freedom. use your mind to decide for yourself. "why would they put a computer in there to tell me when to change the oil?"

if you've always changed your oil at a given mileage and haven't had a problem up to this point then i'd say you're doing okay and may continue. just check your oil somewhat regularly and you'll know when it gets that black, dense look to it and take on the heavy scent of gasoline.

if that black, dense look and smell bothers you, as it would me, change the oil.

think for yourselves...stop letting the media, the government and the computer of a economy car make your decisions for you people!

 

Oh here we go - so now the people who read and follow their owner's manual are somehow being brainwashed? Come on...

The original question was "When are you doing your FIRST oil change" and the answer to that question should be simple - do it when the computer or your owner's manual tells you to. If you're having foul, sludgy oil that's half full before that point, use up some of them 3 year /36,000 mile warranty perks that they give you with the car, and pay the dealer a visit. You may have a bigger problem and I'd bet there isn't a single person on this board who can accurately judge what that issue is by sniffing a dipstick.

 

When it comes to oil life envy I agree but I live the commuting life of a highway trucker. Regarding mpg, I dunno. (All data according to fit's computer not me) My best was 44.5 mpg but I have no idea how I achieved it. I drive the same route and it typically averages 32-38 mpg. It seems that once I break about 70 mph my mpg drops steadily down to the low 30s. I also notice that the engine has to down shift more frequently to maintain higher speeds. If I stay below 70 the mpg rises into the high 30s.

In the city I have gotten it as low as 25 with very short trips in hilly terrain but typically average around 28-30.

 

Honestly I don't think that oil changes or when they happen affect the life of a car that significantly. I knew one guy that had an old truck that literally never changed his oil. Just added it when needed. Got 140k miles out of it. Another friend of mine that didn't change his oil for 80k miles on a '95 eclipse. He ended up putting over 200k miles on that car. With that being said I change my oil every 5k miles

 

I drained my 2009 Fit's oil at 300 miles. With 20 hours research on the matter, I chose to drain it and install a new NAPA Gold (WIX) filter and a fresh load of Schaeffer 7000 semi synthetic 5W-30. In researching what Honda adds to their oil, it turns out all it is is an added package of moly. Schaeffer oils have the added moly, up to about 80% of what Honda appears to add. Good enough for me. Redline brand oil is the only other brand that has more moly.

http://www.schaefferoil.com/motor_oils.html


What I did find is it apparently no other manufacture claims to have break-in oil other then Honda. I personally find leaving the first ORIGINAL oil in my new engine for 4-5,000 miles very distasteful. I read an oil research paper that if you get rid of the 3-10 micron metal partials that get past by the filter you reduce engine wear dramatically. Common logic tells me that the first oil change has the most 3-10 micron partials in it.


What I also learned from a oil filter engineer is that you want to leave an oil filter on long enough to get it to "cake" and then it increases it's filtering capability slowly till it clogs. Just like an air filter on a furnace. I could of left on my original filter ( quality Japanese version), but chose to do a full oil change. I would of used a OEM Honda filter but they are made NOW by Honeywell and are nothing more then a JUNK Fram that is made by Honeywell.

I called WIX Filter Corp and asked if the NAPA Gold oil filter is the same as their filter for the Honda Fit and he said yes. It is their best "media" and just gets painted with NAPA Gold paint.

I changed my oil and put back in what I feel is an equivalent or better oil to get rid of the "sanding affect" of the first oil change. I will dump this oil and at 3,000 miles and go to a 5,000 mile oil change interval.

 

There are two versions of the Honda OEM filter. One by Fram and the other by Filtech.

 

Yes, I know. Can you find a 15400-PLM-A01 locally? All I can find are 15400-PLM-A02 and running a WIX will not affect warranty. A WIX is far superior filter then a 15400-PLM-A02. Not a single Honda or Acura dealer has the good stuff.

 

Having evaluated many oil filters by taking them apart and measuring their effectiveness, just curious how you decided WIX filters are best?

 

No, threy aren't. And the ones who did don't follow that 'procedure' either.

 

Let's reword that, not best, lets say top 4. It bugs me that the Honda WIX has a smaller inner filter then I want, but "caking" will take place faster and it will filter better sooner. With a new motor this is a plus at the beginning of the motors life.

 

Waited until I hit 15% (10,500mi - all highway)... just hit 14K today and am at 80% oil life remaining

 

On the first change, I let the indicator pass 0% (after that is just shows the miles driven after 0% was reached) and changed with dyno oil (free honda service). On the 2nd pass also let it pass 0% and then put in Mobil-1 with Mobil-1 filter (myself). I'm happy to just use the indicator as it hits 0%. I think the goal of changing at 15% is just to allow some buffer time to schedule an oil change; i.e. it's just playing safe.

 

I don't buy anything from a local dealership. They always charge too much. I brought my batch of Filtechs few years ago when they were on sale. The only place I'm aware of that still has the Filtech is College Hills.

I have used the Napa/Wix, It is as good as the Filtech. Those filter companies change their suppliers so often. It's hard to keep track who makes what any more. I used to get Wal-Mart brand filters when they were made by Champion. $2 for a quality filter was a good deal.

 

Next time you may want to measure the total filtration area by sreading out the folds, measuring the pressure drop across a known area, and by measuring the amount actuaklly filtered for a known quantity of sand of known particle size distribution.

 

Why? I will just let the oil filter forum boys do it and read what is the out come. Already did that.

 

I'm doing my best to follow the maintenance suggestions in the manual, but it's getting a little worrisome.

I'm at over 6800 miles, and my oil life indicator is 50%. This is with the original oil from the factory. I attribute this to my 250 mile round trip to and from work that's done once every four days. Almost all of those miles are highway.

I'm gonna wait until I'm below 20%, then put in Mobil1.

 

thats a little risky...

i was at 20% with 9528 miles with the original oil and got b*tched at by my mechanic that the oil was baaaaaaaaaaaaad

 

I drained the factory fill at 6,600 miles and 10%.

That's the longest I've ever gone on dyno oil.

Now that I'm running synthetic and a factory Filtech, I'll be doing my changes at 7,500 mile intervals, no matter what the "computer" says.

For those here who like their Wix filters, Amsoil is now selling them on their website.

Personally, I like Hastings for oil filters, though my next change is getting a K&N given to me by a friend.

Just stay away from Fram unless you like oil filters made with cardboard.

 

Got the car in late October and just did our first oil change at 5k. Switched to M1 Synthetic.

Minder was still at 60%. Reset it.

We put in an A01 filter that we purchased at the local Honda dealer about a year ago. It also fit my CRX and Integra so I always bought them in bulk.

Now you have me wondering if they will be selling the A01 or A02?

 

I had mine done today - had 10,270 miles on the car and was at 15% oil life.

Hope I get to 20,000 before my next change!