I will be doing an oil change soon and I want to try something different. For the past few years I’ve always used Valvoline max-life 10w-30 with an AC Delco oil filter. Don’t want to risk running full synthetic oil because the car is at 100k. I’ve heard of people having the engine leak and burn more oil because of their switch to full synthetic. The reason I want to try a different oil is because I want to see if this will help out with the ‘knocking’ I get during cold starts. Should I try semi-synthetic oil?? What would you guys recommend?

Also, what kind of oil filters do you guys use? I was looking into the Bosch filters, but I don’t know if the $3 difference in price is worth it (compared to AC Delco).

 

semi-synthetic (aka 'blends') are mostly a waste of money. You either go all-syn or stay all-dyno.

Castrol GTX is a good all-around dyno

 

Wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the suggestion!

Wil, I have seen this thread but you posted it in the 3rd gen section and that's why I didn't pay that much attention to it. Does this apply for 1st gens too ?

 

ALL Mazdas use the same 4 cyl/6 cyl oil filters, so yeah that oil filter info will work for 1st gens....

 

... and RX-7

 

yes all mazda rotaries use the same Mazda filters as 4 cyl/6 cyl piston engines

 

The Bosch filter I use on the rx-7 is not listed in the parts book for any other mazda vehicle. I belive you that it works, but they aren't listed as the same here.

 

what's listed may not show EVERYTHING that will fit on the RX-7

theoretically I can fit that GIGANTIC filter Wil found onto the RX-7, but whether I want to do that is a whole other story

 

Good point