Oil Choices

[Joker2]

Question on this Oil Analysis?

After 14K miles here we are:

• Read from Right to Left;
• I sample at Oil change (Oil has about 5K miles on it) and 2K after Oil Change
• OEM Oil was sampled first and replaced with Mobil 1 0W-20
• Next oil change had the Mazda 0W-20 Synthetic used
• Mazda OEM filters and crush washers;
• I will sample tranny at 25K;

 

[fam]

numbers make my head hurt just give me the summary ;P

 

[Joker2]

numbers make my head hurt just give me the summary ;P

OMG! You are a Pain!

The first sample at a bit over 2,000 miles showed some fuel dilution and addition to sand from casting and bearing materials from breaking-in. Nothing alarming, just lots of things in there that needed to be removed. So a few hundred miles later I change the oil and use Mobil 1 0W-20 (All that was available at Mazda dealership for these cars). 2000 miles later (second column from right) I sample and it looks OK. So I stay on schedule and when that oil has about 5000 miles on it I replace it and take a sample again, just to see if the 5K interval is OK. This is the third column from the right. A few metals are a bit high and Silicone (damn sand and damn dirt) a bit high also. So now I used Mazda 0W-20 synthetic and sample after 2000 and again at next due change (last two columns on left-second and then first). I also used Mazda 0W-20 synthetic this go-around and have 4 qts left from the case I bought. Things are looking cleaner and it seems that 5,000 miles is a reasonable interval on this synthetic oil. I do some stop and go as well as American Autocross so Severe Duty Cycle applies.

My drained oil is used as make up oil for a fleet of tow trucks. Old days style recycling. One of the trucks I think uses 17 quarts of oil, so it gets about 10 new and 7 from my donors (the Mazda2 and the Miata).

 

[fam]

Sounds a bit like my experience with the oil with just my gut feeling (nothing technological to back it up).

I just did 6k on the current oil (from 4k to 10k on the odometer) friday when I got home I changed it and the difference is night and day after its changed. Even though I use the fram 10k mile filter I dont care, I probably wont go that long again as I can just tell whatever is slowing it down is the filth thats in that old oil. I do autox and a daily 50 mile highway commute where I pretend im in a race car most days...so im probably in the same boat for severity.

 

[PGTBrow]

Manufacturers just try to put in the lightest oil possible to get the most mpg. I think in the long run a little thicker oil might make the engine last longer, but as long as they warranty the engine with 0W20 then that is what I will use. Sometimes I think Coca Cola is thicker than the oil I use lol.

 

[fam]

it certainly would be cheaper to fill it, though our little 2 doesnt need the calories.

 

[PGTBrow]

it certainly would be cheaper to fill it, though our little 2 doesnt need the calories.

LOL... guess we may have to use Coke Zero...

 

[ngd298]

All of the walmarts around here stopped carrying 0w-20. An entire isle of oil yet no 0w-20, so I was having to go to auto parts stores and pay ~$10 a quart for synthetic 0w-20 and $10-12 for a Bosch filter. Yesterday I went to the dealership and paid $6.50 a quart for Mazda full synthetic and $7 or so for Mazda filters. I bought 18 quarts and 4 filters. It's going to save me quite a few dollars on each change. I just had a few questions-

1- Is Mazda synthetic oil good stuff? (Supposed to be made by Castrol?)
2- Are Mazda oil filters good?
3- Are these good prices or has anyone got the stuff for cheaper?

Edit: I found all my answers on the thread directly below this one. Maybe next time I'll read a little before I post (thumb)