Synthetic Lubricants in Hondas

Just purchased a new Pilot. I am looking for specific oil, automatic
transmission, and diff oil specifications. I want to run synthetics, not dino
products. Anybody here have experience with RedLine or Amsoil products? Which
varieties/weights correspond directly to the "Honda" badged products?

Lastly, how far can one stray from the suggested 5W20 engine oil? Advantages?
Disadvantages?

Thanks
bp

 

On 31 Dec 2004 16:30:00 GMT.
In the Newsgroup(s): rec.autos.makers.honda
With the Message-ID: <>
And the Organization Header: CompuServe (http://www.compuserve.com/).
The famous author: (BPeugh11).
Wrote on the subject: Synthetic Lubricants in Hondas:

Go to the Newsgroup and read the enormously big thread with the subject:
Will switching from Synthetic to Dyno oil harm my engine?

It covers all aspects of the issue Synt vs Dino.

SA

 

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The rear differential must have Dual Pump Fluid from Honda (every 30,000
miles), Power steering needs real honda stuff too, and only Honda z1 can
be used in the automatic.

'Curly'

 

Honda uses a special synthetic automatic transmission fluid which they say
you should not replace with any other fluid. Considering Honda's dubious
recent reliability history with their automatic transmissions I wonder if
Honda really knows what it is doing, but even so I would not mess with
non-factory tranny fluid. The same is the case with the power steering and
differential fluids ---- all special Honda-only spec stuff.

You can use synthetic motor oil if you choose to do so. Mobil-1 0W-20 is
well regarded. There is much debate about the 5W-20 specification. You
can find all sorts of posts about it by searching for the term "Honda" on:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php

Personally I would not spend the time and money to find boutique products
like Redline, Amsoil or Royal Purple, but that is just one man's opinion.

John

 

"John Horner" wrote:

Thanks for your reply.

Don't mean to be disrespectful, but as one who runs "boutique products" in my
95 E36 M3 because they test and perform better than dino products, I really
don't care what Honda says. I am looking for real world info. I find it funny
that Honda performance enthusiasts (S2000 owners) swear by synth "boutique
products". Any manufacturer who suggests dino oil over synth hasn't done
objective testing or hasn'r paid attention to the results obtained from same.

All I am looking for are the weight equivalents (other than crankcase oil) for
the Honda products. I really don't care what Honda says.

bp

BTW, Honda also told me not to put synth in my lawnmower. How the hell did they
ever finish a race?

 

Ok let's try again.

Does anyone know the weight equivalents for Honda diff oil and automatic
transmission fluid? It's not a matter of what Honda says. I don't care. I'm
looking for the best fluids to put in the vehicle. What Honda says doesn't mean
anything to me. Any manufacturer in this day and age suggesting dino oil for
the crankcase is automatically suspect.

bp

 

Hmmm. I guess we better not use gasoline either. Hydrogen perhaps?

 

Real world failures of the rear differential and automatic transmission?
Google away!

Are there a lot of S2000 guys running synthetic automatic trans fluid? Or
synth in diffs that require Dual Pump Fluid?

Is there even one?

 

It's a frickin Honda. It's point A to B transportation, not a real car.

One more time: viscosity of Honda trans fluid and diff oil please?

Perhaps someone can direct me somewhere for the answers?Thanks in advance.

bp

 

So sorry, some of those S2k owners are quite dorky...when it comes to oil...

Certain high class engines have been broken in at the factory, so the manufacturers
could load synthetic before they deliver the cars to the buyers. Your bland Pilot's
engine should not be switching to synthetic until you abuse the engine quite a bit.
Honda couldn't monitor the buyer's oil change behavior, so they blindly put in the
disclaimer, to minimize emission warranty works later on.

As for none essential fluids, like transmission oil and differential oil, since
there are usually 1 product from your preferred boutique supplier, you have no
choice but to use that 1. Are you gonna switch boutique supplier because Honda
prefer oil in a certain viscosity? My guess would be no...If I'm fanatic about a
certain boutique oil, I would definitely ignore all suggestions and buy that 1
choice.

btw, watch F1 and see all those kaboom from Honda's engines. I don't watch Indy
Retirement League, so I don't know if Honda engines last........

 

That's OK. We actually that it was a serious question initially, and not
troll.
Silly us.

Or perhaps you could Google it yourself.

 

would a warranty claim hold up if they tear down the tranny and find
purple oil in it?

 

True enough, but that begs the question. If it is "just
transportation", why would anyone in their right mind want to use the
most expensive lubricants in it? Doesn't make sense. When many
Honda's have run 300, 400 and even 500,000 miles on "dino oil", it is
clear that Honda's don't need anything else. Hope you find your
answer, but it seems pointless.

 

It might not if and only if Honda provides their specified Honda tranny fluid
free of charge for the life of the vehicle.

As long as the purple or red or whatever color oil it is, meets the minimum
technical specification from Honda, they most certainly will. Laws are funny
that way.

bp

 

1. I like RedLine tech support. They should be able to answer any
questions of a technical nature.

2. 5W20 oils are used to meet fuel economy requirements.

3. Amsoil is MLM

4. RedLine uses commercial distribution.

5. Mobil 1 speaks for itself

Personally, I use high grade dino oil on any internal combustion engine
application and change it every 5K but prefer synthetic for everything else.


JT

 

Red Line and Amsoil are fine products. However; you MUST still follow
Honda's recommended replacement intervals... Period, end of story.

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That says it all...

Sorry bp.

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Have you read your owner's manual?

You Go bp..

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arent some of those bimmers required to use $8/qt oil?

 

I suspect they are required to use a xW-40 viscosity, convienently available
at outrageous dealer markup.