Things you should or should not do to your car

[drmanny3]

I thought it might be of benefit to mention things that you should or should not do to your car.

1. Upon getting my car was to remove the K&N air filters and go back to OEM paper. There were a number of people who replaced the OEM with a really thin filter that you could easily see daylight through. Chris from SOS chimed in and said to stay away as they probably will not filter out all the crap that gets sucked in. I agree. I tried the K&N with my 2001 NSX that was supercharged. In a matter of months I had problems with the idle and the car would stall. Ends up the oil from the filter gets into the intake and causes soot to adhere. I had to go through a laborious ordeal of cleaning out the intake throttle body. I found out later that Comptech recommended the OEM paper filters over any after market filter. You just need to change them more frequently (which is inexpensive).

2. Even if you do not drive your car often, make sure you change the oil every year. This is important should a problem arise out of warranty, you will be in better position to request "Goodwill" repairs. These are expensive engines and oil systems. The dealer charged me $300.

3. Flush the Brake fluid every two years regardless of mileage. These cars have a complex brake by wire system and brake fluid being hydroscopic can gel over a period of time. The dealer charged me $150.

Anything else?

 

[nsx_454]

Good practical tips. Interested to hear from other owners!

 

[DMacNSX]

I thought it might be of benefit to mention things that you should or should not do to your car.

1. Upon getting my car was to remove the K&N air filters and go back to OEM paper. There were a number of people who replaced the OEM with a really thin filter that you could easily see daylight through. Chris from SOS chimed in and said to stay away as they probably will not filter out all the crap that gets sucked in. I agree. I tried the K&N with my 2001 NSX that was supercharged. In a matter of months I had problems with the idle and the car would stall. Ends up the oil from the filter gets into the intake and causes soot to adhere. I had to go through a laborious ordeal of cleaning out the intake throttle body. I found out later that Comptech recommended the OEM paper filters over any after market filter. You just need to change them more frequently (which is inexpensive).

2. Even if you do not drive your car often, make sure you change the oil every year. This is important should a problem arise out of warranty, you will be in better position to request "Goodwill" repairs. These are expensive engines and oil systems. The dealer charged me $300.

3. Flush the Brake fluid every two years regardless of mileage. These cars have a complex brake by wire system and brake fluid being hydroscopic can gel over a period of time. The dealer charged me $150.

Anything else?

1) I hate oiled filters, use AFE 31-10224 filter, increased air flow and its paper.

2) 3) agreed

Don't disconnect your battery, the engine will drop to 300 hp.

 

[jaybird]

Thanks for the "head up" on the brake fluid change every 2 years -- did not know and will do.

 

[NbyNW]

Check date codes on your tires. Mine are from 2016 even with two new rears in April 2019, they were still from 2016. I'm ready for a new set.

I plan to replace my 12v battery soon. It's three years old and a low battery can cause gremlins. I do keep mine on the NSX charger.

Same with key fob batteries. Super easy and cheap to replace.

 

[drmanny3]

It is funny that I was concerned about my battery as the car is chronologically 4 years old, so the battery should be on its last foot. I took my car in and they tested the crap out of it and it passed all tests. I was concerned and went ahead and special ordered the exact battery size and amperage from Costco. I put it in myself and kept the old battery. Every now and then I put it on the trickle charger for the NSX and within several minutes it is back to the proper voltage. Like you I did not want to find myself with a failed battery. Costco is really good about their warranty with free replacement at up to 36 months and then prorated after that.

 

[NbyNW]

It is funny that I was concerned about my battery as the car is chronologically 4 years old, so the battery should be on its last foot. I took my car in and they tested the crap out of it and it passed all tests. I was concerned and went ahead and special ordered the exact battery size and amperage from Costco. I put it in myself and kept the old battery. Every now and then I put it on the trickle charger for the NSX and within several minutes it is back to the proper voltage. Like you I did not want to find myself with a failed battery. Costco is really good about their warranty with free replacement at up to 36 months and then prorated after that.

Will you post the part number or battery details?

 

[drmanny3]

The battery you want to order is the H5 This is the group size and will give you an exact fit for the OEM battery. There are probably around 6 or 7 brands that meet that criteria. All of them are glass mat just like the original and also the location of the plus and minus terminals are appropriate. Costco will need to order as this is not one of their stock units. However it is in their system. I paid $177 which included 9% tax and a core charge. I think the net price is $144 or so. Keep in mind that the 12 volt battery is not used for starting the car, as that is done by the traction battery. So you are just running the accessories and lighting up the computers.

 

[NbyNW]

The battery you want to order is the H5 This is the group size and will give you an exact fit for the OEM battery. There are probably around 6 or 7 brands that meet that criteria. All of them are glass mat just like the original and also the location of the plus and minus terminals are appropriate. Costco will need to order as this is not one of their stock units. However it is in their system. I paid $177 which included 9% tax and a core charge. I think the net price is $144 or so. Keep in mind that the 12 volt battery is not used for starting the car, as that is done by the traction battery. So you are just running the accessories and lighting up the computers.

Thanks. I'll take a look.

 

[BrakeExpert]

This has been debated for decades. The NSX like almost every new car is an all aluminum engine. The oil will not 'break down' after a year, if you want to know the specifics, there are a million other articles as to why, stuff like why 'high mileage' oil is STILL reccomended for vehicles with only 75k miles.
Brake fluid readily absorbs water. There are ways of testing it such as litmus paper, but if you drive like a grandma and put 2000 miles on your NSX after 2 years your brake fluid is going to be fine. If you want to change it annually, theres no real harm in overchanging it but the way the fluid is made itll be fine for more than 2 years. ive flushed fluid on 12 year old cars where the fluid was only a little bit spongy with 180k miles on the car, yes the carbon brakes are designed to run hotter. In short, if you run your brakes HOT, ie drive it like it was meant 2, then every 2 years is fine. There are track racers who bleed their car after every event. For a road car, over 2 years is fine

 

[drmanny3]

This has been debated for decades. The NSX like almost every new car is an all aluminum engine. The oil will not 'break down' after a year, if you want to know the specifics, there are a million other articles as to why, stuff like why 'high mileage' oil is STILL reccomended for vehicles with only 75k miles.
Brake fluid readily absorbs water. There are ways of testing it such as litmus paper, but if you drive like a grandma and put 2000 miles on your NSX after 2 years your brake fluid is going to be fine. If you want to change it annually, theres no real harm in overchanging it but the way the fluid is made itll be fine for more than 2 years. ive flushed fluid on 12 year old cars where the fluid was only a little bit spongy with 180k miles on the car, yes the carbon brakes are designed to run hotter. In short, if you run your brakes HOT, ie drive it like it was meant 2, then every 2 years is fine. There are track racers who bleed their car after every event. For a road car, over 2 years is fine

Thank you for your opinions. While I will agree in general that changing/flushing the brake fluid is not a requirement for our cars every two years, as noted a lot depends on how and where the car is driven. Our cars have brake by wire and backup systems. In addition the ABS systems also depends on brake fluid performance. I am not interested in letting the brake fluid get a little “spongy“ as you noted in the car that went for 12 years without a flush. A car like our NC1 suggests a bit better maintenance schedule.

I think you are wrong with respect to engine oil. Suggesting that aluminum blocks and heads do not run hot enough to break down oil is NUTS. Pistons get pretty damn hot. And suggesting “high mileage” oil for vehicles with as little as 75,000 miles has nothing to do with our NC1 cars as few if any have achieved that mileage milestone.

Our engines are balanced race engines and have very specific synthetic oil and viscosity requirements. You are welcome to use to use what ever oil you choose in your NC1, but I would strongly recommend against doing that.

You suggest there are a lot of supporting documents. Share some

 

[Honcho]

Thank you for your opinions. While I will agree in general that changing/flushing the brake fluid is not a requirement for our cars every two years, as noted a lot depends on how and where the car is driven. Our cars have brake by wire and backup systems. In addition the ABS systems also depends on brake fluid performance. I am not interested in letting the brake fluid get a little “spongy“ as you noted in the car that went for 12 years without a flush. A car like our NC1 suggests a bit better maintenance schedule.

I think you are wrong with respect to engine oil. Suggesting that aluminum blocks and heads do not run hot enough to break down oil is NUTS. Pistons get pretty damn hot. And suggesting “high mileage” oil for vehicles with as little as 75,000 miles has nothing to do with our NC1 cars as few if any have achieved that mileage milestone.

Our engines are balanced race engines and have very specific synthetic oil and viscosity requirements. You are welcome to use to use what ever oil you choose in your NC1, but I would strongly recommend against doing that.

You suggest there are a lot of supporting documents. Share some

Agree, Manny. The NC1 ICE engine is a GTDI engine. Similar to the 3.5L Ecoboost Twin Turbo in my Ford Explorer and F-150. My UOAs on those engines show that the main problem is not "oil break down" (whatever that means), but fuel contamination. It was similar on my R35 GT-R, which also uses a 3.5L twin turbo. Thus, while the oil may still have plenty of molecular stability, it gets quite washed down by gasoline after a year in these high boost direct injection engines. Definitely makes sense to change it annually.

Also the notion that aluminum engines don't get hot is silly. The turbos dump an enormous amount of heat into the heads and engine block. Watching the coolant gauge when my F-150 is in boost towing up a 7% grade is eye-opening.

 

[drmanny3]

For comparison, my Volvo XC 90 T8 had a 2.0 liter engine that put out 316 hp. It was direct injection like our NC1 and had a supercharger as well as a turbo attached. The oil maintenance called for oil changes every 10,000 miles or yearly. A very specific synthetic 20w0 weight oil was required. The issue was that direct ignition allowed the intake valves to become oil fouled. Our NC1 has two injectors per cylinder to insure the oil is washed off the valves.

The Volvo engines have only one injector per cylinder, and do not tolerate different oils, or going beyond 10,000 miles. In some instances the 10,000 miles is too much. There were a number of reported engines using excessive oil due to various reasons such as over flowed oil catch cans, foiled spark plus, piston rings that froze due to burnt oil, etcetera. I think Volvo figured once past the initial warranty that oil problems would become more numerous. Perhaps that is why the first 4 oil changes were free at the dealership. The specific oil was only available by purchasing from Canada believe it or not.

And as you point out gas can and does dilute the oil. Most folks will check the oil level and think because it remains full that nothing has happened. The truth is oil is consumed. The volume may not appear to change but the composition has. Gas and moisture will dilute oil. When I send my oil in for analysis that is what has been reported.

 

[BrakeExpert]

this has been debated all the way back to ww2. "but this is a performance engine". said the NA1 engine. and the B16 Honda made in the 80s, and so on and so forth. in 20 years, this car is gonna be considered like every reliable Honda engine made, and most call for 7500 miles. yes we have high compression high boost engines. look back in the 60s when Honda had a 1.5L v6 that was pushing around 800hp, that was considered pushing it for the time while bisi did that on a D15 civic engine. was it built? yeah. lets start off with an easy one such as bobistheoilguy. its a good start on oil viscosities and might help ya with numbers.

sorry if i come off mean. but in the world of Porsches, that old excuse of "this is a performance machine and must adhere strictly to the OEM procedures" has been used for decades and decades by people who own the car, not those who work on them, but there are people who have run the S2000's hand-crafted engine with 300k miles on walmart 10w30 oil changes. as you said this is a 'race engine' though its not its a 'road engine.' honda know's what theyre doing, trust a bit in their engineering. Our cars were meant to be neglected a bit. Neglected, not abused, those are two different words.

Also i wanna hit on the "complex" brake by wire system. its not new, its been around for years. The hydraulics of these brakes are no different from any other Honda, its the motor on the master cylinder (no direct linkage) which might make you think twice about waiting on the fluid change. As this is a 'relatively' new thing for a Honda, you might worry as its not been road tested for 25 years like the "new" abs 1 piece pump/unit (standard on say the 96 Civic EX which obsoleted the old massive one with a separate fluid resovoir). I would use that as an arguement, moreso double checking the controls for the MC, in case of electrical failure, your brakes are not a fail-safe on this particular Honda.

 

[drmanny3]

Opinions are like farts in that they are constantly blowing in the wind. Here is some actual information on the Braking System for the NC1, as opposed to random regurgitation of opinions. I have been working on brakes since my first car, a 1953 ford back in 1966. Yes brakes are brakes. Having said that, I think it makes since for those of us who invested in a NC1 to be cognizant of the sophistication and technology associated with our cars. Brakes on Hybrid and BEV vehicles are far more complex and dependent on individual components working in tandem.

Electric Servo Brake System Description
Overview
The electric servo brake system is used to convert as much of the vehicle’s kinetic energy as
possible into electricity and store it in the battery.
The system enables to maximize the regenerative brake force depending on the brake pedal pressure
available. The braking force is determined by the amount of regenerative electricity and the brake.
When vehicle speed is low, the brake creates most of the braking force.
Electric servo brake system performs the following control: Servo control
Regeneration control Stall management Creep aid control
Hill start assist control Automatic brake hold
Fluid consumption increase detection
The electric servo brake system consists of the following primary components: Electric servo brake
control unit
Tandem motor cylinder Pedal feel simulator Brake pedal stroke sensor System indicator
For locations of each component on the vehicle, refer to Component Location Index, and for
functions of the indicator, refer to How to Troubleshoot the Electric Servo Brake System.
Brake Control
If vehicle speed is low, the amount of regeneration by the traction motor decreases, thus causing a
decline in braking effort. The electric servo brake control unit drives the motor of the tandem
motor cylinder to increase fluid pressure while minimizing the change
in braking effort, enabling a smooth transition from regeneration brake to hydraulic brake.

I acquired the attached file from Honda/Acura Service Manual for the 2017 Acura NSX. Rather then rely on some previous antidotal information that is vague and non specific, I prefer documented procedures and explanations. Enjoy

 

[ASpecSoftware]

Brake by wire HAS been around for years. I don't have an NSX, but I own a 2002 Prius and have driven a 2004. My '02 has by-wire front brakes, the '04 has fully by-wire brakes. "Electro Servo" is Acura/Honda-speak for brake by wire.

The Prius is slightly different, though. It uses a high-pressure (3000+ psi!) nitrogen accumulator to generate pressure for the brakes. My 2002 hums like an air compressor for a few seconds when powered on, that's the pump activating to pressurize the system.
The Acura system seems to me like a hydraulic brake system with a master cylinder being actuated by a little robot. Theoretically safer because there's no extreme pressures involved.