GC in '08 Mazdaspeed 3

[double vanos]

Is GC up to the rigors of this direct injection turbo charged engine?

The car currently has 23,000 miles on it and should be experiencing reduced fuel dilution - the tailpipe has been getting sooted up less and less has the miles go by.

The car has been on PP since new and it loves it but, here lately, the PP in 5W30 has been hard to come by (at Walmart at least). For some reason WM doesn't seem to be carrying 5w30 oil ( in syn oils anyway) as all the stores around my house have empty shelves.

Soooo, if I'm going to give AZ near $7 a qt for a synthetic, I'd rather use GC, which my Bimmer loves.

So what do you guys think - GC be good in a MS3?

Thanks for any input.

Cheers!

PS The OCI's are 3500-4000 miles due to Hitachi-Warner's (the maker of the turbocharger) request for OCIs of 4k miles or less.

 

[HTSS_TR]

GC is better than most xW30 oils in a turbo charged engine. It is one of very few xW30 that passed ACEA A3/B3 and can be bought OTC.

 

[Nederlander75]

I have it work quite well in a Speed 6. Doeing better that most others.

 

[addyguy]

It'll be a good oil for the application, but better make sure it covers you warranty requirements.

 

[Steve S]

Is syn required? Seems silly to change syn oil so soon.

 

[rg200amp]

GC will work GREAT in your application.

 

[BTLew81]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Is syn required? Seems silly to change syn oil so soon.


I have a regular 3, but can comment. Syn is not required, but in a DI turbo 4, I would not use anything else. This engine has some fuel dilution issues, so a shorter than normal OCI is suggested.

Personally, I would look at RLI for this engine.

 

[jesbo]

Originally Posted By: BTLew81

Personally, I would look at RLI for this engine.


+1. The RLI was designed to address the inherent fuel dilution issues common to DI Turbo engines. I really wanted to switch to it in my '08 BMW 535i (Twin Turbo, DI, N54 engine). However I have been reluctant to do so during warranty because the RLI doesn't carry the BMW LL-01 or ACEA A3 certifications.

So I am currently using GC. Will be performing a UOA on it in about 1K miles.

 

[MCompact]

I run Mobil 1 5W-30 in my 2007 MS3, but I don't see why GC wouldn't work. Where did you get the Hitachi-Warner information? My turbo seals went Tango Uniform at 26,000 miles(right after the LF strut went south- some track car...

). I'm dumping the heap and buying an E46 330i ZHP or M3 the first chance I get.

 

[double vanos]

MCompact:

Over at mazdas247.com there have been issues of the Speed 3s having a "smoking turbo" syndrome. From what I can glean, it appears that when one mods their car and takes all the exhaust restrictions out (via an aftermarket exhaust system), the turbo seals let some oil into the (now catless) exhaust and the smoking begins. Probably looks funnier than he ll!

In the middle of this, the forums posters have been tracking down everything they can and it appears that Hitachi -Warner supplies the turbos for these cars.

Some on the forum theorize that a certain amount of exhaust backpressure is necesssary for the turbo seals to work. Who really knows?

I have 24k on my Speed3, which is totally stock, and haven't had the first problem with it. Go to http://www.mazdas247.com and go to the Mazdaspeed section and look for the smoking turbo section - you'll be overwhelmed!!

I have worked out the small problems with my Speed by: replacing the trans fluid with Ford part # XT-M5-QS (to alieviate the cold shifting problems completely) and putting some rubber mastic tape under the windshield cowl to stop it from rattling. Other than these 2 things, my Speed has been problem free.

And as far as the struts going bad I have a solution for that too: it's located at the tirerack.com in the form of Koni FSD shocks which I have on my BMW and they are great!

But I hear you as far as getting a ZHP or M3 - with today's enconmy they'll be going for a song soon. I'd do the same too, but if I did I'm afraid my wife would make me leave...

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: double vanos
MCompact:

Over at mazdas247.com there have been issues of the Speed 3s having a "smoking turbo" syndrome. From what I can glean, it appears that when one mods their car and takes all the exhaust restrictions out (via an aftermarket exhaust system), the turbo seals let some oil into the (now catless) exhaust and the smoking begins. Probably looks funnier than he ll!

In the middle of this, the forums posters have been tracking down everything they can and it appears that Hitachi -Warner supplies the turbos for these cars.

Some on the forum theorize that a certain amount of exhaust backpressure is necesssary for the turbo seals to work. Who really knows?

I have 24k on my Speed3, which is totally stock, and haven't had the first problem with it. Go to http://www.mazdas247.com and go to the Mazdaspeed section and look for the smoking turbo section - you'll be overwhelmed!!

I have worked out the small problems with my Speed by: replacing the trans fluid with Ford part # XT-M5-QS (to alieviate the cold shifting problems completely) and putting some rubber mastic tape under the windshield cowl to stop it from rattling. Other than these 2 things, my Speed has been problem free.

And as far as the struts going bad I have a solution for that too: it's located at the tirerack.com in the form of Koni FSD shocks which I have on my BMW and they are great!

But I hear you as far as getting a ZHP or M3 - with today's enconmy they'll be going for a song soon. I'd do the same too, but if I did I'm afraid my wife would make me leave...


Believe me, I've been following all the Mazda boards- 247, Mazda3, and Mazdaspeed.org primarily. My MS3 is dead stock; my understanding is that the stock exhaust and cats mask the problem but eventually even stock cars can develop the problem. What really burns me is that I passed on some really nice CPO BMWs in favor of the MS3; my thought was that after 8 cars from Bavaria I maybe should try something different. I decided to check out the MS3 since all the big car mags (Automobile, CD, R&T) were praising it and I thought it would make a practical daily driver and a decent track toy. Well, it's an OK DD but not much fun on the track. My mistake; I'm getting back behind the wheel of a 3 Series the first chance I get. At least my wife won't complain, as she's sick of me griping about the MS3...

 

[double vanos]

Kinda funny about the smoking turbos - some of the stories the posters tell of their "smoking turbo" experiences are absolutely hilarious.

I plan on staying the course with my Speed 3; it's a good daily driver, fairly frugal with the gas (if the driver behaves)and has great utility.

I love hot hatchbacks but dam n BMW won't bring their twin turbo 1 seies hatch here to the US - that's why I bought the Speed 3.

Me (to dealer).."So when are you guys bringing the 1 series hatchback here to the US?".

Dealer..."Never"..

Speed 3 on my driveway in less than 2 weeks.

If BMW ever brings the hatch here it'll be trade in time ASAP.

Cheers!

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: double vanos
Kinda funny about the smoking turbos - some of the stories the posters tell of their "smoking turbo" experiences are absolutely hilarious.

I plan on staying the course with my Speed 3; it's a good daily driver, fairly frugal with the gas (if the driver behaves)and has great utility.

I love hot hatchbacks but dam n BMW won't bring their twin turbo 1 seies hatch here to the US - that's why I bought the Speed 3.

Me (to dealer).."So when are you guys bringing the 1 series hatchback here to the US?".

Dealer..."Never"..

Speed 3 on my driveway in less than 2 weeks.

If BMW ever brings the hatch here it'll be trade in time ASAP.

Cheers!


I would rather have the TT 1 series.
Why do you hold the Hatchback so high? Do you need the space?

 

[Ryz]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
she's sick of me griping about the MS3...

Lets see, 26,000 miles of spirited driving including track days and less than a couple hundred in seals and a strut makes the car poop, funny.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Ryz
Originally Posted By: MCompact
she's sick of me griping about the MS3...

Lets see, 26,000 miles of spirited driving including track days and less than a couple hundred in seals and a strut makes the car poop, funny.


Yeah, I bought into all the Mazdaspeed "race-proven" hype. I didn't realize that I would have to treat the sled like an elderly grocery-getter in order to keep things from breaking.