What kind/brand of oil do you use?

[ducky1288]

Wow I haven't been in here in a while.....So I've had my speed since April and I'm getting ready for another oil change and I was looking around and just curious as to what everyone else was running in their Speed. I originally thought my dealer mentioned something about Penzoil but the next oil change I asked my fiance, he is into cars but he really owns a body shop, he told me to put Castrol GTX 20/50, well I went to go buy some oil again yesterday and his friends works at autozone, (thats the only reason why I went I know all the workers lol) and he told me he runs synthetic in his Scion TC (which he thinks is the greatest thing ever and he races people but its pretty much a ricer :) ) anyways he told me 20/50 seemed kind of thick but I dunno I guess I'm just wondering what the majority is running out there or if I am supposed to have something specific in my car, it would be a nice thing to know....oh and 5.7 quarts geez! My fiance's 07 z71 4 door chevy takes that much lol anyways just would like some feedback thanks!

[fred114]

Your going to need 6 quarts of 5w30. Its what the Speed owners manual calls for. I personally use Mobile One which is full synthetic, Castrol syn-tec is good as well.

[FrequentFlyer]

As hot as Arkansas gets in the summer, you could use a 5W or 10W-40 in the summer time, whether it be conventional or synthetic. Just realize you should change your oil more frequently with conventional. Castrol GTX is one of the best conventional oils out there, but with a turbocharged motor, I would honestly spend the extra cash on a good synthetic.

[MikeHTally]

Yep, the manual says 5w-30. There's practically no mention of synthetic. Mine will get Pennzoil Platinum at the next change.

[CWPspeed3]

Little over 2000 miles i changed to 5w-30 Penzoil Platinum and I've been running it since.

[wisniaPl]

penzoil platinum 5w40 best shit for our cars....and it will prevent smoking

[FrequentFlyer]

Where are you getting PP 5w-40? Ordering it special? Went to Pep Boys today and they are selling PP 15W-50. I'm like WTF! More cars can use a 5W-40 than a 15W-50 anyday and they're selling 15W-50.

[arkenzo]

penzoil platinum 5w40 best shit for our cars....and it will prevent smoking

kiss fuel economy bye bye if u go 5/10w40(boom03)

[wisniaPl]

kiss fuel economy bye bye if u go 5/10w40(boom03)

what oil have to do with fuel econmomy?? im using 5w30 but since im gona instal dp i dont want smoke...people that were smoking used 5w40 and it stoped....

[paylew]

As hot as Arkansas gets in the summer, you could use a 5W or 10W-40 in the summer time, whether it be conventional or synthetic. Just realize you should change your oil more frequently with conventional. Castrol GTX is one of the best conventional oils out there, but with a turbocharged motor, I would honestly spend the extra cash on a good synthetic.

If you bought at Crain then you bought my car, lol, or the one I was going to buy. Anyway, I use Pennzoil Platinum 5w30. I haven't had any problems with it, and it's easy to find so I like it. I'm going to give Royal Purple a try, there's another guy in LR with an MS3 that swears by it.

[bova80]

kiss fuel economy bye bye if u go 5/10w40(boom03)

i use 5w40 and haven't seen any problems with mpg's.

[Speed3.5]

Wow I haven't been in here in a while.....So I've had my speed since April and I'm getting ready for another oil change and I was looking around and just curious as to what everyone else was running in their Speed. I originally thought my dealer mentioned something about Penzoil but the next oil change I asked my fiance, he is into cars but he really owns a body shop, he told me to put Castrol GTX 20/50, well I went to go buy some oil again yesterday and his friends works at autozone, (thats the only reason why I went I know all the workers lol) and he told me he runs synthetic in his Scion TC (which he thinks is the greatest thing ever and he races people but its pretty much a ricer :) ) anyways he told me 20/50 seemed kind of thick but I dunno I guess I'm just wondering what the majority is running out there or if I am supposed to have something specific in my car, it would be a nice thing to know....oh and 5.7 quarts geez! My fiance's 07 z71 4 door chevy takes that much lol anyways just would like some feedback thanks!

Turbo charge engined = should only use Fully Synthetic oil = longer lasting engines/turbos w/o issues in longer runs.

5w30 is recommended oil weight for MS3, that being said if you daily drive it then you should stick/use with that "oil weight", unless you street race or drive it hard in daily basis where you need to use different oil weight for the weather you live in etc.

If you want the best and affordable then go with RedLine brand(a vendor here sells them in good price as well)

I use Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic, No problem , no issues so I'm happy with it.
I had bad experience with Castrol in the past with different car but I know for fact that Castrol is BIG in EUROPE.
Valvoline Platinum is good as well from what i've heard.

[aaronc7]

5w30 for most cases... i used penzoil platinum

I think going up to 5w or 10w 40 is good for cars that are driven hard, or are losing oil (like mine). I just recently put in mobil 1 10W40. 5w40 would probably be better, but i could not find any locally..but I am in florida and it rarely gets cold so I should be fine.

[ducky1288]

So where was my fiance's reasoning in using 20/50? lol I'm not going to ask him because he doesn't like when I question things about cars, technically I don't know just tons about cars to question....so a thinner oil basically then?

[///M Compact]

So where was my fiance's reasoning in using 20/50? lol I'm not going to ask him because he doesn't like when I question things about cars, technically I don't know just tons about cars to question....so a thinner oil basically then?


Some people always assume that a thicker oil is better, which isn't always the case. As long as you run a good synthetic 5W-30 such as PP or M1 and change it every 5000 miles you'll be fine. If the car is going to see the track you might want to go with a 5W-40, but based on used oil analysis the 5W-30 M1 I use in my MS3 work beater held up fine for 5000 miles and several track days.

[Betelgeuse]

I used Castrol GTX 5w 30 then switched to Mobil clean 5000 5w 30. Both are conventional and are good oils. My engine now has 45k and does not burn a drop. Frequent changing is the key and I'd use the correct weight. As for which oil to use? Take your pick. You could take every type of oil and line them up and someone will have something to say good or bad about each. As long as they meet or exceed the specs designed for the engine, they'll work just fine.

[wisniaPl]

Where are you getting PP 5w-40? Ordering it special? Went to Pep Boys today and they are selling PP 15W-50. I'm like WTF! More cars can use a 5W-40 than a 15W-50 anyday and they're selling 15W-50.

ordered from website 41 shipped for 6 quarts....

[moll88]

I use royal purple 5-30 and it works fine for me!

[FrequentFlyer]

ordered from website 41 shipped for 6 quarts....

Hmm.. pricey. I'll stick to Rotella T Syn. I bought two 4 quart jugs for $18.99 each at Pep Boys today.

[wisniaPl]

amsoil is 50$ for 6 quarts....i know penzoil is very good with fuel dillution thing so im gona stick to it

[ducky1288]

so 5w 30 seems to be the majority, I guess i technically didn't mean brand as in penzoil, castrol, etc but what weight but I'm going sometime this week to change my oil and will go with a 5w 30 this time....thanks everyone :)

[Speed3.5]

Stick with changing oil every 3k miles (combined) unless you do 85% highway then 5k miles is not bad.

Where you live is hot so changing oil every 3k miles or 3 months the most is best since oil gets used quick in hot weathers thats why ppl tend to use thicker oil.

Your guy - recommended you 20/50 maybe bc he used that on "Domestic Mucle Cars(?)" , they aren't too friendly to thinner oil.
BTW - 20/50 is used mostly in medium to highly modified imported street cars

5w30 might be thin compare to 10w30 etc but its enough suited for MS3 though , thinner oil worm up quick thus reducing worm up time and they lubricate engines faster then thicker oils, turbo's work better on thinner oil as well (then again going with 0w30 is not recommended for MS3=too thin)

[Ploppity Drown]

I run Pennzoil Platinum 10W-30.

Back when I was doing my first oil change I read on the forums that under oil analysis it was found to be of roughly the same viscosity as competing 5W-30's and to have good results following use in the MZR 2.3 DISI turbo. This may not be the most current information, but it seemed legit at the time, and I've had good results.

Plus it's pretty reasonably priced at my local Walmart.

[ericrapp]

And most of them mentioned are pretty good too. I am using royal purple 5-30 but will change to a heavier 5-40 for this summer.

[coololddude]

Mobil 1- 5W-30. Do not have to add any between oil changes. Not a drop!!

[PCspeed3]

I have a question on oil additives, My dad has always run Lucas Oil stabilizer in pretty much any engine he has had. Is this stuff safe to run in the MS3? Any place/person that I talk to said it is well worth putting in to extend life of the engine and such. I think they reccommend putting in a 5:1 ratio of this mixed with regular oil (5 part oil: 1 part Lucas) They make it for synth and conventional oils. Any thoughts on this stuff?

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products_overviews.sd?iid=4&catid=6

[Bonafide_Spd3]

I normally use Mobil 1, but my buddies been telling me about royal purple? Which one is better

[ericrapp]

I have a question on oil additives, My dad has always run Lucas Oil stabilizer in pretty much any engine he has had. Is this stuff safe to run in the MS3? Any place/person that I talk to said it is well worth putting in to extend life of the engine and such. I think they reccommend putting in a 5:1 ratio of this mixed with regular oil (5 part oil: 1 part Lucas) They make it for synth and conventional oils. Any thoughts on this stuff?

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products_overviews.sd?iid=4&catid=6 (http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products_overviews.sd?iid=4&catid=6[/quote]check) checkout, Bob the oil guy website might answer some questions.

[ThreeEdgedSword]

Castrol 5W-30 Synthetic (Probably Syntec, it's made by them for BMW and has BMW labeling on the bottle, but Castrol on the boxes).

[ericrapp]

I like the stock esque description. mine is, similar to stock!

[fructus]

Amsoil is the best quality wise and most reasonably priced choice. The same goes for their filters.

[79_Limited]

Pennzoil Platinum 5/30 here. I have a local Tires Plus to typically offers coupons for a good deal so I stick with it.

[GoFast]

Amsoil is the best quality wise and most reasonably priced choice. The same goes for their filters.

best quality...sure. most reasonably priced...(boom08)

i love amsoil but it is expensive!

[AllLostThings]

Royal Purple. I think it's expensive but whatever. It's full synthetic and I like the way the car seems to run with it.

[dylan jones]

hey i have a question about the mazda protege 5 transmission on year 02 and 03. is it the automatic that has a problem or the standard

[amascio]

The key thing here is 1). use the factory recommended viscoscity which is 5w30. 2).Use a high quality synthetic oil and change the oil at conservative intervals - I change my oil at 4k miles. 3). Use a Mazda oil filter and buy it at the dealer...if there are oil related engine problems while in the warranty period, the last thing you need is for them to find is a non stock filter.

And finally....Both Mobil 1 and Pennzoil Platinum in the 5w30 weight carry the Honda/Acura spec HTO-06. This is significant - it means that these two oils have passed testing in Honda's turbocharged engine - I believe it's the Acura RDX that has Hondas turbo'd mill. Many other oils did not pass the HTO-06.

Does that make them bad oils? Not necessarily - it's just that an oil with the spec has had the shit tested out of it and has satisfied Honda's engineers.
I use Pennzoil Platinum and at 27k miles the engine is spotless inside the valvecover and the engine is quiet.

My .02 Cheers!

[Peter B]

Synthetic FTW! I hoestly think it's foolish to run anything else, unless you have a rotary engine in your car. From an engineering/scientific point of view, there is no reason not to. If the dealer tells you not to they are full of shit. I have had several cars reach well over 200k miles. All were run on synthetic. When the cars died it wasn't because the engine gave out, it was everything else on the car.

I use 5w-30. That is what weight the manual says. No real reason to think we can outsmart Mazdas engineering dept by coming up with something better. They spend alot of money looking into this. With synthetic you should be fine in pretty much any situation. On a molecular level it wont break down in intense heat like regular oil and in the cold it wont gue up as much.

I personally use Mobil1. It may not be the BEST oil out there but it certainly is a one of the better ones. I wouldn't waste your time worrying too much about exactly which oil you pick. As long as you go with something that isnt crap. Its more important that you change at the propper intervals then get the best of the best of the best. Currently I am changing ever 4500 to 5000 miles.

Penzoil platnum I just used for the first time, and everything seems good. I changed brands breifly because the M1 5w-30 has been hard to find due to an accident at one of Mobil's refineries. (only two quarts in all of worcester when i changed my oil last time) Hopefully by my next change that will be fixxed. The nice thing about the M1 and PP is they are quality iouls you can find almost anywhere. You can get a 5 quart jug of either at wally world for about $25.00 Autozone near me wants $30 for a 4 qt jug. Your car will take 6 qts to fill.

One more thing, its not a great idea to switch back and forth between synthetic and convetional. Try to pick one and stay with it.

-Pete

[john blutarski]

Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30

If I ever see smoke, I'm going with Shell Rotella T 5w-40

[DaleNixon]

PP 5w30.

I love the way the car feels with this stuff.

[Betelgeuse]

Synthetic FTW! I hoestly think it's foolish to run anything else, unless you have a rotary engine in your car.

-Pete


With the modern conventionals out there and the amount of additives they contain, there's very little proof that going synthetic is better given short change intervals. Synthetic might benefit someone who prefers longer intervals or who races/tracks their cars regularly. Other than it's really a waste of money. I could show you cars with over 200k using conventional and going strong. I can also show cars with engines using synthetic that didn't quite make it to 100k. One thing I can pretty much guarantee: the guy who changes his oil frequently will more than likely enjoy long engine life (barring any lemons or factory defects).

[FrequentFlyer]

I use 5w-30. That is what weight the manual says. No real reason to think we can outsmart Mazdas engineering dept by coming up with something better. They spend alot of money looking into this. With synthetic you should be fine in pretty much any situation. On a molecular level it wont break down in intense heat like regular oil and in the cold it wont gue up as much.

-Pete

I always laugh when I read something like this because the recommended oil viscosity these days in this country has more to do with fuel economy and emissions standards than having your engine last long. Manufacturers are trying to squeeze more and more mpg out of their vehicles and one way to do this is to run thinner and thinner oils. They spend a lot of money alright. A lot of money trying to get cars more efficient and telling you to use a 5W-20 or 30 to be able to get good CAFE numbers is a lot cheaper than designing a more efficient motor.

The MPS manual in Europe and Australia specify that a 5W-40 can be used. So are the motors in the MPS's any less engineered than ours? Why do most turbocharged, high-performance cars in Europe go with a 5W-40?? Why are most of these 5W-40's labeled "Euro Blend"?

[DaleNixon]

Your ideas are intriguing. And I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter. Maybe I'll switch to 5w40 if it would be the best thing for my engine. Fuck fuel economy.

[strytnyne]

i just switched from pp 5-30 to rp 5-30 might be a placebo but the throttle response "seems" quicker and smoother

[Peter B]

One thing I can pretty much guarantee: the guy who changes his oil frequently will more than likely enjoy long engine life (barring any lemons or factory defects).

I think i said that. Synthetic does perform better in cold weather and extreme heat and tends to last longer. These are factors you can actually test in a lab. From a chemistry point of view most synthetic molecules are more stable then the ones found in conventional oil. I would think this would lead the average person to the conclusion that it will give you better protection, even if its marginal in some cases.
Pleas don't get me wrong, I'm not saying conventional oil doesn't work, because clearly it does. Just most of the research I have done says synthetic out performs conventional oil.

Don't most porshes, BMWs, Corvettes, etc etc come with conventional oil? Must be a reason for that.

For me it pays off. Right now it -10 F out side. Knowing that when I start my car in the morning my oil will be more like oil and less like syrup give me peace of mind. I drive 100 miles a day. Being able to extend my oil changes to 4500-5000 miles saves me money, and time.

The difference is cost isn't really that bad either. Its $33 every 10 weeks for me or $20 every 6 (not counting oil filter.. and the rape at the dealer). Kinda washes out in the end.


I always laugh when I read something like this because the recommended oil viscosity these days in this country has more to do with fuel economy and emissions standards than having your engine last long. Manufacturers are trying to squeeze more and more mpg out of their vehicles and one way to do this is to run thinner and thinner oils. They spend a lot of money alright. A lot of money trying to get cars more efficient and telling you to use a 5W-20 or 30 to be able to get good CAFE numbers is a lot cheaper than designing a more efficient motor.

The MPS manual in Europe and Australia specify that a 5W-40 can be used. So are the motors in the MPS's any less engineered than ours? Why do most turbocharged, high-performance cars in Europe go with a 5W-40?? Why are most of these 5W-40's labeled "Euro Blend"?

Changing oil weight isn't going save them the cost of redesigning a more efficient engine, its just gonna give slightly better results on whatever they come up with. While I agree with you car companies want to squeeze everything they can out of every car they sell to make higher proffit, i don't buy into the 'higher mpg' conspiracy. Is it a factor? Sure it is, but to argue that we know more about mazdas, then well... Mazda does, is a little silly. Keep in mind while they want to get the best specs out of a car they can, they also need to sell you a quality product. If they go around recommending the wrong oil, that wont serve them in the long run

Another thing to keep in mind, is as manufacturing techniques become better and tolerances on part dimentions become smaller, a thinner oil can be used. The better the part, or another way to look at it is the smoother the surface, the less it will wear.

As for the 5w-40, I would like to see if that is the suggested weight, or if it just another weight that is approved. And the weight used in other countries could be related to reasons other then just mpg. Remember one could argue on the other side of the fence you have the evil Exxon Mobils, Shells, Citgo, etc, with their lobbyists and shady deals, who want to make more money and get in bed with car companies to keep the cars guzzling gas. (im not saying i buy into that theory either... just an apposing argument )

All im saying is, mazda did their homework. If they recommend 5w-30, its probably fine... just remember to change your friggin oil! :D

[240ka]

M1(fullysyn)baby.

with the last few post, it seems alot of people are using PP. is it because of the M1 shortage?

or alot of people feel PP is better than M1

[Betelgeuse]

I think i said that. Synthetic does perform better in cold weather and extreme heat and tends to last longer. These are factors you can actually test in a lab.

I'm not disputing that. My point is, as the frequency of changes become higher (like every 3k), the difference in protection is minimal as most conventionals can handle the amount of shearing that take place in that short amount of time. Extend the intervals and all the advantages of synth come more into play.

I do agree that in situations of extreme temps like in racing or below zero temps like you described, synthetics could make more sense. And I say could because in the situation like you described where the ambient temp is -10, a conventional can easily work just as well as long as it's rated pour point exceeds that number (which is the case with many conventionals).

[Peter B]

Ok yeah that is true the more you change, the less difference you will notice. Although some people do claim their cars run better on syth

One area I have hear conventional oil can be better is for older engines where the seals leak a bit. In this situation conventional oil will leave buildup in the leaks and stop them from leaking. Thats why when some people with older cars switch to synthetic they find they they have to top off their oil between changes.

Even where the differences might be very little, I would still take the added benefit of the synth. To make up for the extra cost, rob a quicky mart.. or change your own oil. :D

[DaleNixon]

M1(fullysyn)baby.

with the last few post, it seems alot of people are using PP. is it because of the M1 shortage?

or alot of people feel PP is better than M1

I use PP because of the proven fantastic UOA's with our cars. For some reason it takes very kindly to the DISI fuel dilution issues.

[squidmotion]

exactly 6qts. of valvoline 5W30 full synthetic... and wix oil filter (one of the best filters you can buy, IMO)...

my .02 ....

nothing against regular motor oil ... i have used it and recieved many, many miles on those and regular oil changes... always valvoline.

dad suggested i run synthetic in the speed because of the turbo. dad worked for 25 years in research for shell oil products. he would know, i guess. where he worked, they did a lot of real world testing on various oil products... in real cars.

he said that the synthetic would hold up better under the heat that a turbocharged engine sees, better than conventional motor oil. he thought the light weight of the oil was a bit extreme, but said he would run a synthetic at the recommended weight, and change it every 5000.

[john blutarski]

exactly 6qts. of valvoline 5W30 full synthetic... and wix oil filter (one of the best filters you can buy, IMO)...

my .02 ....

nothing against regular motor oil ... i have used it and recieved many, many miles on those and regular oil changes... always valvoline.

dad suggested i run synthetic in the speed because of the turbo. dad worked for 25 years in research for shell oil products. he would know, i guess. where he worked, they did a lot of real world testing on various oil products... in real cars.

he said that the synthetic would hold up better under the heat that a turbocharged engine sees, better than conventional motor oil. he thought the light weight of the oil was a bit extreme, but said he would run a synthetic at the recommended weight, and change it every 5000.

Aren't you overfilling it? The manual calls for 5.8 and mine is always full at around 5.5 quarts because I think some stays in the balance shaft assembly unless you let it drain for like a full day.

[ericrapp]

I had a shop put in exactly 6, i supplied the oil
and said i thought it was about six with the filter change and I found it was a tad over when checking the dipstick a couple times. So i drained a pinch out. Its nice to hear an opnion from an expert. Your Dad sounds like he qualifies as one to me. Even Mazda overfilled it once. I always check now.

[SwampAss]

I'm at 37,000 miles and haven't had to change my oil yet. Whatever they use at the factory kicks ass. I'm only down 2 quarts. It smokes a little at start up and makes a loud ticking sound but my friend says it's probably the injectors.

[ericrapp]

Change is bad anyways, fear change has always been my motto. Whenever you post i learn alittle about myself. Then i throw up. Thanks for keepin' it real Swampster

[bscott2275]

6qts 5w30 valvoline (non synthetic!) and motorcraft oil filter

change it every 3 months.

[Abilor]

5.6 qts of penn plat 5W30, every 3000, with a new fram filter. Thinking of switching to a better filter...

[squidmotion]

i checked it again today... after it sat for a bit... just a hair under the max line... go figure. i did change the oil about a half our after i got home.. the oil was still pretty hot. so maybe i got more out... i dunno.

i asked dad again today what he thought about running a bit heavier oil, and we debated it a bit. he said he wouldn't do it, but it probably wouldn't hurt a thing down here in the warm se texas.

he says you have to remember that these aren't american cars, and the tolerances are closer. both are set up to use oil differently. you wouldn't run 50wt in a small, light aluminum engiine... but a chev v8 making 700 horses using a massive high volume/high pressure pump likes straight 50w just fine. an all aluminum turboed 4-banger making 270hp is not the same as a cast iron v8 making 270hp.

pops is still pretty impressed with the car..

has there ever been a rear wheel drive platform with this engine?

[funksilver07]

PP 5w-30...

[Texaco]

35K miles on the MS3. Started Mobile 1 5w-30 at 6K miles and change every 6K. Twice the cost, but I would probably change dino oil every 3K so it is a wash cost wise.

[smakdown61]

i checked it again today... after it sat for a bit... just a hair under the max line... go figure. i did change the oil about a half our after i got home.. the oil was still pretty hot. so maybe i got more out... i dunno.

i asked dad again today what he thought about running a bit heavier oil, and we debated it a bit. he said he wouldn't do it, but it probably wouldn't hurt a thing down here in the warm se texas.

he says you have to remember that these aren't american cars, and the tolerances are closer. both are set up to use oil differently. you wouldn't run 50wt in a small, light aluminum engiine... but a chev v8 making 700 horses using a massive high volume/high pressure pump likes straight 50w just fine. an all aluminum turboed 4-banger making 270hp is not the same as a cast iron v8 making 270hp.

pops is still pretty impressed with the car..

has there ever been a rear wheel drive platform with this engine?

The only reason the mazda usa specifies 5w-30 is so they squeeze out every drop of fuel economy they can without damaging the motor. I believe the aussies specify 40 weight with the same motor but without the fuel economy standards.

[john blutarski]

The only reason the mazda usa specifies 5w-30 is so they squeeze out every drop of fuel economy they can without damaging the motor. I believe the aussies specify 40 weight with the same motor but without the fuel economy standards.
That's true. The other thing that should be taken into account is fuel dilution and how any oil will shear down over time. So if you run a 30 weight and drive hard, it may actually be a 20 weight after a thousand or two thousand miles. Running a 40 wt on this engine is a good idea IMO. Just remember to get 5w-40 so it will flow the same when the engine is cold as the 5w-30...

[Wurf]

In regards to comparing a big domestic V8 to the 2.3 and oil viscosity, one issue would be bearing clearances. The V8 is going to have greater bearing clearances so you would want to run a thicker oil. Imagine as your motor is running, the only thing between the bearings in your rods and crank journals is this pressurized film of oil. Too thin and it might not protect the bearings when you zing the motor or worse yet, LUG the motor. Low RPM is lower oil pressure and high load is more "squeeze" between journals and bearings. Not a good combination.

In addition, most of those older V8 motors ran flat tappet cams and sled fulcrum rockers. To combat wear in these areas, you want an oil higher in ZDDP, which is one lubricant that helps prevent wear (Zinc dithiophosphates ). Lots of guys running flat tappet cams run Rotella oils which are high in ZDDP. Problem is this stuff plugs up catalytic converters more quickly.

Modern oils have a lot less ZDDP than they used to for this reason. You can add ZDDP to your oil and help reduce wear, but it's possible it will plug up your cats sooner. It's an eye and skin irritant too. I think STP makes an additive as does Crane and Comp cams. Check out Valvoline racing oil at NAPA. Right on the box it says Not Legal for Street use. This is due to the high levels of ZDDP. Got a case of 10W40 full synth sitting in my garage and thinking of giving it to my neighbor who has a 70's GTO.

Personally I like either full synth Mobil 1 or Valvoline and that's what I'll run in my MS3 eventually. Also have ran Royal purple but it's pricey. Amsoil is also very good but best way to get it is to become a distributor yourself, and sell to your friends. Used to do that too.

In contrast, local race engine builder swears synthetic is a waste of money. He always recommends mineral based oil and change it every 3K. They don't even like to run synth in differentials or transmissions.

[maestro]

Never used synthetic and I doubt I ever will. I would consider Amsoil if it came down to it.
Regular changes of Quaker State have served me well over the many years.

[john blutarski]

Never used synthetic and I doubt I ever will. I would consider Amsoil if it came down to it.
Regular changes of Quaker State have served me well over the many years.

word... as long as you change it often enough it won't make much of a difference in the long run

[Bonafide_Spd3]

Is royal purple 5w 40 a good oil to use? My buddy offered me to take 6 quarts since he will be going to mobil one. Right now I use mobil 1 10w 30

[Wurf]

word... as long as you change it often enough it won't make much of a difference in the long run

Engine builders sentiments exactly. I believe he also said in regards to synthetic oils "all it is mostly is runnier" which while not a technical description is still understandable.

[DaleNixon]

So all that stuff about it being more heat resistant and less susceptible to breakdown due to heat isn't true?

[Wurf]

I wouldn't dispute their claims, but it's likely irrelevant if you change your "inferior" mineral oil before it can have much of an impact. I'll still run synthetic personally.

[DaleNixon]

Gotcha. My main reason for running synthetic is keeping temps down since this is a FI car. I am not interested in extended oil change intervals.

[funksilver07]

5.6 qts of penn plat 5W30, every 3000, with a new fram filter. Thinking of switching to a better filter...
Good idea on the filter...

[Wurf]

I've heard Fram sucks too. Could start a whole thread on what brand oil filter do you use. Purolator, Hastings, Mobil 1? These cars take a cartridge filter and I have not looked into them yet. Anybody care to hijack?

[xxxmonoxidechil]

in my daily beater, what ever's cheapest. lol

in my turbo car's, and the mazda6, i ONLY use amsoil.

[wmherman]

ducky, your owneres manual says to use 5W30 so if you use Castrol or Pennzoil 5W30 every 7,500 miles or six months, whichever comes first, you'll be just fine, assuming you don't race or drive under "harsh" conditions.

You can switch to synthetic oil and/or change oil more frequently if it gives you peace of mind but that will cost you many hundreds of dollars more over the life of the car and the only benefit you will see is possibly a very slight increase in fuel economy (synthetic oil), nowhere near enough to make up the added cost. Some will claim you engine will last longer but there have been no documented studies that I am aware of that have proven this. In fact, the only documented study I've seen showed no measureable difference in wear on internal engine components.

This may be overlooked by some but probably the best thing you can do for you car is to let it idle for a minute or so before shutting it down. The owners manual mentions this is sometimes necessary in order to allow things to cool down a bit.

[Abilor]

I'm actually having trouble finding better filters. I may order some from Ken when I go spin on.

[DaleNixon]

I'm using OEM filters. Do better cartridge loaded filters exist for our car?

[Abilor]

Just ordered the spin-on from the Beasts in Florida. I will now be able to hunt for more generic premium filters, such as K&N gold. Too bad I just changed mine on Sunday...

[15min5k]

I use 6qts Amsoil full synthetic (5w-30) every 3k miles and car runs great@25.5k miles. Where in our owner’s manual does it state using other oils such as (5w-40) is okay?? I've read the whole thing and don't recall seeing anything about that. Might be grounds for a warranty dismissal if it came down to it, I would be weary. Sounds like we got a bunch of people in here smarter than the engineers that created this car....

[Wurf]

Might be, but then again they'd have to prove it as long as you haven't admitted it. Where do you buy your Amsoil?

[DaleNixon]

I believe the Mazda 3 MPS manual in Europe/Japan says 5w40 is fine. I think we get 5w30 recommended due to fuel economy and emissions.

[turbo23]

I use 6qts Amsoil full synthetic (5w-30) every 3k miles and car runs great@25.5k miles. Where in our owner’s manual does it state using other oils such as (5w-40) is okay?? I've read the whole thing and don't recall seeing anything about that. Might be grounds for a warranty dismissal if it came down to it, I would be weary. Sounds like we got a bunch of people in here smarter than the engineers that created this car....

why do you change it every 3! Yikes I was changing mine every 5, and still felt bad about it. During the winters months I may not change it till every 10k depending on some OA results. But during the summer when I track the car it will be 5k

[15min5k]

Might be, but then again they'd have to prove it as long as you haven't admitted it. Where do you buy your Amsoil?

Local Mazda Dealership keeps it in stock in their parts dept. I pay I think $41.00 for 6qts.

[15min5k]

why do you change it every 3! Yikes I was changing mine every 5, and still felt bad about it. During the winters months I may not change it till every 10k depending on some OA results. But during the summer when I track the car it will be 5k

I'm sure you're fine at 5k I'm just a bit peronoid I suppose. Last thing I need right now is car problems.

[FrequentFlyer]

In regards to comparing a big domestic V8 to the 2.3 and oil viscosity, one issue would be bearing clearances. The V8 is going to have greater bearing clearances so you would want to run a thicker oil. Imagine as your motor is running, the only thing between the bearings in your rods and crank journals is this pressurized film of oil. Too thin and it might not protect the bearings when you zing the motor or worse yet, LUG the motor. Low RPM is lower oil pressure and high load is more "squeeze" between journals and bearings. Not a good combination.

In addition, most of those older V8 motors ran flat tappet cams and sled fulcrum rockers. To combat wear in these areas, you want an oil higher in ZDDP, which is one lubricant that helps prevent wear (Zinc dithiophosphates ). Lots of guys running flat tappet cams run Rotella oils which are high in ZDDP. Problem is this stuff plugs up catalytic converters more quickly.

Modern oils have a lot less ZDDP than they used to for this reason. You can add ZDDP to your oil and help reduce wear, but it's possible it will plug up your cats sooner. It's an eye and skin irritant too. I think STP makes an additive as does Crane and Comp cams. Check out Valvoline racing oil at NAPA. Right on the box it says Not Legal for Street use. This is due to the high levels of ZDDP. Got a case of 10W40 full synth sitting in my garage and thinking of giving it to my neighbor who has a 70's GTO.

Personally I like either full synth Mobil 1 or Valvoline and that's what I'll run in my MS3 eventually. Also have ran Royal purple but it's pricey. Amsoil is also very good but best way to get it is to become a distributor yourself, and sell to your friends. Used to do that too.

In contrast, local race engine builder swears synthetic is a waste of money. He always recommends mineral based oil and change it every 3K. They don't even like to run synth in differentials or transmissions.

I'm running Rotella T Syn 5W-40 in my Speed. I'm on the 3rd change with it. I just got an analysis done by Blackstone labs after 5,000 miles with good results. They recommended going 6,500 miles on it. Rotella is full of additives and wear reducers. The only reason why they got rid of ZDDP in most oils (except HDDO's like Rotella) is that catylitic converters are required by Federal law to last a lot longer than they were before. It used to be 50,000 miles before OBDII and now it's 80,000 miles. I gaurantee our pig rich AF ratios and high EGT's will cook our cats long before ZDDP's from oil do, unless you're burning lots of it (smoking turbo?).

I take local race engine builders advice with a grain of salt when it comes to what I put in my street driven vehicle. How often are "race engines" rebuilt? Quite often. How often is my street driven engine rebuilt? Hopefully never. Race engines aren't built to last. They're built to make max power, so one doesn't care if the oil they put in it will last for 5 or 6 thousand miles. Then again, if someone's got the money to build a race engine, why would they go cheap on oil and complain synthetics are a waste of money? If I'm going to change conventional at 3,000 miles to play it safe, but can go 6,000 on synthetic, the money spent is actually the same, if not less in the long run on a better oil.

[Wurf]

I'm running Rotella T Syn 5W-40 in my Speed. I'm on the 3rd change with it. I just got an analysis done by Blackstone labs after 5,000 miles with good results. They recommended going 6,500 miles on it. Rotella is full of additives and wear reducers. The only reason why they got rid of ZDDP in most oils (except HDDO's like Rotella) is that catylitic converters are required by Federal law to last a lot longer than they were before. It used to be 50,000 miles before OBDII and now it's 80,000 miles. I gaurantee our pig rich AF ratios and high EGT's will cook our cats long before ZDDP's from oil do, unless you're burning lots of it (smoking turbo?).

I take local race engine builders advice with a grain of salt when it comes to what I put in my street driven vehicle. How often are "race engines" rebuilt? Quite often. How often is my street driven engine rebuilt? Hopefully never. Race engines aren't built to last. They're built to make max power, so one doesn't care if the oil they put in it will last for 5 or 6 thousand miles. Then again, if someone's got the money to build a race engine, why would they go cheap on oil and complain synthetics are a waste of money? If I'm going to change conventional at 3,000 miles to play it safe, but can go 6,000 on synthetic, the money spent is actually the same, if not less in the long run on a better oil.

I thought of mentioning it when I posted last, but even though they build race engines, they make their living off repairing passenger vehicles and street rods. I've seen everything over there from Superperformance Cobra, to a Pantera, the ubiquitous BBC powered Novas, Camaros, Mustangs, etc. I've even seen them rebuilding a VTECH some kid had in a Civic wagon. They only do the assembly and very limited machine work. We have another local speed shop for machining and they do a great job.

Anyway, the guys are almost religiously against synthetics and have told me stories about rear ends running synthetic oil going up in flames and motors having other problems running it. Almost seems to me they are superstitious about the stuff. I think their primary beef is they believe it to be a waste of money.

I go 4K on Mobil 1 5W30 synth and maybe push it to 5K sometimes before changing it. This is in my work car and it's the boss' preference.

I usually run Valvoline full synth in my personal cars, but have run most everything. My wife drives so few miles that I change her oil about every 4 months even though it only has about 2K on it. She drives short distances and the oil doesn't get much opportunity to get really hot so it's pretty nasty after 4 months. It's a 2002 Nissan Maxima SE automagic.

So you think the high ZDDP oils are OK with a car with CATS eh? I'll have to check if I can find that Rotella locally.

[tiagotiago]

Mobil 1 5w-30. So far the car hasn't burned any noticible amounts of oil (not even during break in!).

I've used Castrol and Shell oils in the past, with no bad experiences to date (those were on my previous car though, a 2.0l gas beetle that did burn oil since day one ¬¬)

[FrequentFlyer]

So you think the high ZDDP oils are OK with a car with CATS eh? I'll have to check if I can find that Rotella locally.

Honestly I'm not worried about it. ZDDP had been used in oils quite commonly up until about 3 years ago when the EPA rapidly phased it out and now with today's SM ratings, it's pretty much non-existant in oils. Phosphorus and Zinc are low-level contaminants. Much less significant than contaminants such as lead, manganese or silicon. It's a lot easier to rid the catylitic converter of these contaminents by running the motor at high loads (high EGT's) which can blast the crap right out of the cat. Most of us have no problems doing this in the MS3, I would assume. :D

If my cat fails with 80,000 miles on it from ZDDP, I'll just get aan aftermarket catted downpipe! :D

Rotella is available at Walmart and Pep Boys, that I know of. Pep Boys had the best price at $18.99 for a 4 quart jug.

[Haxir]

after all the research i've done on these fourms and around from like oilguy.com or w/e. One of the best oils to run is Royal Purple. I use it and always have, such a great oil. Now the weight depends on the weather. If its summer and it gets actually pretty warm where you live, go with 10w40 for the 1 summer oil change, rest of the year use 5w30. If you do your research about all the brands of oil and how they claim to be synthetic. You'll find most are shit and are barely "syntetic". Royal Purple is one of the few remaining oils that are truely fully synthetic.

[ericrapp]

after all the research i've done on these fourms and around from like oilguy.com or w/e. One of the best oils to run is Royal Purple. I use it and always have, such a great oil. Now the weight depends on the weather. If its summer and it gets actually pretty warm where you live, go with 10w40 for the 1 summer oil change, rest of the year use 5w30. If you do your research about all the brands of oil and how they claim to be synthetic. You'll find most are shit and are barely "syntetic". Royal Purple is one of the few remaining oils that are truely fully synthetic. Thank you, Haxir and Bob the oil guy.com too! To each their own, but the Purple is awesome shit and has been good to me. I have used it for years.

[Wurf]

Well my $.02 is I'm not paying nearly $8 a qt for oil, especially when this thing gulps 6 qts per change. This is what's called the law of diminishing returns. You're spending nearly twice as much per qt for Roy Purp VS Valvoline or Castrol and it's not twice as good oil. I go to Wal-mart and buy the 5.5qt jugs for like $19 and change.

[15min5k]

Amsoil bitch!

[ericrapp]

But some oils really are twice as good honestly. But if you change your oil religously to remove contaminants and broken down friction modifiers. Every one should be fine. Mazda does not recommend synth so they should know best. Seriously. They want their motors to run as long as possible! But for some folks, like me who are bouncing off the rev limiter and are running higher in the rpms under load for sustained periods of time, some of the high end oils like RP and Amsoil, Redline and Rotella(sorry FF ) and such really have been proven to help keep a motor or tranny together longer. I think you mostly do get what you pay for in this case. But i guess how you drive your car really should help you decide what works for you. I actually am running my motor oil to 4k. And RP is rated for closer to ten thousand on a daily driver. There are many modified oils in between, in quality and price to. I think i just spent more like 10 cents! with my opinion

[fastguy]

i use mobil one full synetic and it runs great 5w 30

[karl hungus]

pp 5w30 from walmart. 5 qt jugs were going for $23 last week.

[SvenSPEED]

I just had the first change done, free at the dealer, idiots. I told them the speed 3 takes 5W30 and they said they use 5W20 on the 3. I showed them in the book where it says 5W30 but they put in 5W20 anyway, said ‘the tech checked with Mazda and it was okay, and in our climate it was better’. I live in Phoenix and it’s already in the 100's here, wouldn't you go with a higher viscosity in extreme heat?
I think they did not have the Mobile 1 in 5W30. But they did Mobile 1 for free thinking I will go back to them.
Btw, I believe the 3K oil change only benefits those selling it and is a waste of money. The book states 7.5 K in normal conditions and 5K for heavy conditions. So running Synthetic for 5 – 7k should be very safe. The nice thing about synthetic is if you go past where you should, you have a little extra protection.
My .02 on oil, a fascinating subject by the way.

[MikeHTally]

I just had the first change done, free at the dealer, idiots. I told them the speed 3 takes 5W30 and they said they use 5W20 on the 3. I showed them in the book where it says 5W30 but they put in 5W20 anyway, said ‘the tech checked with Mazda and it was okay, and in our climate it was better’. I live in Phoenix and it’s already in the 100's here, wouldn't you go with a higher viscosity in extreme heat?
I think they did not have the Mobile 1 in 5W30. But they did Mobile 1 for free thinking I will go back to them.
Btw, I believe the 3K oil change only benefits those selling it and is a waste of money. The book states 7.5 K in normal conditions and 5K for heavy conditions. So running Synthetic for 5 – 7k should be very safe. The nice thing about synthetic is if you go past where you should, you have a little extra protection.
My .02 on oil, a fascinating subject by the way.

Sounds like your oil change cost what it was worth. No way anyone (with a brain) at Mazda told the tech 5w-20 was OK in AZ. I would contact the service mangler, and then never set foot in the place again.

[ericrapp]

I myself would not run a 5w because i do not drive this car in winters. But the car asks for some pretty slippery stuff. Some have moved to thicker viscosities after remove cats and increasing the horsepower and boost a little. I have just purchased another batch of Royal Purple at 10w30. It has been 9778 miles. The oil has actually started to break down. finally. By the way i will probably not run this far again. it makes me nervous coming from the old school 3000, change period. my car is well broken in and i will probably go 6000 next time.

[SvenSPEED]

So, i check the oil and it seems a little overfilled, so, i stop back into the shop and ask them to check it and it is a little over the full mark. the mech said it would not hurt anything. He offered to drain it, but, said it didn't need it, so, i passed, i had to get to my other job. hard to say how over it really is, but, it is nagging at me, is he right? could it damage anything being a little over?

[MikeHTally]

Probably not if it is just a LITTLE over. I prefer a tiny bit under as opposed to any over. "Roger, over." "What?"

[Wurf]

That depends.
If it's enough extra oil in the oil pan to contact the crank all the time, as in the crank is partly submerged in it, then yes that's bad. You'll aerate your oil, lose significant HP to windage and possibly foam up your oil which is horrible for bearings etc. That would be a worse case scenario and I highly doubt you're at that point with just a bit over full. The dipsticks probably aren't marked accurately enough from car to car for this to come into play.

I would say if the mechanic said it was OK then just run it and check it in a couple weeks. If you were a quart over, then I would drain some for sure.

[SvenSPEED]

Thanks for the reassurance, I don't think it is that over filled.

[18psiWhiteMS3]

im about to do my first oil change at 2000 miles. should i use conventional oil or should i switch to synthetic. isnt 2000 too soon for synthetic tho??

[Wurf]

Dealer did mine for free ( first oil change is free ) at 2500 and they put semi-synthetic Ford Motorcraft oil in it. I think you would be fine with either conventional or full synthetic, but if it makes you feel better about it, run the conventional and just change it again at 5K. That's when I'm doing mine.

[SleekDJ]

I just had the first change done, free at the dealer, idiots. I told them the speed 3 takes 5W30 and they said they use 5W20 on the 3. I showed them in the book where it says 5W30 but they put in 5W20 anyway, said ‘the tech checked with Mazda and it was okay, and in our climate it was better’. I live in Phoenix and it’s already in the 100's here, wouldn't you go with a higher viscosity in extreme heat?
I think they did not have the Mobile 1 in 5W30. But they did Mobile 1 for free thinking I will go back to them.
Btw, I believe the 3K oil change only benefits those selling it and is a waste of money. The book states 7.5 K in normal conditions and 5K for heavy conditions. So running Synthetic for 5 – 7k should be very safe. The nice thing about synthetic is if you go past where you should, you have a little extra protection.
My .02 on oil, a fascinating subject by the way.

Hey SvenSPEED, I just got my first oil change at the dealer too (Showcase Mazda) and they put in 5W20 Mobil 1 synthetic. Did you go there too? Did you call them back and try to get them to put in 5W30?

Anybody other than MikeHTally think that 5W20 is bad for our cars?

[ericrapp]

might be kinda thin for the turbo seals. i would not consider it myself. i actually moved to a slightly heavier weight than suggested from the dealer. Mike knows what he is talking about.

[SleekDJ]

Just called the dealership and talked to the Master Tech there. He said that Mazda USA covers this under the warranty and for the Arizona climate, it's perfectly acceptable. Hmm....

Here is a graph of the weather in Phoenix, AZ:
http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/DisplayNORMS.asp?AirportCode=KPHX&SafeCityName=Phoenix&StateCode=AZ&Units=none&IATA=PHX

[ericrapp]

hmmm... i must agree on that. the hmmm..But if a Mazda master says ok, i am absolutely no position to argue

[TheMAN]

mazda master techs aren't engineers, and there's a TSB specifically stating the need for 5W30 oil, enough said

[cackalacky]

im about to do my first oil change at 2000 miles. should i use conventional oil or should i switch to synthetic. isnt 2000 too soon for synthetic tho??

I'm in the same boat and would like to know this, also...

[ericrapp]

These cars are not like the old days or a freshly rebuilt motor. If you are going to stay with the synthetics then now is as good as time as any. Two things though. Once you go synth, my understanding is you will need to stick with it. something about seals and such. But also, your warranty. Mazda will put synthetic in your car for you, and i would have them do the first change over. That way if there ever is an issue, i do not think there will be. But if so you can say "well you guys put synth in?" If you have your oil changed by others or yourself keep the receipts and jot down the mileage and throw all that into your New MazdaSpeed 3 file. Happy trails!