Oil changes

L

Latka

Member
I know this might be early for some, but I was wondering if anybody has attempted to change their own oil and filter in their 2010 mazda 3? I have read the forum for oil changes in the older Mazda 3s but I have heard that Mazda has switched the 2010 to a rotary/screw on oil filter (the easiest to use and most common type) from the older 3's that used a filter that was in a plastic housing with rubber gaskets etc. Do you still have to peel the bottom plastic parts (shield) to get to the oil plug and filter?

Thank you for any information you can give me!
 
i JUST changed mine and no, you do NOT have to remove the under carriage cover now. they made the hole bigger and you are able to do it without taking anything off...other than the filter of course. just make sure that you only partially unscrew it and then some oil drain or it'll splatter all over the topside of the cover and that's no good.

oh and don't forget about the metal washer on the plug...i missed it in the oil catcher and had to drain the new oil out and then put it back in. doh! other than that it was a breeze. i changed it at 380 miles just for peace of mind and to remove any particulates from the newness.

ALSO...i suggest that you do not buy a Fram or aftermarket filter. i did (Wix) but will be using mazda filters from now on. aftermarket ones just aren't the quality that OEM is. go to www.mazdastuff.com and get you a 5 pack for like $30. hella deal and they are genuine mazda parts.
 
The K&N and Mobil1's are good. but for the price i just don't see how they stack up. if it was for racing and such then yeah i might partake in such brands.

i'm not sure where they are made, but the one i took off is stamped "FoMoCo" which is short for Ford Motor Company. i guess i'm more interested in the fact that it's warranted by Mazda. :) also the construction of it looks solid, but that's just from the top.

I chose Valvoline 5w20 as spec'd in the manual. I used regular instead of synthetic as i've read numerous times that it's best to wait until 1500-2000 miles before switching. i've ALWAYS used valvoline in other cars except for the synthetic variety...i use Mobil1.

good catch on the 5 pack :D
 
Nope, just a normal twist off filter. it shouldn't be a problem to get it off if it's installed correctly (right amount of torque). my stock one was horrid to get off...it was put on far too tight. but from now on it should be no problem. just put it on til it's snug, and then go another 1/2 to 3/4 turn and you're good.
 
Dubcnea said:
Nope, just a normal twist off filter. it shouldn't be a problem to get it off if it's installed correctly (right amount of torque). my stock one was horrid to get off...it was put on far too tight. but from now on it should be no problem. just put it on til it's snug, and then go another 1/2 to 3/4 turn and you're good.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the infomation on the oil changes. I am comming up to my first change and I was hoping there was another that had gone through the process already. I found this site for Mazda filters but do not know if these filters will fit the 2010 3. The site says it is for the Mazda 6 2.5 and that has the same engine as the 2010 mazda 3. Anyways, thanks again and here is the site. 5 pack and wrench for 25.00 bucks.

http://www.mazdaparts.org/mazda-oilfilter-genuine.html
 
I ordered the 5 pack from that link and it was sitting there on the doorstep when I got home today. Pretty quick shipping, it was a little over $11 for UPS 3-day ground, but it worked out great since I couldn't find filters anywhere locally anyways.

It also came with a wrench bit device to remove them I guess, but from what I hear I don't really need it anyways, but it's nice to have just in case.

Thanks for the link. I will soon attempt my own oil change.
 
graviongr said:
It also came with a wrench bit device to remove them I guess, but from what I hear I don't really need it anyways, but it's nice to have just in case.
Click to expand...

You'll probably need the wrench to remove the factory-installed filter. Factories tend to overtighten them. When you put on the new filter, don't use a wrench. And keep the receipts of your filters and oil in case you ever need to prove that you changed your oil for warranty purposes. Keep a log of dates and odometer readings of all maintenance you do to your car.
 
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Looks like I am going to buy genuine Mazda oil filters after all. Look what I found on page 9-19 of the Mazda3 owner's manual....

"Non-genuine parts and accessories for Mazda vehicles can be found in stores.
These may fit your vehicle, but they are not approved by Mazda for use with Mazda vehicles. When you install non-genuine parts or accessories, they could affect your vehicle's performance or safety systems; the Mazda warranty doesn't cover this. Before you install any non-genuine parts or accessories, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer."
 
mikethern said:
You'll probably need the wrench to remove the factory-installed filter. Factories tend to overtighten them. When you put on the new filter, don't use a wrench. And keep the receipts of your filters and oil in case you ever need to prove that you changed your oil for warranty purposes. Keep a log of dates and odometer readings of all maintenance you do to your car.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what the Mazda told me when I told them I change my own oil! Good info for people in case they do not keep receipts and logs normally.
 
graviongr said:
I ordered the 5 pack from that link and it was sitting there on the doorstep when I got home today. Pretty quick shipping, it was a little over $11 for UPS 3-day ground, but it worked out great since I couldn't find filters anywhere locally anyways.

It also came with a wrench bit device to remove them I guess, but from what I hear I don't really need it anyways, but it's nice to have just in case.

Thanks for the link. I will soon attempt my own oil change.
Click to expand...

Great! I am glad you tried them. Let me know how the change goes and if there are any snafu's.
 
mikethern said:
Looks like I am going to buy genuine Mazda oil filters after all. Look what I found on page 9-19 of the Mazda3 owner's manual....

"Non-genuine parts and accessories for Mazda vehicles can be found in stores.
These may fit your vehicle, but they are not approved by Mazda for use with Mazda vehicles. When you install non-genuine parts or accessories, they could affect your vehicle's performance or safety systems; the Mazda warranty doesn't cover this. Before you install any non-genuine parts or accessories, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer."
Click to expand...

Looks like I will be using Mazda parts for the next five years! ha....I wonder how strict this really is? I guess the answer is only a phone call away.
 
I just ordered the 5-pack too. What brand oil you guys gonna use? I just bought Chevron Supreme 5w20 because it was on sale for $2 a quart.
 
i'm not sure that Mazda would dock you on something like the oil filter unless you used a model that was not made for that engine. i've not heard of an issue with an engine due to the oil filter itself anyways. perhaps the installation was faulty and leaked oil, but never the filter. but it's still a good idea to use the Mazda certified ones.

I used Valvoline for the first change since it's no where near ready for synthetic. when it comes to oil and parts, that's one think i just won't skimp on. is part of it peace of mind? sure...but Valvoline has been around for 10s of years and they do a lot of R&D and i trust that brand. the only other brand i trust is Mobil 1. personally i would not buy a brand just due to the sale price, but that is just me! the most important thing is using the correct weight and such anyways...brand is secondary. just my .02
 
Chevron is a solid brand. I wouldn't buy a no-name brand. As for filters, I have read that have been many incidents where Fram filters disintegrated and jammed the engine with fragments of cardboard. That's exactly the type of incident that the owner's manual warned is not covered by warranty.
 
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good point on the fram, although i've not heard of it. i got a Wix because i needed a filter pronto. Mazda certified from here on out though.

i didn't mean Chevron wasn't a name brand, but i've had no experience with it ;)
 
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