Changing engine oil

Engine oil and filter change intervals

Engine oil change intervals

The owners and service manual recommends the following intervals for changing the engine oil:

• Normal driving conditions: Every 12.000km / 7.500miles or 1 year (which ever comes first)
• Harsh driving conditions: Every 6.000km / 3.750miles or 6 months (which ever comes first)

Most owners drive their S2000 only during the summer months and do a service (which includes an engine oil change) during the winter.
This means a service every 6 months and usually within 6.000km.

Engine oil filter change intervals

The owners and service manual recommends the following intervals for changing the engine oil filter:

• Normal driving conditions: Every 24.000km / 15.000miles or 1 year (which ever comes first)
• Harsh driving conditions: Not mentioned
  

Since the engine oil filter is relatively cheap and easy to replace it is highly recommended to replace the filter whenever you change your engine oil.

Definition of harsh driving conditions

The service manual states the following definition:

• Less than 8km (5 miles) per trip on non-freezing weather conditions.
• Less than 16km (10m miles) per trip on freezing temperatures.
• In hot weather climates with temperatures above 32°C/90°F.
• Extensive idling or long periods of stop-and-go driving (e.g. as taxi or commercial deliver vehicle).
• Driving on mountainous roads.
• On muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads.
  

Additionally definition from other S2000 owners:

• Sport and fast paced driving with a lot of VTEC engagement.
• Long periods of driving at 150km/h (93 mph) or above.
• Racetrack driving (most people recommend to change the oil after each racetrack visit).

Recommended engine oil

See: Engine oil recommendations

Recommended engine oil filter

It is highly recommended to only use the OEM filter with the part number "15400-­PCX-004".
There are several other options to choose from (even from Honda) but it seems like other filters can't keep up with the high oil flow speed that the F20C engine has.
See: Oil filter

Required tools and fluids

• 1x Honda oil filter #15400-PCX-0400.
• 4,8L / 5,1qts engine oil (or a little more if you would like to "flush" the engine)
• New crush washer for the oil drain bolt (14/24/Aluminium See: Washer#Engine_oil_drain_bolt)
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench (24Nm / 18 lb-ft and 40Nm / 29 lb-ft)
• Filter wrench or filter socket for your ratchet
• Oil catch pan
• Floor jack + 4 jack stands
• Funnel (optional)

How to change the engine oil

Pre-conditions and jacking up the car

• Make sure that the engine is not cold but also not too hot. 2-3 bars on the temp gauge are fine.
• Put the car in the first gear and set the parking brake.
• Jack up the car on the front by using the central jacking point near the engine.
• There are two front-jacking-points on each side. Place one jack stand on each side at the jacking-point that is the furthest away from the front wheel.
• Lower and remove your floor jack and continue jacking up the rear by using the jacking point on the differential.
• Place your jack stands on the left and right side jacking points at the rear of the car.

Draining the engine oil and removing the oil filter

• The oil pan is located under the engine and the drain bolt is located on the front of the oil pan at passenger side.
• Place your oil catch pan below the engine oil drain bolt.
• Remove the engine oil filling cap on the top of the engine.
• Remove the engine oil drain bolt with a 17mm socket from the oil pan.
• The old engine oil will now drain from the oil pan and you might need to re-adjust your oil catch pan.
• While the engine oil is draining I recommend to also remove the oil filter. You will notice that once the filter is gone, more oil will come out of the engine oil drain.
• Remove the oil filter completely. Be careful as engine oil will leak out of the filter and engine. Make sure that the oil filter and its gasket both came off.
• The oil filter is located above the engine oil drain bolt.

• Once all the oil has be drained I like to fill fresh oil into the engine to "rinse or flush" the engine with the new oil.
• Wait until no oil (either old or new from "rinsing") comes out of the engine.

Installing the new oil filter and adding new engine oil

• Fill the new oil filter about half full with fresh engine oil.
• Use your finger to to apply fresh engine oil to the gasket of the new oil filter.
• Screw the new oil filter on the engine until the gasket touches the engine.
• Now use a filter socket and a torque wrench to tighten the filter to 24Nm / 18 lb-ft or do 7/8 of a full turn of the filter.
• It is important to tighten the oil filter as described. There have been several cases where an oil filter came loose while driving. See: Loosening oil filter while driving
• Replace the old crush washer from the engine oil drain bolt.
• Usually the crush washer will have two sides, one that has a rounded edge and one that has a sharper edge. The sharp edge should face the oil pan.
• Hand tighten the engine oil drain bolt. Then use your 17mm socket and a torque wrench and tighten it to 40Nm / 29 lb-ft.
• You can now fill the rest of you new oil into the engine.
• Start the engine and let it idle for a few seconds.
• After 10 minutes check the oil level according to: Reading the oil level dipstick correctly