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- Plano, Texas, USA
No, PatrickGSR94’s 2014 CX-5 Touring has a 2.5L. Mazda offered 2.0L in all CX-5 trims for the first year US 2013 MY. Started 2014 MY Mazda started to offer 2.5L for CX-5 Touring and GT.
SkyActiv Oil Analysis Thread
- Thread starter Kedis82ZE8
- Start date
People in general report certain oils cause them to burn more oil then others. I haven't had this experience UNTIL I tried Amsoil Signature 0w20 which was supposed to be really great oil. It was the only oil that caused the low oil indicator to go off. Never had issues with any other oil. But was it really burning out?....
The 2.0 skyactiv engine takes 4.3 quarts per manual I believe. Historically I used to prefill the filter maybe 80% then add the remaining of the 4.3 quarts. Result = it measures low on the dip stick even after 100 miles of engine running. My first thought? Its burning oil. But wait.........Pouring 4.8 quarts or so takes me half way and pouring the whole 5 quarts takes me to the full line.
Pouring 5 quarts into my 2.5l skyactiv engine takes me in the middle. Personal experience sides with yrwei's comments on real world oil levels.
Oil consumption can vary by brand, but more often than not it is unlikely. Higher Noack volatility can be one reason. Some oils for unknown reasons created a better piston/ring seal. Also, the type and concentration of viscosity modifiers has been shown to cause a spike in oil consumption depending on the brand.
Mazdas have historically been very good with making engines that don't consume much oil compared to other brands. IMO.
Mazdas have historically been very good with making engines that don't consume much oil compared to other brands. IMO.
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- Mazda
yrwei52 I see showing your age again. hehe. But I am sure you can remember STP and placing in a pot of boiling water so it would thin out to pour into the engine. Then there was slick 50, and lets not forget those pills you dropped into the oil or breather cap from JC Whitney that promised your engine would be like new. And I suppose if you ran 20w50 or straight 60 like a Harley you might use less oil? But that thick ole oil that did pass into the combustion chambers fouled plugs in a very short time or because the oil took so darn long to warm up in the crankcase pressure raised and blew gaskets and seal. So I guess you "burn" less oil but it leaked more than what it burned by those thoughtful wanna-be cures.
I actually believe the problem back then was the oil controlling rings in the engine were worn and the oil consumption was passing by the oil rings and scrappers? Naturally the sleazie used car lot would remove spark plugs and pour some sand in the cylinder sure to cure low compression and oil burning until the customer got 2 blocks down the road!
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Tried that and also these metal balls dropped into the gas tank which is supposed to be dissolved with gasoline and “coating” the position rings and cylinder walls with a layer of metal particles so that the oil burning big V8 would become brand new ⋯
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- Mazda
I bet you collected JCwhitney catalog and likely still have one to two with well-worn out pages from looking at them over and over and over.......Tried that and also these metal balls dropped into the gas tank which is supposed to be dissolved with gasoline and “coating” the position rings and cylinder walls with a layer of metal particles so that the oil burning big V8 would become brand new ⋯
I should be careful someone might think I know too much on the subject of JC Whitney
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- Mazda
Just a thought and I am quoting you only to be able to post it using a reference that gave descriptive measurements. Not to question your post.
I am posting this as something I learned reading and don't know at the monument where my engineering articles are. So, suffice to say will have to take my word that I read them.
It's my understanding reading the engineering development of a few different vehicle manufactures is the 2 lines on the oil dip stick represent the safe and normal range of oil capacity. Unlike what we all got use to reading a dip stick on say early American cars and even many European cars i.e., add oil if you get to the lower line. To think if you are not at the top line is not full is not exactly true anymore. Oil has sight expansion when it comes to operating temperature so what you read cold will likely be different hot. I should mention I have read that the oil quantities were established on a complete new and dry engine. Those 4.8 or other amounts still should be checked mainly so that you do not go above or below the marks on the oil dip stick checking when the engine is hot. I have had pans off a few engines and the full marks on many of those when I looked seem to have a good area left to hold excess oil inadvertently added to the engine. My guess if you went maybe 1/8 inch above the top line on the dip stick you would still be above the oil pan mounting area and would not cause any harm to the engine. I am not suggesting filling it above the top mark. My conclusion is the lower and top marks are both normal oil capacity operating ranges to have your oil level at.
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We have to also consider different manufacturers makes and different engines within said makes. Over the course of time they may issue TSBs on how to use the dip stick. Perhaps even change the actual design of the dip stick. Prime example were the 1.5l turbos in CRVs when they were having oil dilution issues.Just a thought and I am quoting you only to be able to post it using a reference that gave descriptive measurements. Not to question your post.
I am posting this as something I learned reading and don't know at the monument where my engineering articles are. So, suffice to say will have to take my word that I read them.
It's my understanding reading the engineering development of a few different vehicle manufactures is the 2 lines on the oil dip stick represent the safe and normal range of oil capacity. Unlike what we all got use to reading a dip stick on say early American cars and even many European cars i.e., add oil if you get to the lower line. To think if you are not at the top line is not full is not exactly true anymore. Oil has sight expansion when it comes to operating temperature so what you read cold will likely be different hot. I should mention I have read that the oil quantities were established on a complete new and dry engine. Those 4.8 or other amounts still should be checked mainly so that you do not go above or below the marks on the oil dip stick checking when the engine is hot. I have had pans off a few engines and the full marks on many of those when I looked seem to have a good area left to hold excess oil inadvertently added to the engine. My guess if you went maybe 1/8 inch above the top line on the dip stick you would still be above the oil pan mounting area and would not cause any harm to the engine. I am not suggesting filling it above the top mark. My conclusion is the lower and top marks are both normal oil capacity operating ranges to have your oil level at.
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- Mazda
I doubt there will ever be a TSB on how to read an engine or transmission dip stick. Both are outlined clearly in most factory service guides. Some even say to bring the engine to operating temperature to re-check the oil levels.
The industry semi standard dips sticks are sort of universal markings on most all engines now manufactured from about 2002. I currently engineered and have a prototype that my marketer is looking at interested parties to sell the design concept that will practically take the guess work out of reading the engine oil dip stick.
It was not my Mazda in case you were wondering.
I doubt there will ever be a TSB on how to read an engine or transmission dip stick. Both are outlined clearly in most factory service guides. Some even say to bring the engine to operating temperature to re-check the oil levels.
The industry semi standard dips sticks are sort of universal markings on most all engines now manufactured from about 2002. I currently engineered and have a prototype that my marketer is looking at interested parties to sell the design concept that will practically take the guess work out of reading the engine oil dip stick.
It was not my Mazda in case you were wondering.
If I was hired to bring in more dealer revenue I'd design the dip stick to include marks:
Low- Visit you dealer ASAP
High- Visit your dealer ASAP
Middle- If you're reading this yeah visit you dealership ASAP.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
But ⋯
My 2016 CX-5 owner’s manual says:
And it also says “If it is near or below Low, add enough oil to bring the level to Full.”
The idea of keeping the fluid level to Full is to have a better safety margin. My recent experience of leaky drain plug after an oil change by the Toyota dealer on my 2018 Yaris iA from Toyota’s free 2-year maintenance almost ruined the engine if the dealer didn’t overfill the oil a bit!
Yes warm oil expands a bit but more oil will be drained into the oil pan when oil is cold. These 2 factory basically offsets each other and the result is the readouts beteeen warm and cold oil are about the same on the oil level:
Warm:
Cold:
And taking the oil level cold is a lot easier to see the oil on the dipstick.
If the 4.8 quarts stated in Mazda’s manual were established on a complete new and dry 2.5L engine, the oil level would be even below the mid point of Full and Add marks if we use specified 4.8 quarts for the oil change.
When changing the oil, it's not a good idea to pre fill the filter because there could be contaminants in the oil or bottle being poured from that will go directly into the engine without being filtered first. That could be very very bad. Additionally, instead of starting the vehicle right after the change is done, you should put the vehicle in flood mode by pressing the accelerator pedal fully down to the floor and holding there with the right foot while at the same time pressing on the brake with the other foot and then pressing the start button. This procedure will crank the engine WITHOUT it firing as the fuel injectors are disabled. This will prime the filter and engine full of oil for a few seconds. Then, release the accelerator pedal and start the engine normally again. This procedure is what everybody should be doing to maximize engine life/minimize wear on startup with a dry filter. 
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- Mazda
Yes, I know.... look carefully at the illustrations.
But .... I talk to the engineers at a few auto manufacture engineers regularly... so the best thing is stay with what you think works for you. It will work.Most of the time threads like these are just splitting hairs on information and technical information anyway.
If you really are curious about the better-informed choices of information, go to a pick-and-pull auto wrecker find an engine from 2002 or newer that is sitting upright out of the car and pull the pan and see what I was trying to illuminate on.
In the end I didn't IMHO see any response that was totally bad or wrong, we pretty much all take care of our cars oil needs. I think every poster on this thread takes care of their engine.
Reading the oil on a dip stick HOT is easy you just need to understand fluid dynamics. Sort of. Look more closely how the oil is on the dip stick when it is hot. Don't look so much at how oil wet the dip stick is but how the oil separates differently from the bottom up. There is a difference between volume and residue oil.
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- 2014 CX-5 Touring
huh? Owners manual states 4.8 US quarts for oil change with filter on the 2.5L. That's what I've always done. The oil change kits that I've bought online from Priority and other places always include 5 quarts of Mazda Moly oil along with the filter, and I leave about 6 fl ounces in the last quart bottle (0.2 quarts = 6.4 ounces).
Where are you getting 5.25 quarts from?
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- Mazda
My guess (???) is when he does his oil and filter changing, has the front of the engine raised by floor ramps thus the oil will drain more completely because of the location of the drain plug, he lets the oil drip to almost a completely stop before replacing the drain plug. Wipes the oil filter area of all the old oil and more than likely does it on a warm or hot engine so the oil will drain back into the pan quicker and somewhat more completely. And after replacing with say 4.8 quarts drive the car and then rechecks when the oil has gotten nicely expanded. Then to reach the top mark adds the addition oil and then magic 5.25 quarts.
I remember Wynn selling the "tune up in a can" additive. I always wondered how they got spark plugs and a set of points in those little cans.....Tried that and also these metal balls dropped into the gas tank which is supposed to be dissolved with gasoline and “coating” the position rings and cylinder walls with a layer of metal particles so that the oil burning big V8 would become brand new ⋯
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- Plano, Texas, USA
OK. Like I said, that’s why you need some oil between oil changes.
From my and many other DIYers experience.
The fluid capacities in owner’s manual for Mazda CX-5 are mostly inaccurate as those are “approximate” quantities as claimed. The manual says 4.8 quarts on engine oil replacement with oil filter for 2.5L. But it actually needs 5.25 quarts to reach the Full / Max mark on dipstick. Front transfer case is correct at 0.45 quart. The rear differential requires ~0.75 quart but the manual says 0.45 / 0.37 quarts on gen-1 / gen-2 CX-5 respectively. I don’t agree with those inconsistencies as “approximate” quantities. The actual capacity of the rear differential is 66% more than given capacity on specs, and Mazda call it “approximate” quantity?
Besides, this’s the only car I have owned offered such inaccuracies and inconsistencies on fluid capacities.
Make sure to check the oil level right after the oil change (or the next morning if you prefer checking the oil level cold like me) on your CX-5 if you drained the oil completely without using a Fumoto valve. You’ll be surprised if you put in Mazda specified 4.8 quarts for oil change on your 2.5L.
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- Plano, Texas, USA
Your guesses unfortunately are mostly wrong. I use a very low self-made 2X10 “ramp” just to raise the CX-5 front a bit:My guess (???) is when he does his oil and filter changing, has the front of the engine raised by floor ramps thus the oil will drain more completely because of the location of the drain plug, he lets the oil drip to almost a completely stop before replacing the drain plug. Wipes the oil filter area of all the old oil and more than likely does it on a warm or hot engine so the oil will drain back into the pan quicker and somewhat more completely. And after replacing with say 4.8 quarts drive the car and then rechecks when the oil has gotten nicely expanded. Then to reach the top mark adds the addition oil and then magic 5.25 quarts.
I usually wait the oil draining for about 20 minutes on a warm engine until the drip isn’t in a constant stream but still dripping.
And I put in ~5.25 quarts of fresh oil right after I put the new oil filter and drain plug back, as I’m certain from my experience the oil level will be at the Full mark hole on the dipstick when I check the oil level cold the next morning.
And I always believe checking the oil level the first thing in the morning is the easiest and proper way based on my experience. And the oil level checked will be very similar between cold and warm as evidenced by my pictures showed. Yes, oil will expand a bit when warm (but not that much like the ATF), but so as more oil will be drained back to the oil pan when oil is cold.
In the old days here in this forum, this kind of “surprise” on oil change quantity was typical:
CX-5 Oil Change with Filter
Latest UOA on my 2021 CX-5 Signature @ 30k. Did a fair bit of idling this winter with temps getting below -40°C on several occasions. Amsoil XL 5W-30 seems to handle the severe cold pretty well. I'm using the Made in Thailand Mazda OEM filters, which also seem to perform well.
