2006+ Mazda5 Maintenance Tasks: Do It Yourself

Medicman said:
Could one not just cut a round hole under the oil filter to save some time ?
make it a little larger than the size of the filter ?
Enought space to tighten/loosen the filter with the tool ?
Maybe, but removing the plastic guard panel is quick an easy. With a small powered screwdriver, it takes less than a minute, and it gives you access the entire underside of the engine.

Also, the whole you would need to cut out would have to be quite large, and I think it would expose the oil filter to dirt from the road.
 
The hole wouldn't have to be that big, but what about draining the oil from the pan, you would also have to put a hole there, and the oil doesn't stream out in a small diameter, it moves as it's finishing draining. You'd also have to cut a big hole in the spot where the drain plug is.
 
2cam16 said:
Bulwnkl,
Any update on this ? I'm about to do a change and don't really want to pay the Mazda price for the wrench. I'd rather go to the local auto parts store.
thanks

Sorry, Rob. A whole lotta stuff has happened this year and I've only been on the board twice since I posted that. In any event, no, I don't have the calipered spec for the cap. I did try to reach up through the hole with them to measure some time back in the summer, but I can't be confident I measured correctly. My measurement was roughly 71mm, IIRC, but it's been quite a while. I do remember specifically going to the auto parts stores to look for those cap wrenches and not finding one within several millimeters of what I had measured. However, that could have just been a consequence of living in Idaho! I have no facility to bring the car inside these days, and it's -18F this AM so I'm not excited about tearing into things. ;)

I'll be able to measure for certain next oil change, which will likely be in late February, or sooner if we can get into a house.
 
No problem, man. I bought one at Kragen's but not sure if it's the correct size. I'll find out when I do the change.
 
Did my oil change today and installed a Fumoto Valve too. Let me tell you, this is the messiest oil change I've done. I thought our Odyssey was bad, but this filter tops it all ! Why oh why Mazda/Ford ?!# All in all it was easy except for the messy filter.
Here are some pics including the filter wrench I bought ( I guessed the size) which was a PERFECT fit.
Fumoto Valve
DSCN0372.jpg

DSCN0370.jpg

Wrench Top
DSCN0373.jpg

Wrench Inside
DSCN0375.jpg
 
The one thing I find messiest about changing the 5's oil is that, because the oil drain hole is positioned sideways (at 90 degrees to the ground) and the 5W20 oil is thin, when I open the drain the oil fires sideways right over the top of my drain pan. I mean it goes sideways about 18 to 24 inches at first, which I never seem to remember when I'm setting the pan under the car.

Would a Fumoto valve help direct the oil down instead of sideways?
 
diogenes said:
The one thing I find messiest about changing the 5's oil is that, because the oil drain hole is positioned sideways (at 90 degrees to the ground) and the 5W20 oil is thin, when I open the drain the oil fires sideways right over the top of my drain pan. I mean it goes sideways about 18 to 24 inches at first, which I never seem to remember when I'm setting the pan under the car.

Would a Fumoto valve help direct the oil down instead of sideways?

Yes!
 
2cam16 said:
Did my oil change today and installed a Fumoto Valve too. Let me tell you, this is the messiest oil change I've done. I thought our Odyssey was bad, but this filter tops it all ! Why oh why Mazda/Ford ?!# All in all it was easy except for the messy filter.

Did you bought your valve at FUMOTOVALVE.COM? What type of valve did you use? Did you have to install a ADP106 adapter for your Fumoto valve?
 
babelbox said:
Did you bought your valve at FUMOTOVALVE.COM? What type of valve did you use? Did you have to install a ADP106 adapter for your Fumoto valve?
Yes bought it direct from them. I asked which is for the 5 and they told me the same as the 3 so that's what I ordered.Yes, the adapter is here in this pic (red arrow). You need it to clear the "bump" in the oil pan:
DSCN0369-arrow.jpg
 
The M5 just reached 5K miles and I was debating whether to bring it to the dealer for an oil change or do it myself. My first impression of the writeup below was it's going to be a little difficult and will be time consuming. After mustering up some courage, I finally decided to change the oil myself. And let me tell you, it's not hard as it seems. I just followed the instructions below. The plastic under the engine was easy to remove and replace. I also used a 74/76 mm, 14 flute oil filter wrench which fit perfectly. I bought it at Advance Auto store for $3.99. The only time consuming was the actual draining of the oil. I switched to Full Synthetic Oil (Mobil 1). Thanks to dommo g for the excellent writeup. I can't wait till the car reaches 10k, so I can do it again.

 
Thanks for the DIY instructions. Just changed my oil last week, Mobil1 5W-20 and a Fram filter. There was a $5 rebate here which I cashed in on.
 
Does anyone know if the K&N filter for the catridge system has become available yet? I have looked all over the internet and no one seems to have any idea what I am talking about. Part # is HP7013 I believe.
 
They list it on their site but I haven't seen one in person anywhere yet (though I do live in a place where things may arrive a little later than everywhere else).
 
looks like i'm going to have to start doing my oil changes now. i dropped off my wife's 5 at the valvoline quick lube by our house (yeah, yeah, i know...) and they get 10 minutes in and say they don't have the right tools to do it. (isn't the mazda3 the same engine and filter setup that's been around since 2003?? whatever) so i go home. this morning my wife went out and says there's a puddle of oil under her car now. yup. i'm never taking my car there again. great write up. let's hope a rat-monkey like myself can actually do this.
 
Some additional tips to the write up that may help a first timer. 1. Use the correct 6mm Allen wrench on the drain plug at the bottom of the filter housing. Even if it means a trip to Lowes to buy one. That plug is made of baby soft aluminum and will round out if you look at it funny. 2. Keep a second oil catch pan handy to catch the drain-off from the filter after you remove it, there is like a half quart of oil inside that baby that won't come out through the oilpan. Good luck!
 
And an additional note... :)

If you wipe out the inside of the filter housing make sure you put some fresh oil on the edge where the O-ring will sit. I found that putting on the o_ring sometimes isn't enough and will cause he O-ring to get all screwed up when you tighten the cap down the last 1/4 turn. I use NAPA Gold filters so maybe the O-ring needs more "lube". :)

I also don't drain the oil filter housing first. I just get oil on my hands instead. Last thing I wanna do it strip that Allen head out!
 
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