Anti-tamper or stripped drain plug?

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Elbass74

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Mazda cx-5 touring 2015
Now that my CX-5 is out of warranty and the nearest dealership has moved to an inconvenient location I decided to start doing my own oil changes. It's been 5-6 years since I've been under a car so when I removed the access panel on my 2015 CX-5 I was surprised to find this orange sealant around my drain plug. Before I mess with it I'm hoping someone can tell me if this is normal now, just something dealerships do now to know if someone has been in there since they performed their last service? I'm highly concerned that my dealership stripped out my drain plug and never told me about it.

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Solution
Ok sorry for the delay on updating this thread. While I was out of town our other vehicle was totalled in an accident. I wasn't about to possibly render our one running vehicle undrivable by messing with a shady looking drain plug so had to wait until we got that all sorted out.

I went ahead and proceeding with changing the oil myself after calling the dealership and asking the same type of question about my drain plug (I had never identified myself when I stopped in personally) and they were adamant that it was just a drain plug sealer compound and they put it on strictly in case a crush washer fails and to keep the plug from vibrating loose. As they put it, an extra bonus for having them perform the oil change.

Started out by...
Agreed. OP should get a correct drain plug (with flange) using the correct part number listed in post #19. Replace the current one with a correct plug and new aluminum washer torque to the specification so that it won’t leak.
 
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Dealer is full of $hit. No reason to ever use sealant on a drain plug with proper crush washer and they are trying to explain it away to novices who have no idea about cars. Typical garbage. Mazda would certainly know if their oil pans leaked and there would be mass information out there if it were true. Tell then to put it on the lift and take out the bolt in front of you with a regular wrench and YOU check the threads and fit. Watch them squirm. I would go straight to the service director or even dealership owner and bypass the peons. If no resolve then call Mazda corporate. If no resolve then call news channel. If no resolve then file small claims against dealer.
I had a 2013 cx-5, and I switched it to the hex head drain plug when I was having weeping issues. It was a maintenance bulletin from Mazda for the 2013s, it did have a tapered drain plug to begin with which was weird to me.
 
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HE03-10-404 Plug. This MAZDA drain plug shows a flange on the plug. Sorry I was unable to cut and paste the picture.
 
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HE03-10-404 Plug. This MAZDA drain plug shows a flange on the plug. Sorry I was unable to cut and paste the picture.
HE03-10-404 is not a correct part no. for drain plug as it doesn’t have the flange (see comparison pictures below).

The part no. for 17 mm flange hex drain bolt on newer 2.5L and 2.5T is FS50-21-249 or LFE5-10-404.

You may have trouble to find 8 mm internal Alllen drain bolt right now as Mazda has switched to 17 mm flange Hex drain bolt for all engines. You’ll find the same part no. FS50-21-249, as the drain plug for ALL MY 2.5L and 2.5T’s. And it should be ended up with a Hex drain bolt, although the specific 17 mm flange Hex drain bolt used to use part no. LFE5-10-404. Just use part no. FS50-21-249 to get correct drain plug.

yrwei52 is exactly correct. The updated part number to replace both the allen oil and aft drain plugs is indeed the hex LFE5-10-404. I've already swapped both of mine.

Oh, and don't forget to use a fresh crush washer every time! They're cheap, no excuse not to. I buy them a bag at a time, just to have them on hand.

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I really liked the internal Allen plug on my 2014. Darn people would wreck them by using a small then correct size or trying to jam a screw driver to open them. Another dealer using unqualified or don't care people to do oil changes IMO. Ed
 
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I really liked the internal Allen plug on my 2014. Darn people would wreck them by using a small then correct size or trying to jam a screw driver to open them. Another dealer using unqualified or don't care people to do oil changes IMO. Ed
Yes, the rounded hole on the 8 mm internal Alllen drain bolt which makes it unusable definitely is caused by those techs who most likely use a bit smaller 5/16” (7.9375 mm) Allen bit to loose and tighten up the drain bolt. A screw driver? I hope not ⋯ 🤪
 
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The plug in the photo looks like the Mazda part. I hope they aren't trying to cover up a messed up oil pan. Is that a dent just left of the plug?

I expect the 8mm plug in my '16 to last the life of the vehicle. I like how the plug will stay on the allen key so it doesn't drop into the oil drain when I change the oil.
 
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Ok sorry for the delay on updating this thread. While I was out of town our other vehicle was totalled in an accident. I wasn't about to possibly render our one running vehicle undrivable by messing with a shady looking drain plug so had to wait until we got that all sorted out.

I went ahead and proceeding with changing the oil myself after calling the dealership and asking the same type of question about my drain plug (I had never identified myself when I stopped in personally) and they were adamant that it was just a drain plug sealer compound and they put it on strictly in case a crush washer fails and to keep the plug from vibrating loose. As they put it, an extra bonus for having them perform the oil change.

Started out by chipping away the sealant with a small flat head. It came apart without any real effort. Once I put a socket on the plug it came out nice and easy, nothing out of the ordinary. Took a little effort to get the old crush washer off since it was covered in sealant still. Got the pan and bolt cleaned up as best I could and reinstalled the drain plug with a new crush washer. I didn't notice anything unusual at all while removing or reinstalling the plug. Left the plastic cover off after filling the oil up and went for a short 3-4 mile drive and let the car sit for a couple of hours to see if there was any oil leaking but not a drop so I think all is well.

Thanks again to everyone that chimed in. Really appreciate everyone's input while I sorted through this issue.

On a separate note my manual states 4.8 quarts of oil for the AWD 2.5 liter engine, but after putting a full 5 quarts in I'm just between the lines on the dipstick. Is the manual not accurate with the oil capacity?
 

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Solution
Ok sorry for the delay on updating this thread. While I was out of town our other vehicle was totalled in an accident. I wasn't about to possibly render our one running vehicle undrivable by messing with a shady looking drain plug so had to wait until we got that all sorted out.

I went ahead and proceeding with changing the oil myself after calling the dealership and asking the same type of question about my drain plug (I had never identified myself when I stopped in personally) and they were adamant that it was just a drain plug sealer compound and they put it on strictly in case a crush washer fails and to keep the plug from vibrating loose. As they put it, an extra bonus for having them perform the oil change.

Started out by chipping away the sealant with a small flat head. It came apart without any real effort. Once I put a socket on the plug it came out nice and easy, nothing out of the ordinary. Took a little effort to get the old crush washer off since it was covered in sealant still. Got the pan and bolt cleaned up as best I could and reinstalled the drain plug with a new crush washer. I didn't notice anything unusual at all while removing or reinstalling the plug. Left the plastic cover off after filling the oil up and went for a short 3-4 mile drive and let the car sit for a couple of hours to see if there was any oil leaking but not a drop so I think all is well.

Thanks again to everyone that chimed in. Really appreciate everyone's input while I sorted through this issue.

On a separate note my manual states 4.8 quarts of oil for the AWD 2.5 liter engine, but after putting a full 5 quarts in I'm just between the lines on the dipstick. Is the manual not accurate with the oil capacity?
Glad the situation came out fine for you and thanks for the update. But if I were you I’d get a correct drain plug, the one with flange stated in post #44 above, for the next oil change.
 
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Glad the situation came out fine for you and thanks for the update. But if I were you I’d get a correct drain plug, the one with flange stated in post #44 above, for the next oil change.
Hex head oil drain plug should have flange with the same size as aluminum drain plug washer on outer diameter. Thus the bolt flange can apply even pressure to soft aluminum crush washer on entire area and make sure it evenly deformed the aluminum washer with specified torque. The hex head used on OP’s CX-5 doesn't have larger diameter flange to cover the entire aluminum washer and the uneven load spread from the smaller flange could cause some minor leak eventually.

Here’s a comparison picture on deforming aluminum washer with original 8 mm internal Allen drain plug and hex head small flange drain plug currently used by OP’s CX-5:

21050F54-DDD5-4D3D-804E-55ED24D39FA8.jpeg


I agree with yrwei52, my OEM aluminum washer doesn't look like that either (red arrow indicates uneven load spread from the smaller flange hex bolt), I'll stick with the larger flange allen bolt that came with the car



also, I ordered from Med Mazda the moly oil and oil filter and just received the package this morning,

I ordered it thru eBay: https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

they sent me a made in Japan oil filter new part number PY8W-14-302

(I thought this was suppose to be outsourced to Thailand or Mexico now ?)



Packaging pictures below, oil filter look to be high quality made and sealed, is this oil filter correct ?












UPDATE, just heard back from Med Mazda, seems they sent out the wrong part by accident,

New message from: mazdapartsmedcenter Top Rated Seller(4,546Red Star)
No you should have received part number 1WPE-14-302. We will ship you the correct oil filter out today. Sorry for the trouble.
Thank you,


seems p/n PY8W-14-302 is for the new CX-9

That’s why you want a drain plug, either internal Allen or hex head drain bolt, with correct flange size matching the aluminum washer on outer diameter. May be that’s why that particular Mazda dealer uses sealer to this wrong small flange hex head drain plug, making sure no leaks developed.
 
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Ok sorry for the delay on updating this thread. While I was out of town our other vehicle was totalled in an accident. I wasn't about to possibly render our one running vehicle undrivable by messing with a shady looking drain plug so had to wait until we got that all sorted out.

I went ahead and proceeding with changing the oil myself after calling the dealership and asking the same type of question about my drain plug (I had never identified myself when I stopped in personally) and they were adamant that it was just a drain plug sealer compound and they put it on strictly in case a crush washer fails and to keep the plug from vibrating loose. As they put it, an extra bonus for having them perform the oil change.

Started out by chipping away the sealant with a small flat head. It came apart without any real effort. Once I put a socket on the plug it came out nice and easy, nothing out of the ordinary. Took a little effort to get the old crush washer off since it was covered in sealant still. Got the pan and bolt cleaned up as best I could and reinstalled the drain plug with a new crush washer. I didn't notice anything unusual at all while removing or reinstalling the plug. Left the plastic cover off after filling the oil up and went for a short 3-4 mile drive and let the car sit for a couple of hours to see if there was any oil leaking but not a drop so I think all is well.

Thanks again to everyone that chimed in. Really appreciate everyone's input while I sorted through this issue.

On a separate note my manual states 4.8 quarts of oil for the AWD 2.5 liter engine, but after putting a full 5 quarts in I'm just between the lines on the dipstick. Is the manual not accurate with the oil capacity?
Glad you got all that sorted.

When I change my oil I just dump in 5 quarts and the level comes up between the fill marks, closer to the full mark than the empty.

As a matter of fact I'm due to change the oil in my CX.
 
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HE03-10-404 is the current drain plug on OP’s 2015 CX-5 Touring:

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⋯ On a separate note my manual states 4.8 quarts of oil for the AWD 2.5 liter engine, but after putting a full 5 quarts in I'm just between the lines on the dipstick. Is the manual not accurate with the oil capacity?
The owner’s manual on several fluid capacities for CX-5 are inaccurate. For engine oil it says 4.8 quarts for oil and filter change on the 2.5L. But most DIYers found it needs 5.25 quarts to reach to the “Full” mark of the dipstick.
 
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For engine oil, the quantity specified isn't inaccurate, its an approximation. See below. That said, if you prefer the oil level to be right at the full mark, you may need an extra quart.

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For engine oil, the quantity specified isn't inaccurate, its an approximation. See below. That said, if you prefer the oil level to be right at the full mark, you may need an extra quart.

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Putting in an extra quart than “approximate quantities” for engine oil replacement definitely will overfill any engines listed in owner’s manual.

The fluid capacities in owner’s manual for Mazda CX-5 are mostly inaccurate as those are “approximate” quantities. The manual says 4.8 quarts on engine oil replacement with oil filter for 2.5L. But it actually needs 5.25 quarts to reach the Full / Max mark on dipstick. Front transfer case is correct at 0.45 quart. The rear differential requires ~0.75 quart but the manual says 0.45 / 0.37 quarts on gen-1 / gen-2 CX-5 respectively. I don’t agree with those inconsistencies as “approximate” quantities. The actual capacity of the rear differential is 66% larger than given capacity on specs, and Mazfa call it “approximate” quantity?

Besides, this’s the only car I have owned offered such inaccuracies and inconsistencies on fluid capacities.
 
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For engine oil, the quantity specified isn't inaccurate, its an approximation. See below. That said, if you prefer the oil level to be right at the full mark, you may need an extra quart.
Six quarts would put it almost a quarter inch above the fill line mark. I put in 5.45 quarts with filter replacement to get it to the full line. I would use OEM oil filters.
 
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Putting in an extra quart than “approximate quantities” for engine oil replacement definitely will overfill any engines listed in owner’s manual.

Six quarts would put it almost a quarter inch above the fill line mark. I put in 5.45 quarts with filter replacement to get it to the full line. I would use OEM oil filters.

I did not mean to add a full quart, I meant that you might need an extra quart on hand to top it up to the fill line. As far as I know, you can't buy oil in quantities less than 1L (1.06 qt).
 
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I put a 5 Q jug in and check after running 10 minutes or so. The oil level is about 1/8 inch under max which is well up in the safe zone. Why do some have so much issues with something unimportant.
 
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Amen, Eddie. I toss in a 5 qt. jug and call it good. Remember when most 4 cylinder engines only had 4 quarts. Mazda gave us 5 quarts and people debate minute fractions of oil level on the dipstick. Especially since the level varies with temperature (yes oil does expand and contract with temperature changes). If there's a decent amount in the sump and the oil passages are full then it gets to be academic. We aren't talking about the Space Shuttle here.
 
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