Oil Life Monitor
#11
01-06-2011, 07:20 PM
I knew this was going to start a debate.....anyway
"exv6nighthawk"- Last change in the 07 Pilot - It is not an Accord but it has the same V6 so let me use it as my ref - I changed after 8K. Oil life still had ~25% left. I changed it as I knew the holidays were coming and she was going to be called on-and it was getting cold. Came out looking fine and always has, I use a private label syn oil and a good filter.
Since, it has made trips to FL and back. Then West TN and back and the day to day - total of @ 5k. Just went and looked (this is the wife's), the oil life says 35%.
To everyone, I have OCD when it comes to tire pres, checking ALL fluids (oil, anti, ps, ect) and a clean windshield-that is for another day...I will check or clean these on all of my cars at least every three weeks. To date on the 07, I've yet to have to add any oil between changes but then again it only has 60K on it.
"exv6nighthawk"- Last change in the 07 Pilot - It is not an Accord but it has the same V6 so let me use it as my ref - I changed after 8K. Oil life still had ~25% left. I changed it as I knew the holidays were coming and she was going to be called on-and it was getting cold. Came out looking fine and always has, I use a private label syn oil and a good filter.
Since, it has made trips to FL and back. Then West TN and back and the day to day - total of @ 5k. Just went and looked (this is the wife's), the oil life says 35%.
To everyone, I have OCD when it comes to tire pres, checking ALL fluids (oil, anti, ps, ect) and a clean windshield-that is for another day...I will check or clean these on all of my cars at least every three weeks. To date on the 07, I've yet to have to add any oil between changes but then again it only has 60K on it.
#12
01-06-2011, 07:23 PM
My neighbor didn't change anything, just added oil. His engine died before it got to 80k. When we took the valve cover off, you could see the Ford imprint from the valve cover on the sludge. It was packed almost solid. It was a Ford Gran Torino 351 Cleveland engine. Don't do that.
Last edited by EXV6NIGHTHAWK; 01-06-2011 at 07:31 PM.
#13
01-06-2011, 08:54 PM
Most cars with an oil-life monitor don't actually MEASURE anything about the actual oil. The monitors keep a running calculation of how you drive. So its based on miles, total engine revolutions, engine temperature, throttle position, number of times you start the engine, all kinds of operating conditions like that.
I've heard stories that Audi actually measures something, but don't know that for sure.
So in order for the monitors to be any use, the oil has to be as good or better than whatever the car company uses for it's calculation model. Generic bulk oil won't last as long as say group-IV synthetic. Especially if the required oil has a high TBN to start with.
For example the monitors in our Saabs require oil meeting GM-LL-025A spec, which is very few oils on the USA market. Honda oil-monitors require much less (API-SM or something).
We had a 2003 Accord & it did not have an oil monitor. Just a reminder based on miles ONLY. Our 2007 Civics have monitors, so Honda began using monitors sometime in between.
I've heard stories that Audi actually measures something, but don't know that for sure.
So in order for the monitors to be any use, the oil has to be as good or better than whatever the car company uses for it's calculation model. Generic bulk oil won't last as long as say group-IV synthetic. Especially if the required oil has a high TBN to start with.
For example the monitors in our Saabs require oil meeting GM-LL-025A spec, which is very few oils on the USA market. Honda oil-monitors require much less (API-SM or something).
We had a 2003 Accord & it did not have an oil monitor. Just a reminder based on miles ONLY. Our 2007 Civics have monitors, so Honda began using monitors sometime in between.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
