[driver23]

Hello, I would like some input on whether or not I should perform an oil change now. On my old Civic, I used to change the oil every 3000 miles, but in my 2007 TSX which I purchased used in September '12, I have read that an oil change can wait until much more than 3000 miles. Right now in the oil life meter it says 30%, and it was at 100% almost 4000 miles ago. I do mainly city driving with many stops, and overall I only drive about 10 miles total each weekday, and variably on weekends. Should I just go with the oil life meter and wait till it reaches 10% or lower, or should I just get it done sometime this week or next if 4000 miles of mainly city driving warrants it, regardless of what the life meter says? I plan on using Mobil 1 5w-20 synthetic oil, and I think this is what was used when it was changed at the dealer right before I purchased it.

Thank you.

 

[clean]

Its really up to you when you would like to change the oil. You can either go by the meter, mileage, or just check the color on the dip stick. I personally change mine every 3000k regardless if its all freeway, or mix and I use synthetic.

 

[daviddoroshenko]

You may find this thread useful http://www.tsxclub.com/forums/1st-g...-miles-honda-genuine-full-synthetic-5w30.html

 

[SLIKRIK]

Apparently we can go 10k in between changes. I do it every 5k.
I used to do it every 3k in my 95 teggy.
Needless to say I don't drive a 95 anymore so 3k on my 05 TSX seems absurd to me IMHO.

 

[tekneek]

5k or 6 months, whichever comes first for all my cars

 

[Velocifero]

5k or 6 months, whichever comes first for all my cars

You could double that using Honda oil or possibly others. Just seems like a waste of money to change it earlier unless you're tracking the car.

 

[nj2pa2nc]

i have followed the oil life (maintenance minder) since my car was new. At 15% it will show service due soon and a code of what service needs to be done. At 5%it will show service due now. after 0% it will show miles past due. My tsx has 152K+miles.

 

[tekneek]

You could double that using Honda oil or possibly others. Just seems like a waste of money to change it earlier unless you're tracking the car.

Acura maintenance schedule calls for 10k or 1 year for "normal conditions".

same schedule calls for 5k for "severe conditions", so you have a good point.

I don't mind the extra $30-60 bucks a year to follow my schedule and doing it early.

 

[Velocifero]

i have followed the oil life (maintenance minder) since my car was new. At 15% it will show service due soon and a code of what service needs to be done. At 5%it will show service due now. after 0% it will show miles past due. My tsx has 152K+miles.

And that's the problem. People think because they change the oil at somewhat early intervals, it's the best way. Anything under 10k is early technically, and you can make that claim.

I.e., "I've been changing my oil every 1,000 miles and have never had a problem!"

BTW, I think that maintenance minder is marketing bullshit, meant to steer everyone to spend their hard earned cash at the dealer. Funny, because as I and tekneek have stated, Acura themselves calls for oil changes under normal driving conditions at 10,000 miles, in complete contradiction to the maintenance minder in the car. The minder is closer to 5,000 miles. I seriously wish we could manually set the minder to whatever mileage we desired.

Acura maintenance schedule calls for 10k or 1 year for "normal conditions".

same schedule calls for 5k for "severe conditions", so you have a good point.

I don't mind the extra $30-60 bucks a year to follow my schedule and doing it early.

Haha by early you mean in the middle of the schedule. If you're used to doing things a certain way I understand that. But for me, I wouldn't mind putting that $60 back in my pocket and buying some beers or refilling the gas tank. And environmentally speaking, you're dumping oil half as often.

 

[tekneek]

And that's the problem. People think because they change the oil at somewhat early intervals, it's the best way. Anything under 10k is early technically, and you can make that claim.

I.e., "I've been changing my oil every 1,000 miles and have never had a problem!"

BTW, I think that maintenance minder is marketing bullshit, meant to steer everyone to spend their hard earned cash at the dealer. Funny, because as I and tekneek have stated, Acura themselves calls for oil changes under normal driving conditions at 10,000 miles, in complete contradiction to the maintenance minder in the car. The minder is closer to 5,000 miles. I seriously wish we could manually set the minder to whatever mileage we desired.


Haha by early you mean in the middle of the schedule. If you're used to doing things a certain way I understand that. But for me, I wouldn't mind putting that $60 back in my pocket and buying some beers or refilling the gas tank. And environmentally speaking, you're dumping oil half as often.

:laugh: exactly. I'll have to send in my 5k oil and see what the report brings back before i run it for 10k and lose sleep.

Here's the tsx maintenance schedule for those who want it

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6962020/tsx-schedule.pdf

 

[driver23]

Thank you all for the replies. Looks like I will wait a bit more for the oil change. Thanks for the links as well.

 

[Keyz]

I agree with Velocifero. Rather than changing oil early, check it regularly to make sure the level is good. Some TSX's are known to burn oil.
I do a an oil change every ~15,000km, but have to top off with about 3L in-between, so that's almost an oil change right there.

 

[tsx 2 nv]

The reason why you need an oil change at 3k or 5k miles is your filter. It's the filter that doesn't last as long. You can easily use the same oil for 10k miles. I change my oil and filter at 5k. I don't think the standard honda oil filter would do its job very well at 10k miles.

 

[Velocifero]

The reason why you need an oil change at 3k or 5k miles is your filter. It's the filter that doesn't last as long. You can easily use the same oil for 10k miles. I change my oil and filter at 5k. I don't think the standard honda oil filter would do its job very well at 10k miles.

You don't know that. And the new "synthetic" oil filters like the Purolator Synthetic and the NAPA Platinum are meant to address high milage intervals. But all of that is besides the point. My analysis states the oil had plenty of life left in it. The Purolator PureOne filter I was using at the time obviously didn't affect that.

 

[tsx 2 nv]

My assumption is that the Purolator PureOne filter can last longer than a stock OEM honda filter. I could be wrong...but that's my assumption.

I should have been more specific on my original post, what I meant to say is that Honda OEM filters that you buy at US Honda Dealerships only really last up to 5k miles before their ability to filter goes bad.

 

[Velocifero]

My assumption is that the Purolator PureOne filter can last longer than a stock OEM honda filter. I could be wrong...but that's my assumption.

I should have been more specific on my original post, what I meant to say is that Honda OEM filters that you buy at US Honda Dealerships only really last up to 5k miles before their ability to filter goes bad.

I wouldn't be so sure...As unbelievable as it sounds, right under their 10,000 miles oil change recommendation is the 20,000 mile/1 year change recommendation of the oil filter. I shit you not. That's likely based on the OEM filter so any good after market should automatically be higher, right? I took a screenshot as proof.

 

[tekneek]

My assumption is that the Purolator PureOne filter can last longer than a stock OEM honda filter. I could be wrong...but that's my assumption.

I should have been more specific on my original post, what I meant to say is that Honda OEM filters that you buy at US Honda Dealerships only really last up to 5k miles before their ability to filter goes bad.

15400-PLM-A01 is what i get

check this out:

Comprehensive Oil Filter Survey - Honda Element Owners Club Forum

 

[tsx 2 nv]

Well, I wouldnt compare a TSX Manual to The Holy Bible...I think sometimes they make mistakes (or incorrect copy and pastes from other car model manuals). I think everyone can agree that changing your oil every 3k miles is not realistic (unless those 3k miles are spent racing on the track). But according to the manual, the filter should last 20k miles. I could have swarn that the oil filters got smaller around 2003. Maybe oil filtration has advanced as much as motor oil? I am not sure now. What I do know is that at 5k miles, my butt dyno says my car is sluggish. Changing the oil changes my butt dyno...I guess I'll trust my butt.

 

[tsx 2 nv]

15400-PLM-A01 is what i get

check this out:

Comprehensive Oil Filter Survey - Honda Element Owners Club Forum

15400-PLM-A02 is what the dealerships now sell right?

 

[tekneek]

15400-PLM-A02 is what the dealerships now sell right?

My local dealership sells A01 so I buy a box when needed.

http://www.handa-accessories.com/tsx04.html