I HAVE A 91 NSX ALWAYS USED HONDA OIL .... WOULD IT BE BETTER TO SWITCH TO MOBILE ONE OR SHOULD I KEEP RUNNING ON WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS USED. I THINKING ABOUT SWITCHING BUT I DONT KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE A GOOD MOVE....MY CAR HAS 35000 MILES ON IT NOW.
Oil ...to switch or not ?
- Thread starter NyC NsX
- Start date
no expert here, but i dont see why it would matter as long as you use the same weight and grade of oil that is recommended.
check faq, there have been some lengthy oil preference discussions.
check faq, there have been some lengthy oil preference discussions.
While we are on this subject, does anyone know the difference between the Mobile 1 trisynthetic old vs new formulation ........ is this a marketing gimmick?
The new is advertised as antiwear - presumably psychologically targeting higher mile cars - and if I am not mistaken it comes in 10-30W and not 5-30W .......
The new is advertised as antiwear - presumably psychologically targeting higher mile cars - and if I am not mistaken it comes in 10-30W and not 5-30W .......
If I am not mistaken, the Honda branded oil is a synthetic, and probably just as good as Mobil 1, although probably more expensive?
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Gary Yates
1995 Red/Tan
I know nothing about Honda brand motor oil, but I suspect (a) it's not a synthetic (just guessing), and (b) many dealers are using some other major brand, unless you specify otherwise (again, just guessing).
There are supposedly some advantages in the new formulation.
However, they HAVE changed the labeling, and that's all marketing. They are now labeling each viscosity as being for a certain application:
- Higher-Mileage Vehicle Formula 10W-30
- Newer Vehicle Formula 5W-30
- Enhanced Fuel Economy Formula 0W-30
- European Car Formula 0W-40
- Performance Driving Formula 15W-50
This part is all hooey - just continue using the viscosity your car manufacturer recommends, or whatever you are already using for whatever reasons you are using it.
Some more oil opinions, including change intervals and oil types can be found at:
http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000280.html
Regards,
Bill
[This message has been edited by Acuraphile (edited 05 August 2002).]
[This message has been edited by Acuraphile (edited 05 August 2002).]
http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000280.html
Regards,
Bill
[This message has been edited by Acuraphile (edited 05 August 2002).]
[This message has been edited by Acuraphile (edited 05 August 2002).]
Ken,
My old NSX tech who had been with Acura for over 8 years told me Honda branded oil was synthetic.
You are right about most dealers using a non-Honda branded oil. Crown Acura uses Kendall unless you specify something else.
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Gary Yates
1995 Red/Tan
next time im at the dealer ill have to inquire as to which oil they use ... the last time i was there they did not pour oil from the bottle it was pumped into a large can and then put in my car...i did not see what brand it was. But i think ill try the mobile one ....thanks for the replies.
I don't know what kind of oil was used in my NSX when I bought it (with 103k miles on it), but I immediately switched to Mobile 1 10W30 and have had no oil related problems at all.
I say switch. I think I remember reading somewhere on this forum that 90% of the owners on this forum use Mobil 1.
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'91 Black/Black
I say switch. I think I remember reading somewhere on this forum that 90% of the owners on this forum use Mobil 1.
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'91 Black/Black
I was at Costco today and I took the liberty of reading what is said behind the bottles on the new Super bla bla Mobile 1 ... assuming all the marketing hype is true .......
The 10-30W seems to have a formulation for higher mileage cars whereas the 5-30W does not hype this. Both have same boiling points. Perhaps there is a chemical justification for this and perhaps truth in advertising will still be that higher mileage cars are better off with heavier weight so ipso facto their add is a cleve marketing ploy ........
In the past I have changed the oil with 10-30W now I will try 5-30W .......... I think someone noted that racing conditions require heavier weight, would that also be true for the streetable NSXs .......?
I also noticed that my oil pressure gauge was more sentistive to Mobile 1 (10-30W) than GTX oil ...... curious to see what it will do with 5-30W.
Edit:
After getting my hands slapped by Woodwork on the lists, I will go back to 10-30W and back to the woodshed as he would say .......
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
The 10-30W seems to have a formulation for higher mileage cars whereas the 5-30W does not hype this. Both have same boiling points. Perhaps there is a chemical justification for this and perhaps truth in advertising will still be that higher mileage cars are better off with heavier weight so ipso facto their add is a cleve marketing ploy ........
In the past I have changed the oil with 10-30W now I will try 5-30W .......... I think someone noted that racing conditions require heavier weight, would that also be true for the streetable NSXs .......?
I also noticed that my oil pressure gauge was more sentistive to Mobile 1 (10-30W) than GTX oil ...... curious to see what it will do with 5-30W.
Edit:
After getting my hands slapped by Woodwork on the lists, I will go back to 10-30W and back to the woodshed as he would say .......
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
Another update and perhaps Woodwork can validate this.
While making an appointment with Niello Acura for routine service, they noted that the dealers have been informed (don't know if there is a service bulletin yet) that the new NSXs and recommendation for previous NSXs is to go with 5-20W oil change.
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
Edit:
After getting my hands slapped by Woodwork on the lists, I will go back to 10-30W and back to the woodshed as he would say .......
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
While making an appointment with Niello Acura for routine service, they noted that the dealers have been informed (don't know if there is a service bulletin yet) that the new NSXs and recommendation for previous NSXs is to go with 5-20W oil change.
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
Edit:
After getting my hands slapped by Woodwork on the lists, I will go back to 10-30W and back to the woodshed as he would say .......
[This message has been edited by Hrant (edited 07 August 2002).]
and his response...
NO, NO, NO
LET ME REPEAT:
DO NOT PUT 5-30 IN YOUR NSX UNLESS YOU ARE DRIVING IT BELOW 30 DEG F.
Whoever at the dealer is telling you this is not reading the documentation
correctly.
2002 Service Manual Supplement page 4-2: use 10W-30 oil from 0 deg F.
and above. It is ok to use 5-30 oil for 32 deg. F and below.
If the dealer is trying to sell you 5-30 oil it is probably because they do
not stock 10-30 in bulk.
Any questions always check the documentation. Sometimes dealers have their
own agenda.
Woodwork
NO, NO, NO
LET ME REPEAT:
DO NOT PUT 5-30 IN YOUR NSX UNLESS YOU ARE DRIVING IT BELOW 30 DEG F.
Whoever at the dealer is telling you this is not reading the documentation
correctly.
2002 Service Manual Supplement page 4-2: use 10W-30 oil from 0 deg F.
and above. It is ok to use 5-30 oil for 32 deg. F and below.
If the dealer is trying to sell you 5-30 oil it is probably because they do
not stock 10-30 in bulk.
Any questions always check the documentation. Sometimes dealers have their
own agenda.
Woodwork
this topic is going around the mailing list presently,and I'm interested in feedback from this group.During the summer track season in the N.E. I've been using 15/50 mobil one.Some folks are hesitant to use this weight in a street car,and my obvious concearn is am I choosing poorly?Is there a real danger to the motor,or is the percieved problems more theoretical.
Well here is the final version of this episode.
The new 2002 Honda/Acura engines have all a recommended 5-20W oil except for the NSX which continues to have a recommendation for 10-30W.
As Woodwork noted, read the manual .............. and that goes for the dealers as well ... LOLL!
Hrant
The new 2002 Honda/Acura engines have all a recommended 5-20W oil except for the NSX which continues to have a recommendation for 10-30W.
As Woodwork noted, read the manual .............. and that goes for the dealers as well ... LOLL!
Hrant
Actually Mobil1 Trisynthetic is 0W-40. I am using it myself after finding out that Helix Ultra feels heavy on my NSX. What my friend told me was that when the oil (Mobil1 Tri) is cold it has zero viscosity and that frightens me. Please make me clear about this.
Jin1976, I can assure you that there is not a motor oil on the market that goes to zero viscosity. Super chilled liquid helium below 4 degrees Kelvin does become a superfluid and is the only liquid I know of that achieves zero viscosity. A motor oil that is called 0W-40, means at cold temperatures it behaves like a 0 weight oil (not the same as zero viscosity) and at elevated temperatures behaves like a 40 weight. I don't know the formulas to convert "weight" to true viscosity, but you can trust me that any motor oil will always be viscuous. As for the dire warning by woodwork, I wouldn't get too excited. Up at normal operating engine temperatures, both 5W-30 & 10W-30 will both behave like a straight 30 weight. At cold temperatures, the 5W will be a little thinner than the 10W, but both will be significantly thinner than a straight 30 at 70 degrees F and below.
Fritz
Fritz
- Joined
- 24 May 2002
- Messages
- 1,431
The thing about 0 and 5 weight oils is they have more viscosity enhancers in them compared to a 10 and the enhancers break down with time so these thin high range oils will not last as long.
Actually, Mobil 1 is available in any of five different viscosities:
0W-30
0W-40
5W-30
10W-30
15W-50
Make sure you use the proper viscosity. Remember, Acura/Honda recommends 10W-30 for the NSX.
As far as I know the original Honda oil we use in the Netherlands (specially for VTEC engines) is a full synthetic 10-40W from MOBILE.
Thanx NSXTACY,
I'll switch to 10W-30 next service. I'll be sure to kick that good ol friend of mine when I meet him.
I'll switch to 10W-30 next service. I'll be sure to kick that good ol friend of mine when I meet him.
Sorry, It's not 10W-40 but 0W-40 from Mobile 1.
