Unable to drain more than 50% oil - Series II RX8

[liquidflem]

Guys,

I have a new 2010 RX8.

I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but i changed my oil for the first time since i bought the car, at 2000 miles and was only able to get 4 quarts or so out of the car after letting it sit and drain for about 15 minutes.

I noticed the drain plug is at the front of the oil sump and i'm sure that this has something to do with it. I put the front of the car on jack stands at their lowest setting as I don't have way to change the oil while allowing the car to be completely level.

Do you guys know of a better method besides draining and filling the oil twice (after running the motor for a couple minutes to circulate the first fill of oil through the lines and cooler)?

thanks!

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

lower the car while its draining and allow it to drain. then raise the car to install drain plug. Only way its going to happen. draining the oil needs to be done on a level surface and having it raised like that is not gonna work.

 

[solidtrance]

+1. You can also put the car back on the ground and then jack the back up (using the diff if the SII is the same as the S one)?

 

[Chibana]

I may be really dumb here, but doesn't it only hold 4.7 quarts? I have the dealer do my oil changes, but I bring in 5 quarts of Royal Purple 5W-30 oil for them to use, and it uses almost all of the 5 quarts, leaving a tiny bit not worth bringing home. If you're getting 4 quarts out, isn't that pretty close to all of it (and maybe it was getting a little low at the time)?

 

[solidtrance]

It holds close to 8 qt's, but 4.7 would be a typical oil change. The remainder is in the oil coolers and various oil lines that will not drain.

 

[DJ_B-Low]

Yeah, the only way to get that last half quart or so in the SII is to jack up the rear of the car, due to the front location of the drain plug.

 

[liquidflem]

Yeah, the only way to get that last half quart or so in the SII is to jack up the rear of the car, due to the front location of the drain plug.

I dont understand why Mazda would have put the drain plug there. How stupid.

 

[mrslysly]

Actually the only reason you can only get 4 quarts out is that oil pan only holds 4 quarts. The rest is in the piping and the oil coolers. You can increase the amount drained by jacking up the driver side then passenger side. The easiest way is once in a while do a double change. Change 4 quarts, run the car a good 15 minutes so that the oil is hot and flowing, then change the oil and filter.

Or just change the oil often enough to not have to worry about the oil still trapped in the system