Hello Canucks
If you are stretching your oil changes to the limit on the MM watch out.
The danger is that the oil level could go down enough to cause lubrication problems for the timing chain with the result of many $ spent to change the chain, the gears, the tensioner and the guides on the sides (get rubbed on when the chain stretches).
Don't laugh, this has all happened here where we have cold winters and ladies drive short distances before shutting down. Locally Honda was obliged by a small claims judge to pay the shot when this became necessary after the owner had been being put off until the MM signalled to change. The dealer was refusing to change the oil until the MM said to. The chain had stretched enough to cause lots of noise.
After hearing this story I decided to have my oil changed at the 50% notice.
Cheers
Rod

 

So rather than changing oil just make sure it is topped up. I believe that is why we have dipsticks no?

I waited til I hit 15% and that was a bit over a year. My oil level was still very close to full.

 

The real point of the story is to be aware of the condition of your vehicle and not to blindly trust all the automatic/computer stuff. The integration of computers/electronics into automobile operation has, in my opinion been exaggerated over the last 15 years. OK, cars pollute less and consume less gas, etc etc all good stuff, but the operators are less and less part of the equation. The driver's role is being dumbed down and his confidence is being falsely increased. The driver is ultimately responsible, but his input is being more and more limited by the vehicle designers. I hate it when the ABS engages on my Fit. I can see the road ahead, the computer can not. I drive considering what is coming not what has happened. I could disengage the ABS, by pulling the fuse, but what would my insurance company say if I was involved in an accident with the ABS out of service by my action.
The world has become a very complicated place, Bill Gates is every where. I wish it would stop. Everything seems to done in consideration of the urban environment. The needs of the rural environment, keep things simple, are subjugated to that of the urban where the objective seems to be to protect idiots from themselves and keep them entertained (less involved in what they are doing) at the same time.
Please note that I have not said anything about all the stupid distractions that manufacturers build into today's cars. Waste of money as well as dangerous. I look forward to the day when a manufacturer gets sued because a driver was distracted from his real job.
That is my 25cents for the day.
Cheers
Rod, Sept-Iles, Quebec
It's cold in the winter here and we have snow and ice on the road ahead.

 

I hope this will help.

 

Thanks,
Very interesting and useful, although some of the intervals seem stretched quite a bit. Do you have it for severe conditions?
This table is not in my owners manual.
Cheers
Rod
Cold, ice, and snow is coming, I can see it, the Fit's computer can not.

 

In my case, i change the oil as soon as the oil reaches 15%, but i fill the car with full synthetic oil, it's a lot better in cold starts, because the engine revs at 1500rpm when it used to rev above 2000... I do the oil change myself, and i rarely have too add any, it only happened the first time, and i'm pretty sure it's because i did'nt replace the crush washer... never had any problems since...

Felix

 

Living where its cold during the winter, I mean COLD, I'd be running 0w30 Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 synthetic filter for sure. As far as intervals go, let it go the normal 10k...or more if you like

 

we run Synth oil as well.


At the oil change, we only fill the oil 1/3 of the way up the hash marks....then, about halfway into the OCI, we top off the oil to the top of the hash marks. The extra 3/4 quart of oil provides fresh additives for the crankcase.

Synthetic oil needs less additives than mineral oil. That is one of the reasons that Synth is superior to dino. Trouble is, even tho' the base stock is very robust, the additive pack can be depleted over a long OCI (as when we go by the MM)

IMO that fresh bit of oil half-way though the oil change cycle hedges my bet that the Synth oil will not be totally depleted by the time the next oil change is due.

 

Carbuff Though I follow your logic I believe you'll find today's syn oil is quite capable of doing the job and then some. In fact today's dino is as well, but I will switch to syn the next oil change for its added performance. I just completed the first oil change @ 9300miles w/ 20% oil life on the MM.

Thing that gets me, however, is running the FIT 3/4q low of oil. With it's v-tech dependent on proper oil supply and pressure you run the risk, as others have experienced, v-tech switch engagement failure. The fit's crank case runs precious little oil and to be 3/4q down from the go get might very well defeat the purpose you intend to serve the engine by doing so.

Syn oil simply has so many pluses going for it we should all be running it, no matter what the clime.

 

Carbuff2
IMHO you are playing with fire not to say your timing chain, v-tech switch and your wallet.
Running an engine low on oil just doesn't seem to me to be prudent.
Are you a gambler?
Get a dry sump fast!!

Cheers
Rod

 

hmm...went 14,000 km before my first oil change....granted the winter was warm here and the summer has been great...not like you canucks back east

 

Let me clarify...I am NOT running the engine "low on oil". Ever.



Rather, the dipstick has an operating range indicated on it. The crisscross hash marks and the little holes indicate the safe/normal area to run the engine oil fill, according to Honda.


Rather than top-off my sump with oil (to the top of the range) at an oil change, I fill it to about 1/3 of the way over the Add Oil mark.

Our Fit engine uses very little oil. At about half way through the OCI, I top it off and fill it to the top of the oil operating range, thereby replenishing the additive pack. At that time it takes about 3/4 qt.


+++++++++++++

This strategy was suggested by a retired Exxon-Mobil engineer, who stated that the additive package was carried in Dino oil anyway, and could lose it's effectiveness over time. In fact he recommended changing even Synthetic oil at about 5K miles, solely because the additives lose their effectiveness at about that mileage. (YMMV, of course) I'm running 8K OCIs on the CR-V, and 150% of the MM on the Fit. (about 10K in the summer, less in winter.) UOAs on Bobistheoilguy.com for other Honda engines indicate this is quite conservative, that is, the oil has plenty of life left in it.


Using this philosophy, we have experienced NO Vtec or timing chain issues with our Acura (160K miles), CR-V (80K miles) or our Fit (50K miles). (The Acura V6 uses a timing belt of course.)


++++++++++++

I'm with you on the dry-sump...when I track our sports car (a Lotus BTW, Mr ElanS2), the oil gets overfilled 1/2 qt due to cornering loads...less chance of oil starvation that way.

+++++++++++

Doesn't everyone LOVE the endless oil discussions on automotive forums?


Cheers,

 

Phew! It reads very well - quicker pick-up, but not bad at all. It's one reason I love these places. Been through ton of them, all differently the same.

My only concern lies in the oil capacity at full. It is what the engine desires most to live the longest. 3.8qt It isn't very much.

If I should ever notice it drop I'll be letting it drop no more than 1/8th the mark. I'll also have learned something about FIT's engine.

You're correct, however, it is the safe, not normal, range. Topped off is normal.

Can't buy into your additive package stuff.

The v-tech switch refers to an 'remotely' intermittent problem the L15 has in switch engagement issues. One contributing factor is low oil levels.

I suggest a few searches on all these oil issues - many current threads loaded with a differing points of view.

With my 96Deville we had 8qt to work with. The dummy light came on at two qt low. Still had five qt.

Granted it was a huge engine but it shows an extreme.

FIT don't have that much wiggle room.

 

Keeping the oil only a third up to full is a old racers trick, less oil to hit the crank and take away Horsepower. Honda's squirts oil under the pistons to control temps and lube pistons bearings so leaving the oil that low is not necessary.