Not having owned a car in 35 years, I'm very rusty. I'm assuming I don't have to buy Honda 0w-20 oil, but would like suggestions/recommendations for brands.


Also, the oil is so light, I'm doubting my reading. It appears to be between the two marks, and with only 1000 miles in four months I can't imagine I'd need much if any. Any tips on being sure?


Same with what coolant to buy. It looks like I need that sooner rather than later from this morning's check. The manual says 50/50 for aluminum engines, so I imagine I have a wide choice.

 

mobil 1 or penzoil platinum
new car shouldn't be eating oil. you might lose some while engine is seating all the seals.
nothing to worry about.
for coolant i would suggest getting oem honda coolant

 

Brand does not matter. STAY away from recycled store brand oil.

any 0w-20 or 5w-20 will work.

Coolant brand does not matter as well. Just be sure it says safe for aluminum somewhere on the bottle, as the wrong coolant will allow corrosion to build up.

 

I wound up getting Mobil 1 0W-20 and Prestone "any car, any truck" coolant. Thanks all for your help.

 

My preference is for Mobil 1 simply for consistancy's sake. Any name brand oil will work fine.

For coolant, I would only use Honda brand. It has a specific color and if there is a warranty problem and you've used another color the dealer may claim that you screwed it up by using the wrong coolant. The factory stuff is expensive, but a gallon should last the life of the car. You can buy Honda (and other branded) coolants at a well-equipped auto parts store that deals with the repair trade.

You shouldn't have to add either to a new car. If it is using either in quantity you have a problem that should be fixed.

 

I am assuming, based on your reluctance to DIY, that your wanting these things for "topping off" your fluid levels, not for changing them out yourself. The Mobil 1 is a good choice for the oil, and for the coolant, I would go with something like this:

Prestone 50/50 Pre-Mixed Antifreeze : Target

If your concerned with having the Honda color anti-freeze, you can get that here (and elsewhere).

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-A...L999-9011.aspx

The main thing is not to ever add straight tap water to your cooling system.

 

Dont mix oil weights. If its low go to the dealer and have then top it up. You want to have oil loss documented.

DO NOT MIX COOLANT. You don't how how they react to each other. Honda coolant coagulates. If the level is between low and high, LEAVE IT.

Its a brand new car, I can't believe you guys are OK with this?

 

API type is key. You aren't just protecting the engine. You are also protecting emission systems.

Coolant.... using the wrong type is unfathomable. Don't assume because it's for aluminum you are fine. There are different types of gaskets and plastics, etc... There are many types of coolants, including organic coolants out there. The stuff will turn into mud if not mixed correctly.

 

Am I able to use a heavier oil like 5w 30 at my oil change

 

It's so difficult to see the coolant tank that I think it's at minimum. I'm probably over cautious.

I guess I'll return the Prestone and order the Honda oem.

 

It is hard to see the coolant in the tank. Try shining a flashlight into the side of the tank and moving it up and down. As some others have said, you should not have to worry about adding any, so I would not order the OEM coolant unless you know that you're low—and if it is low, complain to the dealer (if it's a new car) first. If the coolant level is steadily going down, it's leaking somewhere—either to the outside world, or through a bad head gasket into the engine.

Sometimes it's easier to read the oil level indirectly by putting the dipstick on a paper towel and seeing where the oil is on the towel. You do have to be a bit careful to thoroughly wipe off off the dipstick (or let it sit for awhile) before pulling it with this method.

My Fit burns no discernible amount of oil.

JN2K108—of course you physically can pour heavier oil into the engine, but it only makes sense to me to use what Honda recommends. They've done far more engineering and research into it than you or I have, and I haven't heard of any spate of untimely engine demise from following their instructions. That said, you're generally not going to blow up the engine with a slightly different weight of oil (nor will mixing grades cause great problems—certainly it's preferable to have the wrong grade than to have insufficient oil).

 

It may not hurt it, but Honda may reject a warranty claim if they found out. Why even chance it?

 

No reason to use a heavier oil unless you're running endurance races lol

Even then, 20 weight may be fine on a stock motor as long as the cooling system is working properly.

As long as the oil temperature is not high enough to cause viscosity breakdown, there's no reason to switch to something thicker. That information is available online if you'd care to experiment, but i'm 90% sure that 20 weight is fine in 99% of situations on a stock L15.

 

I have to go back and read the manual, but not after the Martini I just had: Does a light come on to tell you to add oil and/or coolant before catastrophe strikes? I'm good with taking direction.

 

Dont listen to the guy above about mixing, the oem coolant is not some special stuff. Its a supplier's coolant with some colored dye mixed in.

Generally honda and toyota coolant is more water then actual coolant, for better performance out of smaller dimensions.

You can mix and match if the brand (prestone you got) states as such. They PAY car manufacters to test and deem okay.


EDITalso, if you run 5w-30, its fine. it is in the owners manual as such. Recommend NOT running it if ambient goes under 40 or 50 degrees F at night.

I am sticking with 5w-20. Its the same as 0w-20 when at operating temp.

 

as long as you don't mix different type of coolant you're fine.

 

I have never seen any sort of coolant system failure or damage from mixing coolant.

All that matters is materials involved. YOu have VERY different coolant varieties between full iron engines, iron block/aluminum head combos, and full aluminum engines.

So all you need to understand is engine materials. The same gaskets can seal any type.

Think back to the older days where it was more common for say, chevy v8 swaps. Many times you go from a full iron setup to a combo iron/aluminum, or full aluminum (example corvette engine). Many times, the factory radiator and sometimes even factory waterpump suffice. No reports of a different coolant hurting gaskets.


Some of you "purest's" need to understand fluids can mix if correct types.

 

for oil i use royal purple 5-20 with a royal purple synthetic oil filter. mobile one is good and really cheap at walmart you can get 5 quarts and a filter for less than 30 bucks. Amsoil is awesome as well. As for coolant if i was you i would drain your radiator, your block, your heater core, and your reservoir. Push very low psi air (air compressor, shop vac on reverse or do what i did and use your lungs to push the coolant through) and switch to Evans Waterless coolant.. at this stage in the game you should have 0 corrosion at all. Evans is waterless, non toxic (unlike anti freeze) and the boiling point is 350 degrees and the freezing point is -50. since there is no water there is no steam which means almost no pressure. i.e. you're hoses should last basically forever, you literally never have to change your coolant again because no water means no corrosion and (seriously its rated for a 20 year change interval) and your car can literally never overheat as long as you have no clogs which shouldn't happen because you have no chance of anything getting clogged cuz nothing is corroding. The best 80 dollars you can spend.

 

If Evans waterless is so effective, why is it not widely used? I will be honest, I have not heard of it (perhaps its recently developed?)

Ive been around several speed shops and mechanics, I think the only real cooling system setup Ive heard effective was that water-wetter additive when applied to a properly setup cooling system. Else good fans and no air bubbles makes the engine happy

 

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I'm going to look into this. Only one shop in Nashville that sells it. I'm calling them in the morning.