Oil change by yourself

[vortex-5]

I\'ve been intregued by the good results several have been having at this post (http://www.torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=745) I\'m just curious since I regularily change the old for my other car and this car only has 1600Km on it will I void the warranty if I preform the change over to synthetic myself? (mobil1 0W20)

I\'m assuming I\'m reading the same mazda service manual they are. So I have all the instructions ahead of me for this exact model 2.0L

The manual does say that I need to tighten the drain plug to 23-30 ft lbf how important is it that I follow this? I was thinking just torquing it up until it\'s tight as I can get it since I don\'t have a torque wrench should I get one just for this purpose?

Anyways Canadian weather I believe merits switching to synthetic since I broke in my engine recently I can do a change now leave the filter until the 8000Km and let them do the change next time (I apparently have 3 free but I assume it\'s still free if I provide the oil).

On that subject has anyone had any luck with synthetic tranny fluid as well or should that stuff be avoided?

Edit: Never mind I take back the tranny question the manual is pretty specific about the tranny fluid and judging how my dodge caravan chokes if you put anything other than specified I\'ll just stick with what\'s on the mazda tech spec.

[blam]

its pretty simple to do...

you dont HAVE to tourque it. but definatly reccomended. you dont want to over tighten it since its plastic on metal threads.

i switched to mobil synthetic @ 6000kms. first oil change

I was at the dealer today and they said 5000kms is what htey recommend...i was kind of shocked. thats pretty excessive.

[FLIPDADY]

The 2.0 oil filter isn\'t plastic so I wouldn\'t worry about over tightening it. If it was the 2.3 yes b/c of the plastic cartridge housing. The drain plug on the oil pan I would hand tighten.

Once again if you do decide to do your own oil changes always replace your filter and keep all your receipts.

It all depends on how you drive your car for the frequency of the oil changes. If you tend to drive it hard all the time your oil change interval will be decreased.

[vortex-5]

Interresting so if I do my own oil changes and keep my recipts I don\'t lose my warranty?
Thank you flip I would\'ve never learned this myself!!!
You made my day. I thought I was locked in until my free 3 oil changes are up. Personally I like doing that job myself there\'s a satisfaction I get from being under the hood, but also I get to inspect the condition of the components while I\'m at it.

Recently I discovered AMSOIL after looking at various synthetic oil reviews I\'m deciding to give it a shot as soon as weather becomes warm enough to do an oil change or as soon as my first free oil change is up (8000Km according to mazda.ca I might take it in at 6000Km as well).

Primarily I might want to take it in to complain about bad wipers... I hate my wipers. Although I prefer to do the job myself because it\'s more convinent, I don\'t have to miss work, and after aquiring a torque wrench I can do a job to the mazda service manual spec.

Anyways anyone have any recommended filters they have used? Since I\'m going for AMSOIL or mobil 1 I can safetly do oil changes at 8000-10000Km from now on so I don\'t mind picking a good quality filter.

[majic]

Originally posted by vortex-5


Interresting so if I do my own oil changes and keep my recipts I don\'t lose my warranty?

not necessairly.. you\'re still taking a risk but you have a better chance if you DO have the receipts .. i mean who would pay 40-50bux for oil and another 10 for a filter every 10K just to throw it away and not get it done.. but mazda canada MIGHT think that\'s just precisely what you did.. :sarc

anyway.. a lot of people opt to go the DIY route or have it done at a reputable shop (their mechanic)

[vortex-5]

DIY seems fine to me my old dodge caravan is still running and I\'ve DIY\'ed it (it\'s 12 years old about 90K). I know the tranny needs to get flushed this summer but other than that no other scheduled maintainence.

considering doing synth this weekend (2000Km) that way I can get rid of the breakin fluid earily.

[majic]

Originally posted by vortex-5


DIY seems fine to me my old dodge caravan is still running and I\'ve DIY\'ed it (it\'s 12 years old about 90K).

so WTF do you ask if it\'ll void warranty if it \"seems fine to you\".. FYI, joe NEVER said it would NOT void your warranty, just to keep receipts..

man .. schools are turning out worse engineers each year.. :sarc

[RedRaptor]

Originally posted by vortex-5


DIY seems fine to me my old dodge caravan is still running and I\'ve DIY\'ed it (it\'s 12 years old about 90K). I know the tranny needs to get flushed this summer but other than that no other scheduled maintainence.

considering doing synth this weekend (2000Km) that way I can get rid of the breakin fluid earily.

I\'ve learnt a big lesson this week through my dealership experience and I\'m going to share it with you. I understand you like doing the hands on work but I would be very very weary to do oil changes by yourself. Simply because if anything related happens to the engine, Mazda and Mazda dealerships can use the fact that you changed your own oil against you.

If I need the 24K service to have my defective rear brakes replaced, I am very sure that Mazda will give you a really hard time should anything happen to your car engine. Even if you did your oil changes properly, you are giving them a \"reason\" to blame engine trouble on you.

[vortex-5]

Well that\'s quite an annoyance, I\'m certainly glad I didn\'t extend the stock warrenty.

It\'s been like what 2 months 2000KM and I can\'t wait to start tinkering already don\'t know if I can make it all the way to the end of the year.

And my dealer told me 8000KM oil change I though there were mentions of benifit to get rid of the breakin fluid as earily as possible like as earily as 4000KM - 6000KM

[McGuyver_3]

Originally posted by blam


its pretty simple to do...

you dont HAVE to tourque it. but definatly reccomended. you dont want to over tighten it since its plastic on metal threads.

i switched to mobil synthetic @ 6000kms. first oil change

I was at the dealer today and they said 5000kms is what htey recommend...i was kind of shocked. thats pretty excessive.

They told me that the first oil change was supposed to be 8000km but thats way to many k\'s youll kill your motor that way

[jdanielsg]

need some opinions.. I changed my first oil at 3 plus k and now its 9 plus, 4 mths later and its dirty??? soooo very very dirty. I changed to 0W20 Mobil 1. anyone knowledgable here take a look and tell me if its supposed to be so dirty :

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5227/img00300qe.jpg

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by jdanielsg


need some opinions.. I changed my first oil at 3 plus k and now its 9 plus, 4 mths later and its dirty??? soooo very very dirty. I changed to 0W20 Mobil 1. anyone knowledgable here take a look and tell me if its supposed to be so dirty :

pic (http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5227/img00300qe.jpg)

it\'s fine.

the oil is holding particles that would otherwise be harmful to the engine in suspension....like it is designed to do.