The 2008 Honda Odyssey’s oil capacity is 4.5 quarts or 4.3 liters with a filter replacement. Honda recommends using Honda Genuine 0W-20 or 5W-20 oil or an equivalent.

So it’s time to change the oil in your 2008 Honda Odyssey. If you’ve come looking for your oil capacity, odds are you’ve made the decision to change your oil yourself, which is a great option for saving about $100 in labor costs.

To help get you on your way,

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—has put together a guide compiling all the information on your 2008 Honda Odyssey engine oil capacity. We’ll also drop some knowledge on finding the best

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2008 Honda Odyssey engine oil capacity

All trim levels of the 2008 Honda Odyssey are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that needs 4.5 quarts or 4.3 liters of oil. This is the oil capacity for when the oil filter is replaced, which is recommended with every

oil change

The oil capacity without changing the filter is 4.2 quarts or 4 liters.

If you are new to oil capacity and engine size notation, it can be easy to confuse the engine displacement with the oil capacity, but these values are not interchangeable.

Engine displacement is different from oil capacity and refers to the volume of the pistons. It’s what is referred to when you see something like a “3.5-liter engine.”

What kind of oil does a 2008 Honda Odyssey need?

Now that you are familiar with your 2008 Honda Odyssey oil capacity, you’ll need to know what kind of oil to buy. Honda recommends using Honda Genuine 5W-20 motor oil, or equivalent.

Many experts recommend switching to a 0W-20 oil instead, especially if you live in a place that experiences cold weather.

For those that don’t know the difference between a 5W-20 and 0W-20 oil or what any of those numbers mean, they are indicators of the oil’s viscosity (a measure of thickness). The first number tells you the viscosity at cold temperatures (measured at 0°F). The second number tells you the viscosity at normal operating temperatures of 212°F.

So a 0W-20 oil is very similar to a 5W-20 oil but will be less viscous in cold conditions, meaning you get better performance in the cold, most notably when starting a cold engine.

As for whether you should opt for conventional or synthetic oil, either will work just fine, but synthetic would be the better choice for overall engine health.

Here are some oil recommendations to get you started:

Honda’s direct recommendation:

Honda Genuine synthetic 0W-20 motor oil

For vehicles with many miles under the belt:

Castrol EDGE High Mileage 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil

For performance:

Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 Motor Oil

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change the oil on a 2008 Honda Odyssey

When you need to change your oil will depend on a number of factors like what type of oil you use, the conditions you drive in, and the state of your engine.

If you use conventional oil, the rule of thumb for a

basic car maintenance schedule

is to do an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles or every six months.

One of the many benefits of using synthetic oil is that you can usually get much more mileage out of your oil. Experts tend to recommend changing synthetic oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

Such large ranges might not seem very helpful, and the reality is that it's best not to rely on these rules of thumb anyways. They are good to keep in mind, but the best practice is to check your oil regularly. Here are some signs you may need an oil change early:

Dark brown or black oil. Clean oil is amber and transparent.

Oil that feels coarse or gritty

Unfamiliar noises coming from your engine

Smells of burning, oil, or smoke

Changes in your vehicle’s performance

MORE:

How to find a 2008 Honda Odyssey radio code

How to change your oil and oil filter

Okay, you’ve made the decision to do your oil change yourself, you know what type of oil to buy, and how much you’ll need. It’s time to collect your tools and change your oil!

You’ll need a socket wrench, a drain pan, a filter wrench, a replacement filter, and of course, 4.5 qt of synthetic 0W-20 or 5W-20 motor oil. Before you start draining any oil, the first thing you’ll want to do is run your car for a few minutes to get the engine up to normal operating temperatures.

Once your engine is warm and you’re ready to go, turn off the engine, pop the hood, and follow these steps:

Remove the oil fill cap.

Under the engine, position the drain pan and remove the oil drain bolt and washer.

While the oil is draining, remove the old oil filter and let the oil drain completely.

Install the new oil filter.

Replace the old drain bolt, with a new washer, and tighten to 29 lb-ft.

Refill the engine with clean oil.

Check the fill level and replace the fill cap.

Run the engine for a few minutes, looking for any leaks and checking to see that the

oil pressure light

is off.

Dispose of the old oil at a local recycling center.

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

You can do a lot of your own car maintenance with great success. However,

car insurance

policy maintenance is often quite difficult to do effectively on your own.

Calling numerous insurance companies is so time-consuming and frustrating that most people just give up. That’s why we created the

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