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Honda Pilot 3.5L V6 Engine Oil Change Guide
How to change the motor oil and replace the filter on the 3.5L V6 i-VTEC engine in a 2nd generation 2009 to 2015 Honda Pilot.

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2012 Pilot 3.5L V6 Engine
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Engine Oil Filler Cap
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Twist Off Counterclockwise
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the second generation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015) Honda Pilot SUV in changing the motor oil and replace the oil filter on the 3.5 liter i-VTEC SOHC V6 engine.

Owner's of other Honda or Acura vehicles such as the Odyssey, Insight, Ridgeline, CR-V, Fit, Civic, CR-Z, Crosstour, Accord, MDX, RDX, RLX, TL, TSX and ILX may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The items needed to complete this procedure include a 17mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a used oil catch container, a new oil filter, an automotive funnel and 5 U.S. quarts of new SAE 0W-20 oil.

A few compatible replacement oil filters with their part numbers are as follows: Mobil 1 M1-110, Bosch 3323, Fram PH7317, Purolator PL14610, K&N PS-1010, Honda 15400-PLM-A01, K&N HP-1010, Royal Purple 10-2867, Pennzoil HPZ-37, Wix # 57356 and Mann-Filter ML 1008.



 
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Oil Filler Hole - Right Side
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Silver Metal Oil Pan
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Silver Oil Drain Bolt
The first few steps are to bring the engine up to operating temperature, park the SUV on a level surface and turn off the ignition.

Warming up the engine will help suspend any contaminants within the old oil and also allow it to drain out more quickly.

Engage the emergency parking brake and chock the front wheels to prevent the car from moving.

Open the hood, twist off the oil filler cap in the counterclockwise direction and lift the orange plastic oil level dipstick handle an inch or two.

Removing the oil filler cap and lifting up the dipstick will help prevent a vacuum from forming and also allow the old oil to drain out more quickly.

Slide under the engine bay with the used oil catch container, the 17mm socket and the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Locate the silver metal oil pan and the oil drain bolt. The drain bolt is labeled with an arrow and the words "Engine Oil".

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Used Oil Catch Basin
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Loosen 17mm Drain Bolt
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Draining Out Old Oil
Slide the used oil catch container to just below the oil drain bolt.

Be careful when you remove the oil drain bolt, the old oil might be hot enough to burn your skin depending on how long you warmed up the engine.

Loosen the 17mm oil drain bolt in the counterclockwise direction.

Allow the old oil to drain out for at least a few minutes or until the flow slows to an occasional drip.

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Tighten Clockwise
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Oil Filter Location
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Passenger Side Wheel Well
If the oil drain bolt is equipped with a crush washer, inspect it and replace it with a new one if necessary.

Clean the area around the oil drain bolt housing with a rag.

Spin in the oil drain bolt by hand a few turns in the clockwise direction to prevent it from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the oil drain bolt in the clockwise direction to just past hand tight or about 29 ft-lbs of torque.

The oil filter is located near the passenger side wheel well.



 

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Move Used Oil Basin
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Twist Off Counterclockwise
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Lisle Oil Filter Wrench
Slide the used oil catch container to just below the old oil filter.

Twist off the old oil filter in the counterclockwise direction.

If you have trouble removing the old oil filter, you might need to use an oil filter wrench such as the Lisle 63600.

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Dip Pinky Finger In Oil
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Lubricate Rubber O-Ring
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Twist On New Oil Filter
Allow the old oil to drain out from the filter receptacle for at least a few minutes.

I recommend buying the Mobil 1 M1-110 oil filter since it has excellent reviews on Amazon.

Dip your pinky finger in to some new SAE 0W-20 oil and lubricate the rubber o-ring on the new oil filter.

Lubricating the o-ring gasket will help the new filter form a better seal, prevent oil leaks and also make it easier to remove during the next oil change.

Twist on the new oil filter in the clockwise direction to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight.

Double check that the oil drain bolt and the new oil filter are tight before moving on to the next steps.

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Insert Automotive Funnel
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Pour In New SAE 0W-20
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Twist On Oil Filler Cap
Insert the automotive funnel in to the oil filler hole.

The 3.5L i-VTEC SOHC V6 engine's total capacity for an oil change with filter replacement is 4.5 U.S. quarts (or 4.3L).

Since it is far better to have slightly less oil than necessary in an engine than to overfill it, I'd recommend only pouring in about 4 quarts of oil at first.

Running an engine that has been over filled may cause sluggish performance, lowered fuel economy (MPG) and possibly damage to gaskets, seals or other components.

Temporarily replace the oil filler cap by twisting it on in the clockwise direction and push down the dipstick.

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Orange Dipstick Handle
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Pull Out Oil Dipstick
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Check Engine Oil Level
Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes.

Then turn off the motor and allow the new oil to drain down to the oil pan for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

Pull out the orange plastic handled oil dipstick, wipe it clean, re-insert it and pull it out again to check the oil level.

If necessary, slowly pour in more oil (up to the 4.5 U.S. quarts total capacity) and repeatedly check the level on the dipstick until it reaches just at or below the upper line on the cross hatched area at the tip of the dipstick.

The top line on the tip of the dipstick indicates the "Full" or "Max" (Maximum) level.

Once the oil is at the correct level, replace the dipstick and tighten the oil filler cap in the clockwise direction.

Be sure to record the oil change in your SUV's service records. It would also be a good idea to check your parking spot, garage or driveway for drops of oil which may indicate a leak from the drain bolt or the new filter.

To reset the oil life meter on the driver's LCD display, follow these steps. 1. Turn the ignition switch to the "Run" position but do not start the engine. 2. Press the Select / Reset button until the engine oil life is displayed (e.g. 24%). 3. Press and hold the Select/Reset button for at least 10 seconds until the oil life starts to blink. 4. Release the Select / Reset knob and then press it again for at least 5 seconds until the oil life resets to 100%.

For more, please check out my other 2009-2015 Honda Pilot DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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