well in that case, the owner's manual says 7500 for the factory oil. and actually yes, the engine does take 7500-10,000 to properly break in before you'd be able to use synthetic.

 

Here is a link to the venerable 'Oil Journals'. Excellent reading for anyone with a real interest in motor oil, differential fluid, and transmission fluid. If you have about 10 free hours I recommend reading them ALL. That said I did my first change at around 3000 ( because I was laying up the car for a few months), with conventional havoline and added a high moly supplement (Valvoline Max Life) as per some of Road Rage's recommendations.
(Do NOT use Synthetic prior to 10,000 miles!)

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=195574

Happy reading!!
Cheers, Mike

 

Pg 156:

"Follow the Sever Conditions Maintenance Schedule if you drive your vehicle MAINLY under one or more of the following conditions:

-Driving less than 5 miles per trip or, in freezing tempertures, driving less than 10 miles per trip.
-Driving in extremely hot (over 90deg F) conditions
-Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving
-Driving in mountainous conditions
-Driving on muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads"

I know at least one of those applies to me most of the year (live in FL) and probably alot of other people as well. I'm only going to change every 5000 though since I'll be using synthetic.

Also for those of you up yonder:

"Canadian Owners follow the maintanence schedule for severe conditions."

 

[QUOTE=Wisconsin S2k,Jul 20 2005, 11:49 AM] well in that case, the owner's manual says 7500 for the factory oil.

 

There is an 'official' Honda service bulletin saying not to use synthetic prior to 10,000 miles due to necessary 'wear in' on the cylinder sleeves.
I'll look around for it.
PS. you are taking a pretty argumentative tone with people who probably have a combined 500,000 S2000 miles.

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just wondering why these things aren't in the manual? Seems like there would be alot of S2K's with problems considering most people probably go by the manual for break-in.

 

Maybe Honda is assuming that everyone will be taking the car into their always stellar dealer service network for it's initial oil change.

 

LOL, wouldn't doubt it.

 

Actually, I would imagine that a Japanese company would probably assume that. I work for a Japanese machine tool builder and it was quite some time before we could get them to understand that the vast majority of our customers have personnel who will work on the machinery themselves. This rarely happens in Japan. There is always a factory service engineer a short distance away.

 

BTW, my MY04 owners manual states that synthetic oil is acceptable but should not be used for the first 10K miles. I don't have the exact quote and page as the manual is in the car and, well, through the week at least ... She Drives It.