maintenance questions

[jaymode]

I was just wondering how many of you guys change your oil yourselves?
How hard is it to do this in the MSP? How about the oil filter is it hard to get too, and will a regular oil filter wrench work? Because I have one and never used it.

I am kind of a newbie to car maintenance but would like to start working on my first car. So i would want to change my oil and everything myself.

Also I was thinking about switching the manual trans fluid to redline or GM synchromesh. How hard is it to do? Can someone tell me how?

 

[ZoomingMSP]

hey i just bought my MSP last month and I took it to have its first oil change today. I plan on installing my CAI and my boost controler myself but when it comes to changing the fluids leave that to the pros at your local greese monkey or whatever you have where you live.

 

[03Speed]

i would take it somewhere if i were you, if anything happens to the motor mazda might want records of the oil changes

 

[t3ase]

Blah. I change my own oil. Not only is it a learning experience, it gives you a more "one on one" feeling with your car. If you don't care about the MSP, go take it to Jiffy Lube and get the $3.99 special or something. However, this is the perfect car to get your hands dirty with.

The only hard thing is getting the filter off the first time. As someone previously stated, Mazda must have had a gorilla working the line when they installed the oil filters. Not only is it tight, but it's not a standard size.

Some tips for oil stuff:
1) When taking the filter off, use a oil filter wrench. If the wrench is too big, which most are, wrap a non-sliding material around the oil filter. Hell, even a towel works with enough pressure on it. That way you "increase" the size of the filter and hopefully your wrench can get it.
2) If you still can't get it off with a wrench, go get one of those rubber non-slip pads used to open bottles/change lightbulbs. A lot of companies give them away as promotional items. That way you can get your hand up in there and grip it without your hand sliding everywhere.
3) As far as oil goes... I'll go back to the statement above.. If you don't care about the MSP, put whatever you want in it. However, if you care enough about it, don't skimp out on what may be the most important part of the engine. I, and I'm one of the minority here for some reason, use Royal Purple Racing 21. Others preach about Mobil 1 and insist that's all you should use. I really don't know why. Maybe because it's a big brand name and it's been around longer than these "next generation" ones; I don't know. All I do know is that with RP oil, even those people that don't care about the car and don't keep up with what I do notice there's a difference. I don't have a dyno to prove it, but it's definately noticable. This is the first car I've used Royal Purple in and I'm using it for life. Price is around the same as other synthetics (~$8-9USD) but from a person that used to use Redline and *sometimes* Mobil 1, there's a HUGE difference.

Plus, RP oil is literally purple. Cool stuff.

 

[girth]

I agree with T3 - change your own oil. IMO any filter that you can get at with your own hands is easy to change, so the Protege's are cake. If you try using a wrench I could see where it would be a beaaatch to get in there - that's why I just put a leather glove on and screw it off yourself. Getting the factory one off is definitely the hardest though - it's super tight. I use Valvoline Sythetic in mine -- would like to try Royal Purple but it's practically impossible to get a hold of here - the only time I've seen it was at the last CART race at Road America. Didn't think of getting it at that time for some reason.

As far as tranny fluid goes, I can't help there. I've never changed my own.

 

[t3ase]

Buy it online. It's seriously that different. www.racingbeat.com under their Miata Oil section. $8/qt. AMAZING stuff.

 

[girth]

Thanks T3, I'm going to get some now! When I change my oil in a couple months then I'll finally know if it's truely any better or not.

 

[msp_driver]

I guess I just got lucky. I got free oil changes for 5 years from the dealer.

 

[girth]

I guess I just got lucky. I got free oil changes for 5 years from the dealer.

Well, I got free oil changes for the life of the B-to-B warranty, but the problem for me is:
1. I don't like dealerships mucking with the car.
2. The dang dealership is 200 miles away so it's cheaper and faster to do it myself!!:'( :'(

 

[t3ase]

I guess I just got lucky. I got free oil changes for 5 years from the dealer.

Many people on here "got lucky", too. Think about it this way. Mazda's a corporation. Corporation's write contracts with whatever service is cheaper for them. That means whoever has the lowest bid on their fluids, will win. That also means dirty ass dino oil that sucks ass is going to be going into your MSP. I think not. Do you really think your dealership cares about your car? No, you're just another pile of paperwork for them, a paper tag with numbers on it attached to your key ring. They don't care.

If YOU care at all, you'd get under your damn car and do it yourself with some quality stuff.

 

[t3ase]

[/rant]

 

[msp_driver]

Damn dude, chill out. I'm up late too. Anyways, I realize to them I am just a pile of paperwork, but they always treat me very well and they always know about the common problems associated with this car. They were the first dealer in Houston and maybe TX( not proven yet) to get the MSP and have sold the most to date in TX. Also since I am in college and working part time and filling up my tank twice a week, the free oil helps.

 

[t3ase]

I'm not getting pissy... Just had to blow off some steam. How about this.. You buy the oil and I'll come to Houston to change it for you. I'm that serious about not letting a dealership do it..

I wish I could fill up only twice a week... With the amount of driving I do and the raised boost...man..I wish I could only fill up twice a week.

 

[msp_driver]

To be honest with you, its not just the money that convinces me to have the oil changed there. Its also the convenience. There is this technician there who will take the current car off the lift, provided it is not being drained, and will put mine up there and get me in and out in 30 min. Don't even have to mess with the cashier to get the paperwork, he does it all. I have actually had other customers who have gotten upset at me for him doing this. Good business practice? NO Do I care? HELL NO Also, theres the liability issue. I want Mazda to be 100% liable in the case that something happens. I have learned from experience that the dated paperwork comes in very handy.

 

[msp_driver]

Travel time to college: 10 min. one way
Travel time to work: 10 min one way in opposite directions
Speed to college: about 65
speed to work: about 90 - 120
Its all the pleasure driving that kills me. I bought my car in early december and have 14,600 miles last time i looked

 

[t3ase]

I bought my car April 09, 03 and have 15,097 as of tonight.

 

[jaymode]

ok well then for the first oil change I will probably take it to the dealer but then after that I will switch to some sort of synthetic oil. I doubt that I will use royal purple, but will probably use mobil 1 because I can get that a good deal cheaper.

 

[Glowmunkey]

Many people on here "got lucky", too. Think about it this way. Mazda's a corporation. Corporation's write contracts with whatever service is cheaper for them. That means whoever has the lowest bid on their fluids, will win. That also means dirty ass dino oil that sucks ass is going to be going into your MSP. I think not. Do you really think your dealership cares about your car? No, you're just another pile of paperwork for them, a paper tag with numbers on it attached to your key ring. They don't care.

If YOU care at all, you'd get under your damn car and do it yourself with some quality stuff.

It may be a rant, but I am in complete agreement. If you want something done right, do it yourself. I'd go ahead and try Royal Purple myself (heard good things about it), but I can get Modil 1 for about $3-4 cheaper per quart, and I've never seen dyno sheets proving that RP makes any more power than Mobil 1.

Show me the dyno and I'm sold!

 

[jaymode]

It may be a rant, but I am in complete agreement. If you want something done right, do it yourself. I'd go ahead and try Royal Purple myself (heard good things about it), but I can get Modil 1 for about $3-4 cheaper per quart, and I've never seen dyno sheets proving that RP makes any more power than Mobil 1.

Show me the dyno and I'm sold!

(werd)

 

[t3ase]

Dyno this.. Dyno that... As I've learned on this board, dyno's don't mean anything when it comes to these cars. On NA cars, it's easier, but yeah, I wouldn't wait for a dyno on every product because it's simply not going to realistically reflect what will happen to YOUR car. Just pay the extra cash once and if you don't feel a difference, go back to Mobil1. No big deal and if it's a $3-4 difference than your regular choice, then it's just $12. No big deal.