Originally Posted by TR-S2K,Jul 18 2005, 03:08 PM

Walmart sells Pennzoil Platinum for about 40 cents less than Mobil1

Texaco/Havoline newer formulation is the one you should use, you should look at the back of the bottle and looking for these: "SM" and "GF-4"
Walmart sells these Halvoline oils for about $1.4/quart, you should use 10W30 with Honda PCX filter.

Originally Posted by Road Rage,Jul 18 2005, 04:47 PM

As Wisocnsin S2K said, syns are best deployed in Death Valley or Siberia, or for extended drain intervals. Otherwise, there is not much to be gained over "conventional" oils.

Originally Posted by M32,Jul 18 2005, 06:34 AM

Hey everyone,

Everytime I start up the s2k, it's a little rough on startup... so I am going to change the oil to see if that helps.

For those that use synthetic oil, which one do you use? Do you feel a difference between that and regular oil? Do you need a special oil filter? I've never done it before so please forgive my ignorance. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Road Rage,Jul 18 2005, 02:47 PM

That is a myth - you can switch back at any time with no ill effects. I generally do not recommend switching to synoil in older cars, for a varuety of reasons, but you can go back to mineral-based oil at any time.

It is Mobil 1, by the way. If you want to use a syn, the new Pennzoil Platinum has a more advanced base/additive package than M1.

I am using Havoline GF-4 spec oil in my S2000, with only 2300 miles on it. This formulation is so good that I may never switch to synoil at all. I know that today's best minoils are mostly synthetic anyway, as that term has been demoted because of Castrol's successful defense of the Texaco lawsuit. So the "synoil" that Castrol purveys is made of much of the same severely hydrocracked and isomerized base stocks as - yup - that low-dollar Havoline! While I was an early adopter of synoil in the 1970's, the World has changed, and the marketing of synoil looks more and more like a pure money grab to me - and I was a tribologist before I became an IT specialist.

Once, the savvy gearhead used synoil - now it is almost the reverse. As Wisocnsin S2K said, syns are best deployed in Death Valley or Siberia, or for extended drain intervals. Otherwise, there is not much to be gained over "conventional" oils.

Hydrocracking removes many of the impurities and provides many of the performance benefits as synoils, for a fraction of the price.

The bottom line is used oil analysis - here, the wear metals of the best minoils are as good, and often better, than synoils. One reason is that minoils seem to uprake the add pack better, and become effective at lower temps, below 200 degF. Combine that with their greatly improved low temp pour pints (the result of higher monomolecularity and advanced pour point depressants), and the "advantages" of synoil continue to fade.

Originally Posted by Detroit_Doc,Jul 18 2005, 08:30 PM

I'm sure you'll get a lot of opinions on the oil. However I wouldn't expect a change of oil brands to solve your "rough startup".

I doubt your rough starting is oil related. Rough starting could be related to any number of problems. I would start looking at my fuel system if my car was starting rough/hard. Clogged or leaky injectors, etc.

Originally Posted by ruexp67,Jul 19 2005, 05:48 AM

so far as I doubt it's the oil. (Although an oil change certianly won't hurt.)

I would give the MAP sensor a good sharp WHACK and see if that solve the issue before going any more high tech.