5W20 Engine Oil

[leungly]

As 5W20 vs. 5W30 and Conventional Vs. Synthetic have been discussed to death.

I was wondering if we could compile a list of all brands of Convential and Synthetic 5W20 Motor Oils available widely (Costco, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Napa, etc.) and via Sponsors or other people in the know.

Example:
Quaker State Peak Performance Motor Oil - SAE 5W20 - Canadian Tire
$18.99 for 4L (regular price at Canadian Tire)


As more posts are made, I will compile them into this first post so that it will be much easier to find this information. And if the need arises or interest is there, we'll compile 5W30 (for Summer usage) information as well. If the oil is available in more than one location or retail outlet, prices from both places will be listed just in case someone is close to a Canadian Tire and Not a Wal-Mart.

[ZoomZoom09]

Mazda Full Synthetic 5W20 is all I use for my 3

[kaval]

Redline Full Synthetic 5w20

[Walrus]

As 5W20 vs. 5W30 and Conventional Vs. Synthetic have been discussed to death.

5W30 (for Summer usage)

You should go back and read through those discussions about oil viscosity.

[leungly]

What I meant were some users like to use 5W30 in the summer time. As well I noticed that my post count isn't high enough to edit my first post (yet).

What's the going rate for:
Mazda Full Synthetic 5W20 (I'm guessing this is available at any Mazda Dealer?)
Redline Full Synthetic 5w20 (Through Sponsors? and US?)

[Walrus]

I know, and I'm pointing out the fact that you (or they) are wrong about 5w20 being a winter oil, and 5w30 a summer oil. If you are going to change oil viscosity depending on the season, you change the first number (the 5) not the second.

[cinder88]

I did the opposite -
I use a 5w-30 syn for the winter and 5w-20 syn for the summer. <Pennzoil Plat>

My rational is as follows - I will use the 5w-30 syn for the entire winter <no change until spring - prob 10,000+ kms of use> - All I do is city driving = excess fuel dilution that will eventually get into the oil - thinning down the 5w-30 to around a 20 weight.


And the 20weight in the summer because it seems to be more shear stable, in the heat compared to the 30syn.

[leungly]

Doh, My mistake, I wish I could change that... Oh you mean change the 5 to a 10 and make it 10W20? I've been overloaded with facts and figures I think. That Bobtheoilguy site makes my headspin after I try to comprehend a fair amount of the info there.

[Walrus]

leungly - yes, if they made a 10w20 (don't think it exists), that would be considered a warm weather oil compared to 5w20. But, most manufacturers are recommending a 5wXX oil year round. More like go to a 0w20 for the winter, if you can find it.

[06Touring3]

Amsoil makes either 0w20 or 0w30 can't remember used to run it in my civic...i am running Amsoil 5w20 now 2nd oil change with Amsoil full synthetic

[kaval]

I believe it's 14.99 for a quart of Redline. I buy mine by the cases from Stage Four Motorsports. 5w20 and 5w30 with K&N oil filters. Redline says it's good for at least 15,000kms (changing the filter halfway though)

[FLIPDADY]

Mazda Full Synthetic 5W20 is all I use for my 3
+1

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Mazda Full Synthetic 5W20 is all I use for my 3


+1

I didn't think Mazda made a full synthetic... Isn't the OEM oil a semi-syn?

[mit-gee-mui]

Some places and prices here. (Yes, some are a bit old, but you get the idea.)
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27643&highlight=5w20
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=16795&highlight=5w20
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=14871&highlight=5w20
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=15243&highlight=5w20


FYI if you want to edit your first post, you are going to have to pm a mod to do it for you.

[ThucP]

Royal Purple 5W20 From Speedtech 10$ a bottle

[RX9]

did u read this yet? our member have alreay done a helpful job.

Oil Information Thread (http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27852)

[ThucP]

ya i think he wants to know where people are buying their oil and which brand they use

[Flagrum_3]

Guys can't you read? He's hoping for people to post the oil they use, the price they paid and where it was purchased.
For instance; Mobil1 5w-20, SuperSyn Full Synthetic, 5 litre jug for $41.99 at Walmart.

_3

[007]

What the hell is that fuel/oil dilution about???
And why not using the recommended oil grade, 5W20 for the regular 3 and
5W30 for the Speed 3? Sound simple to me anyway! Just move synth, and you're done.

Anyway, I use royal purple 5W30 (Speed 3) at $9/L at our local Mazda dealer.
Speed 3 uses just over 6L.



I did the opposite -
I use a 5w-30 syn for the winter and 5w-20 syn for the summer. <Pennzoil Plat>

My rational is as follows - I will use the 5w-30 syn for the entire winter <no change until spring - prob 10,000+ kms of use> - All I do is city driving = excess fuel dilution that will eventually get into the oil - thinning down the 5w-30 to around a 20 weight.


And the 20weight in the summer because it seems to be more shear stable, in the heat compared to the 30syn.

[STeeLy]

Anyway, I use royal purple 5W30 (Speed 3) at $9/L at our local Mazda dealer.
Speed 3 uses just over 6L.

Luc, is that what they are charging over at our beloved dealer in Gatineau?

[007]

I don't remember exactly, but somewhere around there.
I use to pay $8.90/L at a Performance Shop in Gatineau. So, that seem to be the most common cost per litre.

You could probably get it for less in bulk or large qty, I think some guys in Ottawa are able to get RP for $7/L or something around that.


Luc, is that what they are charging over at our beloved dealer in Gatineau?

[STeeLy]

Are they charging the same for 5W20 as well? I wonder where I could buy RP 5W20 in Bulk in Ottawa. (BTW, it's the same STeeLy off OMC)

I don't remember exactly, but somewhere around there.
I use to pay $8.90/L at a Performance Shop in Gatineau. So, that seem to be the most common cost per litre.

You could probably get it for less in bulk or large qty, I think some guys in Ottawa are able to get RP for $7/L or something around that.

[007]

I think it's same prices for 5-20 and 5-30.
Post on Ottawa site and the guys will respond where they get their bulk or case supply of RP.



Are they charging the same for 5W20 as well? I wonder where I could buy RP 5W20 in Bulk in Ottawa. (BTW, it's the same STeeLy off OMC)

[TheMAN]

I don't run that 5W20 water in mine.. it is just too thin of an oil for a harsh climate, my experience with these new mazda engines is, if you ran the factory recommended oil, it will burn it and because it gets so thin once the engine is hot (especially a hot day), it causes more wear than running thicker oil

I use 0W30 castrol syntec (german made) and never had any burning issues... I also run it with the oil filter conversion (I recommend using at least 5W30 to maintain good oil pressure when running this mod)

5W30 will run FINE on our engines, it is what the european or japanese owner's manual recommends and the engines they have there is exactly the same as ours (except for emissions controls)... so don't listen to the BS mazda dealers give you about how you "shouldn't" run 5W30 because the "oil passages are too small" (heard that many times)

[mazda lover]

I don't run that 5W20 water in mine.. it is just too thin of an oil for a harsh climate, my experience with these new mazda engines is, if you ran the factory recommended oil, it will burn it and because it gets so thin once the engine is hot (especially a hot day), it causes more wear than running thicker oil

I use 0W30 castrol syntec (german made) and never had any burning issues... I also run it with the oil filter conversion (I recommend using at least 5W30 to maintain good oil pressure when running this mod)

5W30 will run FINE on our engines, it is what the european or japanese owner's manual recommends and the engines they have there is exactly the same as ours (except for emissions controls)... so don't listen to the BS mazda dealers give you about how you "shouldn't" run 5W30 because the "oil passages are too small" (heard that many times)


Have to agree with the oil passage too small BS
why would they make them "too small" ? just asking for trouble and engine failures? In fact I think the manual says you can use 5W30 under certain conditions? not sure if I am right, the old brain ain't what it used to be, check for yourself

[Flagrum_3]

I don't run that 5W20 water in mine.. it is just too thin of an oil for a harsh climate, my experience with these new mazda engines is, if you ran the factory recommended oil, it will burn it and because it gets so thin once the engine is hot (especially a hot day), it causes more wear than running thicker oil

I use 0W30 castrol syntec (german made) and never had any burning issues... I also run it with the oil filter conversion (I recommend using at least 5W30 to maintain good oil pressure when running this mod)

5W30 will run FINE on our engines, it is what the european or japanese owner's manual recommends and the engines they have there is exactly the same as ours (except for emissions controls)... so don't listen to the BS mazda dealers give you about how you "shouldn't" run 5W30 because the "oil passages are too small" (heard that many times)

You ever think that maybe the climate and conditions are different in Japan, Europe hense the difference in oil grade?

5W-20 is what is called for and what should be used! I've used nothing but, I have 92k on the car and don't loose a drop of oil between 8k oil changes!!

5w-30 may be okay to use in the summer but I would not suggest anyone use it in our winters.(Except the Speed guys of course)

Best thing anyone can do for engine protection and longevity is switch to a high quality Full synthetic and stick to the Manufacturers suggested grade....PERIOD!


_3

[TheMAN]

the manufacturer RECOMMENDS 5W30 as one of the allowable oils to be used in europe and japan... either one of those places can get as cold as canada depending on where you go... 5W30 is the main type of oil recommended there and 5W20 is one of the "allowed" oils also... there's a lot more stop and go driving in japan, and a lot of high speed driving in europe... 5W30 works better for a wider range of conditions

it is ridiculous to just gullibly accept what mazda usa/canada says is "OK" and blindly follow it... like for example, mazda doesn't say it's ok to use synthetic in their factory turbo cars nor recommends it

the few on the US boards who have ran oil analysies on their relatively new engines (less than 10000 miles) using 5W20 and some form of 30 weight oil has found that wear was more on the 5W20


if anyone care to wonder why 5W20 is "recommended" here it's because that's what mazda send the car with to the EPA to do their emissions and mileage tests... the 5W20 has less resistance than a 5W30 and this is to attempt to get better mileage test results... the law requires that whatever the test car had, the retailing car must have the same thing... there's no such law that I am aware of overseas, and therefore 5W30 is put in because from an engineering perspective, the oil maintains more consistent oil pressures, has better durability (higher flash point, less shearing) and therefore allows for longer drain intervals without issues also (mazda europe recommends oil changes every 12000km or 6 months whichever comes first)


working on cars all the time, I see how destroyed 5W20 oil gets in 5000km and 30 weight handles it better... I have also seen engines running 5W20 burn oil more easily

so if 5W20 makes you happy, then more the power to you... but don't jump up and down saying you "must" stick to it and not use anything else.... oh and a cold 5W20 is no different than a cold 5W30 in case you didn't know

[Flagrum_3]

First of all it never gets as cold in Europe as here...or only rarely! ....conditions and weather extremes here are far worse then in both places...period!

So your telling us we should just dismiss what the manufacturer tells us? ...thats just retarded!

I think we already know why 5w20 is recommended.But that makes no difference, most people here are still under the "manufacturer's warranty" and I think they are much safer sticking to the recommended oil then farting around with it!

5w20 & 5w30 are essentially the same oils; 5w30 only being of benefit in engines with higher temps, such as turbos or if running in higher abient temps, nothing else.....that's why I mentioned it would be beneficial to use in the summer months!

I haven't heard of anyone on this site complain about oil loss or burning oil and I'm pretty sure most are still using 5w20, cept for the speed guys again!.....I know I don't have such problem and use only 5w20.


_3

[TheMAN]

yes, I'm telling you to wake up and ignore the 5W20 BS that all car makers in north america have been trying to shove down on us in recent years... it is NOT retarded to "dismiss" what they say, in fact it is more retarded to not think and blindly follow what they say.... I have worked around mazdas long enough to see their engineering and recommendation mistakes and have devised my own workarounds that *work*... it won't hurt my feelings if nobody wants to believe or follow what I do, but I never had problems straying off the path either

more to the point, car makers are here to sell you a car.. why would they care if your car lasts into 250000km? they don't... all they care about is that it lasts a bit after the warranty is over (say a healthy margin is 125000km for example)... if it breaks sooner, perfect... they want to sell you a new car after surprising the unsuspecting owner of how expensive it is to fix the car.... case in point, certain toyotas in the past decade had oil sludging problems... toyota usa stated it was "normal" due to "lack of maintenance" (and of course refusing any warranty repairs) but eventually get sued by all these owners because they were able to prove that they followed their ridiculously long 7500 mile oil change intervals and whatever recommended oil.... so in the end, toyota ended up repairing or replacing all these engines due to their excessively long oil change intervals AND possible design flaws in their engines... point is, toyota doesn't recommend or require synthetic oil nor 3000 mile oil changes, but the people who did trust and followed these recommendations got screwed after years of owning their cars

as I said before... the 5W20 is in there because manufacturers tried to "cheat" their way into squeezing 1mpg more out of their EPA fuel economy tests... the 5W20 is also just barely in the sufficient range for proper engine lubrication... plus manufacturers set some pretty weak maintenance intervals because too many people cried over the years that their "X brand" car didn't have to be brought into service so much or that they demanded less maintenance on their cars.... all this lead to timing chain engines, 10000km oil changes, 96000km platinum spark plugs, 140000km "long life" coolant, etc... half of which don't work right (google dexcool lawsuit)


as for temperatures, get a oil temp gauge and go drive on the highway... winter or not, the oil temps get pretty hot on the highway since our cars don't have the oil cooler like the turbo models do... remember, engine temps are regulated by the thermostat... while it is indeed lower in lower ambient temperatures, it won't be enough to keep temps down on the highway!

in fact, mazda started putting oil coolers on all the 2.0 3s (they don't have the 2.3 except the mps) in europe in 2006 because high oil temps from highway driving posed a concern



so if you trust the manufacturer, then I guess you trust what the government tells you too... ever read Fahrenheit 451?

[TheMAN]

oh yeah, you know norway, sweden, and finland gets pretty damn cold right? also hokkaido in japan gets pretty cold too... these places get enough snow that manufacturers are obliged to market 4WD models in the japanese market so that they have hopes of selling cars in the northern japan region

[Stretch]

Ok, so I was reading this, and i have so far only used 5w20, would it be fine to use 5w30 is all I want to know. Will it cause problems in this engine (2.0) in canada. I have used 10w30 in my other cars so this mazda is new to me. I just want a simple answer as the 5w30 is sooo much easier to find; especially in 4L jugs!
eric

[aris]

i would put what it recomends which is 5w20...and yes it easy to find

[igzy]

Reason car mfg's use 5w20 is to meet emissions requirements set by govt not so they could cheap out on cars. In actuality, it is cheaper to get 5w30 for car mfg's than 5w20 but they have to due to emissions as 5w20 has lower than 5w30...

As a side note, I use 0w30 in mine... Most oils in 0-10w20-30 would do, just change it regularly...

[mazda lover]

Reason car mfg's use 5w20 is to meet emissions requirements set by govt not so they could cheap out on cars. In actuality, it is cheaper to get 5w30 for car mfg's than 5w20 but they have to due to emissions as 5w20 has lower than 5w30...

As a side note, I use 0w30 in mine... Most oils in 0-10w20-30 would do, just change it regularly...

using 5W20 I don't think its for emission requirements, more to do with better gas mileage, less resistance on the engine using a thinner oil...I think it mentions it in the manual...
where can we get 0W30-10-20?
thanks

[igzy]

using 5W20 I don't think its for emission requirements, more to do with better gas mileage, less resistance on the engine using a thinner oil...I think it mentions it in the manual...
where can we get 0W30-10-20?
thanks

Exactly that! Lower consumption translates to lower emissions ;) and each new car needs to meet certain emissions standards (I work in the industry ;) )...

0W30 you can get from specialty oil sellers. Try NOCO LUBRICANTS in Etobicoke...

[igzy]

So car mfg's use oil grades as one of the parameters to fine tune engines to meet the emission requirements...

[Flagrum_3]

oh yeah, you know norway, sweden, and finland gets pretty damn cold right? also hokkaido in japan gets pretty cold too... these places get enough snow that manufacturers are obliged to market 4WD models in the japanese market so that they have hopes of selling cars in the northern japan region

Norway, sweden, finland are not usually in the same boat as the rest of Europe....Europe in the sense of France, Germany, Italy etc; etc; and I would think thier manuals would state differently from the others.

The point here is yes 'maybe' 5w-20 is not as good as using 5w-30 in our cars as far as wear goes, but it's what the manufacturer suggests we use and for those with vehicles still under warranty it's a matter of keeping your warranty safe!!.....Switching to a 'TRUE' full synthetic 5w-20 will definately eliminate the worry of excess wear to the engine and keep Mazda happy incase of warranty issues.

5w-20 was choosen for it's better fuel consumption so once the warranty is up anyone can switch to 5w-30 for better protection, but will most likely see an increase in gas consumption....its a trade-off...I for one believe I'm fine using a true synthetic @ 5w-20, I have 92000k on the car and don't loose a drop of oil between changes.Will I switch to 5w-30 once the warranty is up? ....I'll try it and see how it effects the fuel and then decide....But i'll definately stick to synthetic!



_3

[nuttygent]

It's all in how you drive, if you drive light to moderate in your on and off throttle applications, 5w20 is fine as the 20 weight is to up the fuel economy figures for Mazda. If you're consistently hard on the throttle, DO switch to the
5w30 and preferably group 3 oil or higher would adviseable, reguardless of what the dealer says...they won't be paying for your engine change at 150,000 km's.

[Halogen]

Oil is now a big concern for me, after checking the levels today (after a drive) and seeing it was reading way too low !! Not good at all, and I'm always on top of the fluid levels in my cars. I'm using the 5W-20 non synthetic grade and apparently its burning up like crazy. I've been doing a lot of highway driving, so this could be why, or a piston leak or other reasons, but shit, I'm getting an oil change and switching too 5W-30 Full synthetic as soon as possible. Oil levels that low is way too much risk on the engine.

[007]

Humm, interesting.
Highway driving is smooth on the engine. Most of the wear occurs at startups, ever worst in cold conditions.

What are you driving? What is your mileage?

I ran 5W20 Royal Purple for 4 years (92,000km) on my 2004 3 Hatch GT, and the car was not eating a drop of oil. And I was always shifting in high revs, but never when the engine was cold.


Oil is now a big concern for me, after checking the levels today (after a drive) and seeing it was reading way too low !! Not good at all, and I'm always on top of the fluid levels in my cars. I'm using the 5W-20 non synthetic grade and apparently its burning up like crazy. I've been doing a lot of highway driving, so this could be why, or a piston leak or other reasons, but shit, I'm getting an oil change and switching too 5W-30 Full synthetic as soon as possible. Oil levels that low is way too much risk on the engine.

[Gizzmo_jr]

I run Amsoil full race synthetic @ 5w20.

[Flagrum_3]

Oil is now a big concern for me, after checking the levels today (after a drive) and seeing it was reading way too low !! Not good at all, and I'm always on top of the fluid levels in my cars. I'm using the 5W-20 non synthetic grade and apparently its burning up like crazy. I've been doing a lot of highway driving, so this could be why, or a piston leak or other reasons, but shit, I'm getting an oil change and switching too 5W-30 Full synthetic as soon as possible. Oil levels that low is way too much risk on the engine.

First, I would suggest, 'IF' you still have warranty that you mention the loss of oil to the dealer and make sure it is written on your work order as proof of mention...(Incase of future problems)
Secondly your vehicle should be cool or cold when taking a reading for better accuracy, not taken after a 'run'.
Third, if your vehicle is loosing oil at a substantial rate in between oil changes it will not make a difference or help changing to synthetic at this point, just cost you more.

_3

[notoriousb]

yes, I'm telling you to wake up and ignore the 5W20 BS that all car makers in north america have been trying to shove down on us in recent years... it is NOT retarded to "dismiss" what they say, in fact it is more retarded to not think and blindly follow what they say.... I have worked around mazdas long enough to see their engineering and recommendation mistakes and have devised my own workarounds that *work*... it won't hurt my feelings if nobody wants to believe or follow what I do, but I never had problems straying off the path either

more to the point, car makers are here to sell you a car.. why would they care if your car lasts into 250000km? they don't... all they care about is that it lasts a bit after the warranty is over (say a healthy margin is 125000km for example)... if it breaks sooner, perfect... they want to sell you a new car after surprising the unsuspecting owner of how expensive it is to fix the car.... case in point, certain toyotas in the past decade had oil sludging problems... toyota usa stated it was "normal" due to "lack of maintenance" (and of course refusing any warranty repairs) but eventually get sued by all these owners because they were able to prove that they followed their ridiculously long 7500 mile oil change intervals and whatever recommended oil.... so in the end, toyota ended up repairing or replacing all these engines due to their excessively long oil change intervals AND possible design flaws in their engines... point is, toyota doesn't recommend or require synthetic oil nor 3000 mile oil changes, but the people who did trust and followed these recommendations got screwed after years of owning their cars

as I said before... the 5W20 is in there because manufacturers tried to "cheat" their way into squeezing 1mpg more out of their EPA fuel economy tests... the 5W20 is also just barely in the sufficient range for proper engine lubrication... plus manufacturers set some pretty weak maintenance intervals because too many people cried over the years that their "X brand" car didn't have to be brought into service so much or that they demanded less maintenance on their cars.... all this lead to timing chain engines, 10000km oil changes, 96000km platinum spark plugs, 140000km "long life" coolant, etc... half of which don't work right (google dexcool lawsuit)


as for temperatures, get a oil temp gauge and go drive on the highway... winter or not, the oil temps get pretty hot on the highway since our cars don't have the oil cooler like the turbo models do... remember, engine temps are regulated by the thermostat... while it is indeed lower in lower ambient temperatures, it won't be enough to keep temps down on the highway!

in fact, mazda started putting oil coolers on all the 2.0 3s (they don't have the 2.3 except the mps) in europe in 2006 because high oil temps from highway driving posed a concern



so if you trust the manufacturer, then I guess you trust what the government tells you too... ever read Fahrenheit 451?

I agree... but I run 0W-20 Amsoil synthetic. I think running the recommended conventional oil is bad anyways. It's true, most of the wear will be noticed after the warranty expires. So people who follow the handbook to the letter might end up with a suprise later on. However, if you are leasing a car, or is going to get rid of it at the 60 000 mile mark --- FOLLOW IT TO THE BOOK -- so that you can tell the next owner you did so.

[Ogata]

wow oil is got such a huge discussion up here. Has anyone used Motul in their 3's? Amsoil 5W 20 is hard to find here.

[007]

LOL
Why running 5W20 would be bad?
99.9% of Mazda 3 out there runs the 5W20 provided by Mazda without any problems. If you race your car, then that's a different story.
I ran 5W20 for over 92,000KM on a 2004 3 GT, and it was not taking a drop of oil. It has more to do with driving behaviors. How ofter you see someone flooring the engine after startup in the winter? THAT is an engine killer no matter which oil you use.

I would think Mazda engineers knows a bit more about engines then most of us??? If one think not, may I suggest you send your resume?

The Dexcool thing, it's a GM problem. So, what's your point???

If one feels 5W20 is shit, then by all means use something else, but you should not tell the world that they should not use 5W20 without backing it up with facts.

[igzy]

LOL
Why running 5W20 would be bad?
99.9% of Mazda 3 out there runs the 5W20 provided by Mazda without any problems.

This thread seems to show otherwise. Some owners seem to have issues on their normally driven Mazda3s...


I would think Mazda engineers knows a bit more about engines then most of us???

5W20 is a relatively new oil grade for North America, cold climates and high mileage. IMO, we are still to see how it stacks up against the 5W30 and other grades that were predominantly used in the past...


If one think not, may I suggest you send your resume?.

To whom? If you know a place that is hiring some car-enthusiasts please post the contacts, I am sure quite a few would like to apply ;)


If one feels 5W20 is shit, then by all means use something else, but you should not tell the world that they should not use 5W20 without backing it up with facts.

And that's excactly what we are discussing here and posting facts to back our opinions and reasons why to switch ;)

[Flagrum_3]

The answer is simple and stated before; Switch to a synthetic 5w-20 or synthetic 5w-30 for the speed guys and anyone here will be fine! (excluding track racers of course, they should be using Grp V oils exclusively).

Synthetic 5w-20, even the base III stock type are far superior to even semi-synthetic oils, when it comes to extreme conditions or in particular engine wear.

I'm quite confident being at 94k now and being my engine runs like a charm, and uses zero oil, that I'll get easily 300k out of this engine, if not more aslong as I stick with 5w-20 in synthetic.


_3

[jaimie08mazda3]

winter oil 5w20 from jiffay lube.

[007]

:chuckle

Guys, seriously,
Because one has some engine wear issues, all concludes that the problem is with oil?? Never heard of off-tolerance rings/pistons/engine block, metal debris, etc.? The premature wear could be many other things.

Since most seem to know so much more about North American conditions and engine lubrification, I thought there were a few Dr. in Mechnical engineering or something, and should know where to knock to find a job.

Teasing appart, my point was that you can use anything you want, but saying something like Mazda are idiots and know nothing about engine lubrification, and are doing everything they can to ensure your engine blows after the warrant has expired, that is a blind statement. If that was the case, most engines would be blown by now, and peolple would never buy Mazda's again.

[omalak]

I'm due for my 16k service..

Should i take my own oil? or get it from the dealer? Going to go Synthetic

Dealer will be MOT

Where can you find RP 5w20?:)

I'll stick to manufaturer recommended oil lol

[karsia323]

Speedtech has 5W20 RP and Amsoil in stock.

[TheMAN]

LOL
Why running 5W20 would be bad?
99.9% of Mazda 3 out there runs the 5W20 provided by Mazda without any problems. If you race your car, then that's a different story.
I ran 5W20 for over 92,000KM on a 2004 3 GT, and it was not taking a drop of oil. It has more to do with driving behaviors. How ofter you see someone flooring the engine after startup in the winter? THAT is an engine killer no matter which oil you use.

I would think Mazda engineers knows a bit more about engines then most of us??? If one think not, may I suggest you send your resume?

The Dexcool thing, it's a GM problem. So, what's your point???

If one feels 5W20 is shit, then by all means use something else, but you should not tell the world that they should not use 5W20 without backing it up with facts.


:chuckle

Guys, seriously,
Because one has some engine wear issues, all concludes that the problem is with oil?? Never heard of off-tolerance rings/pistons/engine block, metal debris, etc.? The premature wear could be many other things.

Since most seem to know so much more about North American conditions and engine lubrification, I thought there were a few Dr. in Mechnical engineering or something, and should know where to knock to find a job.

Teasing appart, my point was that you can use anything you want, but saying something like Mazda are idiots and know nothing about engine lubrification, and are doing everything they can to ensure your engine blows after the warrant has expired, that is a blind statement. If that was the case, most engines would be blown by now, and peolple would never buy Mazda's again.


what did I say about believing every word the manufacturer says? :whoa
5W20 works alright for the average ownership time of the original owner... beyond that, I have seen MANY cars that go in that burn a bit of oil at higher miiles after warranty... yes, this is dealership experience, so don't say that crap about not backing up what I say

the point I am making about dexcool is exactly why I think you are a fool for believing what the manufacturer tells you... GM said it was good stuff and the gasket problems were mechanics putting the engine together wrong.. they got sued because there's lots of people who never had their motors apart and it started leaking/burning coolant... so trusting an automaker (or any company) 100%? HAHAHA you're very funny

bottom line is, engineers work under a schedule and under the gunpoint of bean counters... they're also controlled by whoever signs their checks... if they say you can't put in 5W30 for longer engine life because they want to get better EPA fuel mileage numbers but at the same time get away with a barely sufficient oil to reliably let the engine run problem free for 80000 miles, the engineers will have to do that... in otherwords, if the engineers have their way, they wouldn't be using all this ford shit on this car and have 4 motor mounts like all the old mazdas did... and had they done that, the ms3's motor mount issues wouldn't have been so major

isn't it funny how toyota still specifies 5W30 on a lot of their late model cars? my dad's 07 corolla says 5W30 on the oil cap... I don't know if it's smarter to use 5W20 water to eek by a couple more MPG or to use 5W30 so that you won't get sued again for sludging problems... :loco similarly, subaru does NOT call for any 5W20 at all... they are a heavily engineer biased/techy automaker... why do they have a boxer engine and AWD when its cheaper to just use inline 4s? because they WANT to and they claim it to be technically superior (which it is in some ways)... yes the engineers have their way and do things right when you allow them to

[007]

Your opinion.
I respect that.:pop

And I'm not saying 5W30 is not good. Just saying 5W20 is fine for 99.8% of Mazda 3 owners. By all mean, use 5W30 if you feel compelled to.

It's a good thing all manufacturers don't make Subarus. Would be a boring world (not that I don't like them, actually I drool over the WRX 265).

At the end of the day, time will tell. Will be curious to see if all 3's running stock 5W20 dies at 130,000km. If that's the case, Mazda will be sued big time anytime soon, and that may be the end of Mazda since they sold so many 3.

As for GM and Dexcool, well, it's not because GM ****ed up that all car makers are in the same boat. Does that mean that because Dodge makes shit transmissions to cut costs and development that all auto makers are doing the same???

Anyway, just food for thought.

And to get back to topic, which 5W30 are you running? RP, Redline, Castrol, Mobil???

I read tons of info on this board about oil groups, etc., but not sure under which group falls the above synth oils. Anyone with a list of Synth oils and their corresponding Group (I, II, III, IV, V,???)

[prime]

would anybody know where i can pick up RP/Amsoil in the mississauga/brampton area?

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

This thread is hilarious...and a little silly. Most manufacturers specify oil grade primarily to meet mileage/fuel economy and emissions regulations.

Guys, I ran Castrol Syntech 5W-50 in my old 1.8L 2000 Protege for 245,000km before it was KIA'd this summer in a no-fault accident. That car didn't burn any oil at all and the engine ran and started in cold weather like a champ. The dealer never had any issues with me using this grade of oil and it would not have voided my warranty had anything gone wrong with the engine. I elected to use 5W-50 because of the manner in which I drove my old Pro, which was very hard...

The worse thing that happened was that I sacrificed some gas mileage by running the thicker oil. Whooopppeeeee do da.

[Flagrum_3]

This thread is hilarious...and a little silly. Most manufacturers specify oil grade primarily to meet mileage/fuel economy and emissions regulations.

Guys, I ran Castrol Syntech 5W-50 in my old 1.8L 2000 Protege for 245,000km before it was KIA'd this summer in a no-fault accident. That car didn't burn any oil at all and the engine ran and started in cold weather like a champ. The dealer never had any issues with me using this grade of oil and it would not have voided my warranty had anything gone wrong with the engine. I elected to use 5W-50 because of the manner in which I drove my old Pro, which was very hard...

The worse thing that happened was that I sacrificed some gas mileage by running the thicker oil. Whooopppeeeee do da.

You are right in a sense, but whilst under warranty why take the chance with changing your grade? ...especially with some of the horror stories we hear about dealers giving a hard time when it comes to engine failures, in some cases not all.

That's why I mentioned earlier; If worried about wear use a synthetic oil in the called-for grade. It'll out-perform any reg oil or semi-syn in all cases and you'd have no problems with warranty! Once the warranty is up use whatever makes you happy.

I used regular Quaker State oil in my last car and got 300+ kms out of her and the engine never failed or lost oil, mind you it was a V6...With our smaller higher revving engines. I think it pays to protect them better...just my opinion!


_3

[Fuman]

I was talking to Jimmy a while ago, and I told him my warranty is running out.
He recommend me to change to a different oil 5w30 or 0w30 (I forgot what he said) to help with oil burning (which I don't have) and colder climate. I'll likely follow Jimmy's advice when my warranty runs out.

[Donutz]

would anybody know where i can pick up RP/Amsoil in the mississauga/brampton area?

CTA. Pat can help you out. I believe he carries RP.

[prime]

CTA. Pat can help you out. I believe he carries RP.

thanks! ill give him a shout!

[Ogata]

CTA. Pat can help you out. I believe he carries RP.

Last time I PMed him, he only carried Redline. I was looking for Amsoil but there were no goes on the replies and places I went to.

[Flagrum_3]

Last time I PMed him, he only carried Redline. I was looking for Amsoil but there were no goes on the replies and places I went to.

Try SpeedTech...they're located in Markham though!! but they carry RP, Redline and Motul, but only in 5w-20 grade.Prices are pretty good!

RP was $100 a case of 12qts Redline $150 for the same.

Ask for Sherman 905-294-7778

If your stuck on Amsoil, PM Krisekca, he's a Amsoil dealer.


_3

[Ogata]

Try SpeedTech...they're located in Markham though!! but they carry RP, Redline and Motul, but only in 5w-20 grade.Prices are pretty good!

RP was $100 a case of 12qts Redline $150 for the same.

Ask for Sherman 905-294-7778

If your stuck on Amsoil, PM Krisekca, he's a Amsoil dealer.


_3

I pmed him...no response...and yes thats where I got my RP from.

[prime]

Last time I PMed him, he only carried Redline. I was looking for Amsoil but there were no goes on the replies and places I went to.

yeah he said he only carries Redline. he did recommend performance improvements so i'm going to check that out and see if they have RP since i pass by there everyday. if not, i might take that trip to markham.

[karsia323]

Speedtech carries RP, Amsoil and Eneos in 5w20.

[karsia323]

Speedtech carries RP, Amsoil and Eneos in 5w20.

Sorry.... duplicate post.

[igzy]

isn't it funny how toyota still specifies 5W30 on a lot of their late model cars? my dad's 07 corolla says 5W30 on the oil cap...

The '09 models now use 5W20 so to meet the lower emissions standards and improve MPG...

[prime]

yeah he said he only carries Redline. he did recommend performance improvements so i'm going to check that out and see if they have RP since i pass by there everyday. if not, i might take that trip to markham.

Performance Improvements actually had RP for $150 (tax in) for a case of 12. A tad expensive but saves me the trouble of traveling all the way to Markham when it's on the way to work.

[baymoe]

Sherman from Speedtech said they no longer carry the special. It's $10 per bottle of Royal Purple 5w20 regardless of quantity.

[mazda lover]

my manual says "Recommended oil, use SAE 5W20 engine oil" it goes onto say
" A chief contribution this type of oil makes to fuel economy is reducing the amount of fuel necessary to over come engine friction"
No where does it say 5W20 is required, must use or if you don't it will void your warranty. Its all about fuel economy and emission. I will continue to use 5W30

[sarujo]

That's exactly what it says in my 2010 manual on page 8-18. What year of Mazda do you have?

Did you ever notice a difference fuel economy wise using 5w30 vs 5w20?


my manual says "Recommended oil, use SAE 5W20 engine oil" it goes onto say
" A chief contribution this type of oil makes to fuel economy is reducing the amount of fuel necessary to over come engine friction"
No where does it say 5W20 is required, must use or if you don't it will void your warranty. Its all about fuel economy and emission. I will continue to use 5W30

[mazda lover]

That's exactly what it says in my 2010 manual on page 8-18. What year of Mazda do you have?

Did you ever notice a difference fuel economy wise using 5w30 vs 5w20?

My car is a 2005 GT Auto 2.3 Found no real difference in fuel economy, used syntec oil for a few oil changes and still saw no real difference in fuel economy not enough to justify the extra cost,

[mazda lover]

my manual says "Recommended oil, use SAE 5W20 engine oil" it goes onto say
" A chief contribution this type of oil makes to fuel economy is reducing the amount of fuel necessary to over come engine friction"
No where does it say 5W20 is required, must use or if you don't it will void your warranty. Its all about fuel economy and emission. I will continue to use 5W30

In my manual under Scheduled Maintenance under remarks it says..
*2 According to state/provincial/and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not void your emmissions warranties. See your manual for what Mazda means by "items"

[mazda lover]

Some info on oil viscosity etc...

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/518

also a discussion at a Ford forum, post 24 of interest..not sure this is true? anybody.

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/3842-oilanyone-using-5w30-rather-than-5w20/page__st__20