this prolly has been asked so many times... but i just wanna clarify everything i read here..

first of all.. my car is almost brand new.. with only 1000+ miles in it.. and redlined it right after 600 miles( i can't help myself, it's so addicting).

correct me if im wrong, but this is what i got so far...


do not change the "break-in" oil till about 7000 miles.
do not use synthetic oil before 10K miles. to break it in properly.
i cannot get a "break-in" oil from the dealer, they don't sell it.

what i'm not clear with is, what oil is recommended to add on it before the real 1st oil change(free from the dealer)?

also i heard that there is no benefit of changing syn oil earlier than 10K. but it doesn't hurt to change it more often, right? like every 5k(i know it'll be more expensive, but if it will make me sleep better at night, i'll do it anyway)

last question... do you follow the oil life % counter. or do you change your oil at a set amount of time, distance(i.e. every 3 months or 3000 miles).

please don't flame me... just wanted to be sure.


the new guy, rai

 

well a honda master mechanic told me that honda motors are broken in at the factory for 40 hours. He said change the oil every 3 thousand miles no matter what oil you use because bedris and metal shavings are still in the oil, and therefore your engine. synthetic only makes the oil last longer, not cut down on debris or shavings. he also told me "not to really trust the % counter". i took that and change the oil every 3000, if i drive her hard then 2000 to 2500, however i still took it easy for the first 1000 to break in the brakes, clutch, diff, and my consience
thats my 2 cents
hope it helps

 

u can just add 10w30 castrol!

 

why this? is there something special with 10w30 castrol?

 

so.. with what you said, there is no point of using synth, if im going to change my oil every 3K, since synth biggest advantage is making the OCI longer.

few of my questions are still there... right now im concerned about the 1st oil change, which i SHOULD do after 7000 miles right? after that.. then i might do the 3K interval.. i still might use a good synth oil(prolly mobil 1 supersynth, since its easy to buy, walmart has it in 5qts jugs) even if i change it often(3 or 5K) just for the peace of mind that it will give me...


the new guy, rai

 

honda dealers use castrol thats why. my ap2 has 60k miles on it, and i been using castrol every 3k.

 

ya i change my oil every 3k so i dont bother with synthetic
then again i get free oil changes for life through my dealer.
3k and synthetic might get pricey. i have heard that synthetic is better for FI though, not to sure how that works so i will make no claims.

 

thought they use a rebadged honda oil (Mobil Drive Clean)???
i read it from one of this thread, i think the famous RR said it...


the new guy, rai

 

ya castrol is good, my buddy who rebuilds chevy engines says stay away from(not sure what the repercusions are of bad mouthing a product on the net)so lets say the kind in a yellow bottle and begins with a p. he says he can always tell when people use it regulalry because there is considerably more sludge.

 

I'd be surprised if you need to add any oil in your new S2000 (congrats). But if you do (very important to check the level weekly), any SL or API SM rated 30 wt. oil will do the trick. The brake in oil is very thin (20 wt) and loaded with moly, so adding 30 wt. won't really affect the brake in. Honda is very clear about not changing out the break in oil early though. Prior to OLM, maintenace schedules were recommended for 3750 miles under severe conditions and 7500 miles under normal conditions. I don't really know if OLM accounts for lots of starts and stops, short trips, dusty and dirty conditions, or high ambient temps, but you should. These conditions contribute to higher fuel dilution and dirt in your engine. Fuel obliterates the oil's ability to lubricate properly and dirt (silicon) is the most abrasive thing you could add to your oil, thus the severe schedule should be followed until used oil analysis shows you can go longer with your oil and filter. If you are a road warrior and drive with the cruise control on (I can count on one hand the number of times I've used it in 4 years), you might fit into the normal schedule and use the OLM for oil changes. But do yourself a favor and get a UOA done to confirm you aren't going too long.
When to switch to synthetic? Honda says it doesn't matter, as long as you don't change out the break in oil early. This seems to prove out with AP2's and oil consumption polls we've done here. Also, I have never seen a UOA from the F22c that shows any significant wear increase using dino over synthetic. So I don't see any significant advantage to staying with dino until 10K miles in a AP2.
What oil to use? Honda's recommended 10W30 or 5w40? I think that's a great starting point. Do a UOA after a couple of fills and see where you stand as far as wear rates. It will also let you know if something is wrong with your engine, which is better to know while you're still under warranty. Great insurance IMO. It's just like getting blood work done on yourself.
Should you use synthetic or dino? That's your call. Whatever you feel comfortable with. I think synthetics would have less of a chance to shear from heat or fuel if you choose to follow the OLM. Staying in the original viscosity range helps to protect your engine at normal and higher operating temps. That being said, I can't say I've seen a poor UOA from a S2000 yet. This engine seems pretty bullet proof, a strong endorsement to Honda engineering. I think that's why Honda is so hesitant to change the formula!