Is the CX-5 Dip Stick Calibrated for Hot Oil temp? It would explain a lot

Where is this idea that Mazda would make a special "hot oil" calibrated dipstick, just for the 2.5T, coming from? It sounds like a bunch of engineers in here arguing about unimportant minutiae
Running an engine that is overfilled with oil isn't something I consider minor.
Some of us are finding our engines are overfilled with oil. I, for one, don't consider my investment into a new vehicle a negligible expense so I am pretty interested in hearing what others are finding.

Here is my dip stick that shows it's overfilled a substantial amount.

and...yes...I am an Engineer 🤣
 

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Running an engine that is overfilled with oil isn't something I consider minor.
Some of us are finding our engines are overfilled with oil. I, for one, don't consider my investment into a new vehicle a negligible expense so I am pretty interested in hearing what others are finding.

Here is my dip stick that shows it's overfilled a substantial amount.

and...yes...I am an Engineer 🤣

Is that the factory fill or after an oil change? What does it look like when it's been sitting overnight?

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
 

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
Yes, and that’s why I said earlier it took me several wipes and tries to take a good read on the dipstick when I tried to take the oil level measurement 5 minutes after the engine was turned off. Those who use the procedure outlined in owner’s manual taking the oil level when it’s hot and didn’t complain on this? That makes me wonder ⋯

And that’s also why I always check the oil level the first thing in the morning with enough time to let oil to drain back to the oil pan.
 
Is that the factory fill or after an oil change? What does it look like when it's been sitting overnight?

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
I took this pic back when they replaced the engine in my 6. So this was factory oil fill. It had sat for hours before I checked it. If I recall, I checked it again another time and it was fine.
I was stumped and still am. Pretty sure that car was hexed though.
I checked my cx5 before leaving work today and it was at the max dot. The cx5 sat for 8 hours at work.
 
Remember, back before covid, when you'd go into a McDonald's to grab a quick breakfast sammich' and there would be this group of "grumpy lookin' men" sitting drinking their senior :coffee: coffee. Having discussions? I sometimes wondered :unsure:what was being discussed. Now I think I know lol :ROFLMAO::devilish::ROFLMAO::whistle:

Please continue.;)
 
When I check my oil "hot" I mean I check it about a half hour after shutting the car off after a drive. That's about the same procedure that I use when changing the oil, the oil is still hot enough to flow but not so hot that I don't want to be pulling the drain plug or working under the car. That is sufficient time for the oil to drain back down. The approximate 1/8" difference in readings I get between checking hot or cold probably has more to do with my technique than anything else. Like how quickly I can retract the dipstick and get it horizon tal to take a reading before the oil runs down the dipstick a little.In any case, I always keep the oil as close to the top mark as possible and certainly not somewhere in the middle of the range.
And yeah I'm probably starting to qualify as a grumpy old man. I have been driving since 1971 and have earned the title.
 
Yes, and that’s why I said earlier it took me several wipes and tries to take a good read on the dipstick when I tried to take the oil level measurement 5 minutes after the engine was turned off. Those who use the procedure outlined in owner’s manual taking the oil level when it’s hot and didn’t complain on this? That makes me wonder ⋯

Makes you wonder about what?

I don't have the same issues you do when reading the oil level on my 2.5T engine, which uses 5w30 oil and a different dipstick. Not sure if the dipstick has anything to do with it, but it is a potential variable.

I've also never had that much of an issue reading oil levels on my dipstick, even after checking the oil 5 mins post-shutdown. Pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, pull it again, and the level is shown. Sure there might be some oil from the dipstick's oil channel, but it's pretty easy to discern the actual oil level from the extra oil.

I'd take a picture to show you but I just don't care enough to at this point.


I took this pic back when they replaced the engine in my 6. So this was factory oil fill. It had sat for hours before I checked it. If I recall, I checked it again another time and it was fine.
I was stumped and still am. Pretty sure that car was hexed though.
I checked my cx5 before leaving work today and it was at the max dot. The cx5 sat for 8 hours at work.

Is your CX-5 on the factory fill?

I don't remember what the oil level was when I took delivery of my CX-9, but it does seem that a lot of the 2.5T engines are slightly overfilled upon delivery.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if the turbo has a higher oil temperature than the na version.
 
...Is your CX-5 on the factory fill?

I don't remember what the oil level was when I took delivery of my CX-9, but it does seem that a lot of the 2.5T engines are slightly overfilled upon delivery.

It is, yes. I haven't had my first service yet.
 
I think the problem people are having checking their oil level is oil pulled up into the dipstick tube. If you see dry spots lower than where you think the level mark is, then that is a false reading. There will be no dry spots on the dipstick below the actual level mark.
 
I changed the oil on my 2018 CX-9 yesterday.

Oil level check after letting the car sit for about 12 hours. Did a pull, wipe, reinsert, then pulled again and took the picture.
levelcheck_cold.jpg


After 30 mins of driving, this is the oil level check 6-7 mins after vehicle shutdown (as recommended by the manual).
levelcheck_manual.jpg



It's a little hard to see, but there is a difference in the oil level shown on the dipstick.

So what does this mean? Well, IMO it means that reading your oil when cold results in a higher reading than when the oil level is read according to the manual. So let's say the dealer were to do an oil change following the procedures in the manual, then top up the oil so that it's right at the "Full" mark. Someone who checks the oil while cold might think that the dealership overfilled the engine, when they actually didn't.

To be fair, judging by the difference in levels, the "overfilled" amount is nothing to be concerned about IMO. This also means that if you do check your oil level when cold (and top it off to the "Full" mark when cold), then your oil level when read according to the manual would actually be a little below the "Full" mark. Again, nothing to be concerned about.

That's my interpretation from my experience with my engine.
 
Also, for the record, I started draining oil about 45 mins after I got home (so the oil wouldn't be too hot to handle). After removing the drain plug, I changed the washer, wiped my hands off and opened a new 5L jug of oil, then prefilled the new oil filter with new oil. Then I got back under the car to put the drain plug back on. At this point the oil was draining at a very slow trickle. I put the plug back in, then changed the old filter out for the new one. In total, I think I let the oil drain for about 10 mins. I put the remainder of the 5L jug into the engine, checked for leaks and closed everything back up. The entire process took maybe 30-45 mins in total. The manual specifies oil capacity of 4.8L with filter change - I'd say that's accurate enough for me.
 
It doesnt matter at all. few drops more or less.
Plus most of the oil flushes out so quickly. At least the w20 oil is so thin you dont even need to warm it that much prior the change.
 
I changed the oil on my 2018 CX-9 yesterday.

Oil level check after letting the car sit for about 12 hours. Did a pull, wipe, reinsert, then pulled again and took the picture.
View attachment 227186

After 30 mins of driving, this is the oil level check 6-7 mins after vehicle shutdown (as recommended by the manual).
View attachment 227187


It's a little hard to see, but there is a difference in the oil level shown on the dipstick.

So what does this mean? Well, IMO it means that reading your oil when cold results in a higher reading than when the oil level is read according to the manual. So let's say the dealer were to do an oil change following the procedures in the manual, then top up the oil so that it's right at the "Full" mark. Someone who checks the oil while cold might think that the dealership overfilled the engine, when they actually didn't.

To be fair, judging by the difference in levels, the "overfilled" amount is nothing to be concerned about IMO. This also means that if you do check your oil level when cold (and top it off to the "Full" mark when cold), then your oil level when read according to the manual would actually be a little below the "Full" mark. Again, nothing to be concerned about.

That's my interpretation from my experience with my engine.
The oil level is below the full mark after driving and checking 6 or 7 minutes later because the oil didn't have time to drain into the pan completely. When checking the oil level by the manual's instructions, step 5 says add oil if the level is near or below the min mark as opposed to saying add oil if below the full mark. They are compensating for a below full mark because all the oil may not have had time to drain into the pan depending on how long one waits after turning the car off. The most accurate oil level is when the engine is cold. If the level shows above the full mark when cold, it is over filled.
 
Why not change your filter before you put the drain plug back in. Lets it drain longer. Every little bit helps.
Agreed. I put the drain plug back the last after the oil filter change so that more old oil can be drained out for the maximum possible period of time during my oil change.
 

The manual specifies oil capacity of 4.8L with filter change - I'd say that's accurate enough for me.
Based on Mazda’s specs on capacities which are approximate quantities, for engine oil change with oil filter replacement is 4.8 L / 5.1 US qt. on 2.5T; and 4.5 L / 4.8 US qt, on 2.5L.

You put in 5 L / 5.3 qt. of oil for your 2.5T and it still needs about 0.3 quart (cold, from your picture) to get to the MAX mark of the dipstick, as the oil level from MIN / ADD mark to MAX / FULL mark is 1 quart in convention and also said in Mazda owner’s manual.

Many 2.5L owners including me also found we need at least 0.5 quart more than specified oil capacity to reach to the MAX / FULL mark of the dipstick (cold).

How many times we’ve seen people are asking why they put in Mazda specified oil quantity and the oil level doesn’t reach to the MAX / FULL mark?

While it’s fine for you on those discrepancies from Mazda’s fluid capacities, the same on given torque value with a wide range instead of a single value in Mazda Factory Workshop Manual, they all are against the general convention from other car manufactures. They also give me an impression that the precision of engineering is NOT that important from Mazda!
 
Based on Mazda’s specs on capacities which are approximate quantities, for engine oil change with oil filter replacement is 4.8 L / 5.1 US qt. on 2.5T; and 4.5 L / 4.8 US qt, on 2.5L.

You put in 5 L / 5.3 qt. of oil for your 2.5T and it still needs about 0.3 quart (cold, from your picture) to get to the MAX mark of the dipstick, as the oil level from MIN / ADD mark to MAX / FULL mark is 1 quart in convention and also said in Mazda owner’s manual.

Many 2.5L owners including me also found we need at least 0.5 quart more than specified oil capacity to reach to the MAX / FULL mark of the dipstick (cold).

How many times we’ve seen people are asking why they put in Mazda specified oil quantity and the oil level doesn’t reach to the MAX / FULL mark?

While it’s fine for you on those discrepancies from Mazda’s fluid capacities, the same on given torque value with a wide range instead of a single value in Mazda Factory Workshop Manual, they all are against the general convention from other car manufactures. They also give me an impression that the precision of engineering is NOT that important from Mazda!
Or maybe the items just fall into the category of "a difference that makes no difference is no difference"
 
Or maybe the items just fall into the category of "a difference that makes no difference is no difference"
Not just discrepancies, but inconsistencies. Other than oil capacity from Mazda’s specs, the capacity on front transfer case is 100% accurate at 0.48 quart, but the rear differential capacity is 66% off, ~0.8 quart vs. Mazda’s 0.48 quarts on gen-1 CX-5、0.37 quart on gen-2 CX-5.

IMO checking the oil level cold or hot makes not much difference. But those who are defending Mazda’s specs which are approximately accurate keep saying checking the oil level the first thing in the morning is wrong and it causes discrepancies although it’s much easier to do the checking.
 
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