I assume some accumulation of drips on garage floor or driveway?
The drain plug seal that was leaking was the one as delivered with new CX-5?
Oil consumption, dirty exhaust and an answer from a Mazda mechanic
- Thread starter BGChicago
- Start date
I assume some accumulation of drips on garage floor or driveway?
The drain plug seal that was leaking was the one as delivered with new CX-5?
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- Mazdaspeed6
Make sure you inspect the crush washers, if you're doing fluid changes. More often than not they can be reused. But, they're relatively inexpensive from the dealer. If you're having the dealer service the oil, they should be installing new crush washers.
The soot is totally normal, for reasons already explained above. You can expect the level of soot which accumulates on the tail pipes to vary, depending mostly upon driving habits.
The soot is totally normal, for reasons already explained above. You can expect the level of soot which accumulates on the tail pipes to vary, depending mostly upon driving habits.
Sorry to bump an old thread, but this was the most recent thread I could find on oil consumption in the skyactiv engine.
I've been running with some oil consumption in my 2014 Mazda 6 since it was new, and on my previous oil change I noticed about the same amount (actually, exactly the same amount) of oil loss - 3/4 of a quart in 7000 miles.
I changed the oil myself and on this change it seems to be even more at around 1/4 of a quart per 1500 miles.
On the *************** website no one else is reporting comsumption. I think the one thing that really stands out is that we (OP and I) both have manual transmissions.
I don't typically downshift off-power, but I will let the car ride in gear while coasting until around 1500rpm and then clutch in and shift to neutral.
I talked to the mazda service rep who said it sounded like a lot of consumption for a new car, but since there was no spec that he knew of (or wouldn't tell me) on oil consumption that it wasn't broken. Thanks.....
A friend of mine with an Audi was told that their spec is 1 quart in 1200 miles (which sounds typical for most MFRs), so I expected it to be something around there.
I've been running with some oil consumption in my 2014 Mazda 6 since it was new, and on my previous oil change I noticed about the same amount (actually, exactly the same amount) of oil loss - 3/4 of a quart in 7000 miles.
I changed the oil myself and on this change it seems to be even more at around 1/4 of a quart per 1500 miles.
On the *************** website no one else is reporting comsumption. I think the one thing that really stands out is that we (OP and I) both have manual transmissions.
I don't typically downshift off-power, but I will let the car ride in gear while coasting until around 1500rpm and then clutch in and shift to neutral.
I talked to the mazda service rep who said it sounded like a lot of consumption for a new car, but since there was no spec that he knew of (or wouldn't tell me) on oil consumption that it wasn't broken. Thanks.....
A friend of mine with an Audi was told that their spec is 1 quart in 1200 miles (which sounds typical for most MFRs), so I expected it to be something around there.
pjensen641
Member
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- 2013 CX-5 AWD Touring Zeal Red
I have a feeling that the soot is caused by grossly over sized exhaust tips along with the DI soot tendencies. In the name of appearance, the exhaust tips are large enough for an engine 3 times the size of the CX. The exhaust gas velocity is pretty minimal, so it doesn't get projected out away from the tips. At idle, it is difficult to even feel the exhaust gas flow!
It's been about 6000 miles since my 1st oil change. I did not notice the oil level dropping on the factory fill, but I have added about 1/2 quart over the 6000 miles since the oil change to maintain the same level on the dipstick. I am using the 0W20 Mazda oil with moly. This amount of usage doesn't alarm me, but the fact that it is using more now than on the factory fill makes me wonder if the oil I'm using now is the same as the factory fill and if changing to a different oil such as 0W20 Mobil 1 AFE would have any affect on oil consumption. I use the Mobil 1 in my wife's 2013 Altima and it uses no oil at all over the 7500 mile interval.
It sounds like you are topping the oil off multiple times to keep it at the full level.
That is not necessary or recommended. The best level is midway between full and add lines (although there is nothing wrong with filling it to the top mark and then letting it stabilize at it's natural level).
My oil level stays 75% above the "add" mark for 7,000 miles without budging.
Don't overthink the oil level.
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- San Antonio, Texas
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- '15 CX-5 Miata AWD
My oil change kit comes Monday. Are there any tips for oil change on cx5?
I only check the oil frequently because the car in new enough that I don't have a handle on the oil consumption pattern.
I check the oil every 2-3 weeks, in the morning, after sitting all night. I check it in the same spot in the same level garage each time. I add 1/3 quart of oil when it gets down to approx 25% above the low oil level marker, this brings it up to about 75% of the way up between the two marks.
One of the comments earlier about engine braking has me thinking that there may be a connection. The Auto tranny engine brakes very aggressively to maintain the speed set by the control when going down hill. I may try avoiding this situation for a while and see if that affects consumption.
I've noticed the comment to change the oil plug washer several times. Been doing oil changes on my car, wife's car, etc for basically 30 years and never changed a drain plug washer. Never had an oil leak issue. Is this a problem with Mazdas? If one is worried about grit, simply wipe the washed down and the area it covers on the pan.
A washer's purpose is not to seal, it is to prevent vibration from loosening the bolt or nut over time. You should be able to de-thread the nut 75% with your fingers before you see any oil trickle. If not, your nut and pan threads are not manufactured properly, which would likely affect ever car manufactured, hence my question about if this is a Mazda thing.
A washer's purpose is not to seal, it is to prevent vibration from loosening the bolt or nut over time. You should be able to de-thread the nut 75% with your fingers before you see any oil trickle. If not, your nut and pan threads are not manufactured properly, which would likely affect ever car manufactured, hence my question about if this is a Mazda thing.
I've always changed them, just because you can normally get them for free anyways if you buy a bunch of filters at once. Anyways, most people probably serious crush them each time they do a change anyways. I use a torque wrench and the recommended values aren't high enough to crush it all to heck so you likely would have no issue re-using them.
Never knew that.
I am fairly sure oil was on full mark when I got car. I noticed it was down probably 1/8 quart when I checked it in the last hour. It hasn't been driven for about 4-5 hours. I now have a little over 700 gentle miles. I'll keep a close eye on it and somewhat paranoid as I have never had a new vehicle show a consumption like that.
I might need to start romping on it 
We'll see if that makes a difference.
We'll see if that makes a difference.
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
First, if it's like many others who have reported here, the factory fill was probably not quite to the full line. Second, these engines often consume a half pint or so of oil in the first 5k miles (mine did) and then stop consuming oil altogether. So you can dispense with the handwringing and just drive. You're past the recommended 600 mile break-in period, so just drive the car normally.
Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback and it is likely I was overreacting to a non-issue.
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- 2014 Mazda CX-5 GT w/ Tech
Soot on the exhaust pipe is from a overly rich condition at some point when driving, my guess is that "loud" 30 second start up the car has. Also, pump gas has stuff in it that tends to make pipes a bit sooty...same thing with my race gas vs pump gas on my race bike, the race gas is much "drier" and has less "stuff" in it and is refined a bit better, hence a more light brown coating instead of black...
I wouldn't worry about oil consumption till after first oil change...most of these Japanese cars you could just weld the hood closed for the most part...
I wouldn't worry about oil consumption till after first oil change...most of these Japanese cars you could just weld the hood closed for the most part...
