Power Increase: 9/22, 9/23
 

Just a remark...

I noticed driving yesterday that the Integra is pulling hills with relative ease lately. The data confirms it -- on hills before where I would scrub 10 mph at constant throttle, at the same input, the car only loses around 2 mph.

The intake air is the same (120F) and the FE has increased :confused:

The outside temps are much cooler, but I haven't been using the A/C for a while. The only thing I can think of is a recent oil change, but I've had a few trips since then without this kind of power. The humidity is up which could aid in the combustion dynamics, but otherwise, I'm stumped.

RH77

My car had a loss of power. I need to do a lot of maintenance on mine.

It's most likely your transmission. Automatics are weird. One day it will lag, other days it hauls ***.

My auto never did that, and I don't really see any basis to say that a set of gears and such physical components would operate differently at different times.

Perhaps it's just one of those things. I had something like this happen after my wire tuck, Iono why though, :p

Probably the E10.:)

GT4 experience
 

On Gran Turismo 4, when you bought a used car, it had a nice old oil in it, and if you would check the horsepower before and after...you would notice a 3-8 hp increase when you changed the oil. It very well could be that depending on how old the oil was.

If you're running synthetic oil this time, more power is probably reaching your wheels than running regular oil.

No Exxon/Mobil
 

I've been boycotting Exxon/Mobil for a year or more due to their unethical business practices (as well as Wal-Mart).

This leaves Mobil 1 out of the question, which was the exclusive oil in all of my cars. I just changed to Castrol GTX dino oil and left it at that.

RH77

Castrol has been my oil of choice for many many years and is what the manufacturer of my Moto Morini motorcycles recommends because of its misting properties for lubricating the valves. The Syntec Blend is very good as is the full Synthetic . . . of course now I use Synlube . . . told a guy with a big old porche today and he will put it in the tranny first and maybe the engine once he finds the oil leaks . . . engine takes about 9 quarts and has been using Mobile1

Dino - Synth - Dino/Synth - Dino - Synth?
 

Since I change the oil myself, it could be feasible to run the Syntec or full Synth -- but I've gone around and around between Dino and Synth, so I just go with what's cheap and recommended. I chose Castrol because of the same reason -- a good friend raced motorcycles and it was almost required. I may try Syntec next time depending on the price. I used the Mobil 1 back in the autocross days for added protection -- unfortunately, the molecules are smaller, and tend to go bye-bye. Synlube is too expensive for my applications, sorry. :)

RH77

you're only hurting yourself.

I plan to switch to Mobil 1 synthetic for my next oil change. I never get Mobil/Exxon gas anyway.

Shell or Chevron for me.

That made no sense.

You could try Redline MTL for your transmission.

You may be on to something there. The automatic transimission is by far the weakest link in my FE quest. Anything to reduce power losses in that department may well be worth the investment. I wonder if this is something that I could do myself on a weekend. I've heard good things about Redline lubricants.

RH77

I'm saying by you not using Mobil 1 for engine oil you're only hurting yourself.

I understand about not buying Mobil/Exxon gas but get the Mobil 1 synthetic for your engine oil.

That's why I'm confused...
 

Hence my confusion.

A boycott extends to everything the company makes. Exxon/Mobil makes Mobil 1 oil -- it would be just as bad as filling up at their stations.

Furthermore, I've been witness to the synthetic/petro-based oil argument for nearly 8 years now when I first joined a vehicle web-board in '98 and on and on and on. Frankly, the Integra engine seems to have done fine at 120K on 5W-30 Brand-X, and most recently with a PCV oil catch system, which is emptied at every oil change, and is half-full of goob every time. Old engines don't like synthet...NOPE, I'm not getting into it again, it's too frustrating.

Now ToeCutter has an interesting idea about synth AT fluid that may be of importance. Need more info...

RH77