Which oil is best for the 2.5L Non-Turbo CX-5?

I used to use Valvoline years ago in a Dodge 3.9 for about two years and afterwards that motor was caked in black gunk even though I was doing oil changes every 2500 miles. Currently working for a GM dealership, we have customers with lifter failures, often maintained regularly at the local Valvoline store. So, Valvoline is out.
I would doubt that using any oil (other than Mazola corn oil) for 2500 miles would cause this kind of engine contamination. I would suspect a defective engine, seals, etc.

From what I've read and experienced, there is very little difference in current major brand oils, at least that people could notice.

What year was the Dodge, 1935 or thereabouts?
 
Anyone using Quaker State Ultimate Protection ??
With all respect intended by this, anecdotal reports without oil analysis aren't of much value. The only way to know if an oil is good is for it to be put through standardized testing and compared to others. Otherwise, you'll hear mixed reports of every oil.

Start with watching The Motor Oil Geek and Project Farm to get some good information.
 
Last edited:
I am using Mobil 1 EP and have an excellent UOA. I therefor will continue to use it at a 5,000 miles recommended change interval based on my driving profile. Short drives of less than 1.5 miles per drive is my normal.
 
After 7 or 8 years of that noisy 0W-20 I went to 5W-30. Dealer serviced with synthetic 0W-20 the first 6 years. Tried Castrol Edge 0W-20 twice. Seemed to get dark and get thinner quicker. Tried different Castrol's through the years and never quite liked enough to continue. Car likes 5W -30 better. Wish I would have gone with it sooner after powertrain warranty expired at 5 years.
Been saying this for years. Everywhere else in the world Mazda states 5W30. Only in North America is it 0W20.
Do your engine a favour and switch to full synthetic 5W30. Brand doesn't matter. Your engine will love you for it. Just do it.
 
Been saying this for years. Everywhere else in the world Mazda states 5W30. Only in North America is it 0W20.
Do your engine a favour and switch to full synthetic 5W30. Brand doesn't matter. Your engine will love you for it. Just do it.
0W 20 is the preferred oil here in Aus.
 
0W 20 is the preferred oil here in Aus.
Curious. Does your government have anything in place like the CAFE standards here in the US?

"CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards are regulations in the United States, first enacted by the United States Congress in 1975, after the 1973–74 Arab Oil Embargo, to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks (trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles) produced for sale in the United States."
 
Curious. Does your government have anything in place like the CAFE standards here in the US?

"CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards are regulations in the United States, first enacted by the United States Congress in 1975, after the 1973–74 Arab Oil Embargo, to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks (trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles) produced for sale in the United States."
The fuel economy stuff has been around for ages, and now they have just introduced new fleet emissions standards “to incentivise carmakers to import more low and zero emissions vehicles” as part of the grand scheme to achieve net zero CO2.

Under the “new vehicle efficiency standard” the 2025 emissions target for light commercial vehicles will be 210 grams per km, and 110 grams by 2029. What you guys call trucks - your Ford and Chevvy pickups - would fall into this category. Here this category is dominated by dual cabs like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Rangers. The vast majority of which use diesel engines.

The plan set emissions targets for 2025 of 141 grams of CO2 per kilometre for passenger vehicles.

We can hardly wait…. Woohooo…. More Chinese crap quality electric cars will fill our streets. Theres already a glut of them. I am convinced the Chinese strategy is to dump as many of them here as possible at super low prices to destroy the competition from Euro, SE Asian (mostly Korea) and Japanese manufacturers who will then pull out of Australia leaving only the Chinese cars - and then jack their prices way up.

Im worried that Mazda as one of the smaller manufacturers might be an early casualty. You should see the Chinese MG’s they are so close to a blatant copy of the Mazdas its not funny.

The Chinese manufacturers have virtually no backup here, no real dealer network and their “service” centres are basically provided by quick and dirty deals with the chain store car service centres like KMart tyre and auto centres….

Parts are never available and they’ve not invested much in training etc. In 3-5 years time people who bought these Chinesium junk piles are going to really regret it as the gloss wears off and the problems start to compound.
 
Last edited:
What about a general advice not to change oil brand on the fly? Is it a just a forums stories?
What is the actual damage to change oil brand let's say once a year?
It should be a known fact that the issues with adding various brands or changing brands has little to do with viscosity and more to do with additives. Not all brands use the same or like additives. Like everything else in your power train, the possibility of draining all of the fluid is near impossible so you tend to mix them at brand change. We all are aware of this when it comes to coolants. The residue of some of the oil additive packages when draining tend to mix with the new brand's additives and can have a negative effect overall, or so claim some. Usually by the second change you've completely flushed every trace of the old out of the engine. Using Silly Wabbits approach brings many questions to mind and I assume his approach is to get a brew of every additive that any particular brand may be missing. Interesting considering all of the oil additives on the market that are supposed to supplement already perfectly good quality oil. To say they don't would be akin to forgetting to add that little bottle of secret "whatever" to your posi-traction differencial when you change it's lube. It strikes me as peculiar that manufacturers don't specify brands approved for their vehicles only API's. If you look back in history, engine warranties were actually insured by particular brands of oils. Every old school GM mechanics should know this - Valvoline.
 
If you're below 30 N latitude, you can go with 5W-30. If you're above, go with 0W-20(arbitrary line, just made it up). Whatever brands suits you. I think we read too much into this oil analysis. Unless you're a science oil geek or something, no disrespect.
 
I'm not an oil geek, is just the first new car I've bought since 1991, I intend to keep this one a long time like most of my vehicles, and just wanted some advice on how best to care for it. My old 2013 Mazda2 was traded in at 170k miles, I was second owner, had Mobil-1 it's whole life and was running great when traded. I use Mobil-1 in my Sierra pickup for the last 6 years, is my usual go-to. But if testing and improvements now show Pennzoil Ultra is a better oil, I'll use that in my new Mazda instead. I've got a lot of car payments ahead of me, I gotta make this car last a long time.
 
Last edited:
IMO Pennzoil Platinum is plenty good enough for the naturally aspirated cars that don't heat up the oil so much and you'll save ~$5-6 per oil change, but there is of course no detriment to running the Ultra. The main benefits of the Ultra seem to be its ability to hold its own when really beat up (heat-related viscosity loss, shearing, etc) and also it flows in the cold a little better.

There is some reason why it couldn't get DEXOS certified even though its technically the better oil vs the Platinum. It may be the slightly higher calcium level, which is used as a detergent. When not kept under a certain level now it doesn't qualify for meeting spec for LSPI prevention.
 
On y wife's 2018 CX-5 I use 5W-30 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum during the summer. In the winter I switch over to 0W-20.
I will be doing the same for my 2024 CX-5. I have no issues with this brand oil. I did notice that oil doesn't break down as fast as Mobil. I did use Mobil 1 in the past.
 
TBH modern cars can't compete with 90s cars on durability. I can see one of my cx-5 2017 already shows rust in some small spots... It's not even close to those models from 90s.
My daughter just bought a CX-30 as well so this oil inquiry applies to both vehicles.
As we're both in Central Florida, rust isn't usually an issue. My concern is keeping these vehicles mechanically well cared for.
 
I've switched my 2023 CX-5 to 0-20 Valvoline Restore and Protect. Very quiet Oil due to the Moly level of 171. The Idemitsu oil is good because it has a moly level over 600. The Japanese Manufacturers have compensated for the lower viscositiy oils by using lots of Moly in their oils. Mazda, Subaru and Toyota oils are all blended by Idemitsu and have high moly levels. For everyones information except for the Amsoil Signiture Series Oils, Valvoline has the highest Moly levels of all the oils marketed in the United states. The high moly levels used to really quiet down the clattering of my diesel trucks.
 
Back