Synthetic Oil
 

Anyone know why Mazda doesn't reccomend using synthetic oil? Anybody tried using synthetic?

Change my oil about every 3k to 5k. Use conventional oil. Have not seen any oil loss or other problems. Car is an 02 Mazda Protege ES 5sp with about 92k.

i have a 07 mazda 3 and i just switched to synthetic oil at 9,000 miles and im liking it so far seems smoother throughout the full range of rpm...but so far that is all i can tell.. ive only driven a couple of hundred miles since the switch so inconclusive so far as weather it will damage anything...for $50+ per oil change it better be good lol

It does not buy it's way onboard for me. I use dino squeezin's changed every 6K and the top of the engine is clean and the oil is still amber after 3K miles or more...

...with 1/8th of a million miles on her!

Use the money you save for MODS!

(I am a reliability engineer with a MS degree in engineering)

^^ you must baby your car!

3k miles between changes on Redline full synthetic even before I was turboed it would be BLACK. Magnetic oil drain plug gets no metallic bits on it or anything (it did the first change after turbocharging but that's it).

I do redline full synth 10w30 every 3k miles.

Whether or not conventional oil works well, I just can't bring myself to use more petroleum products than I absolutely must.

Do you run 10w30 during the winter too Kansei?

Also, what exactly is the oil capacity of our engines? 3.8 quarts right?

-40 F winters here mean that synth oil is a must.

Oil gets too thick to move (ie: start) when it's that cold. Block heater can help, but sometimes it fails too.

Edmonton winters need:
Synth oil
Engine Block Heater
Battery with at least 900 CCA (1000 or more is preffered)

Horray for living in the arctic!

I used 10w30 through last winter. The temp range difference between 10w30 and 5w30 is I think -25 vs -30 (probably F), respectively.

I do plan on going to 5w30 though. Synthetic is a bit different at cold temps, so I'm probably fine on 10w30.

Is it oil change season or something? I feel like I'm talking about the same stuff on every forum I'm active on lol

http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12609

I know there's a couple threads on toprotege as well discussing it right now :P

good lord.... -40*..... Why do you not move away from there?!?! OF course it IS 110* here in the summertime but I have AC and a breeze most days.

p.s. Synthetic oil is great if you buy the right kind. I swear by Royal Purple for 2 reasons. #1. It reduces surface tension better than any other oil I've ever seen. I did an oil change and got 4whp on a MSP. #2. When the oil burns up and turns into ash (which it will do from time to time) as soon as it comes into contact with more oil it reverts right back into oil. No more coking up inside the bearings or turbos.

No worries it isn't -40F all the time.

but if it's anything like other places I've been to in Canada it's actually not weird to see a parking lot where every space has a plug connection for your engine block heater :)

I just changed my oil last night actually and I use Mobil 1 Full Synth with a Bosch filter. Who cares what Mazda says? They also say you can add mods or it'll make your MSP not work properly. I mean, it's kind of stupid for them to say not to use the good shit.

So what is our oil capacity guys? I don't have a manual and I always just kinda poured around 3.8 qts. and filled from there. It would be nice to know exactly. I also use the V6 filter but that shouldn't make a significant difference.

To be fair about the weather, most winter days hover between -5 to -10 F.

The -40 F days happen, but only maybe once a week :)

Interesting tidbit: The coldest temperature recordec was −49.4°C (−56.9°F) :D

As for the synth vs normal oil thing; can anyone explain why Mazda would recommend against synth oil?

Cuz they've been hitting the crack pipe a bit too much .. which is the same reason they didn't supply the US market with any AWD 3rd gens.

Well for Rotary engines because synthetic = quick death

They really say not to use it for our cars though? That's just silly.

And yes krayziefox --3.8 quarts.

They make AWD 3rd Gen.? No f---ing way! I might have to get imported if so. That'd be pretty bad to have a right side drive awd 3rd Gen Protege huh?