It seems there is a Maintenance Minder thing on the dash. The manual no longer has miles to use for maintenance. This looks like a real pain in the ...

I know my '01 didn't require any MAJOR things like timing belt until 105. From what I cand understand, this requires the belt change around 62k.

I don't see when the first oil change is required. Guess I'll need to watch the maintenance window. Personally, I keep all my maintence logs in a spreadsheet, and I know when something is due.

Any one else wish to comment on the 06 schedules?

 

Honda has gone to a maintenance system similar to what BMW, MB, and most other high end marques have used for a few years now. The 2003 Acura TL was the first Honda to use it, and now all Acuras have it, as well as Accords.

For a while, it's been no secret that the old attage that you MUST change your oil every 3 months/3k miles or at a preset time/mileage is a waste of time, money, and oil. Today's engines can go longer than that with regular oil, depending on the conditions. The only thing was you couldn't really tell what those "conditions" were, untill now. The new maintenance minder computers actually sample the viscosity and level of dirt in the oil, and can tell you when it's time to change it. It all depends on where, when, and how you drive. Sometimes the reminder will tell you it's time to change it after 3k miles. Others, it may go for 5, 7, or even 10k miles before it's time to change.

Inside the engine, there are sensors which constantly sample the oil. When it senses the oil is breaking down it's viscosity, getting dirty, or both, it will first flash to change the oil soon, and then change oil now. When you change it, reset the computer. I have heard that it's a very good system when used as intended (my friend has a 2002 BMW 325i with about 60k miles on it, and sometimes the computer doesn't tell him to change the oil untill 15k.... and the engine is still smooth and sweet, no problems).

Couple of other things..... your belt change should still be around 100k. It's the same engine archetecture that your '01 Accord has.

Secondly, Honda now uses 5w-20 oil for this engine. I recomend sticking with it. Improves fuel economy, power, and still provides the proper lubrication for this engine.

If you really want to stick with your 3k mile oil change interval, it won't hurt anything but your wallet.

 

"01accord" did you get your car already??? if so post some pictures if you can. Thanks

 

Actually, I change my oil on my '01 at 7500 miles and I use Full Synthetic 5W-20, so I wonder how this will factor in??? Does it know it's long life synthetic? (doubt it).

PS, I have had my oil analized on my '01 after 7500 miles and the results are it could go longer...though I don't push my luck :-)

 

Check this thread:
https://www.honda-acura.net/forums/s...84#post2604584

 

It would sample the oil no matter if it's synthetic or standard. The sensors don't "know" what kind of oil it is, only when it gets dirty and looses viscosity.

Like I said, it's up to you if you want to change it at 7500. I would bet, however, that knowing Honda, you could trust their oil life monitor system.

 

Should be interesting, I will still keep my logs of when and what. The owners manual is not very clear on resetting the count on anything other than Oil.

 

Does the engine really have a sensor? BMW used a time on engine formula for as long as I knew. Hours of on engine time and miles on the odo to compute time for oil change. I bet the Honda ECU does the same, so synthethic or conventional will run the same intervals. This way hours spent idle in city traffic still go toward the oil change interval not just miles on the engine.

I'd run synthetic for the fuel economy alone. I'd also use the maint. minder on the dash for the oil changes, it will save you the most money per oil change. And is likely still a conservative number so you still should have relatively clean oil at the change time.

My company car has an oil minder, but as far as I can tell it's based on milage alone, boo! Way to cheap out Ford

 

I doubt it. It probably counts engine revs, cold starts, warm starts, & whatever sensors already exist. That's a lot more reliable than counting miles alone, but it's still not perfect.

If you put some garbage oil in there, it can't actually tell that it's worn out early. OTOH, if you use Mobil-1, Amsoil, or whatever, it also can't give you credit for using a better oil.