Is 5W30 Castrol GTX High Mileage okay to use for a 4th generation Honda Accord DX? I just bought 5 quarts of this oil from WM, because it was on sale for under $18. But I am having second thoughts about this oil because it is part synthetic (Maybe I should have stuck with Castrol GTX). Haven't opened it yet. There are differing opinions. Want to know what people think?

________________________________
1990 Honda Accord DX, 2.2 L, Manual

 

Debate........

Everyone will have an opinion. Mine, you will be fine if that is the proper weight oil called for in your car.....yes I can't remember what weight was called for in the 4th gens.

 

When I had my other car, a 2000 Ford Focus Twin Cam, I started using the Castrol High Mileage oil at 80,000, soon after, that it started leaking oil from the gaskets.

However,
#1, I consider Honda gaskets to be better than Ford,
#2, A lot of Fords are leaking oil at 100,000, no matter what kind of oil.

This considered, I have been changing my own oil and using, Penzoil 5-30 full synthetic without problems.

 

viscosity ain't issue it's gasket tightness. W/ receipt I'd return it and buy plain jane dino or whatever you've been using.

WHY: after syn oil in '93 caused dizzy oil oring failure, followed by valve cover gasket same; I rethought purpose of oil in old cars.

Now, for me, real purpose of oil in old cars is to maintain seal integrity, not reducing metal to metal wear.
This is opposite of what syn oil is known for.

 

Thanks for the input. I saw Castrol GTX is about 2 dollars cheaper at Wally World. I have been using 5W30, because that is what Jiffy lube recommends (not that I trust them totally, and I have heard stories about those kinds of places). Since we are on the topic of oil. I have read on the web that some say Fram oil filters are bad to use. But it looks like Fram makes high quality oil filters. I was thinking about maybe buying their High Mileage oil filter. What do you use/recommend?

 

You should be able to find some pirate copies of owner manuals. If I were to GUESS, it would be 5w-30.

My opinion is NOT to use that high-milage oil unless there's a specific problem you're dealing with. Oil leaking through old seals? Rings getting loose & allowing more blow-by? If the engine is running GOOD, then stick with the regular GTX.

I've heard bad things about Fram, including people who've cut them open to find cardboard end-caps around the filter media. So I began using Purolator. Having said that, I had used Frams for about 25 years on 5 or 6 different cars & never had one fail.

 

i do have extra blow by on mine so when i can actually afford it i use high mileage but haven't been able to afford it for a while so i go with the cheapest oil i can find at Walmart. (less then $3)

I have used Fram for a long time too, what if your diligent about changing them? will it cause problems then? i like them because they have that gripper on the end an NO ONE ELSE DOES. it makes it easier to take them off imo.

 

5W-30 is the recommended oil viscosity for your 4th generation Accord. See attached.

Fram is okay if you regularly change it and not do extended drain intervals. I used Fram for years when I was younger without a problem. Now, I just buy and use genuine Honda and Toyota oil filters at bulk discount prices. At bulk discount prices, the price difference is pretty small.

 

4th gen Accords are pretty much bullet-proof. Stick with 5w30 in any flavor you like and you will be good to go. I've run Mobil Super HM, Valvoline Maxlife, and QS HM in mine and all have helped slow a slight leak. Personally I avoid Fram. Purolator/Wix are just a couple of bucks more and a much, much better product. And Honda Lady, the Purolator Pure Ones (gold color) have the textured surface over the whole filter, not just the end. Just use the GTX HM and you will be fine. It's not worth the time/money/effort to go back to WM just for two bucks, IMHO.