New Car Oil Level

Pitter

Pitter
Contributor
:
2020 CX-5 Signature Azul Metalico
When I picked up my new Signature I actually checked the oil before getting into it. Level looked full although they had just driven the car into the show room moments before. Now with 1100 miles (1900 k) on it it looks to be a quarter of a quart down when I check it with engine completely cold. I'm guessing that was the level at the dealership as the engine was warmed up and shut off moments earlier when I checked and I am assuming it is safe to operate without potential damage with the oil on the dipstick anywhere down to the one quart low point. Am I wrong? Should I run out and find some 5w-30 to top it off or let it go til the first servicing (checking along the way of course) 3000 k away?
 
When I picked up my new Signature I actually checked the oil before getting into it. Level looked full although they had just driven the car into the show room moments before. Now with 1100 miles (1900 k) on it it looks to be a quarter of a quart down when I check it with engine completely cold. I'm guessing that was the level at the dealership as the engine was warmed up and shut off moments earlier when I checked and I am assuming it is safe to operate without potential damage with the oil on the dipstick anywhere down to the one quart low point. Am I wrong? Should I run out and find some 5w-30 to top it off or let it go til the first servicing (checking along the way of course) 3000 k away?
Based on your description, your 2.5T has used some oil since new. Many have reported the oil level is above Max / Full mark from factory on 2.5T, which is the opposite to the 2.5L as the oil level is ⅔ high from Min / Add to Max / Full mark from factory. Checking the oil level when the engine is just turned off will result lower reading on dipstick, as plenty of oil hasnt drained down to the oil pan. Your reading at the Max mark in the condition you described when your 2.5T was brand new is consistent with many have reported, the oil level is above the Max mark from factory.

You dont have to add any oil at this time at between Min and Max marks of the dipstick. But you should monitor your oil level more often, as some oil consumption since new on your 2.5T is the fact.
 
Thanks will indeed monitor the oil level more frequently.
 
I don't know if I'd jump straight to oil consumption. Check the oil level again, according to the procedure outlined in your owner's manual.


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Based on the process, the oil is meant to be checked while warm. Since engine oil expands when heated, it will read higher when the oil is warmed. I don't know how long the car was in operation while moving it to the show room, but either way, the very first oil reading you took was likely incorrect (you didn't wait 5 mins for the oil to drain into the sump). I would just check the oil level again following the procedure above. Top off if it reads lower than the full mark if you want to. Check the oil again after 3k using the same procedure, and if the oil level is significantly different, it's safe to assume oil consumption or oil dilution.
 

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Thank you for that. I came across it the other day in the manual just like you posted. I will indeed check it that way and see what result I get.
 
I don't know if I'd jump straight to oil consumption. Check the oil level again, according to the procedure outlined in your owner's manual.


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Based on the process, the oil is meant to be checked while warm. Since engine oil expands when heated, it will read higher when the oil is warmed. I don't know how long the car was in operation while moving it to the show room, but either way, the very first oil reading you took was likely incorrect (you didn't wait 5 mins for the oil to drain into the sump). I would just check the oil level again following the procedure above. Top off if it reads lower than the full mark if you want to. Check the oil again after 3k using the same procedure, and if the oil level is significantly different, it's safe to assume oil consumption or oil dilution.
So base on your assumption the OP didn't wait 5 minutes for oil to drain back to oil pan, which means his measurement on his new CX-5 in the showroom should be lower than the actual oil level. The actual oil level should be higher than the "Max" mark on his 2.5T which is consistent with others who take the measurement on their brand new 2.5T.

Your theory is when oil is warm the oil level reading on dipstick should be higher as the oil expands, but when oil is cold the oil level reading on oil dipstick should be lower. But the fact is when the engine is cold more oil is drained back to the oil pan which compensates the smaller volume of cold oil. And in the real world the engine oil expands and contracts very little not like ATF where we need a specific temperature to measure the ATF level. In other words, "expansion coefficient" on engine oil is not significant to change the oil level on dipstick between cold and warm oil.

Further, for thinner 0W-20 oil the reading is hard on dipstick when the engine is warm, although the OP has 5W-30 oil. The easiest way to check the oil level is to do it the first thing in the morning before the engine starts. Just one pull you can see the oil level clearly on dipstick without wiping it first. The oil level measured this way will be the same (or at least very close) when you measure it AT LEAST 5 minutes after the engine been turned off.

Does oil expand when hot?
 
Ok checked it as indicated in the manual and the level is three or four millimeters under the full mark. I'm not going to top it off but just keep track of it until the first oil change in another 3000 kilometers. At least having checked it carefully today I will have something to compare with down the line.

One other question: the manual refers to "Mazda oil". Is the oil the engine is delivered with synthetic or mineral? The only oil available here outside a Mazda dealer in the 5W 30 viscosity is Mobil 1.
 
One other question: the manual refers to "Mazda oil". Is the oil the engine is delivered with synthetic or mineral? The only oil available here outside a Mazda dealer in the 5W 30 viscosity is Mobil 1.

I'm not sure. The manual doesn't specify conventional or synthetic oil, only the certifications and the weight. I assume that the initial fill would be synthetic, since it's better for a turbocharged engine like ours, but you never know.

Mobil 1 synthetic is what I would use if I were you.
 
So base on your assumption the OP didn't wait 5 minutes for oil to drain back to oil pan, which means his measurement on his new CX-5 in the showroom should be lower than the actual oil level. The actual oil level should be higher than the "Max" mark on his 2.5T which is consistent with others who take the measurement on their brand new 2.5T.

Your theory is when oil is warm the oil level reading on dipstick should be higher as the oil expands, but when oil is cold the oil level reading on oil dipstick should be lower. But the fact is when the engine is cold more oil is drained back to the oil pan which compensates the smaller volume of cold oil. And in the real world the engine oil expands and contracts very little not like ATF where we need a specific temperature to measure the ATF level. In other words, "expansion coefficient" on engine oil is not significant to change the oil level on dipstick between cold and warm oil.

Further, for thinner 0W-20 oil the reading is hard on dipstick when the engine is warm, although the OP has 5W-30 oil. The easiest way to check the oil level is to do it the first thing in the morning before the engine starts. Just one pull you can see the oil level clearly on dipstick without wiping it first. The oil level measured this way will be the same (or at least very close) when you measure it AT LEAST 5 minutes after the engine been turned off.

Does oil expand when hot?

Ok.

Yes I'm assuming Pitter didn't wait 5 minutes, this is based on his statement "I checked the oil moments after it was brought into the show room". "Moments" could mean anything, but I assumed it was less than 5 minutes. At that point, the reading is already flawed, regardless of the result. It's possible that Pitter misread or mishandled the dipstick, resulting in a higher or lower reading than if read correctly, but there's no need to make that assumption because again, IMO, the reading was already flawed from the beginning.

It is not "my theory", it is fact that oil expands when its hot. Do whatever you want to do to check your own oil. The info I provided is what is specified in the manual, which is why I recommended it. If you take issue with that, you can argue with Mazda, not me.

Further, a few owners on these boards who reported oil level higher than the full mark is not representative of all 2.5T engines (meaning if you take delivery of a CX-9, CX-5 or Mazda6, it is not guaranteed that the oil level will be over the full mark). There are too many variables to consider this as anything more than a barely educated guess.
 
One other question: the manual refers to "Mazda oil". Is the oil the engine is delivered with synthetic or mineral? The only oil available here outside a Mazda dealer in the 5W 30 viscosity is Mobil 1.

Manual doesn't specify conventional vs. synthetic for the 2.5L turbo, but synthetic would definitely be the way to go for oil life longevity. Also, the 2.5L non-turbo specifies synthetic 0w20 or 5w30 oil. I think it's safe to say 5w30 synthetic would absolutely be the preferred oil. Mobil 1 is good, so I'd use that.
 
I have noticed that the 2.5T does come overfilled a bit from the factory. My level is a bit above the top hole. I always check the oil per owners manual. My previous 2.5L did not come overfilled.
 
In my 2019 Owner's Manual shows "API Service SM" 5W-30 should be used for 2.5L Turbo. Anyone else noticed this? I hope it's a typo for API Serice SN which is mostly synthetic.

Engine Oil.jpg
 
SM<SN<SN+<SP. In 2019 API SN + was still somewhat popular. API SP is the latest rating. They're all compatible. The below image was taken from Mobil 1 5w30 product data sheet. It meets all of them.

API SN
API SM
API SL
API SJ
ACEA A5/B5
API SN PLUS
API SN PLUS RESOURCE CONSERVING
API SN Resource Conserving
API SP
 
In my 2019 Owner's Manual shows "API Service SM" 5W-30 should be used for 2.5L Turbo. Anyone else noticed this? I hope it's a typo for API Serice SN which is mostly synthetic.

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Car manufactures simply can’t catch the latest oil specifications most of time. Here’s the benefits of using different oils with different specs:

8FF0CC96-30B6-4BEC-93C2-1DD788CAEEF1.png


So SP / GF-6 oil offers the best protection to our engine, and most name-brand oils have met such certification.
 
In my 2019 Owner's Manual shows "API Service SM" 5W-30 should be used for 2.5L Turbo. Anyone else noticed this? I hope it's a typo for API Serice SN which is mostly synthetic.

View attachment 305189
SM is an obsolete spec from 2004-2011. SN/SN+/SP have all superseded it. All oils for gas engines made since May 1, 2021 have to meet the SP/GF6 spec
 
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