[Wayne M]

Perhaps you have seen my other post, dead at 24hrs?
This used car dealer claims to have changed the oil. Have no clue what he used (or quickie lube). Is the insight so sensitive to oil types that the wrong stuff may cause check engine lights? Or will it just suffer some slight milage loss? :?

 

[devin1955]

I don't know if it would cause a check engine light, but my guess is this. Since Honda specs such light weight oil, there must be some very tight tolerances in the engine. I'd be quite concerned about standard weight oil not freely flowing, and causing damage from inadequate lubrication.

If I were you, I'd change the oil and filter pronto.

 

[Rick]

Immediately I'd be concerned with the oil level. Check the dipstick, if it's low or more likely way too full then I'd find a way to get a proper oil change as soon as convenient. Not knowing, I don't think I'd trust it. If you could find out if it were 10W-30 or lower it probably isn't a big deal so long as it's not over filled, but otherwise it wouldn't hurt to change it yourself.

I should mention, the small shop my family operates has this thing I don't agree with where we only use 20W-50, which is way too thick for modern cars.

 

[Wayne M]

Yep, too full of 'mistery oil'

I don't have an owners manual, seems to be a thing with used cars for the manual to be the first thing lost. How much does the engine hold? What's the amount of oil between the marker holes on the dipstick? One qt.? If that's the case, then she's over by about half a qt. And with such a tiny engine and small amount of oil, I guess I'd better deal with that pronto.

Also where's the oil filter? Buried under the manifold / rear of the engine / accesable only from underneath? Would the local fast lube even have a filter for the Insight? NAPA parts for a bring your own filter service? And the 0w20 oil?

As for that heavy duty oil your folks business use, sounds like they got a deal from some deisel truck supply company. :wink:

 

[HafNHaf]

2.6 quarts with filter change. filter is on the "front" of the engine. drain plug is on the back. i can reach it from the top of the engine. remove the front center aero panel under the engine to drain/remove the filter. pivot the passenger side aero cover out of the way to drain the sump. 0w20 or 5w20. i use mobil 1. change every 7500 miles, along with filter. manual says filter every other change, but filters are cheap. i use purolater premium (NOT Pure One). sounds like they put in 3 quarts. dump it and do it right!

 

[Wayne M]

Changed at local Honda dealer

Just for giggles I took the car to a local quick lube. The rear wheel track is just wide enough to barely make it over the lube pit without a wheel falling in! No surprise, they didn't have any syhthetic of the weight spec.

Down the road I go to the Griffin Honda dealer (Hank Aaron) for their express lube. They found the air filter to be absolutely grunged up, but didn't have one. (This was only the 3rd Insight they ever saw.) So next Sat. I go back for the handbrake and headlight switch recalls (which also had to be ordered) and the air filter change. Now the oil level is dead correct at the top indicator hole on the stick. 8)

During the air filter check the kid broke off the sole remaining filter box hold down (the little cheap plastic wedge that was on the wire bail) for the front. :idea: Got a couple of heavy duty trash bag holder rubber bands to hold down the filter box top. Looped the ends thru the wire bails and over the top and down to the rear air box hold down bolt. Works OK for now.

 

[brenton]

I've never had issues with a honda dealer not having parts. Here on the east coast (don't know where you are located) there aren't many Insights around. I thought this would pose an issue with dealers.

I do have an issue finding oil in Autoparts America, Autozone and such. I want to start doing my own oil changes now that I'm not renting anymore and have an area to do it again.

 

[cktman]

Do not put anything in the engine but 0w20 or you will have engine problems down the road from lack of lubrication. The bearing tolerances are much tighter than most are used to and the thicker oils will NOT lubricate properly.

Rick L

 

[nrg-wyz]

0W30 oil

I've been reading this and other posts on options for oil. Finding synthetic 0W20 (Mobil1 or "Pennzoil for Hybrids" 0W20) has been tough. But local NAPAs tell me that they have 0W30. Never heard of it. And I do NOT see it as an option recommended by Honda in the Owner's Manual. Anybody out there familiar what those numbers mean... specifically regarding 0W30... and the potential compatability or incompatability for an Insight? Tks.

 

[b1shmu63]

cktman, look in the Honda shop service manual under lubricants and fliuds. You will see a chart that says 0W30 is a recomended oil for the insight. In my opinion the only thing you should use non synthetic oil for is breaking in the engine. :wink: Below -15 Farenheit 5W30 is not recommended, but you could use it in the southern U.S..

 

[Resist]

Not sure where you got that but, the service manual for my 2001 CVT shows only 0W-20 oil as being the correct oil for the Insight.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Not sure where you got that but, the service manual for my 2001 CVT shows only 0W-20 oil as being the correct oil for the Insight.

AFAIK no Honda Service manual nor Owner's manual only list _one_ grade oil as being the only choice.
My copy of the Insight Service manual has the same graph as shown above.