Also, no one has said anything about the properties of a Group III oil except that it's not 100% synthetic. That's not even the main point of what I care about when it comes to oils. I just did my own research based on people's experience and independent testing that I've seen

 

Using synthetic, NO (as long as the oil you choose meets Honda's requirements and displays the API Certification Seal) . Going beyond Honda's specified (your MM) oil change intertvals YES.
The following is from a 2007 owners manual:

"You may use a synthetic motor oil if
it meets the same requirements
given for a conventional motor oil, it
displays the API Certification Seal,
and it is the proper weight. You must
follow the oil and filter change
intervals given in the maintenance

schedule"

 

Using any oil (as long as it meets manufacturer's minimum API requirements), or any maintenance interval cannot void your manufacturer's warranty unless they can prove that it caused the problem for which you are requesting coverage. It's illegal under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The dealership or manufacturer cannot specify any maintence schedule or use of maintence products unless they are supplied without charge to the consumer. If they can prove that your maintenance practice or oil caused the problem, then they may be able to deny the warranty claim. Obviously, you would have to do something pretty stupid to have any oil related failure on a Honda. Just the fact that your reading this thread shows that you realize the importance of your oil. The odds that you would experience an oil related failure using any oil that meets minimum requirements and following the maintenence schedule are minimal. But why not use the best. My fit is more than just a transportation appliance to me. I've done much stupider things with my money than spend a few extra $$ for such an important thing.

 

Yea mobile 1 has not been full synthetic for a while i thought every one knew that. But i hear good things about amsoil. I use to use royal purple for the EVO but now in my CR im using cheaper oil. Im not sure really but oil seems like oil to me. As long as i can get it at a good deal and its synthetic im all for it. But i do think i am going to change brands. I went from honda oil to just now valvoline. How much is the amsoil?? I also would not leave it in for a year. But i do change mine every 5000 miles

 

Yea I definitely wouldnt, especially if you drive the car hard, I don't think it's the point to leave it in there for so long, just that it can. I never ran royal purple in my evo though.. seemed like a lot of evos just kinda didnt like it

 

Everyone "knows it" but no one seems to know where from. I'd be glad to point you to the genesis of the whole she-bang on bitog if you'd like. It was a poster named Tom NJ (or in NJ) who works/worked for an oil blender named HATCO. He ran a sample of M1 through one of his pieces of analytical equipment and said it showed that that particular M1 seemed to indicate the presences of group III base stock. There's been nothing since then from anyone knowledgeable that has conclusively stated a.) whether this was this an isolated occurrence and b.) if not, what grades or varieties c.) if there, what percentage of the oil is group III, what's group IV, etc. It's very possible that the group III was only there to serve as the carrier for the additive pack or to add solubility. Furthermore, some of the grades possess such extreme cold flow characteristics as to preclude them from having much if any group III base mixed it.

Go post over at bitog how "everyone knows M1 is group III and group III is inferior" and see what an edjumucation you get.

But again, it's all a red herring-group III, IV, V, whatever. Honda seems to think it's perfectly fine to run any API SM oil out to over 10k miles per the maintenance minder.

 

From page 35 of the 2007 Warranties book:

"Always maintain your 2007 Honda according to the maintenance schedule in your owners manual. The time and milage intervals given in this schedule for inspections and replacements should never be exceeded. They are essential to trouble-free operation. Parts that fail because they did not get proper timely maintenance are not covered by warranty."

 

so................ whats the $

 

I really think you guys should at least try it once. It honestly makes a noticeable difference

 

I thought that's what I said.

 

I use amsoil, it's really really good oil. Will it make driving your Fit a new experience? doubtful, but that doesn't change how good it is for your engine.

For what it's worth, I've see a lot of subjective analysis on different oils people have used. Color and smell of an oil is a pretty poor way to evaluate it, and for the long term lifespan of an engine, visual inspection of a race engine after a teardown isn't great way either to say one oil is better than another. I suggest everyone start doing themselves a favor, and send oil samples off to a lab like Blackstone for a real analysis.

I mailed off my latest sample of amsoil 0w20 a few days ago, just a mid cycle check on how the current batch is doing. I expect it'll be good in there for another 6 months.

 

ummm what's the price??

probably not worth it to me. i went from honda oil to mobile 1 to royal purple to eneos. i'll probably just stick with RP.

even so... it's overkill for a honda fit

if you're driving a boosted car then it's very important to use a good filter and oil and to change it often

 

We bought a new 09 Sport in Daphne, AL. Their options for regular maintenance are Honda Oil, Synthetic Blend, or Mobile 1 synthetic. They advised setting up an appointment for service when the mileage meter says 15 percent oil life left. If we keep the maintenance as required and have them do the service, they will warranty the drive train for 250,000 miles.

 

Amsoil is the same as RP and Eneos.. I'd definitely trust eneos and amsoil over rp though, personally. does bad things to certain evos i've noticed

 

i just use mobil 1.

just cause it says %15 doesnt mean you HAVE to take it in NOW.

it goes all the way down to 0% then starts reading negative

im at -623 LOL!!!!!

 

Of course it is not the right way but you can get an idea. Burnt smell, fuel smell, pretty easy to tell, same thing with color. Not any different than looking at your spark plugs, you can tell a lot by just looking at how the plug looks.

I'm an oiler, greasemonkey honestly whatever clever thing you may want to call me, but we do not wait for an "Analasis" to make a call on changing that oil or servicing that piece of equipment sooner. We use an Analasis to make sure that certain oils are doing what they are made for. To prevent a failure before it happens, a hydraulic pump starting to go out or whatever. Unless you really mistreat your Fit or any vehicle there is no reason to worry about it. If your brakes start to squeal really bad, would you drive it a 100 miles before you check it? Use common sense. AmsOil 5w-20 will do what Mobil1 5w-20 does, It's made to withstand a certain viscosity. You add more heat and pressure(boost) you go to a higher viscosity. This is where Synthetics are King, less resistance = better performance, but in all honesty even though it actually is better it can be so minut that you will not feel the difference if any. Not any different than the term "Butt Dyno" you think it does, it may, but does it really? Or are you just making yourself think it does? My worthless 10 cents

 

bump for any interests! pm me if you'd like.. personally i'll never go back to mobil 1 or use anything else in my car =]

 

Which amsoil oil do you suggest being used. The Amsoil book doesn't recommend the full synthetic oil for the fit. Or it didn't 4 months ago. It only recommeded the sports car blend which isn't the full synthetic. And what change intervals are you suggesting?

 

Amsoil suggests 0w-20, 5w-20 XL, and 0w-30, I'd stil with the 20 weight if that's what the manual says to use anyway. You'd have to look and monitor to see when to change oil, it does depend somewhat on driving style. I would say at least 10k for the Fit honestly, or send in a sample at 7-8k and see how it looks

 

I bought a s***load of Mobil 1 5w20 about a year ago, 120 quarts to be exact. My GE Fit and my Mazda CX-9 both take the same viscocity. Probably, it's not in the same class as Amsoil, but for $3.50 a quart, I can live with it. Personally, I wouldn't run Amsoil or Mobil 1 in 0w20 because in my experience all "0" weight oils have a tendancy to foam, including Amsoil. My '99 Benz called for 0w40, hated the stuff.

These days I run a 7,500 mile interval in both both cars along with a quality filter, and basically assume it's adequate protection.