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Engine Oil - when to first change it and what type to use?
I am a fairly recent, November, owner of a 2001 S2K... still has under 2500 miles. The S2K manual and my local dealer both say not to have my first oil change before 7500. Is this recommended? Previous new cars I have owed required me to have a first oil change at 1000 or 1500 miles... why so long for the S2k?
I don't drive mine daily, so it might take me a year to reach 7500 miles. Plus, when I do drive it... like most of us, I love to rev it up there... so wouldn't that cause the oil to breakdown faster and lose its ability to properly protect the engine? I don't want to turn my car into those cars you see taking off from a light with a huge white/gray cloud of smoke blowing out from the exhaust.
My second question. Which brand and type/grade of oil is recommended?
You can find valueble information in the FAQ, and do a search on engine oil, or maintenance.
check your owner manuel, that if you drive hard then fellow the severe condition schedule to change oil and oil filer every 3750miles. and the normal schedule is to change oil at 7500miles
i always change engine oil (synthetic 10w-30)every 3000 miles.
It had mention many time in the Forums that before 6000-7500 miles should using Honda Engine oil to help break in. after you can switch to other engine oil for high performance car(synthetic).
My oil was soooo black at 3700 miles, I didn't want to wait any longer to change it. So I changed it and as soon as I did, my engine stopped burning oil, period! In 3700 miles, I used 2 1/2 quarts. In the following 1800 miles, it has not used a drop of oil! I usually change my oil by looking at the color and thickness of it and that generally means that it is changed before the manufacturer says it is needed. I could not imagine leaving the oil in for 7000 miles!
It is your car, do what you think is best for your situation.
The factory oil is blacker than regular oil. It's normal. Ideally, you should have left it in a bit longer - as per Honda factory engineer recommendations. In any case, just as long as you did not go synthetic early on you are ok.
1,000KMs for your first oil change ... Followed by 5,000KMs (General Honda Maintenance Service). That's when you can choose to go full synthetic. I did so anyway at 2,500KMs and went full synthetic all the way til now. No problems whatsoever, the car drives great and it was "broken-in" properly.
Read this update from last October on when to change oil, what grade of oil(10W-30), when to use synthetics, about the break in period and oil consumption. If your Honda dealer sells Honda motor oil, look at the label. You'll see that it is made by Mobil and it will probably their Drive Clean Oil petroleum based oil with a Honda lable on it. A number of people on this board also recommend Castrol GTX. Even if the oil is dark, I would still wait till about 5,000 miles because of the special break in additives.
This thread sure seems different from other similar ones in the past. As I understand it, the S2000 comes with special break-in oil that should be left in there until you hit 7500 miles or one year. In my case I had it changed after I had owned the car a bit more than one year, but I had just under 5000 miles on it. (Of course, a month later I had 11,000 miles which was why I needed the oil change then ).
I wouldn't expect the engine to break in right if you switch to a synthetic with just a few thousand miles on the car.
Well here is what I did. I bought my car in November as well. I logged about 2500 miles on the car and then changed the oil before I stored it before the winter. Well before the 3750 mile mark. I used Mobil 1 synthetic oil and the special Mobil 1 filter.
To tell you the truth, I don't believe all of the Honda garbage about waiting to use synthetics. Mobil 1 is the factory fill for Porsche, Mercedes, and Dodge Viper. Engine tolerances are so tight nowadays that break ins aren't really that important. I am sure Honda engine tolerances are some of the highest in the automotive industry.
Let me know what you guys think. Will my engine go bad now?? DOn't think so.......but we will see.
I don't know. Different manufacturers have slightly different processes they use, and I'd follow the factory recommendation. Yes, Porsche and others do have factory synthetic fills, but they're designed that way. Who knows what Honda does? And remember, no Porsche, BMW or Corvette engine short of a modified racing engine revs to 9000. If you're concerned about contamination, change only the filter, but not the oil, at 3500 miles.
Engine Oil - when to first change it and what type to use?
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