2006+ Mazda5 Maintenance Tasks: Do It Yourself

i forgot to thank the OP for this thread. It was very helpful when I did my cars second oil change (first one was a dealer freebie). Cheers to you sir.
 
Many thanks again for this thread. I did my first oil change weekend and it was MUCH easier than expected. The oil had been in the car since February 2007!

One thing I noticed was the oil pan crush ring - it didn't seem all that "crushed" when I replaced it. My '06 Forester needs a new crush ring at each oil change and I usually have to pry the old one off w/ a sharp object. Anyone else replace the crush ring on their 5?
 
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... a new addition: put white grease on the screws that hold the plastic shield on. They might fill up with salt and muck and seize up like two of mine did, making it really difficult to remove. If you crank on them the captured nut breaks free from the clip and you have to get to other side of the plastic shield to hold the nut with a 10 mm wrench.
 
... a new addition: put white grease on the screws that hold the plastic shield on. They might fill up with salt and muck and seize up like two of mine did, making it really difficult to remove. If you crank on them the captured nut breaks free from the clip and you have to get to other side of the plastic shield to hold the nut with a 10 mm wrench.

White grease before you screw them in, you mean? Or after they're in and tight? This seems like a handy idea if you can keep the threads clear. I wonder whether, around here, it'll be more helpful against winter sand and salt, or more harmful attracting summer dust, dirt, and sand thus clogging the threads...?
 
White grease before you screw them in, you mean? Or after they're in and tight? This seems like a handy idea if you can keep the threads clear. I wonder whether, around here, it'll be more helpful against winter sand and salt, or more harmful attracting summer dust, dirt, and sand thus clogging the threads...?

i sprayed the screws with white grease before putting them back in.
 
A little wheel bearing grease on the threads, (before you reinstal them) will do the same thing, and minimize corrosion. For those of us that have no choice, and must endure the 'joys' of severe winter climates !
 
Well, I was too late. Changed the oil Friday night before leaving the next AM to the ALMS race, and one's stuck. So stuck that I ended up breaking a chunk out of the plastic belly pan. >:(
 
Why yes... yes I do. Plus, the plastic in that whole area is so floppy that I STILL can't get the screw out. It's just gonna have to run this way. If that belly pan flops down and gets ripped completely off... well, what can you do?
 
just changed the oil this weekend. The amount of bolts on the underbody plastic is just silly. You would think that manufacturers would make oil changes less complicated since it's something you have to do so often. Japanese car makers never do it right. All my german cars have easy and fast oil change procedures that don't even get your hands dirty. At least Mazda didn't put the oil filter somewhere totally inaccessible, but it could have been better thought out.
 
^^ it's a drag for sure. hardest oil change car i've ever had.

I wouldn't call it the hardest. Because some japanese cars I've had, have oil filters behind the motor, in a place where it's almost possible (but not quite) to reach from the top. And yet, it's still a royal PITA to reach from the bottom, and it's completely impossible to see so you are doing everything by feel, hoping you are threading the new filter on correctly, etc.

I mostly thought it was just a nuisance to remove the plastic underbelly just for the filter change. It still only took me 30 mins start to finish. Should take less next time.
 
^^ i can't do mine in 30 mins. But that might be partly because I drink beer while doing it.
 
Great thread! Thanks for this. I just bought my 5 a few months ago and it is time to do it's first oil change. Do I have to buy the filter kit from Mazda or do the aftermarket companies make them and sell them at the local auto parts store?
 
I found Ford filters at WalMart for less than $4. Fram was near $8 and didn't look as good to me. The Motorcraft filter has a plastic support inside that the Fram does not use.
 
Just did the very first oil change on my 2008 Mazda5 GT, and it was remarkably easy thanks to this thread!!! I'm used to doing my own oil changes on all my cars past and present, but if it wasn't for this thread I would have been left with some questions not easily answered. Thanks again!
 
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