First CX-5 oil drain

[Sig cx-5]

I pour an entire 5qt jug of oil in the engine. It should be ok. I think there is a certain amount of flexibility in how much is ok.
After all the oil level sometimes goes down after a number of miles.

That's what I do, too. It puts it right in-between the marks.

 

[Ladd]

Obviously that would depend on where he prefers the oil level to be on the dipstick.

I'm a "fill to the top of the mark" kinda guy.

 

[CarpeDiem]

I’m a “dipstick half-empty” kinda guy. The full mark is there for a reason...

 

[cz5gt]

5 liters is what it takes but the US bottles are 5 quarts.

 

[Conrad 16.5]

I pour an entire 5qt jug of oil in the engine. It should be ok. I think there is a certain amount of flexibility in how much is ok.
After all the oil level sometimes goes down after a number of miles.

Same here, I just dump in 5 quarts and call it good. I don't use a 5 qt jug but it's the same amount.

 

[sm1ke]

I'm a "fill to the top of the mark" kinda guy.

The exact amount would vary depending on a few things, but generally about 5 quarts, as others have mentioned. If this is your first oil change and you don't have any extra oil lying around, it might be a good idea to get an extra quart of oil in case you want to top up in the future (and for emergencies - I keep a quart in the trunk just in case).

 

[yrwei52]

The exact amount would vary depending on a few things, but generally about 5 quarts, as others have mentioned. If this is your first oil change and you don't have any extra oil lying around, it might be a good idea to get an extra quart of oil in case you want to top up in the future (and for emergencies - I keep a quart in the trunk just in case).

You guys will confuse people. OP has 2.5T and Mazda says it’s 5.1 quarts for oil change quantity. But for 2.5L it’s 4.8 quarts for oil change quantity. Many 2.5L owners put in 5 quarts for convenience but it still below Full / Max mark by least ⅛ quart、 or ⅛ between Max / Full and Min / Add marks. Now you guys say using only 5 quarts for 2.5T which is 0.1 quart less than Mazda’s spec? Other 2.5T owners have been using 5.5 quarts for oil change which should bring up the oil level to the Max / Full mark.

One can measure the oil level hot or cold, whichever way you prefer. It’s been proven they won’t make too much difference.

 

[Sig cx-5]

You guys will confuse people. OP has 2.5T and Mazda says it’s 5.1 quarts for oil change quantity. But for 2.5L it’s 4.8 quarts for oil change quantity. Many 2.5L owners put in 5 quarts for convenience but it still below Full / Max mark by least ⅛ quart、 or ⅛ between Max / Full and Min / Add marks. Now you guys say using only 5 quarts for 2.5T which is 0.1 quart less than Mazda’s spec? Other 2.5T owners have been using 5.5 quarts for oil change which should bring up the oil level to the Max / Full mark.

One can measure the oil level hot or cold, whichever way you prefer. It’s been proven they won’t make too much difference.

I put in 5 qts in our 2.5T. I like to keep it just below the Max mark. Need to leave some space for OD.

 

[yrwei52]

I put in 5 qts in our 2.5T. I like to keep it just below the Max mark. Need to leave some space for OD.

But 5 quarts is less than Mazda’s oil change spec for the 2.5T:

And why there’re suggestions to “overfill” the 2.5L with 5 quarts when the specs say 4.8 quarts, but “under-fill” the 2.5T with 5 quarts when specs say 5.1 quarts? Double standards?

We all know Mazda’s specifications sometimes are way off. Its “approximate quantities” on fluid capacities are inconsistent at best and the engine oil quantities listed definitely are low if we consider the capacity is to the Max / Full mark of the dipstick like everybody else.

 

[sm1ke]

You guys will confuse people. OP has 2.5T and Mazda says it’s 5.1 quarts for oil change quantity. But for 2.5L it’s 4.8 quarts for oil change quantity. Many 2.5L owners put in 5 quarts for convenience but it still below Full / Max mark by least ⅛ quart、 or ⅛ between Max / Full and Min / Add marks. Now you guys say using only 5 quarts for 2.5T which is 0.1 quart less than Mazda’s spec? Other 2.5T owners have been using 5.5 quarts for oil change which should bring up the oil level to the Max / Full mark.

One can measure the oil level hot or cold, whichever way you prefer. It’s been proven they won’t make too much difference.

What is there to be confused about? Is 5.1 quarts not "about 5 quarts" as I stated, and as you highlighted in bold? The only confusion I'm aware of is your mention of the 2.5 NA, since both the OP and Ladd have 2.5T-equipped CX-5s, and the discussion has been regarding only that engine (until you brought up the 2.5 NA in this post).

As I have mentioned in my responses to you in particular, about filling the oil - it's personal preference, and the exact amount required depends on a lot of other factors (drain time, prefilling the oil filter, oil level preference, etc.). To account for all of those variances, an approximation of about 5 quarts is logical, with a suggestion to keep an extra quart of oil on hand to account for oil level preference.

 

[yrwei52]

What is there to be confused about? Is 5.1 quarts not "about 5 quarts" as I stated, and as you highlighted in bold? The only confusion I'm aware of is your mention of the 2.5 NA, since both the OP and Ladd have 2.5T-equipped CX-5s, and the discussion has been regarding only that engine (until you brought up the 2.5 NA in this post).

Really? See post #20、#24 and #25 above by Mazdiod2、cz5gt and Conrad 16.5 and all of them have 2.5L instead of 2.5T and use 5 quarts (5 liters / 5.28 quarts for cz5gt) of oil for oil change.

As I have mentioned in my responses to you in particular, about filling the oil - it's personal preference, and the exact amount required depends on a lot of other factors (drain time, prefilling the oil filter, oil level preference, etc.). To account for all of those variances, an approximation of about 5 quarts is logical, with a suggestion to keep an extra quart of oil on hand to account for oil level preference.

We can use whatever the quantity you feel comfortable for the oil change, but we should be consistent on the subject. Double standards are not my believe of telling people who need such information. And I especially dislike the Mazda way trying too hard to be different from everybody else. How many times we’ve seen people asking questions on oil level when they use the specified oil quantity and found the oil level is way lower than the Full / Max mark?

0.37 quart specified on rear differential, but 0.75 quart in reality? OTOH 0.45 quart is the correct quantity specified for front transfer case?

Don’t even bring up the range of torque value given only by Mazda in every manual ⋯

 

[sm1ke]

We can use whatever the quantity you feel comfortable for the oil change, but we should be consistent on the subject. Double standards are not my believe of telling people who need such information. And I especially dislike the Mazda way trying too hard to be different from everybody else. How many times we’ve seen people asking questions on oil level when they use the specified oil quantity and found the oil level is way lower than the Full / Max mark?

Those who mentioned putting in 5 quarts did not mention anything else regarding other variables. For all you know, 5 quarts may fill to the MAX mark on the dipstick due to an oil consumption issue. Unless oil dilution is an issue, .2 quarts over is not worth fussing over IMO.

If you yearn for consistency, then all variables need to be the same. It's unrealistic to expect everyone to adhere to variables that have not been specified. Coupled with the range considered OK in the manual (shown below), an approximation is actually the most consistent solution as it accounts for the widest range of scenarios.

 

[sm1ke]

Don’t even bring up the range of torque value given only by Mazda in every manual ⋯

I already brought it up in a previous post because I knew you'd comment on it.

You can say the same about torque specs, to a degree. Stating a range instead of a specific value accounts for the variance in accuracy that some consumer-level torque wrenches may have, as well as any variances that may occur from a torque wrench that may not be calibrated perfectly. It would make sense to assign a hard value if the instructions stated to use a torque wrench that has been verified to be correctly calibrated and accurate to the in/lb, but they do not.

 

[Sig cx-5]

But 5 quarts is less than Mazda’s oil change spec for the 2.5T:

You're talking 3oz here. How much is left behind that didn't drain out?

I've read the dipstick several times after my initial DIY oil change a couple years ago. Just after filling and running the engine up to temp and waiting 5 minutes, the level was just below the max mark. Reading it again a week later, it was just above the mark. This is not uncommon on DI engines. As long as I don't drop below the halfway mark, or go way above the max, I'm fine with my 5qt regimen.

 

[sm1ke]

We are straying off topic now. My apologies as I contributed to the tangent.

Let's get back on track regarding @erhayes' observation about the oil drain plug washer/gasket.

 

[Mazdiod2]

It's possible not all of the oil drains out when you do an oil change.

I just change mine while it's flat on the ground--no ramps.

I save the 5qt jug afterwards. A week later I can look in it and there is always some oil left. Usually I just pour that in.

 

[MyFirstMazda]

Ladd check your oil level to see what the dealer filled it too. I checked my car the day I got it and it was at the full mark, and I always put 5 quarts + 425CC to get it just about to the full mark. 473CC is half a quart, the difference between 473 and 425 is only 1.6 ounces, I would probably be good at 5.5 quarts. Mine is a 2.5 na.

 

[VQ35DE]

Ladd check your oil level to see what the dealer filled it too. I checked my car the day I got it and it was at the full mark, and I always put 5 quarts + 425CC to get it just about to the full mark. 473CC is half a quart, the difference between 473 and 425 is only 1.6 ounces, I would probably be good at 5.5 quarts. Mine is a 2.5 na.

5.5qt is what I always use in all my 2.5 NA engines.

 

[sm1ke]

It seems this thread has run its course. Thanks for the heads up @erhayes.

Thread closed.