Oil changes

Buzzman12 said:
Jmaz said:
2)Do what you want, but no way in hell would I wait 7500 miles to dump the factory fill.My first oil change was at 2100 miles .My driving was a lot of short hops but even with half of those 2100 miles being highway (a trip @500 miles each way) the factory oil fill was watery thin and reeked of gasoline.Mazda moly or not, I wanted that s*** outta there.
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I can't agree strongly enough about that first oil change.
No way in hell should you run up to 7,500 miles on the factory new build oil.
I don't even wait 2,000 miles before changing it out.
The original factory oil will contain all of the crap from the engine break-in period, and needs to be dumped early.
I have always done this with all of my new cars, and I have never had a vehicle that burned oil later in life.
I would say do your first oil change after the break-in period, say at between 1,000 and 1,500 miles.
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Buzzman12 said:
Jman136 said:
I currently have 2,200 miles on the vehicle, and the maintenance minder is telling me 5,500 miles to go..
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Don't wait. Change it now.
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Based on UOA made by CX5_Pete for his first oil change at 5,000 miles, factory-fill is probably Mazda oil with very high moly content. TBN shows that he could have stretched it out a lot longer. So for those with brand new CX-5's, stretching out the OCI to 7,500 miles should be no problem. All of the crap from the engine break-in period? Thats what your oil filter is for if anything would hurt the engine.

Its very interesting to see that Honda owner's manual specifically stated "Do not change the oil until the recommended time or mileage shown in the maintenance schedule." in the break-in section. This indicates a special break-in oil is used for the factory-fill. Although Mazda doesnt state the same, but high-moly oil is used for factory-fill and Id only consider using Mazda moly oil if I really want to change my first oil earlier than recommended OCI. So I changed my first oil with Mazda moly at 5,073 miles with 30% oil life left on the Maintenance Monitor.
 
jayhawkprotege said:
Using the wrong weight oil and changing it 50% more often than what's needed is dumb. Mazda's not in the business of giving out maintenance guidelines that lead to premature engine wear - that's a bad thing for them.

I sent ours in to Blackstone at 4,800 miles to get an actual, scientific analysis of it because I've always heard things like what you said. They said:

"The far right column shows average results from all of the healthy 2.5L SKYACTIV engines we've tested. In comparison, there was some extra iron, copper and silicon in this oil but it's actually less than we expected. In the first several oil changes, there's metal from the break-in process and silicon from sealants and lubes used in initial assembly, but it looks like this engine had excellent internal fit and finish right from the start. In other words, this CX-5 is off to a good start. Go ahead and bump the internal to 7,000 miles then check back."

So, I don't think 2,000 miles is really critical though it won't hurt either. I'm sticking with 7,500 mile max intervals too.
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Please post the UOA report from your first oil change in this sticky thread:

SkyActiv Oil Analysis Thread

And check the very high molybdenum content which indicates the factory-fill probably is Mazda moly oil.
 
paris1 said:
Does anyone here ever bother to read the owners' manual maintenance recommendations? It hasn't changed since 2012 when I got my 2013 CX-5. Schedule 2 (for anyone doing anything other that straight highway driving under ideal weather and road conditions!) recommends oil/filter change at 5k miles or every six months. Since I only put 8-9k miles on my car each year, I have always adhered to that schedule. I do my own service and it's damned cheap insurance. And I'm using Mazda moly oil.
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Well Mazda did have changed oil change maintenance recommendation since MY 2016 for USA. It recommends using Flexible OCI since it added that capability. For OPs 2017 CX-5, Mazda doesnt even mention using Fixed OCI in Schedule 1 maintenance. Use only Flexible OCI which is up to 7,500 miles and 12 months.

Schedule 1 maintenance schedule is for normal driving condition which should fit most drivers in the US. Schedule 2 is for severe driving condition which is defined in the owners manual. No, Schedule 2 is definitely not for anyone doing anything other than straight highway driving under ideal weather and road conditions!

Since Mazda recommends using Flexible in both Schedule 1 and Schedule 2, why dont we let car computer to figure out when and at what mileage we need to change oil? (whistle)
 
erhayes said:
I would follow the maintenance minder would be what I would do. Ed
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OP definitely is more confused with so many different opinions and suggestions. When in doubt, this is the best suggestion for OP. :)
 
madar said:
Conrad 16.5 said:
34 mpg in your 2016.5 AWD? Really? How long of a stretch of highway is this and is it level? At what speed? I've never gotten anywhere close to that number in my CX-5.
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It's not an unrealistic number. I recently took a trip from Pa down to North Carolina and my highway average was 34 to 35 mpg, average speed in the 60 to 65 mph area...
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34~35 mpg on highway is a bridge too far for my 2016 AWD CX-5 too! The best I could do is 30.3 mpg while driving under 70 mph risking my life on I-45! (boom04)
 
yrwei52 said:
34~35 mpg on highway is a bridge too far for my 2016 AWD CX-5 too! The best I could do is 30.3 mpg while driving under 70 mph risking my life on I-45! (boom04)
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A lot of the good mileage was through Delaware where you could literally drive for hours on certain highways (13 to 113) and not have to stop along with parts of North Carolina. Highways were flat and boring, but really good for gas mileage.
 
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yrwei52 said:
Well Mazda did have changed oil change maintenance recommendation since MY 2016 for USA. It recommends using Flexible OCI since it added that capability. For OPs 2017 CX-5, Mazda doesnt even mention using Fixed OCI in Schedule 1 maintenance. Use only Flexible OCI which is up to 7,500 miles and 12 months.

Schedule 1 maintenance schedule is for normal driving condition which should fit most drivers in the US. Schedule 2 is for severe driving condition which is defined in the owners manual. No, Schedule 2 is definitely not for anyone doing anything other than straight highway driving under ideal weather and road conditions!

Since Mazda recommends using Flexible in both Schedule 1 and Schedule 2, why dont we let car computer to figure out when and at what mileage we need to change oil? (whistle)
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Obviously the "flexible OCI" on the newer models adds a different wrinkle to all this, but Schedules 1 and 2 are still shown in the manual with the following qualifiers:
Follow Schedule 1 if the vehicle is operated mainly where none of the following conditions
(severe driving conditions)apply.
 Repeated short-distance driving
 Driving in dusty conditions
 Driving with extended use of brakes
 Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are used
 Driving on rough or muddy roads
 Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
 Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
 Driving in extremely hot conditions
 Driving in mountainous conditions continually
If any do apply, follow Schedule 2. (Canada residents follow Schedule 2.)
I can't imagine none of these conditions applying to the average car and driver. Besides, as I mentioned above, there's the time element in addition to mileage and I for one would prefer not to leave the same oil in the crankcase for close to a year.
 
paris1 said:
Obviously the "flexible OCI" on the newer models adds a different wrinkle to all this, but Schedules 1 and 2 are still shown in the manual with the following qualifiers:
Follow Schedule 1 if the vehicle is operated mainly where none of the following conditions
(severe driving conditions)apply.
 Repeated short-distance driving
 Driving in dusty conditions
 Driving with extended use of brakes
 Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are used
 Driving on rough or muddy roads
 Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
 Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
 Driving in extremely hot conditions
 Driving in mountainous conditions continually
If any do apply, follow Schedule 2. (Canada residents follow Schedule 2.)
I can't imagine none of these conditions applying to the average car and driver. Besides, as I mentioned above, there's the time element in addition to mileage and I for one would prefer not to leave the same oil in the crankcase for close to a year.
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many average consumers sit around letting their engine idle for way longer then necessary and do low speed driving.

idling uses approx the same amount of fuel as driving on the highway using light throttle, and it's not good for your engine. it's better to shut off your engine if you are stopped, even if it is for 1 min.
 
GJ-Molestor said:
many average consumers sit around letting their engine idle for way longer then necessary and do low speed driving.

idling uses approx the same amount of fuel as driving on the highway using light throttle, and it's not good for your engine. it's better to shut off your engine if you are stopped, even if it is for 1 min.
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This is not doable for everyone. Like when it is full on summer in Texas and my son has just fallen asleep in his car seat. In this situation, we leave the car idling with AC on, then either my wife or I will stay in the car with our son to let him sleep, while the other goes to the store/do errands/etc... It is for this reason that I am following Schedule 2. Another reason is short distance driving. Sometimes my wife will have to buy baby supplies and the trip to Target takes like 5-10 minutes only.

How are you so sure that 5w-30 is doing wonders for your car? Are you actually able to compare oil temps and oil pressure while driving? The thicker 5w-30 oil will take longer to warm up and might be too thick for highway cruising in cold temps. If you do short distance driving, it might not even get to its ideal temp operating range before you have to turn off the car, because you've already arrived at your destination. The only way to know for sure if the oil is a good match for your car, is to monitor oil temps and oil pressure and do oil analysis after an oil change.
 
finch204 said:
This is not doable for everyone. Like when it is full on summer in Texas and my son has just fallen asleep in his car seat. In this situation, we leave the car idling with AC on, then either my wife or I will stay in the car with our son to let him sleep, while the other goes to the store/do errands/etc... It is for this reason that I am following Schedule 2. Another reason is short distance driving. Sometimes my wife will have to buy baby supplies and the trip to Target takes like 5-10 minutes only.

How are you so sure that 5w-30 is doing wonders for your car? Are you actually able to compare oil temps and oil pressure while driving? The thicker 5w-30 oil will take longer to warm up and might be too thick for highway cruising in cold temps. If you do short distance driving, it might not even get to its ideal temp operating range before you have to turn off the car, because you've already arrived at your destination. The only way to know for sure if the oil is a good match for your car, is to monitor oil temps and oil pressure and do oil analysis after an oil change.
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5w30 is better for warm weather, 0w20 is fine for the winter if its cold.

Considering that Mazda says up to 10w50 is okay for this engine, I really doubt that 5w30 is too thick.
 
Does anyone know what oil viscosity Mazda recommends for Japan or Russia?

GJ-Molestor said:
5w30 is better for warm weather, 0w20 is fine for the winter if it’s cold.

Considering that Mazda says up to 10w50 is okay for this engine, I really doubt that 5w30 is too thick.
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Yes the 5w30 spec oil is better for warmer climate especially if you like to drive hard most of the time, like if you take car to autocross or a track. 0w20 gives you better cold start protection though, which is where most of the engine wear happens over time. I've looked at the manual for a 2016 CX-5 and it says the recommended oil is 0w20, because this gives the car the best fuel economy. The temperature range graph for 0w20 also seems to cover a good range, even going up higher than 100F. I think it's fine for every day driving use in North America.

The manual does list 5w30 for Mexico, so yeah I suppose you can use 5w30 oil if you really want to, it is not recommended though. I do not know why Mazda recommends 5w30 oil for Mexico. I tried checking historical weather and it doesn't look like it even gets that hot in Mexico, so why the need for thicker oil? Maybe it has something to do with their climate or geographical location, I don't know.

Most people have an issue with you pushing this 5w30 recommendation because there is no data that proves it is a much better oil to run in our cars. Not to mention, it is totally going against the recommendation in the manual. New users to this forum might get the wrong idea of putting in 5w30 oil, run into an issue then get their warranty voided when something goes wrong with their engines.
 
finch204 said:
Does anyone know what oil viscosity Mazda recommends for Japan or Russia?


Yes the 5w30 spec oil is better for warmer climate especially if you like to drive hard most of the time, like if you take car to autocross or a track. 0w20 gives you better cold start protection though, which is where most of the engine wear happens over time. I've looked at the manual for a 2016 CX-5 and it says the recommended oil is 0w20, because this gives the car the best fuel economy. The temperature range graph for 0w20 also seems to cover a good range, even going up higher than 100F. I think it's fine for every day driving use in North America.

The manual does list 5w30 for Mexico, so yeah I suppose you can use 5w30 oil if you really want to, it is not recommended though. I do not know why Mazda recommends 5w30 oil for Mexico. I tried checking historical weather and it doesn't look like it even gets that hot in Mexico, so why the need for thicker oil? Maybe it has something to do with their climate or geographical location, I don't know.

Most people have an issue with you pushing this 5w30 recommendation because there is no data that proves it is a much better oil to run in our cars. Not to mention, it is totally going against the recommendation in the manual. New users to this forum might get the wrong idea of putting in 5w30 oil, run into an issue then get their warranty voided when something goes wrong with their engines.
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Mexico uses 5w30 oil because they are not part of the CAFE requirements bulls*** going on in america and canada. note how your manual says use 0w20 oil for fuel economy purposes... there is no other real reason for it. Mazda, like all other car makers dont care to "recommend" 0w20 because it gives them huge fleet savings through CAFE and the engine will not run into any issues using 0w20 until after the warranty is up.

remember, these engines are very tolerant to thick oil (as observed by reading an Australian owners manual) meaning you can try almost any weight oil you want without any issues. I suggest it is best to select an oil depending on what sort of climate you live in. for you, Finch, I would use 5w40. it flows just fine on cold starts unless we are talking about very cold winters but it will provide good protection in hot weather.

russia even with their frigid winters still uses 5w30 oil. if cold start flow really was such an issue like everyone makes it seem, russia of all places would also be using 0w20 oil. I dont know about japan but I doubt they use anything but 5w30.

5w30 really isnt that thick of an oil, starting in -10c would be perfectly fine. it's only when temperatures dip to a steady -20c where 0w20 would flow better. for anyhing above -10c, forget it. you're not going to see a benefit with 0w20.
 
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GJ-Molestor said:
Mexico uses 5w30 oil because they are not part of the CAFE requirements bulls*** going on in america and canada. note how your manual says use 0w20 oil for fuel economy purposes... there is no other real reason for it. Mazda, like all other car makers dont care to "recommend" 0w20 because it gives them huge fleet savings through CAFE and the engine will not run into any issues using 0w20 until after the warranty is up.

remember, these engines are very tolerant to thick oil (as observed by reading an Australian owners manual) meaning you can try almost any weight oil you want without any issues. I suggest it is best to select an oil depending on what sort of climate you live in. for you, Finch, I would use 5w40. it flows just fine on cold starts unless we are talking about very cold winters but it will provide good protection in hot weather.

russia even with their frigid winters still uses 5w30 oil. if cold start flow really was such an issue like everyone makes it seem, russia of all places would also be using 0w20 oil. I dont know about japan but I doubt they use anything but 5w30.

5w30 really isnt that thick of an oil, starting in -10c would be perfectly fine. it's only when temperatures dip to a steady -20c where 0w20 would flow better. for anyhing above -10c, forget it. you're not going to see a benefit with 0w20.
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I did read that, that 0w20 is recommended due to CAFE etc... That said, if Mazda deems 0w20 spec oil good enough for our cars and you get improved fuel economy from it, why would you not want to use it? I mean I am under the assumption here, that Mazda has spent R&D making sure that they have tested 0w20 for use in North America.

Also if I'm not mistaken, Honda and Toyota have been using 0w20 for awhile now, way before other manufacturers started doing so and those two manufacturers are known for reliable cars.
 
finch204 said:
I did read that, that 0w20 is recommended due to CAFE etc... That said, if Mazda deems 0w20 spec oil good enough for our cars and you get improved fuel economy from it, why would you not want to use it? I mean I am under the assumption here, that Mazda has spent R&D making sure that they have tested 0w20 for use in North America.

Also if I'm not mistaken, Honda and Toyota have been using 0w20 for awhile now, way before other manufacturers started doing so and those two manufacturers are known for reliable cars.
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Yeah I don't know. GJ has been crusading against 0w20 for many threads now.
 
finch204 said:
I did read that, that 0w20 is recommended due to CAFE etc... That said, if Mazda deems 0w20 spec oil good enough for our cars and you get improved fuel economy from it, why would you not want to use it? I mean I am under the assumption here, that Mazda has spent R&D making sure that they have tested 0w20 for use in North America.

Also if I'm not mistaken, Honda and Toyota have been using 0w20 for awhile now, way before other manufacturers started doing so and those two manufacturers are known for reliable cars.
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The actual question is, why would Mazda being the small company they are choose NOT to follow the CAFE requirements if they get some sort of credit in return? This is the real reason why North America uses 0w20, because the credit these manufacturers get in return is huge.

Like I said, Mazda, Toyota, Honda are all not concerned about the long term impacts of 0w20 because by the time your bearings explode due to lack of protection from thin oil, the warranty will be expired and Mazda will be long gone with the CAFE credit they collected. The engineers DID NOT research or approve 0w20 oil, that is not up to them.

If youre doing your own oil changes and not tracking it with receipts for warranty coverage purposes, you may as well be putting the correct oil into your car. Hint: the correct oil is this NOT North American specific, CAFE mandated 0w20 which just comes along to replace the tried and true 5w30+ weights. Does no one find this suspicious??

The thicker the oil in your engine is (Up to 10w50, within manufacturer specs) the better cushioning it will provide between the critical metal parts of your engine which results in increased engine protection over a broad variety of driving conditions and variables.

Yes, cold start oil flow may have an effect to some degree in very cold weather, but you people are treating cold starts like your engine runs cold 24/7. What about once your engine is actually warmed up and requires more protection then watery, thinned out 0w20?
 
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finch204 said:
Also if I'm not mistaken, Honda and Toyota have been using 0w20 for awhile now, way before other manufacturers started doing so and those two manufacturers are known for reliable cars.
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Correct,Honda is even running 0W20 in their 153HP per liter turbocharged Civic Type R,and with a 6000 mile change interval to boot. Imagine that,they aren't worried about fuel dilution of the oil either as FI cars are rough on it...I
will say that if I had a Type R,it'd be 3-5k interval tops (more towards 3),and spark plugs to boot...
 
NelsonLewis said:
Correct,Honda is even running 0W20 in their 153HP per liter turbocharged Civic Type R,and with a 6000 mile change interval to boot. Imagine that,they aren't worried about fuel dilution of the oil either as FI cars are rough on it...I
will say that if I had a Type R,it'd be 3-5k interval tops (more towards 3),and spark plugs to boot...
Click to expand...

The only reason why you would ever want to change your oil every 3k Miles (other then extreme driving conditions) is due to the small oil filter our cars use.

So in theory, lets say you are using a good quality oil like motul, provided that your injectors arent causing fuel dilution issues you can run this oil for like 10k miles no problem as long as you change your oil filter every 3k.

Personally, I would settle with 7k motul 5w40 oil changes and a new oil filter somewhere at the halfway point.
 
ColoradoDriver said:
Yeah I don't know. GJ has been crusading against 0w20 for many threads now.
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(dunno)

GJ-Molestor said:
The actual question is, why would Mazda being the small company they are choose NOT to follow the CAFE requirements if they get some sort of credit in return? This is the real reason why North America uses 0w20, because the credit these manufacturers get in return is huge.

Like I said, Mazda, Toyota, Honda are all not concerned about the long term impacts of 0w20 because by the time your bearings explode due to lack of protection from thin oil, the warranty will be expired and Mazda will be long gone with the CAFE credit they collected. The engineers DID NOT research or approve 0w20 oil, that is not up to them.
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By this logic, we should be expecting an increased amount of engine failures past 60k miles. I don't think we are seeing that though with Toyota, Honda or even Mazda vehicles. Also, how do you know that the engineers did not sign off on allowing 0w20 engine oil be used for daily driving in North America?

GJ-Molestor said:
If youre doing your own oil changes and not tracking it with receipts for warranty coverage purposes, you may as well be putting the correct oil into your car. Hint: the correct oil is this NOT North American specific, CAFE mandated 0w20 which just comes along to replace the tried and true 5w30+ weights. Does no one find this suspicious??
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I don't think anyone else is finding it suspicious, because the manual says to use 0w20 if you're in the USA or Canada. People put a lot of weight on what the manual says. And if the manual is somehow wrong, then we've got bigger problems and I'm sure Mazda would have already been sued.

GJ-Molestor said:
The thicker the oil in your engine is (Up to 10w50, within manufacturer specs) the better cushioning it will provide between the critical metal parts of your engine which results in increased engine protection over a broad variety of driving conditions and variables.
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I agree about the thicker oil possibly offering more protection, but you have to remember, we are driving family cars, not race cars. No one is going to be cruising down the highway at 5k RPM for the whole stretch of their commute.

GJ-Molestor said:
Yes, cold start oil flow may have an effect to some degree in very cold weather, but you people are treating cold starts like your engine runs cold 24/7. What about once your engine is actually warmed up and requires more protection then watery, thinned out 0w20?
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This is where people on here are asking for data to support your statements. How do you know, that when our engines are fully warmed up, that the 0w20 oil is too thin to protect the engine?
 
These engines have been virtually bullet proof over the years and really no serious problems on this forum which is quite popular. I don't even recall seeing a bad head gasket in the mix. Very little in the way of any kind of trouble. Yeah, a little oil usage here and there, some bad gas mileage, a minor leak here and there. And then some one comes along and says LOOK OUT!!! BAD OIL. ENGINE PROBLEMS ABOUND!! Where's the proof?
 
paris1 said:
Obviously the "flexible OCI" on the newer models adds a different wrinkle to all this, but Schedules 1 and 2 are still shown in the manual with the following qualifiers:
Follow Schedule 1 if the vehicle is operated mainly where none of the following conditions
(severe driving conditions)apply.
 Repeated short-distance driving
 Driving in dusty conditions
 Driving with extended use of brakes
 Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are used
 Driving on rough or muddy roads
 Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
 Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
 Driving in extremely hot conditions
 Driving in mountainous conditions continually
If any do apply, follow Schedule 2. (Canada residents follow Schedule 2.)
I can't imagine none of these conditions applying to the average car and driver. Besides, as I mentioned above, there's the time element in addition to mileage and I for one would prefer not to leave the same oil in the crankcase for close to a year.
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Based on many UOAs theres no issues to let synthetic oil running through 7,500 miles on our CX-5, which means most drivers using their vehicles in normal driving condition and Schedule 1 is the maintenance schedule they should follow.

Besides, OP has a 2017 CX-5, why dont we suggest him using Flexible OCI setup and let car computer to decide if his driving condition is severe or not?

Personally Id change my oil between 5,000~6,000 miles with Mazda moly oil for more accurate calculation when my oil life dropped to about 30% left.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Owners Manual said:
Scheduled Maintenance (U.S.A., Canada, and Puerto Rico)

Follow Schedule 1 if the vehicle is operated mainly where none of the following conditions (severe driving conditions)apply.

Repeated short-distance driving
Driving in dusty conditions
Driving with extended use of brakes
Driving in areas where salt or other corrosive materials are used
Driving on rough or muddy roads
Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation
Driving for long periods in cold temperatures or extremely humid climates
Driving in extremely hot conditions
Driving in mountainous conditions continually

If any do apply, follow Schedule 2. (Canada residents follow Schedule 2.)

Vehicles using Engine Oil Flexible Maintenance

Engine Oil Flexible Maintenance is selected by default for U.S.A. and Puerto Rico residents.

If any following conditions do apply, follow Schedule 2 with engine oil fixed maintenance.

Extended periods of idling or low-speed operation such as police car, taxi or driving school car
Driving in dusty conditions

The vehicle calculates the remaining oil life based on engine operating conditions. The vehicle lets you know when an oil change is due by illuminating the wrench indicator light in the instrument cluster. Change the oil as soon as possible within the next 1000 km (600 mile) or 15 days. Refer page 6-16 for the details.

NOTE
Please ensure that the Flexible Oil Maintenance Setting is reset after each Oil and Filter replacement.
For maintenance guidelines beyond the miles/months listed, follow the maintenance intervals provided in the Scheduled Maintenance Tables.
Click to expand...
 
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