2016.5 CX5 GT AWD - Rear differential fliud recommendations?

J

joh

:
Mazda CX-5 Granda Touring
I'm due to get my rear differential fluid changed on my 2016.5 GT AWD. I am just going to take it to my local oil changing place and have them do the work. However, I will be bringing my own fluid.

Any fluid recommendations? And how many quarts do I need?

Thanks in advance.
 
joh said:
I'm due to get my rear differential fluid changed on my 2016.5 GT AWD. I am just going to take it to my local oil changing place and have them do the work. However, I will be bringing my own fluid.

Any fluid recommendations? And how many quarts do I need?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Mazda makes a fluid for that, and I'd use it. I think you will need 2 quarts, but unsure.
 
joh said:
I'm due to get my rear differential fluid changed on my 2016.5 GT AWD. I am just going to take it to my local oil changing place and have them do the work. However, I will be bringing my own fluid.

Any fluid recommendations? And how many quarts do I need?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

For a 2016.5 you want Mazda Hypoid Gear Oil SG1 (P/N 0000-77-SG1-QT). Not cheap but guaranteed to be the right spec. IMHO I'd do front transfer case and rear diff at the same time, for that you will need 2 quarts. Rear diff only would need 1 quart.

ETA: They / you should also use new crush washers for the drain and fill plugs, P/N ISH9956-41-800. You'll need 4 if you do the front and rear, or 2 for just the rear. Torque to 35 ft-lb to be right in the middle of Mazda's range.
 
Last edited:
As others have stated, you'll want Hypoid Gear Oil SG1 for your vehicle. The only aftermarket product that I'm aware of that claims to be suitable for our units is made by Ravenol. More info can be found here.
 
joh said:
I'm due to get my rear differential fluid changed on my 2016.5 GT AWD. I am just going to take it to my local oil changing place and have them do the work. However, I will be bringing my own fluid.

Any fluid recommendations? And how many quarts do I need?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If you haven't done so already, since you have an AWD, I'd do the transfer case fluid too.
 
joh said:
I'm due to get my rear differential fluid changed on my 2016.5 GT AWD. I am just going to take it to my local oil changing place and have them do the work. However, I will be bringing my own fluid.

Any fluid recommendations? And how many quarts do I need?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Good question. Based on Anchorman's factory service manual, the "approximate" capacity for real differential is 0.48 quarts of Mazda Long Life Hypoid Gear Oil SG1 on your 2016 CX-5 AWD (gen-2 CX-5 is 0.37 quarts). But if you follow the procedure "5. Add the specified differential oil from the filler plug until the level reaches the brim of the plug hole.", you will need 0.75~0.8 quarts. This's something I don't like about Mazda's specification which is not as precise as others. In this situation it's way off!

Yes, you definitely would want to change front transfer case gear oil too. This unfortunately means you need 2 bottles of expensive SG1 to be enough for both changes with plenty of it left.

attachment.php

2016 CX-5 Differential Oil Replacement.jpg
 
Speedie95 said:
For a 2016.5 you want Mazda Hypoid Gear Oil SG1 (P/N 0000-77-SG1-QT). Not cheap but guaranteed to be the right spec. IMHO I'd do front transfer case and rear diff at the same time, for that you will need 2 quarts. Rear diff only would need 1 quart.
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That stuff is priced close to the golden fluid used in the late model Toyota Torsen Center Diff applications (LC/LX 570/GX460/4R Limited).. it runs around $60/quart and you have to buy two.

1407823362698_bulletin_2ae93f240522089a685573b9294aead62159036c.jpg
 
Kedis82ZE8 said:
That stuff is priced close to the golden fluid used in the late model Toyota Torsen Center Diff applications (LC/LX 570/GX460/4R Limited).. it runs around $60/quart and you have to buy two.

1407823362698_bulletin_2ae93f240522089a685573b9294aead62159036c.jpg
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A new diff is priced at $2,7XX including about $800 in labor. Just a quick PSA...
 
No argument there. I would have put in my '15 had that fluid been the requirement. Just old school 85-90 or whatever the Amsoil equivalent was. I need think about doing another change in diff and transfer probably next year as I approach 60k miles. I am sticking with 30k mile changes on these two pieces since I tow and do take off-road at times.
 
Rear differential fliud recommendations?

Kedis82ZE8 said:
No argument there. I would have put in my '15 had that fluid been the requirement. Just old school 85-90 or whatever the Amsoil equivalent was. I need think about doing another change in diff and transfer probably next year as I approach 60k miles. I am sticking with 30k mile changes on these two pieces since I tow and do take off-road at times.
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I know Mazda didn't specify Mazda Long Life Hypoid Gear Oil SG1 for front transfer case and rear differential until MY 2016 CX-5, but I'd use it if I were you as the system is essentially the same on your 2015 CX-5. There must have some reason Mazda switched the gear oil spec for the same system.
 
Rear differential fliud recommendations?

Kedis82ZE8 said:
Is the '16 rear diff the same or maybe this was reference to the '17+?

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...e-difference&p=6561234&viewfull=1#post6561234
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Yes, Anchorman's comment is referring to gen-2 CX-5 AWD as Mazda did improve some hardware on the rear differential. Between 2015 and 2016 CX-5 AWD, there's no difference on hardware, but some software "enhancements" on 2016 which supposedly should improve real world MPG.

Based on Mazda's specifications the capacity on rear differential for gen-1 CX-5 AWD is 0.45 quarts but it's 0.37 quarts for gen-2 CX-5 AWD. The front transfer case is the same at 0.48 quarts for bot gen-1 and gen-2 CX-5 AWD. Strangely we need 0.75~0.8 quarts to reach the brim of the filler hole on rear differential, but need 0.48 quarts on front transfer case.

Of course I disagree with Anchorman just adding the fluid with specified "approximate" amount, where the capacities contradict themselves among different components on fluid level measurement. Mazda should relocate the filler hole on rear differential, if the 0.48 / 0.37 quarts is really the correct capacity.

Anchorman said:
This comes up quite often where Mazda have broken with convention and given a capacity rather than fill until full.

The rear diff on the new model is equipped with very low friction ball bearings which reduce drag and the oil is this SG1 high tech synthetic stuff. The capacity for you guys is shown as 3.7-3.1 qts and it doesnt matter that it doesnt reach the level plug. They have done all their development work with that amount of oil in and the quantity added in the works is very precisely controlled just like every single bottle of Heinz ketchup. If they underfill, they are breaking the law and if they overfill by one drop it costs a fortune. You can back the car onto a ramp and when changing the oil, just add the specified amount and it doesnt matter that it is leaning forward, just put the plug in and go. It will not reach the level plug.
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yrwei52 said:
There must have some reason Mazda switched the gear oil spec for the same system.
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Presumably fuel efficiency. As you stated, mechanically they are the same. Earlier units weren*t facing wear or performance issues that needed resolving via fluid enhancement. If that were the case they would back spec this fluid to earlier MY*s. So it*s not likely that Mazda needed/wanted to decrease friction due to performance reasonings.

It*s more likely that they made the switch to a lighter viscosity fluid in order to gain X% over the previous MY year. As we know, a .1 increase added to a manufacturers fleet can make a big difference. While not a lot of weight was added between 2015 and 2016, some was, it*s entirely plausible this was the solution to counter act that gain from an efficiency standpoint.
 
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