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Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Old 10-29-2018, 05:04 PM
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Default Civic 96-98 - viscosity of 10/40w

Guys, is this viscosity too thin for an enhine as old as mine ? Or should i change to 20/50w.

i hv no idea what the previous owner used. My engine is currently throwing black smoke.......... but today morning it was kinda white smoke in the beginning !! Then after a short drive, it was black again.

not sure what is-going on. Looking at cleaning my iacv due to idling issue and black smoke.

any advice will be appreciated.

edit: my engine is a 1.6 single cam non vtec.

Last edited by redhatcode29; 10-30-2018 at 01:26 AM.
Old 10-29-2018, 05:05 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

OP is it?
Old 10-29-2018, 05:08 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by tony_2018
OP is it?
sorry i dont get you. Noob !
Old 10-29-2018, 05:13 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

sorry about not sorry
Old 10-29-2018, 05:32 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

It may help to identify your engine.
Old 10-29-2018, 05:36 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
It may help to identify your engine.
sorry. Mine is a 1.6 single cam non vtec. Dnt know the actual mileage as the engine was swapped.
Old 10-29-2018, 05:44 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by redhatcode29


sorry. Mine is a 1.6 single cam non vtec. Dnt know the actual mileage as the engine was swapped.

D16Y7?

See stamp (engine number) on block.




Have you compression tested the cylinders?

Black smoke generally indicates the engine is running rich. White smoke may be normal if the engine and weather were cold.

Post the CEL codes.
Old 10-29-2018, 08:02 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan

D16Y7?

See stamp (engine number) on block.




Have you compression tested the cylinders?

Black smoke generally indicates the engine is running rich. White smoke may be normal if the engine and weather were cold.

Post the CEL codes.
much appreciate the reply and the diagram.

actually finding out the model of my engine is another whole new adventure for me ! My car is an EH aka EG model. There was a swap by the previous owner. My engine code says that it is a ZCxxxxxx. I think it is a JDM. I found out that the engine is an SO4, hence i am stating thst the engine is 96-98. I actually dont what model it is as it just reads as ZCxxxxxx. Initially i thought it was a D16y7, but my intake manifold is on the top - parralel to the throttle body, So i dnt think its an Y7. I cant seem to post pics for now, hence i cant show how it exactly looks.

any info on this ZC series would be helpful. I am from Asia.

No, i havent compression tested it as i am a noob and still havent figured out how to do compression 😅.

i just recently obtained this ride. Earlier there was the CEL, due to the distributor, which was replaced and the CEL shows up no more.

Would black smoke be due to the viscosity of the engine oil ?

So many questions which i cant find answers !

Old 10-29-2018, 08:18 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_D_engine#ZC

Black smoke from the exhaust generally means excess fuel (running rich), not oil.

There are multiple possible causes. Start by checking for a crack in the exhaust manifold near the O2 sensor or an exhaust leak due to a bad exhaust manifold gasket.

Any engine performance problems?
Old 10-29-2018, 08:29 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_D_engine#ZC

Black smoke from the exhaust generally means excess fuel (running rich), not oil.

There are multiple possible causes. Start by checking for a crack in the exhaust manifold near the O2 sensor or an exhaust leak due to a bad exhaust manifold gasket.

Any engine performance problems?
yeap been to that link before but unable to define which engine i have. Thats where i concluded that mine is a JDM..

Ok, so viscosity gas nothing to do with nlack smoke. thanks.
But as a matter of opinion, do you think that 10/40w would suit such an old engine ? Or should i go for 20/50w
Old 10-29-2018, 08:34 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by redhatcode29


yeap been to that link before but unable to define which engine i have. Thats where i concluded that mine is a JDM..

Ok, so viscosity gas nothing to do with nlack smoke. thanks.
But as a matter of opinion, do you think that 10/40w would suit such an old engine ? Or should i go for 20/50w
Why don't you think you have the mentioned non-VTEC ZC engine at link?
The non-VTEC SOHC ZC is similar to the D16A6 ('91–'96) and D16Y4 ('96–2000) engine, but with more aggressive cam timing.
What oil does the owner's manual recommend? My 6th generation Civics run on 5W/30 oil, as recommended by Honda.
Old 10-29-2018, 09:05 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
Why don't you think you have the mentioned non-VTEC ZC engine at link?


What oil does the owner's manual recommend? My 6th generation Civics run on 5W/30 oil, as recommended by Honda.
sorry i dont get you.
edit: ok i see that you have edited the post. Ok.


I did not have the pleasure of owning the owner’s manual
I just hunted on line and found the manual for civics 96 upwards which i believe is an european version, which stated that the reccomended viscosity was 5/30w similar to yours, which i s why i figured that 10/40w cant do shouldnt do harm any harm.
Old 10-29-2018, 09:13 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Sounds like you should also be using 5W-30 oil in your engine.

You may be able to download the owner's manual from a Honda corporation site.
Old 10-29-2018, 09:16 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
Sounds like you should also be using 5W-30 oil in your engine.

You may be able to download the owner's manual from a Honda corporation site.
i wouldnt dare. For such an old engine. Even for 10/40w i was hesitating.
Old 10-29-2018, 09:18 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan

You may be able to download the owner's manual from a Honda corporation site.
hey will check that out. Thanks for the heads up..
Old 10-29-2018, 09:19 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by redhatcode29


i wouldnt dare. For such an old engine. Even for 10/40w i was hesitating.
My 00 and 97 Civics both run on 5W-30. Not sure why you think your engine is different.

Old 10-29-2018, 09:25 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
My 00 and 97 Civics both run on 5W-30. Not sure why you think your engine is different.
well i am not a car guru, but just my thought that such an old engine would need a much thicker oil to lubricate its moving parts. Using oil which is too thin may not be able to meet the needs of an old engine to lubricate it well. I am southeast asia, the weather here is not cold.

Hey its just my perception.

Old 10-29-2018, 09:29 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Trust Honda
Old 10-29-2018, 09:36 PM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by muellersfan
Trust Honda
👍
Old 10-31-2018, 07:36 AM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by redhatcode29


well i am not a car guru, but just my thought that such an old engine would need a much thicker oil to lubricate its moving parts. Using oil which is too thin may not be able to meet the needs of an old engine to lubricate it well. I am southeast asia, the weather here is not cold.

Hey its just my perception.

that's not how oil works. that's not how your engine works.

bobistheoilguy when you're done reading this you'll know more about oil in general than you do the rest of your car.
Old 10-31-2018, 07:40 AM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

Originally Posted by hondamark35
that's not how oil works. that's not how your engine works.

bobistheoilguy when you're done reading this you'll know more about oil in general than you do the rest of your car.
hey thanks for the link, will check it out.
Old 10-31-2018, 09:20 AM
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Default Re: Civic 96-98 - viscocity of 10/40w

old saying of ' thicker oil on older engines'.......................................... .wow..

I'm still running 5w30 in a camry that has 275k miles...
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