2016 CX-9 which oil? Different dealers different answers

ioiwin

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2016 mazda cx-9
Hi all,

I have called about 4 different Mazda dealers and everyone is recommending a different type of oil they use for oil changes. Some said cx 9 only needs standard oil or synthetic blend 5w-30,while another said they still use full synthetic 0w-20 with moly. I am so confused, manual calls for just 5w-30. It's strange how different dealers say Mazda recommends different oils to them.

I am at about 8000 miles already and got my first oil change at 5000. I mentioned to the dealer I wanted full synthetic but he strongly recommended 0000-cg-5w30 which is castrol gtx. Is this a synthetic blend? Should I switch to full synthetic?

Thanks all
 
Update, talked to Mazda and they said any type of 5w30 as long as it's heavier oil for the turbo. Several dealers said they use standard oil, and most of these oils have some sort of synthetic blend in them these days. Anyone have any info on this?
 
Update, talked to Mazda and they said any type of 5w30 as long as it's heavier oil for the turbo. Several dealers said they use standard oil, and most of these oils have some sort of synthetic blend in them these days. Anyone have any info on this?

I have always used Castrol Edge full synthetic 5W30 on my Volvo and no issues with it (has turbo engine) so I also plan to use it on my CX9 when I change the oil later this year...full synthetic is still the best vs conventional or synthetic blend...btw on the CX9 manual they recommend Castrol brand but at end of the day it's up to you what you want to use as long as it's the correct oil grade and specs
 
It's strange how different dealers say Mazda recommends different oils to them.
The recommendations are in your owner's manual and in the shop manuals Mazda sells to the dealerships. That's that. Any 5W-30 oil qualifies, according to what Mazda has put into print. The 0W-20 spec is for older Mazda engines, not ours. Dealerships stock which ever brand of oil is sold to them at the best price by the local oil wholesaler.
Update, talked to Mazda
So you spoke with someone at Mazda North America in Irvine, California? Good. And they said, "any type of 5w30 as long as it's heavier oil for the turbo," which makes no sense. "Heavier" means higher viscosity. 5W-30 IS the viscosity spec. Yes, there is a range of viscosities within the spec, but the actual test results for each brand are not info made available outside each oil company's lab. Here are the SAE J300 viscosity specs: http://www.widman.biz/English/Tables/J300.html

An oil marketed in the U.S. and Canada as "synthetic" actually meets certain specs for viscosity index (how much it thins between 40C and 100C) and the percentage of saturates (how many oxygen atoms on the molecule have been replaced with hydrogen molecules). These are made from Group III petroleum base oil. Or is among certain chemical groups. Group IV is the polyalphaolephins. Group V are all others. Synthetic blend oil is part conventional oil and an unspecified percentage of Group III, IV, or V base oils.

Very high quality syn blends are excellent. I use Schaeffer Supreme 7000 5W-30 http://www.schaefferoil.com/documents/223-701-td.pdf

There are two advantages of top quality synthetic oils. They oxidize more slowly, so they give longer service life. They thin less when very hot and thicken less when very cold. Not all oils legally marketed as synthetic are worth any extra price vs. a top conventional oil.

So...use any top quality oil you like. There's nothing wrong with a very good conventional oil in normal circumstances. If you live in a place with very hot summers or frigid winters, do consider a full synthetic. If you aren't sure you can get the oil changed on schedule, consider a full syn, but try to stick with the schedule.
 
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Thanks for the info guys. Is it bad now switching from conventional to full synthetic? I heard once you go full you should stay full synthetic. Thanks
 
Thanks for the info guys. Is it bad now switching from conventional to full synthetic? I heard once you go full you should stay full synthetic. Thanks

Not not really...you can switch from conventional to synthetic anytime as the oil is drained anyway during oil change...just don't mix (top up with conventional when full synthetic is in the engine or vice versa)
 
As far as the flex oil change maintenance schedule, does that matter if you use synthetic or standard oil? Does it read when an oil change is due the same regardless of which oil is used? Thanks
 
2016 CX-9 which oil? Different dealers different answers

Ha, I can tell Mazda hasn't learned the lesson from VW and doesn't specify full synthetic oil for its SkyActiv-G 2.5L turbo in the owner's manual! VW forgot to specify using full synthetic 5W-40 oil for its 1.8T turbo until it was too late. Many 1.8T incurred oil sludge issue and the class action lawsuit were filed. VW had to pay for many engine replacements after the lawsuit settled. Conventional oil simply can't handle the very high 1,875F (1,025C) temperature properly and gets cooked in the turbo charger oil line. Although many conventional oils have since improved and more or less become synthetic blend, but I'd used the best full synthetic 5W-30 oil available such as Castrol Edge 5W-30 oil for new CX-9 with SA-G 2.5L turbo.

Mazda's OEM oil with P/N 0000-CG-5W30 is Castrol GTX oil. It's a conventional oil since 1980's and I definitely wouldn't use it in the new CX-9! Even if I use it I'd use 2,500-mile OCI instead of Mazda recommended Flexible OCI or 5,000-mile fixed OCI! The Flexible Maintenance Monitor can't distinguish the difference of oil types, hence it can only give you accurate calculation for oil change due date with Mazda's recommended oil; and I'd say Mazda moly oil. But unfortunately Mazda moly oil is only available at 0W-20 viscosity and is not suitable for SA-G 2.5L turbo!

Dealers are always getting the cheapest bulk oil they can find and use it for their "standard" oil change. Sometimes those oils don't even meet manufacture's oil requirement. VW oil sludge issue is one example. As for a new CX-9 owner, I'd suggest don't use any 5W-30 oil offered by Mazda dealer, not even the OEM 0000-CG-5W30 oil which apparently is conventional oil. But do insist using full synthetic 5W-30 oil such as Castrol Edge 5W-30 oil. You can even take your own full synthetic oil to Mazda dealer for oil change if your dealer doesn't offer any good full synthetic 5W-30 oil or you don't DIY.
 
It's all about the heat. About the turbocharger design allows the oil to get heated...or overheated. Keep in mind that millions of truck engines, and boats, and every other industrial engine, run hundreds of thousands of miles or thousands of hours each on conventional oil in their turbocharged engines.

Taking the heat out of the turbocharger isn't hard. It requires water cooling which reduces performance of the turbocharger, and it requires space in the engine compartment. I think VW mainly failed on the space issue, and therefore didn't have room for an adequate cooling system.

So...if Mazda says conventional oil is OK for their turbochargers, it very probably is OK. Use synthetic oil if you like. The normal oil drain interval for our cars is 7500 miles. We took it to the dealer at 7500, and they failed to change the oil as requested. They did nothing, didn't clean it, didn't present my wife with any paperwork when she was given the car. When she got home I checked the oil--half quart low and dirty. I did it myself a short time later.

And, there is no reason to have your oil changes done at a dealership. You can if you wish, or you can have any licensed car repair facility do it, or you can do it yourself. There may be some documentation needs in case of an engine warranty claim. That's up to you. No, having routine maintenance done elsewhere can not "void your warranty." A warranty claim will be void if your action (or inaction) causes damage to the part under claim. That's it.
 
2016 CX-9 which oil? Different dealers different answers

⋯ The normal oil drain interval for our cars is 7500 miles.
For new CX-9 with SA-G 2.5L turbo, the "fixed" OCI is 5,000 miles or 6 months, not 7,500 miles. If you use recommended "flexible" OCI, it can be "up to" 7,500 miles or 12 months. This means the "Oil change due" message could be on at any earlier time depending on your driving condition.

Turbo diesel is a different animal than turbo gas engine. I still strongly suggest using full synthetic oil for your SA-G 2.5L turbo. Especially if you use engine oil "flexible" maintenance interval as the calculation is based on Mazda moly full synthetic oil.
 
I agree it is confusing. I had a 2015 CX-5 that used full synthetic with an oil change every 7500 miles. Traded it in for a 2015 CX-9 and the dealer refuses to use synthetic. They use some kind of hybrid oil and require an oil change every 5000 miles. Of course the CX5 had the Skyactiv engine while the CC-9 still had the V6 as if that should make any difference. Go figure.
 
"2015 CX-9 and the dealer refuses to use synthetic. They use some kind of hybrid oil and require an oil change every 5000 miles. "

Pure B.S. from the service writer. They are not trained in lubrication. They are trained in selling what the ownership put out with the highest profit margin. There is no "hybrid" oil. There are conventional oils and a couple of kinds of synthetic oils. There are synthetic & conventional blends. The syn blend is probably what you're being sold. And, no reason at all to not use full syn except the price. The requirement for the oil change interval is shown in the owner's manual. If you don't have one, the parts counter person can order one for you.
 
Oil....

"2015 CX-9 and the dealer refuses to use synthetic. They use some kind of hybrid oil and require an oil change every 5000 miles. "

Pure B.S. from the service writer. They are not trained in lubrication. They are trained in selling what the ownership put out with the highest profit margin. There is no "hybrid" oil. There are conventional oils and a couple of kinds of synthetic oils. There are synthetic & conventional blends. The syn blend is probably what you're being sold. And, no reason at all to not use full syn except the price. The requirement for the oil change interval is shown in the owner's manual. If you don't have one, the parts counter person can order one for you.

Always follow user manual from your manufacturer to be on the "safe side". No matter what the dealers says, if you stick to the user manual (regarding scheduled maintenance) and Oil type you are protected. Dealer will want you to impose a "tighter" maintenance visit, but not necessary.It's all $$$$ oriented. I have attached a link. And by the way... It mentions "recommended" and NOT mandatory...(picture below)....(important detail!!!)

Screenshot 2017-02-20 16.17.23.jpg

http://www.mazda.ca/en/digital-owners-manual/2016/cx-9/index01.html
 
Has anyone done an Used Oil Analysis (UOA) Blackstone? Coming from a MS6 Di engine, the MS community uses 5W-40 (Rotella T6 Synthetic) vs the Mazda recommended 5W-30 due to fuel dilution. I guess after a while the oil would thin out due to the fuel become thin as 5W-20. hence we have seen oil seeping through the turbo seals and smoke out the tailpipe.

I would prefer to use a full synthetic and may use a 5W-40 weight because it's a turbo DI engine.

My mechanic at CP-e who works on and sells built DI engines recommends 5W-40 in the MS6 engine and changed every 4K miles.
 
in Northern NJ i have serviced my 2016 CX-9 GT at two different dealers and both said they will only use full synthetic with moly. user manual CLEARLY says regular oil is okay but since getting a full synthetic oil change at my dealer costs the same as a synthetic blend oil change/tire rotation at my local auto care center (and cheaper than full synthetic oil change) i'm just going to go to the dealer for a while.
 
only use full synthetic with moly
How do you know if the oil contains moly? We're talking about an oil soluble liquid molybdenum compound like a molybdenum dithiocarbamate which can not be seen, not a solid in suspension like gray molybdenum disulfide.

I believe in moly oils, and I use one, but most oils do not list such ingredients on the label. And, the titanium additive used in some oils provides the same benefit as moly. Either the moly or titanium additive combines with the zinc phosphate compound to form a hard, low friction tribofilm on the metal surface that reduces wear and friction.

Note that I'm referring to additives that are part of the oil made by the factory, not a do it yourself snake oil. Motor oils are a combination of a pure base oil plus additives for antiwear, antifriction, antioxidation, anticorrosion, pour point depressant, friction modifier, viscosity index improver, detergents, dispersants, and other purposes.
https://www.oronite.com/products/oil-passenger.asp
 
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2016 CX-9 which oil? Different dealers different answers

I believe part of reason why Mazda recommends Mazda Moly oil is to prevent Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) issue on gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines in addition to better lubrication.

Molybdenum compounds, for example, not only provide frictional benefits, but also have been shown to decrease LSPI when used at high levels.

Shedding Light on Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI)
New Hardware, New Challenges: GDI Engines & LSPI

And high calcium content oil promotes LSPI.

LSPI Chart: High or Low Calcium
calcium_chart.png


Additive effects on the frequency of LSPI in the Ford test. The "High Ca" oil has a calcium concentration typical of those in the market today. The Low Ca has been reformulated to resist LSPI, and is representative of how many next generation oils will behave.

And here's Mazda Moly oil:

Town%2BNorth%2BMazda%2BOil-01_20151215.jpg
 
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