Common questions people have about the newer Honda 1.5l turbo engine are about the oil dilution issue it’s become known for having. What is it? Is this a problem you should be concerned about? Does it mean that you should avoid getting this type of car?
Well, you’re in luck because today’s blog is going to answer all of your questions. For reference, this information is coming from a mechanic with almost 30 years of experience. We’ll pull from this experience in order to not only answer your questions, but also to provide you with workable solutions. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
What Is Oil Dilution?
Basically, oil dilution is unburned fuel that gets into the engine oil. The unburned fuel gets sprayed into the cylinder, drips down the cylinder walls past the piston rings, and then actually begins to overfill the engine oil.
Oil dilution is an issue for all engines, but the issue with this newer Honda engine is that it’s happening at a higher rate than what is allowed. Everyone’s engine gets a bit of unburned fuel in the engine oil, and we’ll get into why this happens in the next section. However, with the 1.5T engine in the Hondas, when testing the engine oil, it happens more than is considered safe. The acceptable amount is 2.4% or less. Anything more than this is considered unsafe.
What Causes Oil Dilution?
Alright, so we touched on what oil dilution is – but what causes this to happen? And why would Honda – a maker known for its reliability – suddenly make this engine that is widely known to have oil problems?
We could give you quite the long-winded explanation here, but we’ll save that for if you come into our shop and ask for it. For the purposes of this blog, here’s the abbreviated explanation: manufacturers are under significant pressure to make engines and vehicles more fuel efficient so that they put out less emissions. What they’re trying to do is design an engine that gives you the power you want while also having lower scores in regard to emissions output. Hence, why Honda came out with this engine.
It’s actually quite the impressive design, but it does have issues. What they’ve done is gone to direct injections, which means that it forces a lot of fuel into the engine. It’s set up to be able to run at a lower operating temperature, plus having the turbo, so it gives great power. However, the lower operating temperatures, turbo pressure, and mass amount of fuel pressure that isn’t getting burned off enough is what’s causing the bulk of this oil dilution issue.
The Hondas that we’ve seen being the most affected by oil dilution problems are the 2017-2018 Honda Civics and the 2016-2018 Honda CRVs. This is for our shop in particular, though we have seen people talking about this oil dilution issue with that same year of Honda Accords.
What Causes Colder Climates’ Problems?
Most people who have problems with this engine live in colder climates. This is because this engine is designed to run at a bit lower operating temperature and is having fuel forced in through direct injection. What this means is that in colder climates, the engine just isn’t getting up to the right temperatures, and then people are not driving them long enough for the rest of that fuel to burn off.
So, you’ll notice that most of the complaints about this engine started in colder climates. If you live somewhere warmer, you’re probably not going to have many issues. But if you live somewhere like Utah, which is where we’re located, where you get really cold winters, there are going to be more complaints about this engine.
The bulk of the issue stems from when people don’t have a very long commute. If you live in Ogden and you’re commuting down to Salt Lake City, that’s about 45 minutes of mostly freeway driving, so you probably wouldn’t have many problems. However, if you have a short commute, like your work is only 5-15 minutes away from your home, there’s not enough time between when you turn the car on and when you shut it off to burn that fuel off. As a result, that unburned fuel just settles down into the engine oil.
Worst Case Scenario
Alright, so now we’ve covered what the problem is and what can make it worse – but what’s the worst-case scenario? Should you even get a Honda with this engine that’s known for oil dilution issues?
In the worst-case scenario, your engine oil gets diluted by enough fuel that it changes the viscosity. This means that your engine oil will no longer provide enough lubrication, leading to excess friction – and eventually, catastrophic failure that results in needing to replace the engine as a whole.
Bear in mind, though, that this is the worst-case scenario. We’re not seeing that. We’re having our customers with these cars watch out for specific signs, and then, of course, as professionals, we’re making sure that we check their cars for these signs whenever they come in to see if they’re having oil dilution problems.
Signs To Watch Out For
There are a few signs to watch out for.
#1. Strong Fuel Smell
This is one of the first things people notice that indicates they’re struggling with oil dilution issues. As soon as we’ve pulled the oil dipstick, it’s obvious that the fuel smell is coming from the engine oil.
#2. Engine Misfires
Secondly, the engine oil can be diluted enough to make the engine misfire.
#3. Extended Crank/Car Doesn’t Start At All
Thirdly, in the colder months, having excess fuel in the oil can make it so that your car takes longer to start or does not start at all.
What We’re Doing To Help Our Customers Avoid Major Problems
The #1 thing that we here at Shadetree Automotive do to help our customers with these cars prevent major problems is shorten the interval between oil changes. Honda recommends 9000 miles between oil changes, but the best way to keep oil dilution low is to change the oil more frequently, like every 5000 miles.
The other thing we do is check the software to ensure the vehicle has the latest and greatest programming. The main program updates that have occurred include making it so that the engine runs at a higher operating temperature and changing some of the chip points to help it maintain operating temperature.
As long as you do these things, you should be just fine.
If you have concerns about your Honda with this engine or you would like to learn more about what you can do to prevent this oil dilution issue, the friendly experts here at Shadetree Automotive are more than happy to help. We’re located in Layton, UT, and provide auto repair services to all sorts of different cars, Hondas included.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you make the most out of your vehicle.
