2008 Honda Accord
Hello Scotty, I live in California and own a 08 Honda Accord with 140K. It burns half a quart of oil every 1000 mi. I’ve been told to go up in the weight of the oil (ex. 5w30 to 10w40) and that it might help decrease my oil loss. What do you recommend? I do remember you saying to never change to a heavier grade than what the manual recommends.
I’ve been told to go up in the weight of the oil (ex. 5w30 to 10w40) and that it might help decrease my oil loss.
That's what you do if you're driving something like a 1949 Hudson. Not a good idea in a modern car.
If you use the site search function you'll find this subject has come up quite a few times before, and you recall correctly that Scotty said not to use heavier oil. In modern engines thicker oil than specified by the manufacturer can cause problems with the variable valve timing hardware and other internal engine parts.
An easy/inexpensive thing you can try is change the PCV valve and see if that helps. You could also try the ATS Carbon Clean product that Scotty has recommended. This may help if your oil control rings have lost effectiveness due to carbon buildup. However note that model is known for excessive oil consumption and that Honda considers oil loss of up to a quart per 1000 miles to be "normal".
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Accord/2008/engine/
it might burn a little less oil, but it'll accelerate wear on your engine. Take your pick.
