Engine oil

[guest5505]

could anyone clarify what engine oil I should use. The leaflet with my handbook says 10W-40, but I've seen posts on here that say otherwise.   

[guest255]

according to castrol it recommends 0W-30

[Eddie Honda]

Just to confuse things:


IMG_20150305_113937_401 by macplaxton, on Flickr

IMG_20150305_113956_569 by macplaxton, on Flickr

^^^^ That's what I put in last time.

http://www.honda.ie/web/oil-application-guide/

[guest5505]

Thanks, very confusing! To what extent is it "safe" to depart from the manufacturers recommendation, which according to my leaflet is 10w40? I've got 5w30 in the garage which I'd like to use up, but as a 30w is thinner oil than a 40w I'm worried whether it is safe it use.

[guest4283]

I'm using 5w 30, changing it every 6 months as the mileage I do warrants the severe use schedule.

I have used 0w 30 once before and it sure is a runny oil. The current thinking is that the less viscous an oil is at start up the quicker it will arrive at the parts it needs to lubricate so less engine wear.

Anyhow pretty sure dealer was using 10w 40 every 12mths for the first six years of its life before I bought it!

[Eddie Honda]

I've got 5w30 in the garage which I'd like to use up,

From the related page: http://www.honda.ie/contentv3/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&pageID=22978&parentID=22908

Petrol Engine Oil

The recommended petrol engine oil, with the exception of Hybrid models, (for Western European driving and weather conditions) is a synthetic engine oil meeting the minimum specification of ACEA A1/B1. The range of Honda Genuine Oil viscosities are 0W-20, 5W40 and 10W40.

If the 5W30 meets that spec, chuck it in.

*(I wonder why Honda UK are too lazy putting this info up on their local site. I couldn't find it...)

[culzean]

Thanks, very confusing! To what extent is it "safe" to depart from the manufacturers recommendation, which according to my leaflet is 10w40? I've got 5w30 in the garage which I'd like to use up, but as a 30w is thinner oil than a 40w I'm worried whether it is safe it use.

Don't worry about using a thicker oil,  it may cost you 0.001MPG which depending on how many miles you do may not equate to a lot of money.  As Eddie Honda says if it oil meets the specs shown - and is slightly thinner or thicker -chuck it in.  Modern oils are so good it is almost impossible today to get a bad oil as long as you buy reasonably priced branded ones and not a supermarket special at £5.99 for 5 litres.

Thinner oils have come about for 'fuel saving' as the thinner the oil the less 'viscous friction' they have (when they get churned around in the engine) - to simulate this try moving a teaspoon around in a pot of thick yoghurt or honey and then in a glass of water.  Gearbox oils in particular have gone from heavy oils that would hardly run out of the bottle if you turned it upside down to something to akin to engine oil,  as this gives big savings when the gears are churning them around in the gearbox.   Personally I use Molyslip in oil, it sticks to bearing surfaces and doesn't have to 'get there quickly on startup' because it never goes away from where is is supposed to be.   I suppose problem with thinner oil is that although it gets to bearings quicker when engine starts it also drains away quicker when engine stops. 

[VicW]

I suppose problem with thinner oil is that although it gets to bearings quicker when engine starts it also drains away quicker when engine stops.

Apparently modern, good quality, oils are designed to not drain away from bearing surfaces as quickly so that the surfaces are protected on start-up.

Vic.

[guest5505]

Ok, thanks all. So it sounds as though using a different spec oil won't cause any damage, which I didn't know beforehand. I'm not bothered about mpg so I'll use the 5w30 up that I have in the garage.