So im new to hondas because my last cars were a 94Z28 LT1 and 2002 WS6 LS1. i now have a 1996 Accord EX V6 2.2L 24V (old integra engine) Automatic 125,000 miles. I dont not know much about the oil and tranny fluid for these cars. From what i can see mine runs very hot . also i have been told by a many that hondas run hot. anyway when i open the crankcase after a drive i see smoke/fumes in the crankcase. doesnt seem like im burning out though. anyway, im going on a roadtrip and would like to change the oil before i leave. i do not know what the previous owner has put in but im pretty sure its not synthetic. i have a case of AMSOIL 5W40 euro syn that i used on my LS1 that is GREAT oil and will never break down at high temps. Is this ok for my V6? switching over to syn at this mileage? what should i run in the summer? what type? ive read the tranny fluid change is easier than the oil. right? Thanks to all

 

I believe that your car called for 5W30. 5W40 is a heavier viscosity than called for and your mileage may drop a bit and the engine may appear a bit sluggish. Having said that I sure wouldn't throw away any high dollar Amsoil. I would buy some Havoline/Motorcraft/Chevron dino 5W30 and use it for now. Although Amsoil is among the best it does have a habit of increasing viscosity over time when in use. It could easily go up to a 50 weight status over long term so be careful if you decide to use it.

Ideally you could trade the Amsoil 40 weight for some 5W30.
I've never heard of Honda engines running hot unless there was a problem.
Can't comment on the tranny fluid but do change it since you don't know the history. Stick with Honda fluid.

*I suggested the 3 dino oils (actually Motorcraft is a blend) because they are top notch, inexpensive, and readily available. They will easily go 5000 mile change intervals. If you decide to use a Honda oil filter make sure it is made by Filtech. If it's NOT labeled Filtech it is made by Fram for Honda and the quality is only so so at best.

 

Is the smoke in the crankcase normal? oil doesnt look burnt or low. when i say the engine runs hot, i mean that the fans come on ALL the time so i know its up there. So you are saying that a 5W30 motorcraft is a good way to go? anyone else?

 

I know most foreign cars will run hot, but how hot I'm not sure. My dad had a 94 4Runner with the 3.0l V6 and it used to run on the hot side (the hood was hot to the touch after a long drive). Toyota dealer told him that was normal for that engine to run hot. As for your Accord I'm not sure, if you have a temp guage I'd keep an eye on it...

 

my temp gauge in my 94 runs at or slightly above a 1/4 of the way up if you're at the halfway mark or higher I think you're running too hot and I would have it checked out.... could be a thermostat on the way out or a few other things.... As far as exact temps go I have no idea...

 

ya the temp gauge (dummy gauge) stays at a tad above 1/4 mark little less than half tick. but that guage will only go up to middle tick or higher if you are overheating.

so does anyone else have an opinion on the best oil to use? 5W30 or 10W30 for the summer/high temps/smoke in my crankcase. motorcraft? thanks guys

 

Not sure what you are looking for but RFTEAXASF knows what he is talking about. He along with a few others seem to have much more expertise in dealing with Hondas than most. That being said I use only MOBIL 1 and a new FILTECH filter every 5000. I know that this is a little overkill, but I drive alot and cant always get to it right at the 5000 mile interval.

RFTexasF: What other filters are you using. Filtech filters (Honda) are sometimes hard to come by. I want to keep to genuine honda as much as possible and have had the best luck getting these on Ebay but this is a pain sometimes.

 

Thanks for the compliment. I also use M1 and Filtech filters. I scrounge for dealers on the internet and buy the filters 6-12 at a time from the "low bidder" so to speak. I call them first to make sure they are shipping Filtech. If it gets to be a pain I'll go with Wix or Purolator.

 

If you're convinced that the engine is running on the warm side then it's time to service the cooling system. When was that done last?

 

if you reside in a cold winter climate,, use 5w-20 in the winter and 10w-30 in the summer any brands will do well
if you reside in a warm winter climate use 10w-30 all year around..........
People will desagree with this ,, but i would advice to do an oil and filter change every 3000-3500 miles,,, if you got the extra money use Syntetic oil ,,if not any major brand will do ( castrol, valvoline. mobil etc etc )

as for temp gauge if it reads at around 1/2 to slightly above , that is normal,, especially if it is when you are in city traffic , hwy driving will read lower because of the extra cooling air flow you get coming through the radiator at higher speed ,, at idle the fans do all the work
Now if gauge starts to climb close to 3/4 than you got an issue that should be looked at ,, last thing you want to do is overheat a Honda engine .