First oil change - engine is quieter
 

I just did the first oil change on my 06 HCH II this weekend, which just passed 5000 miles. The oil life indicator was still 50%, but I'm used to changing oil every 3000 miles on my other cars, so I did it a bit early.

I used Mobil 1 synthetic 0W-20, and I immediately noticed that the engine was significantly quieter - anybody else have this same experience? I've driven about 400 miles with the new oil, and fuel economy seems to be about the same as before, but it remains less noisy than when I first purchased the car. Maybe the new oil is a bit thicker than the original oil?

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

Did you also change the oil filter? Just curious. I figured I'd wait until the computer told me to change the oil...

Incidentally, my mileage has gone from 44mpg to 49mpg, based soley on the ambient temperature increase (from ~55 to 75 degrees). 5 mpg just because of the temp....Cool!

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

I also changed the filter. If I waited for the computer, it would have been 9000+ miles before the life was 0% based on the rate that the life was changed, and that just seemed like a long time, especially for a 1st oil change.

Curiously, I hit an all-time best mileage shortly after the oil change, but this might just be a coincidence. Got 59 mpg on my 40 mile commute to work through the LA area. Mileage on this tank is definitely better, but I also have been doing more highway driving recently.

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

Just as a friendly reminder to our other HCH-II members:

Honda recommends that the first oil change be performed no sooner that the 15% value indicated by the maintenance minder. This information has been disclosed previously and is provided by Honda for the benefit of the HCH-2 owners. You may also find this information on the HCH service technical literature.

In simple terms, the initial factory oil contains additives and conditioners that are critical for the long life expectancy of your engine and in particular is expected to play a very import role in the initial break in period. As some of you may recall, Honda engineers clearly have stated several times that they intended this factory oil to run the full course if at all possible.

Just to re-iterate, while a fresh change of oil always yields immediate and measurable benefits, there definitely is a longer term value for our HCH-2's in following Honda's recommendation concerning the "when to perform the" first oil change.


Cheers;

MSantos

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

My dealer's service dept. said the same - leave it until 15%, then change. That'll be 8-9000 for me. Cool

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

Hmph. Just purchased a 2006 HCH-2 "factory official car"with about 1000 miles on it. Dealer changed the oil as part of the 7500 mile service which they did prior to sale. Thus, won't get the good from the original oil. Advice?

Thanks

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

I would say: Just drive the car and enjoy it !! ;)

Cheers;

MSantos

Re: First oil change - engine is quieter
 

I agree.
These car's won't see the normal stress a regular gas engine will. You have your electric motor helping it out a lot when it's needed, our HCH2 rarely sees RPM's above 3k.

I've read a lot about "special" break in oils for different types of cars, there are always conflicting stories. I don't trust anyone that works at a dealer, if I could talk to an engineer that would be a different story. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff service managers and techs tell people. I would be interested to know what modifiers they use in the oil and then actually get a used oil analysis done to see what is actually going on with the oil compared the *regular* oil they use.

We had our oil changed at around 3k in the HCHII and I changed the oil in my STi at 500mi and then again at 3,500. @ 6,500 I changed to synthetic. I only burn oil when I get on it a lot and that's normal for a turbocharged car and subies.

If you follow the owners manual you will have less issues w/ warranty work depending on the dealer, but if you changed it early it's not a big deal.