Best engine oil and tranny fluid to use?

[majdoob]

Hey guys, this is my first post on the forum. I just picked up my first NSX last week (been dreaming of one since I was 16!) and about to give it a tune-up.

What brand engine oil do you recommend? What about tranny fluid and spark plugs? I want the best for my NSX.

Thanks!

 

[Briank]

Mobil 1 10W-30, Honda MTF and Spark Plugs (PFR6G-11 NGK)

Also see:

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Maintenance/Maintenance.htm

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/DIY/diy.htm

http://www.danoland.com/nsxgarage/

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Reference/1991_svcman/1991_svcman.htm

 

[majdoob]

Brian, thanks for directing me to that info.

 

[Hugh]

Amsoil is much better than Mobil 1. I use this: https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/atm.aspx

Link to Comparative Motor Oil Testing

I also use Auto-RX as recommended on their website.

My car has 160,000 miles (90,000 put on in the last 2 years) the motor is as strong as it was when new, compression on each cylinder is nowhere near the service limit and the insides are almost clean enough to eat off of.

As for the tranny the Honda MTF is fine but a lot of people on here (myself included) swear by using a cocktail of one quart GM Synchromesh (P/N 12345349) and two quarts GM Synchromesh Friction Modified (P/N 12377916).

Thread about it here.

 

[austrian type-R]

I use Honda MTF 2 tranny oil in all my ITRs and NSX.

In Honda Integra type-R I use Fuchs 10W60
In NSX I use Fuchs 5w30

Fuchs is one of the biggest european oil producers.

I my race ITR turbo I use Castrol RS 10w60

 

[scorp965]

I am using Royal Purple 10W30 motor oil and the GM synchromesh 2/1 FM blend in the transmission.

 

[95 CRUZER]

Any Syn. motor oil will be better then regular oil, I like mobil 1, As far as the transmission goes it's hard to beat Royal Purple synchromax.

 

[Gerard van Santen]

Amsoil is much better than Mobil 1...

How do you know? Is this your experience or do you have scientific proof?

 

[nsxtasy]

Click here to see what other NSX owners are using in their engines. As you can see, most are using Mobil 1, 10W30. (I am, too.)

As for transmission fluid and spark plugs, we haven't done a poll, but I would bet that the overwhelming majority are using Honda MTF and the stock spark plugs. (As am I.)

 

[Hugh]

How do you know? Is this your experience or do you have scientific proof?

The scientific proof has been around for quite some time. Just Google the phrase Amsoil vs Mobil 1

Royal Purple is real junk. If you paid me I wouldn't put that stuff in my engine. It contains Molybdenum Disulfide which is not good to have in your motor.

See http://www.performancemotoroil.com/Royal_Purple_info.html

and http://www.performancemotoroil.com/Dyno_test.html

 

[Hondatech]

I'm a fan of the Amsoil engine oil. I use the 5W30 in my RSX, and the 10W30 in my NSX.

Having had a chance to play around with various transmission fluids at work (Honda MTF, Redline, GM Synchromesh, etc.), I use This Stuff in both my cars' transaxles.

 

[titaniumdave]

Royal Purple is real junk. If you paid me I wouldn't put that stuff in my engine. It contains Molybdenum Disulfide which is not good to have in your motor.
QUOTE]
Why is MolyD bad in a motor? I understand why it is no good for break in, but an older motor? I am planning on trying the Royal Purple...has anyone used it?

 

[Hugh]

"Moly (Molybdenum Disulfide) is a processed mineral that is similar in appearance to graphite. Moly has good lubricating properties when used either by itself (in dry power form or as an additive to oil or other lubricants). Particles of the Moly can come out of suspension and agglomerate. This can actually clog oil filters or oil lines and the rest normally settles in the bottom of the oil pan. This seems to be more likely when using extended drain intervals."

From http://www.performancemotoroil.com/Royal_Purple_info.html

 

[nsxtasy]

I would be more likely to trust information if it came from an unbiased, authoritative source, rather than from the website of a competing brand...

 

[Gerard van Santen]

I would be more likely to trust information if it came from an unbiased, authoritative source, rather than from the website of a competing brand...

Agreed..

 

[len3.8]

I have a 911 that has used Amsoil for over 250,00o miles before teardown, after being opened, the Mechanic was floored, the motor was in need of absolutely nothing. I am trying to find the pics.

Not saying that it would not have looked the same had it run entirely on Mobil 1 or anything else, but Amsoil is pretty darn good oil.

I have also used Kendall with great results, Kendall is getting harder to find around here though.

I use Mobil 1 in other cars and I am sure that it is fine.
I have used it in a Cayenne over the last 2 years, in a motor that has had the top end opened up and the cam lobes were within specs, but showed more wear than a car with a supposed 75K miles on it.
Our Cayenne spends most of it's time on the road, mainly highways and freeways, not an awful lot of traffic. It could have been the cams out of spec or a shim or something out...

I would think that any high grade oil would do well in a vehicle if it is changed on a regular basis, has been backed up by an equal high end oil filter.
Driven properly as to process out all contaminants.

I would also look to publications that are not baised if I were looking to get the best info.
I would/have also talked to some awesome engine builders and rebuilders to see what they thought.

 

[Hugh]

I would be more likely to trust information if it came from an unbiased, authoritative source, rather than from the website of a competing brand...

The independent lab that runs the tests whose results are posted on the various Amsoil dealers websites is Southwest Research, Inc.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsoil

 

[Hugh]

At 3000 mile oil/filter change intervals the honest truth is that it probably makes little difference as long as you're using a high quality oil.

Very few people know about Auto-Rx however. It's an oil additive that is remarkable in its ability to remove sludge and other contaminants from your engine. When I first got my car a little over 2 years ago at 70,000 miles I gave it the recommended Auto-Rx full treatment. 10,000 miles later when it went in for a timing belt, valve job etc.. the internals were so clean you could have sworn the motor was brand new. Now I use it on the maintenance schedule of 2 oz. with each oil change.

 

[titaniumdave]

I have a 911 that has used Amsoil for over 250,00o miles before teardown, after being opened, the Mechanic was floored, the motor was in need of absolutely nothing. I am trying to find the pics.

Len, then why did you tear it down?

Great review for the oil, have to question the review of you...

 

[len3.8]

Len, then why did you tear it down?

Great review for the oil, have to question the review of you...

We were changing displacement... That is the only reason we opened it up.

 

[Elite]

I have experience with most of the oils. After you start tearing apart motors, and you know which oils the owners use. You automatically are sold on Amsoil. This includes my own. Everything from the wear patterns, to the cleanliness of everything, the Amsoil outperforms.

As far as tranny, we have tried everything. Up to this point, nothing seems to be a standout. But the GM, RP synchromesh, seem to be good. Amsoil just came out with their own sychromesh, but I have not tried it yet. Otherwise, I think the Honda stuff is probably good for most.

 

[PhiAlpha44]

At 3000 mile oil/filter change intervals the honest truth is that it probably makes little difference as long as you're using a high quality oil.

Very few people know about Auto-Rx however. It's an oil additive that is remarkable in its ability to remove sludge and other contaminants from your engine. When I first got my car a little over 2 years ago at 70,000 miles I gave it the recommended Auto-Rx full treatment. 10,000 miles later when it went in for a timing belt, valve job etc.. the internals were so clean you could have sworn the motor was brand new. Now I use it on the maintenance schedule of 2 oz. with each oil change.

No Doubt. I think Hugh says it best. If you are changing the oil every 3000 miles and using a full synthetic you are probably wasting your money. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that synthetic oils have better lubricating properties than standard oil... I think they are just much more resistant to breakdown from heat and wear over time... which shouldn't happen anyway if you are changing your oil every 3000 miles. I'm not saying I don't fall into the same pitfall of just trying to give my baby the best of anything, I'm running 10-30 full synthetic Mobil 1 right now, and from now on will probably go with Amsoil. I'm just saying what we are really doing here with these types of oils and the changing intervals is really far above and beyond the call of duty.

 

[nsxtasy]

I think Hugh says it best. If you are changing the oil every 3000 miles and using a full synthetic you are probably wasting your money.

That's not what Hugh said, and I disagree with that statement.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that synthetic oils have better lubricating properties than standard oil... I think they are just much more resistant to breakdown from heat and wear over time... which shouldn't happen anyway if you are changing your oil every 3000 miles.

You are ignoring the most important advantages of synthetic oil, and you are referring to old claims that the oil manufacturers have mostly disavowed more recently. When synthetic oil first became available, it was claimed that they could allow less frequent oil changes. Such claims are generally no longer made.

However, as you note but then ignore, synthetic oil is indeed much more resistant to breakdown from heat, which has no relationship to how long (or how many miles) the oil has been in the engine. Synthetic oil also flows better than conventional oil when cold. These are important advantages.

 

[jond]

In my old Type-R I tested a few different types on synthetic and different weights on the same brands. By testing, I mean I took oil samples after 3,000 miles and sent them to blackstone lab to have them analyzed.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

I didnt test amsoil or royal purple, but the new version of Mobil1(which has been out for a few years) is as good as the old version. 5w30 and 10w30 dont show much difference.

Redline SUCKED bad. It produced twice as much wear in 3,000 miles then mobil1 did! I do not know if this was a fluke or not, but running it twice would equal about 12,000 miles of engine wear so I quit after trying it once.

After that, from my point of view, its not worth the risk to run a low volume non-main stream oil as the potential risk doesnt surpass the potential reward.

 

[jond]

No Doubt. I think Hugh says it best. If you are changing the oil every 3000 miles and using a full synthetic you are probably wasting your money.

Not true. At least its not true in high-rpm engines.
After 3,000 miles, every synthetic I tested ended up being less then a 20 weight!!! That means in a 10W30 oil the additives they add to the 10 weight to turn it a 30 weight wore out pretty quick. Personally I wouldnt want to rev my engine to 8,000rpm with a 15 or 20 weight in it!

Why is MolyD bad in a motor? I understand why it is no good for break in, but an older motor? I am planning on trying the Royal Purple...has anyone used it?

Its not bad. You need moly, or something simular to protect against oil starvation in highspeed, highrpm corners when your motor cant suck up any oil. Moly will protect your cam and crank bearings for a short period of time when this happens.

I would bet theres a point though, where too much of it is bad.

Any Syn. motor oil will be better then regular oil, I like mobil 1, As far as the transmission goes it's hard to beat Royal Purple synchromax.

I've heard synthetic is bad for transmissions? Does anyone know if thats fact or fiction?