Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline SynPower, Mobil 1, Quaker State Ultimate Durability
Synthetic 10w-30: Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline SynPower, Mobil Super Synthetic, Quaker State Ultimate Durability.
Ultra High performance synthetics (these generally are more expensive and have unique additive packages and extra-strong base stocks)
0w-20: Redline, Amsoil Signature, Mazda w/ Moly, Toyota Genuine, Subaru.
5w-20: Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Signature, Redline
0w-30: Amsoil Signature, Redline
5w-30: Redline, Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Signature
10w-30: Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Z-Rod, Amsoil Signature, Redline
Standard Royal Purple is not in this group of Ultra High Performance Synthetics. Mainly because it sucks. However, i would expect Royal Purple HPS to fall in this catagory.
My personal blend: 3qt Toyota 0w-20 with 1.5qt Mobil 1 0w-40. Designed for general abuse, drag racing, ect.
More performance (autocross and such): 2qt Toyota 0w-20 with 2.5qt Mobil 1 0w-40.
This oil is designed to give you the best starting ability possible while still ranging from a medium thickness 0w-30, to a thick 0w-30. The 0w is not just for cold weather performance, it also helps the oil resist thinning out when overheated from racing. The Mobil 1 0w-40 has higher than average zinc/phosphorus. Both oils are made by ExxonMobil. For even MORE fun for those who want the best possible oil. Try Mazda w/ Moly 0w-20 OR Eneos Sustina 0w-20, mixed with Redline 0w-40.
Ill be updating this with a little more detail within the next few days.
Post any questions, ill be happy to answer them. Ill also give recommendations on oil, based on the expected usage of the vehicle and your price range.
5,000 or 6 months (conventional) -- For severe usage: 2500-3300
7,500 or 9 months (synthetic) -- For more severe use: 3800-5000
Oil filter
Rotate tires
Power steering fluid -- Just suck the resivour fluid out and replace it with fresh fluid. The purpose is to just slowly change the fluid throughout the life of the car. So when the car is old and has high mileage your P/S wont go out and youll have to pay 1000 bucks to fix it. Instead, spend an extra $1.50 every oil change. This stuff is nasty. Very simple to do. Use Honda fluid only
20,000 or 2 year
Wiper blades -- One thing i never skimp on. For cheapo blades, try 15k or 18 months
30,000 or 3 years:
Engine air filter -- Most of us have a aftermarket open filter intake. Clean this every 15,000 or 12 months.
In-cabin air filter -- HVAC airflow not as good as it used to be? Check your cabin filter behind your glovebox. You can get a replacement for about $8 on eBay.
Automatic transmisson fluid -- After many reading analysis' on ATX fluid, this stuff does not last very long at all. Viscosity does not break down, but there is a serious amount of insolubles. OEM fluid is adequate, Redline, Amsoil, & German Castrol ATX fluid are well above adequate. Increase shift quality and longevity should be expected. A simple drain and fill every 30k/3yr will keep the fluid fresh and clean. Around 3-4qts will come out, each time. There are 7.6qts in the 5-speed auto trans.
Manual transmission oil -- Redline, Amsoil, GMFMS, OEM, Royal Purple. If you want your gears to feel like new, change it. I use Redline due to its superior base stock.
Brake fluid -- Flush or throughly bleed using DOT4 or DOT3. Keeps the lines from accumulating water and keeps the pedal strong.
Clean PCV valve -- Blast it with brake or carb clean until it runs clear. Can help with oil burning issues.
Fuel system cleaner -- Checkout Gumout All-In-One, Techron Concentrate, Redline Si-1, Royal Purple Max-Clean, or Amsoil P.i. The cleaner is fine to use every 7500 miles or so, but if your using a high quality fuel it shouldnt be an issue.
105,000 or 10.5 years:
Spark plugs (Iridium) -- yep, these are expensive. Check on RockAuto and put in the p/n
Timing belt -- Important not to skimp on this with an interference motor, however the normal 7 years is just silly IMO for a sealed belt.
Water pump -- might as well change it when your in there.
Thermostat -- keeping the cooling system in check
Radiator cap -- Make sure you get the right one, easy $8
Automatic transmission filter -- I believe it can be had for $10 at your local auto parts store, its a cartridge. You dont have to drop the pan.
Automatic transmission 3/4 pressure switch -- Not sure on the price, but it ensures quality shifting, recommended by some peeps.
Serpentine belt -- Belts break, easy $29 item.
Clutch fluid -- Yeah, might as well. Use DOT 3 or DOT 4
210,000 or 21 years:
Radiator hoses -- Its rubber, constant heat cycles cause it to breakdown and lose strength. $34
-Nick
First Im going to attempt to educated on how to chose an oil and why.
--------------------------------
First i would like to disband a common myth. 0w-30, 5w-30, and 10w-30, are all the SAME viscosity at operating temperature.
For simplicity, im gonna use 30 grade oils as my example.
Viscosity Index: A rating on how much an oil with thicken when cold, and thin out when overheated. The higher the better. 0w have a higher VI than 5w or 10w, so it remains thinner when cold.
NOACK%: The volatility of an oil. The lower this number the better.
10w oils start out as a 10 grade and use either high tech base stocks or viscosity index improvers (VII) to obtain a 30 grade at operation temp. Same with 5w starting out as a 5 grade. And 0w starting out with less than a 5 grade. With conventional oils, the base stock has to be pumped with VII to get a 5w to a 30 grade, and a 10w to a 30 grade. These VII polymers are activated with heat. So when the oil is cold, it has the properties of a 5w or 10w. When the oil is heated and the polymers are activated, the oil has properties of a 30 grade.
With synthetics, a high tech base stock can be used to achieve this same effect without the use of polymers. So basically, a 10w30 synthetic uses virtually no polymers making it very shear stable. 5w may use a few polymers, and 0w may use a medium amount of polymer. Not all synthetics are created equal, so certain brands may use more polymer than others.
Their is a positive correlation between NOACK% and Viscosity Index (VI). A oil with a high VI and a high NOACK is chaulked full of polymer, good for DD but not for abuse. An oil with a low VI and a low NOACK indicates an oil with minimal polymer, good for abuse, but not for DD. THEN there are special oils, that have a high VI and a low NOACK. These are your Pennzoil Ultra, Redline, Amsoil Signature, Mobil 1 0w-40, Castrol 0w-30, BMW 5w-30 and a handful of others. The low NOACK indicated minimal polymer, so one can assume that the high VI is achieved through superior base stocks.
Oils full over VII polymer are more prone to shear and breakdown. Hence why the S2000 was specced for 10w-30 conventional, and not 5w-30. But, as i mentioned before, synthetics do not use as much polymer to achieve the VI. Also, even in oils like Eneos Sustina (highest VI oil on the planet) which are FULL of polymer are shear resistant due to the quality of the polymer. This is the same case with the Mobil 1 0w-40 im using.
Ok now that you have a background understanding. Toyota 0w-20 has a HIGH VI of 221. When compared to Mobil 1 5w-20 (VI 160), the Toyota is almost 3x thinner at 0*F. Much quicker oil flow and ease of cranking. Toyota 0w-20 has alot of polymer, however it is pretty shear resistant.
Mobil 1 0w-40 is factory fill in Porsche, Mercedes, Aston, and GT-R, it is also approved for new Corvettes. Even the new SRT cars and Viper us Pennzoil Ultra 0w-40. The 0w-40 is a VERY shear resistant oil (low NOACK) dispite its high VI. The VI is achieved through superior base stocks, not polymer. It has a VI of 185. Since it is BMW LL-01 approved, it is considered a long drain oil. Mobil 1 0w-40 is NOT an "energy conserving" oil, so it is not subject to the ZDDP anti-wear limitations that other EC oils are.
For my usage (autocross), the Toyota 0w-20 is too thin, and the Mobil 1 0w-40 is too thick. So i mix them. In the correct ratio, I get a 0w-30 oil that is the same operating temp viscosity as Mobil 1 5w-30 (VI 172). Except, my oil is 1.6x thinner when 0*F, and will not be subject to thinning out as much due to overheating. AND it has more ZDDP than Mobil 1 5w-30. My blend has a VI of 198.
I am a firm believe in using an oil based on the expected usage of the vehicle. My expected usage dictates that i use a medium thick 30 grade oil.
I would also like to add that both Mobil 1 0w-40 and Toyota 0w-20 are made by ExxonMobil
--------------------------------
Filters:
0-3300 miles (0-4 months): Purolator Classic, Fram Extra Guard, STP, Microguard, DriveWorks
3301-5000 miles (4-6 months): Purolator PureOne, Fram Tough Guard, Wix, Bosch Premium, AC Delco, MotorCraft
5001+ miles (6+ months): Purolator Synthetic, Fram Ultra, Bosch Distance+, Mobil 1 EP, K&N, Royal Purple
Ill Rank my top 3 picks for oil in order
Conventional 5w-20: Castrol GTX, Mobil Super, Pennzoil
Conventional 5w-30: Valvoline Premium or NextGen, Mobil Super, Pennzoil
Conventional 10w-30: Castrol GTX, Mobil Super, Valvoline NextGen, Pennzoil
Synthetic 0w-20: Quaker State Ultimate Durability, Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1
Synthetic 5w-20: Pennzoil Platinum, Quaker State Ultimate Durability, Castrol Edge Titanium
Synthetic 0w-30: Mobil 1
Synthetic 5w-30: Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline SynPower, Mobil 1, Quaker State Ultimate Durability
Synthetic 10w-30: Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline SynPower, Mobil Super Synthetic, Quaker State Ultimate Durability.
Ultra High performance synthetics (these generally are more expensive and have unique additive packages and extra-strong base stocks)
0w-20: Redline, Amsoil Signature, Mazda w/ Moly, Toyota Genuine, Subaru.
5w-20: Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Signature, Redline
0w-30: Amsoil Signature, Redline
5w-30: Redline, Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Signature
10w-30: Pennzoil Ultra, Amsoil Z-Rod, Amsoil Signature, Redline
Standard Royal Purple is not in this group of Ultra High Performance Synthetics. Mainly because it sucks. However, i would expect Royal Purple HPS to fall in this catagory.
My personal blend: 3qt Toyota 0w-20 with 1.5qt Mobil 1 0w-40. Designed for general abuse, drag racing, ect.
More performance (autocross and such): 2qt Toyota 0w-20 with 2.5qt Mobil 1 0w-40.
This oil is designed to give you the best starting ability possible while still ranging from a medium thickness 0w-30, to a thick 0w-30. The 0w is not just for cold weather performance, it also helps the oil resist thinning out when overheated from racing. The Mobil 1 0w-40 has higher than average zinc/phosphorus. Both oils are made by ExxonMobil. For even MORE fun for those who want the best possible oil. Try Mazda w/ Moly 0w-20 OR Eneos Sustina 0w-20, mixed with Redline 0w-40.
Ill be updating this with a little more detail within the next few days.
Post any questions, ill be happy to answer them. Ill also give recommendations on oil, based on the expected usage of the vehicle and your price range.
5,000 or 6 months (conventional) -- For severe usage: 2500-3300
7,500 or 9 months (synthetic) -- For more severe use: 3800-5000
Oil filter
Rotate tires
Power steering fluid -- Just suck the resivour fluid out and replace it with fresh fluid. The purpose is to just slowly change the fluid throughout the life of the car. So when the car is old and has high mileage your P/S wont go out and youll have to pay 1000 bucks to fix it. Instead, spend an extra $1.50 every oil change. This stuff is nasty. Very simple to do. Use Honda fluid only
20,000 or 2 year
Wiper blades -- One thing i never skimp on. For cheapo blades, try 15k or 18 months
30,000 or 3 years:
Engine air filter -- Most of us have a aftermarket open filter intake. Clean this every 15,000 or 12 months.
In-cabin air filter -- HVAC airflow not as good as it used to be? Check your cabin filter behind your glovebox. You can get a replacement for about $8 on eBay.
Automatic transmisson fluid -- After many reading analysis' on ATX fluid, this stuff does not last very long at all. Viscosity does not break down, but there is a serious amount of insolubles. OEM fluid is adequate, Redline, Amsoil, & German Castrol ATX fluid are well above adequate. Increase shift quality and longevity should be expected. A simple drain and fill every 30k/3yr will keep the fluid fresh and clean. Around 3-4qts will come out, each time. There are 7.6qts in the 5-speed auto trans.
Manual transmission oil -- Redline, Amsoil, GMFMS, OEM, Royal Purple. If you want your gears to feel like new, change it. I use Redline due to its superior base stock.
Brake fluid -- Flush or throughly bleed using DOT4 or DOT3. Keeps the lines from accumulating water and keeps the pedal strong.
Clean PCV valve -- Blast it with brake or carb clean until it runs clear. Can help with oil burning issues.
Fuel system cleaner -- Checkout Gumout All-In-One, Techron Concentrate, Redline Si-1, Royal Purple Max-Clean, or Amsoil P.i. The cleaner is fine to use every 7500 miles or so, but if your using a high quality fuel it shouldnt be an issue.
105,000 or 10.5 years:
Spark plugs (Iridium) -- yep, these are expensive. Check on RockAuto and put in the p/n
Timing belt -- Important not to skimp on this with an interference motor, however the normal 7 years is just silly IMO for a sealed belt.
Water pump -- might as well change it when your in there.
Thermostat -- keeping the cooling system in check
Radiator cap -- Make sure you get the right one, easy $8
Automatic transmission filter -- I believe it can be had for $10 at your local auto parts store, its a cartridge. You dont have to drop the pan.
Automatic transmission 3/4 pressure switch -- Not sure on the price, but it ensures quality shifting, recommended by some peeps.
Serpentine belt -- Belts break, easy $29 item.
Clutch fluid -- Yeah, might as well. Use DOT 3 or DOT 4
210,000 or 21 years:
Radiator hoses -- Its rubber, constant heat cycles cause it to breakdown and lose strength. $34
-Nick
