DC5S preference of engine oil

**infusionz** · 25-10-2009 05:39 PM

Hi guys,
i want to know which engine oil is best suited for the integra type s?

i'm currently using Castrol GTX 10w-30, due to owner using it previously, but i feel there are better quaility brands.

Kind regards

infusionz_

**chargeR** · 25-10-2009 07:02 PM

There are plenty of oil threads around so search around and have a read.

The general consensus is that using a quality semi-synthetic from a reputable brand and changing it often (no more than 5000km between changes) will be sufficient for general street use. If Honda FEO was still cheap I would recommend that.

I use 10W-40 and 10W-30 Red Line oils in my DC5R for street and track, 130,000kms and more than 2000 track kilometres later and it hasn't gone pop yet. This isn't really a sound argument in its favour though.

**rossirider** · 25-10-2009 10:15 PM

how many k's have you put on the car? and what kind of driving do you do? where do you live?

**Phased** · 25-10-2009 11:35 PM

I use Amsoil 10w30 with an Amsoil EA Absolute Efficiency Oil Filter. I have a Euro Though. However, I've always used the best oils I can get my hands on... even though I don't drive hard... its just more "piece of mind" xD

In realism if you want best bang for buck... Use Castrol Edge 5w30 (Best Fully Synthetic for the money) and use at least an oil filter with semi-synthetic media (for eg. K&N) People would be surprised how much difference in cleanliness, oil longevity and performance a good filter makes.

Amsoil Costs me ($85 for 5L and oil Filter is $27.50)
Castrol Edge (I use it in my dad's car) costs $55 (can get it on special for $40 sometimes) and K&N should be around $22.

In realism if you don't mind changing your oil more often using OEM Honda Oil with OEM Filter every 5,000kms is still very good. The differance between synthetics and minerals is far greater when the oils have aged; oxidized, broken down and become contaminated.

According to Independent Tests the best consumer based motor oil is AMSOIL. However in my opinion Mobil 1 is close. It's good value for money when the stores have their 20% sales! Just buy a few bottles of Mobil 1.

I also have a friend that works for Mobil... Even He says Amsoil is the best however he uses Mobil 1 because he gets it cheaper... lol

Just look up any posts in oil threads especially ones by aaronng

**aaronng** · 26-10-2009 06:08 AM

GTX is not the best of oils. You can either use Mobil 2000 or Shell Helix Plus 10w-40 which are semi synthetic, Castrol Edge 5w-30 for a cheap hydrocracked synthetic, or Edge 0w-40, Mobil 1 10w-30, Motul 5w-40, Elf 5w-30 for a full PAO synthetic. Make sure you use one of these viscosities: 0w-30, 5w-30, 10w-30, 0w-40, 5w-40 or 10w-40.

**rossirider** · 26-10-2009 08:33 AM

I got no idea how the above people can tell you what the "best" oil for your car is without knowing the answers to the questions that I have asked earlier.

If you have done 20 kms on the car, a different weight oil will be more suited to your car than if the car has done 200,000 kms.

Same goes for the style of driving that you do? do you thrash it at every chance that you get or do you always shift below 3000 rpm's?

Do you live at the snows where you might need a heavier weight oil for the cold start?

Take the above advice as just general until you can give us more details

**burak213** · 26-10-2009 08:59 AM

Gtx 10-30

**Timmy_B** · 26-10-2009 11:18 AM

castrol syn power, thats what im using, seems to be good.

**Phased** · 28-10-2009 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by rossirider

I got no idea how the above people can tell you what the "best" oil for your car is without knowing the answers to the questions that I have asked earlier.

If you have done 20 kms on the car, a different weight oil will be more suited to your car than if the car has done 200,000 kms.

Same goes for the style of driving that you do? do you thrash it at every chance that you get or do you always shift below 3000 rpm's?

Do you live at the snows where you might need a heavier weight oil for the cold start?

Take the above advice as just general until you can give us more details

It would be based on Australian Temperatures which don't change too drastically like other countries (for example like the USA)

The only justifiable reason you should use a heavier weight oil in a car with more Km's is if it's burning it... and even then you are delaying the inevitable. If you use a heavier oil to compensate for piston ring to bore gap (lower than spec. compression) or valve seal leaks then the other parts of the engines like the bearings etc. that are built for the standard viscosity won't be getting lubricated as they were designed to. When I got my first car several years ago (bought with seized oil rings) my mechanic went completely off at me for using a heavy oil (15w50 or something similar i think it was) temporarily until my rebuild booking... He said I should never use any heavier than 10w40 as honda oil pumps are sensitive to higher viscosities.

Temperature and climate does vary your oil needs... however if you use a good synthetic oil (mobil 1, AMSOIL etc.) then you will find that even if you use the recommended viscosity (Acura/Honda recommend 5w30 in America... for the entire country) the Pour Point and Flow Characteristics will lubricate better upon cold start up than a lighter mineral oil and the breakdown and flash points are much higher preventing high temperature break down...

Don't forget water cooled engines are temperature controlled and a high ambient temperature shouldn't vary the internal operating temperature too drastically... So in theory a street driven car the main concern would be cold starting and pour point which is when most engine wear happens.

Also If you lived in the snow you would need a LIGHTER weight oil for cold starts... One with a lower pour point and better flow characteristics at lower temperatures. Unless your tracking a car the viscosity of oil should not change... and even then... I would run the same viscosity that the manufacturer recommends except change the oil for the track day and change it after the track day... A bit of overkill but I know of a few people who do it regularly.

**aaronng** · 28-10-2009 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by rossirider

I got no idea how the above people can tell you what the "best" oil for your car is without knowing the answers to the questions that I have asked earlier.

If you have done 20 kms on the car, a different weight oil will be more suited to your car than if the car has done 200,000 kms.

Same goes for the style of driving that you do? do you thrash it at every chance that you get or do you always shift below 3000 rpm's?

Do you live at the snows where you might need a heavier weight oil for the cold start?

Take the above advice as just general until you can give us more details

He's got a Type S, which means it is 3 to 4 years old. Based on 20,000km a year, that's 60,000 to 80,000km, which is nothing for the engine.

Doesn't matter if you thrash the car or if you drive gently. If the engine is in good condition, you won't need a thicker oil. I have tested 5w-30 and 0w-40 on the track which was 4500 to 7100rpm shifts for 90 minutes total in a day for a total of 6 days, yet my engine does not burn oil during or after. He just bought his car, so he can't really tell yet if his engine is burning oil, so the first recommendation would be to stick with Honda recommended viscosities. If the engine was burning oil, it would be better to determine why it is burning oil (worn PCV or compression/oil control rings) and to fix that instead of using a thicker oil to mask the problem.

Oh, and he would need a thinner oil for cold start if he was living in the snows, not a thicker one. He is not having snow at the moment anyway because of the current season. Plus, 10w-30 and 10w-40 are good for at least -18 ºC. A 5w-30 oil will still flow at -40 ºC but that's pushing it.

**Phased** · 28-10-2009 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by aaronng

He's got a Type S, which means it is 3 to 4 years old. Based on 20,000km a year, that's 60,000 to 80,000km, which is nothing for the engine.

Doesn't matter if you thrash the car or if you drive gently. If the engine is in good condition, you won't need a thicker oil. I have tested 5w-30 and 0w-40 on the track which was 4500 to 7100rpm shifts for 90 minutes total in a day for a total of 6 days, yet my engine does not burn oil during or after. He just bought his car, so he can't really tell yet if his engine is burning oil, so the first recommendation would be to stick with Honda recommended viscosities. If the engine was burning oil, it would be better to determine why it is burning oil (worn PCV or compression/oil control rings) and to fix that instead of using a thicker oil to mask the problem.

Oh, and he would need a thinner oil for cold start if he was living in the snows, not a thicker one. He is not having snow at the moment anyway because of the current season. Plus, 10w-30 and 10w-40 are good for at least -18 ºC. A 5w-30 oil will still flow at -40 ºC but that's pushing it.

Well said :-P. Also I'm pretty sure both AMSOIL and MOBIL 1 5w30 have a pour point of -52 degrees. :-)

Also even in the snow, I think you would struggle to find anywhere populated in Australia that would fall to those temperatures on a regular basis.