Suggest an Oil for My 92 Miata.

[Kurtatron]

So I've owned my 92' Miata for nearly 6 months now. Here's the data.

1. What kind of vehicle you have

'92 Miata 120,xxx miles.

2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well

API SG/SH/SJ/SL/ or ILSAC GF-2/GF-3

10W-30 above -20 F
5W-30 above -30 F

Keep in mind this manual is 18 years old.

3. Where you live

Santa Cruz, C.A.

4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)

I'm in college, so unsuprisingly I drive it to 6500+ rpms a few times a week.

5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)

My commute is 20 miles both way. It's about 5 stoplights before I hit the freeway for 7 miles. I try to avoid using the car for dull commuting purposes, since this car needs to last me several years. So I take it to school only twice a week on this route.

However on the weekends I'm doing much driving. My friends live about 120 miles apart. I'm midway between them and visit one or the other each weekend (last weekend I met both, 135+ miles in one day). I do not use this car as an errand mobile. I'm trying to prevent as much cold starting as possible. It is my only car.

6. Whether your car has any known problems

It does not have any known problems outside of usual Miata valvetrain clicking and a leaking clutch hydraulic line. Idle vibrations are present, but TWO mechanics told me I was overreacting and it was normal for a car of this age. I've come to the point where I believe them.

I'm trying to minimize wear. I will be submitting oil samples to [censored] to monitor oil performance. M1 10w-30 is in the car right now. I'm debating a lower weight oil to obtain quicker circulation on cold starts. Please provide me suggestions to make my motor last!

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you like to use synthetic, specially M1, then 0W30 will be better for your driving style and extend OCI to 8-10k miles or 1 year whichever is first. If you want to use dino, then any brand name 10W30 with 5-6k/6mo OCI.

 

[heypete]

Mobil Clean 5000 is a great conventional, and is available in both 10W-30 and 5W-30 grades. In Santa Cruz, either grade will be fine, but 5W-30 will flow slightly better at startup. It's about $11 at Wal-Mart.

Mobil 1 is a great synthetic, and is also available in those grades. $23.50 at Wal-Mart.

Either oil would provide excellent protection, so long as you keep up with the OCIs specified in the owner's manual.

 

[Kurtatron]

1 for 0w-30, 1 for 5w/10w-30. Is the cold start up difference between these grades insignificant to the point it really won't hurt the longevity of the motor much? If it isn't I may just choose 5w-30, between the two. I may want to try this new PU stuff. I know must of it is just speculation right now, but I would run a UOA on it.

 

[RafRol]

From what I've read, when the oil is cold, i.e. early morning when you're starting it up for the first time for that day, the 0W will warm up faster than the 5W, which will warm up faster than the 10W.

I personally would pick the 0W over the others, since it will provide that best cold-start protection.

 

[JSP]

Sounds like your running a good oil in it right now, I would stick with it.

 

[heypete]

Originally Posted By: Kurtatron
1 for 0w-30, 1 for 5w/10w-30. Is the cold start up difference between these grades insignificant to the point it really won't hurt the longevity of the motor much? If it isn't I may just choose 5w-30, between the two. I may want to try this new PU stuff. I know must of it is just speculation right now, but I would run a UOA on it.


According to Mobil's website, the 5W-30 has a pour point of -48C. I suspect that will be more than satisfactory for you.

That said, there's nothing wrong with the 0W-30. Use either with confidence. I was simply pointing out that in the climate of Santa Cruz, CA, you'll not be likely to need the extreme-cold-weather performance of 0W-whatever. 5W-30 or 10W-30 would be perfectly satisfactory, as long as you let the oil warm up a bit prior pushing the revs.

Also, 0W oils are not (yet?) available in conventional, non-synthetic formulations, if this is a concern.

Really, you can't go wrong either way.

 

[hpichris]

If you want to have longer OCI's. Go with the M1 suggestions. Plus the sales Wally tends to have on M1 just make it a good value.

 

[RafRol]

Over here in CT, WalMart has M1 available for $23.50 per 5Quart jug.

 

[qship1996]

Our old miata{1999} ran fine and used no oil using conventional- everytme I tried to treat it to mobil 1, it drank it and begged to be topped off frequently- not sure why, but I stuck with conventional since the wife drove it and was horrible about checking it or anything else but putting gas in it.

 

[JeffGoji]

Run whatever dino 10W30 or 5w30 you want for the facotry 7500 mile OCI and save a few bucks.
Or go with a quality synthetic (Mobil 1, Amsoil, Redline, pennzoil, etc) and run 10,000 to 12,000 mile OCIs.
My personal preference in both of my Miatas is Amsoil 10W30 ATM, thought the MSM is being switched to Mobil 1 5W20 next time around.

The B series 1.6 and 1.8 engines for the Miata are regular kittens on oil and are downright bullet proof in stock trim, even the Mazdaspeed and it's turbocharger can't really hurt the oil too much.

 

[mxhdroom]

My recommendation is for German Castrol 0W-30. It works very well in my 2000 Miata; no reason why it wouldn't do the same for yours!

Gary

 

[Kurtatron]

what's so great about this GC? Isn't it very hard to find? It must be expensive too...

 

[mechtech2]

Remember the Miata engineer who recommended a 60 weight oil for track use?

 

[mxhdroom]

Originally Posted By: Kurtatron
what's so great about this GC? Isn't it very hard to find? It must be expensive too...


Fundamentally, it acts like a 0W at start-up, but more like "heavier" 30 or 40 when hot. It's made in Germany (while the other Syntec viscosities are made in North America), hence the "German Castrol" moniker. It comes highly recommended not just by me, but by many of the other members of miata.net.

I don't know where you would find it in Santa Cruz. I get it at Canadian Tire here in Canada, at about 10 bucks per quart. Check with AAP or Pep Boys - they may carry it.

Good luck!

Gary