Dipstick - Ever Notice This?

:
Occupied Calif.
:
2019 CX 5 GT-R
I was doing an oil & filter change on my 2019 CX 5 turbo yesterday. I had only put a little over 4900 miles on the car in the last 13 months and make a lot of short trips so figured it was a good idea. I used the latest GF-6 rated Mobil 1 5W-30 EP oil and a Mazda filter.

Anyway, when wiping off the dipstick and standing under my strong shop light I noticed that the Mazda oil filter part number is stamped on the dipstick.
I had never noticed that before. A nice touch.
 
I never noticed this on mine. I'll have to check the next time I have the dipstick removed.

Fat chance that I'll remember but it could happen. lol
 
⋯ Anyway, when wiping off the dipstick and standing under my strong shop light I noticed that the Mazda oil filter part number is stamped on the dipstick.
I had never noticed that before. A nice touch.
What exactly the part number you saw on the dipstick?

And how much oil do you use for the oil change on the 2.5T? 5.1 quarts (stated in owner’s manual)? 5.5 quarts?
 
I was doing an oil & filter change on my 2019 CX 5 turbo yesterday. I had only put a little over 4900 miles on the car in the last 13 months and make a lot of short trips so figured it was a good idea. I used the latest GF-6 rated Mobil 1 5W-30 EP oil and a Mazda filter.

Anyway, when wiping off the dipstick and standing under my strong shop light I noticed that the Mazda oil filter part number is stamped on the dipstick.
I had never noticed that before. A nice touch.
Did the flexible oil change monitor indicate an oil change?

4900 miles of short trips might be considered severe duty.
 
Another feature of the dipstick is that it is nitrided, giving it a dark, rough texture. Most vehicles I’ve owned had smooth shiny dipsticks, often making it difficult to see the clean hot oil level. No problem with the Mazda dipstick.

You do check your oil level when hot, don’t you?
 
What exactly the part number you saw on the dipstick?

And how much oil do you use for the oil change on the 2.5T? 5.1 quarts (stated in owner’s manual)? 5.5 quarts?

Which owner's manual are you referencing? I checked the 2020 CX-5 and 2018 CX-9 owner's manuals when responding to one of your posts the other day, and couldn't find where they state the amount of oil required for an oil change. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.
 
Another feature of the dipstick is that it is nitrided, giving it a dark, rough texture. Most vehicles I’ve owned had smooth shiny dipsticks, often making it difficult to see the clean hot oil level. No problem with the Mazda dipstick.

You do check your oil level when hot, don’t you?
Your experience is different from mine on CX-5’s dipstick. I found the dipstick on my 2016 CX-5 is not much different than any other Japanese car I’ve seen. The dark metal is hard to read with the thin 0W-20 oil, especially when the oil is hot. That’s why I use the old fashion way, checking the oil level at the first thing in the morning, one pull、no wipe. Many have similar experience like me such as:

⋯ Mazda oil dipsticks are very hard to get a good reading on if you don't wait long enough for the oil to settle. Oil inside the dipstick channel can show oil all the way up to the twisty section sometimes. imo, the manual should be changed to say wait a min of 15 minutes before checking the level

As for checking oil level when hot or cold, it won’t make too much difference. Just use whichever way you feel more convenient. In theory, checking oil level the first thing in the morning before the engine start meets “wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan” criteria. And we can check the tire pressure at the same time too.

I’d already compared oil levels on my 2.5L 5-minute hot engine and the first thing in the morning cold, there’s almost no difference between the 2. But checking the oil level cold is much easier.

Hot:
29FA0974-3BB8-4779-AA1E-C6ACD2CD1E17.jpeg


Cold:
F83C9FE3-6088-4410-A7C1-4917A2C3CCC7.jpeg


Um, doesn't waiting until the next morning to check, meet their requirement?
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.

In what window of time does "at least" end?

I did an oil level check after driving my CX-5 around for about an hour and make sure the engine is fully warmed up. Then I turned it off and waited at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan. To be exact, the picture was taken 10 minutes after as I had to take the measurement multiple times due to the difficulty of reading the hot and watery 0W-20 oil on the dipstick.

View attachment 226654

And here’s the oil level taken at the first thing in the morning on a cold engine before the engine start. No wiping, one pull, and easy to read the oil level on the dipstick:

View attachment 226655

As we can see, there’s almost no difference between the oil level measured in hot engine and in cold engine, just like dunhillmc’s pictures showed.

The case is closed!
 
What exactly the part number you saw on the dipstick?

And how much oil do you use for the oil change on the 2.5T? 5.1 quarts (stated in owner’s manual)? 5.5 quarts?
Which owner's manual are you referencing? I checked the 2020 CX-5 and 2018 CX-9 owner's manuals when responding to one of your posts the other day, and couldn't find where they state the amount of oil required for an oil change. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.
This’s from 2020 Mazda CX-5 Owner’s Manual:
FC62937C-83A3-4412-853B-0769E3DDAD0A.jpeg
 
The P/N on the dipstick is PY8W 10 450 so I think you are correct, it is the dipstick part number. I saw the PY8W prefix and remembered that was the prefix for the Japanese made filter and got them confused.

Regarding the so called flexible oil change monitor; I have it disabled in my settings. I am unimpressed with the concept having a pretty good understanding of how it works and what it is actually measuring. I prefer to make my own decisions based upon the type of oil I am using and my driving habits.

I won't go more than 5000 miles on an oil and filter change and that is using one of the top 5 synthetic oils. I suppose if my driving was primarily long freeway commutes I might push that to 7500 miles maximum, but I consider my driving conditions to be severe service. I do OCI's based upon the odometer being close to another 5000 mile interval and don't like the maintenance warning popping up on my screen while driving.

I always check my oil level cold. For this particular change, the oil was hot when drained and I let it drain for about an hour before buttoning everything back up. I thought I would verify the amount of oil needed for a full sump again by emptying a 5 qt. jug of oil into the filler tube and going for about a 10 mile drive. I checked it a few hours later and the dipstick read about 2/3 above the lower mark.
Using a graduated measuring cup, I added 12 ounces and went for another drive. After checking the oil again, it was still a bit low. I added 4 more ounces and now it reads about 1/8" above the top mark. A bit high but I'm not going to pull the plug and try and drain 1 or 2 ounces.

This is my third oil change and each time it took 5 1/2 quarts + or - 2 ounces to fill to the top mark on the dipstick. I like to keep mine topped off rather than somewhere between low and high.

DI and turbocharged engines are hard on oil. 5000 OCI's may seem extreme to some but doing the changes myself only costs about $40 in materials and once a year with my driving habits reduced now that I have retired is an insignificant expense
 
I always check my oil level cold.
Mazda’s recommendation. Oil expands when it’s hot.
 

Attachments

  • 25EB051E-4E0D-44F3-BDC1-D995642CB153.jpeg
    25EB051E-4E0D-44F3-BDC1-D995642CB153.jpeg
    98.1 KB · Views: 211
I usually check mine when I think about it and the car's in the garage. Usually when it's cold before I go somewhere.
I checked mine hot and cold once. I could tell the difference but it wasn't much. Maybe 1/8" on the dipstick.

Changing the oil often is a good way to take care of the engine. Some manufacturers have dialed back the miles the Oil monitor allows between oil changes.
I usually try to change before 5000 miles. It depends on how many months and how many short trips, too.
 
The P/N on the dipstick is PY8W 10 450 so I think you are correct, it is the dipstick part number. I saw the PY8W prefix and remembered that was the prefix for the Japanese made filter and got them confused.

Regarding the so called flexible oil change monitor; I have it disabled in my settings. I am unimpressed with the concept having a pretty good understanding of how it works and what it is actually measuring. I prefer to make my own decisions based upon the type of oil I am using and my driving habits.

I won't go more than 5000 miles on an oil and filter change and that is using one of the top 5 synthetic oils. I suppose if my driving was primarily long freeway commutes I might push that to 7500 miles maximum, but I consider my driving conditions to be severe service. I do OCI's based upon the odometer being close to another 5000 mile interval and don't like the maintenance warning popping up on my screen while driving.

I always check my oil level cold. For this particular change, the oil was hot when drained and I let it drain for about an hour before buttoning everything back up. I thought I would verify the amount of oil needed for a full sump again by emptying a 5 qt. jug of oil into the filler tube and going for about a 10 mile drive. I checked it a few hours later and the dipstick read about 2/3 above the lower mark.
Using a graduated measuring cup, I added 12 ounces and went for another drive. After checking the oil again, it was still a bit low. I added 4 more ounces and now it reads about 1/8" above the top mark. A bit high but I'm not going to pull the plug and try and drain 1 or 2 ounces.

This is my third oil change and each time it took 5 1/2 quarts + or - 2 ounces to fill to the top mark on the dipstick. I like to keep mine topped off rather than somewhere between low and high.

DI and turbocharged engines are hard on oil. 5000 OCI's may seem extreme to some but doing the changes myself only costs about $40 in materials and once a year with my driving habits reduced now that I have retired is an insignificant expense
Man, your OCD is gonna hate it when the next gen CX5s come out and the oil change interval goes to 10k miles like it is on the current Mazda 3s and CX30s
 
Mazda’s recommendation. Oil expands when it’s hot.
And more oil will return to the oil pan if you check the oil level cold.

Um, doesn't waiting until the next morning to check, meet their requirement?
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan.

In what window of time does "at least" end?

And see post #9 above for comparison between checking the oil level hot and cold.
 
Man, your OCD is gonna hate it when the next gen CX5s come out and the oil change interval goes to 10k miles like it is on the current Mazda 3s and CX30s
Many car manufactures such as Toyota have been using 10,000-mile or 12-month OCI with ever thin 0W-16 oil for several years now.
 
My new Jaguar F Type R with a supercharged V8 has 16,000 mile recommended oil change intervals. While the 5 year/60k mile warranty covers free scheduled maintenance including oil changes, there is no way I am going that long. Especially with the very first change. I'll do my own changes in between the free changes at 16,000 miles.
And still do my own changes at 5000 miles on my CX 5.
 
As for checking oil level when hot or cold, it won’t make too much difference.
FYI, I just did a cold check on my 2020 after sitting for 24 hours. It read half way between the full and and low marks. Then I drove it 8 miles and rechecked after a few minutes. It read just a tad below the full mark, around a 1/16" - 1/8" below.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back