2014 Mazda 3

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I'm going to buy either a new Jetta or Mazda 3. The Mazda calls for 0-20 for the US, Canada and 5-30 everywhere else. I'm considering sucking out one quart and adding a quart of Mobil 1 15-50 to thicken it up a bit. This car has direct injection and I fear gas dilution and shearing will a long term problem with 0-20. Any suggestions?
 
Well....Since most of us here know more about the Mazda 3 then the men and women who designed it...I say throw that qt. of 15W-50 M1 in. J/K

Seriously....I would trust Mazda's recommendation. Millions of cars are happily running on 0w20 and 5w20 oils. 5w30? Won't hurt I guess in the summer, but 0w20 seems to have proven itself.
 
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Any suggestions?

Just buy the Jetta instead. It does not come with 0w-20 oil.
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A UOA after a few thousand miles would be interesting. Maybe Mazda has a better solution with its DI setup. They do like messing with engines and are not above trying something new, usually with good results. Now that they've mad the break from big brother we can see what they're really capable of doing.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: redbone3
Any suggestions?

Just buy the Jetta instead. It does not come with 0w-20 oil.
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+1
 
Keep the 0w-20 in there, if you want to change then just use a 5w-30 at your first oil change. Or you can go with something like Havoline which tends to be on the thinner side of a 30 weight.
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Just an FYI; the two people @ work who have recent models are 0 for 2 on 6sp automatic reliability.


Both a coworker and I bought nearly identical Mazda3 Skyactiv automatics in 2012. She has over 60K on hers and I have 37K on mine. Neither have been back to the dealer with any issues whatsoever. Neither of us have touched the fluid.
 
There are a few UOAs floating around for the skyactiv engine with 0w20 oil. Seems to shear some but doesnt have any adverse affect on wear. We have used M1 0w20 products since first LOF in our skyactiv and it sings like a sewing machine to redline everytime I drive it.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
A UOA after a few thousand miles would be interesting. Maybe Mazda has a better solution with its DI setup. They do like messing with engines and are not above trying something new, usually with good results. Now that they've mad the break from big brother we can see what they're really capable of doing.


I just serviced a 2L Skyactiv that went almost 13k on Mobil 1 0w-20. Stay tuned for the UOA.
 
I am using the microGreen filter and OC schedule. I'll be doing a UOA after I have put 30K on the oil. That includes three filters and 1/2 quart of make up oil with the 2nd and 3rd filters.
 
The 0W-20 mazda genuine oil runs great in these. Mazda set the car up to run cool with coolant temps around 185F. I would much rather buy mazda parts than VW in the long run
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Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I am using the microGreen filter and OC schedule. I'll be doing a UOA after I have put 30K on the oil. That includes three filters and 1/2 quart of make up oil with the 2nd and 3rd filters.


I for one, would be really interested in you experience with these oil filters and the UOA that you're planning. Thanks in advance for your effort.
 
So far, I have found the filters to be a good fit. Based upon a thread in which one was cut open they do have a novel design that includes the bypass filter disc. I have about 15,000 miles on the oil so far and it has not changed its shade of brown since about 5,000 miles. My original fill was with Mobil 1 AFE 0W-20 and my make-up oil has been Mazda's 0W-20 w/moly. I happen to have a few quarts left from my full case purchase in 2012.

I'm keeping my eye out for any signs of varnish. The valve train area, so far, remains bright, shiny, and spotless. As stated above, the Skyactiv engine runs pretty cool and its design is specifically intended to lower internal friction.
 
1. The engine will be fine don't worry.

2. What is the point in two oils when you can just buy the right viscosity/performance oil in the first place?

All you'll do in reality is lower the performance of the additive pack and create a strange viscosity oil that does not suit the engine performance wise or viscosity wise.

As for which one I prefer, I would rather have a Mazda engine than a VW engine to be honest, we work with VW engines all day and in my opinion they haven't made a good reliable engine in quite a long time.

These are the recommended oils for the Mazda according to my system, hopefully it's the correct car.

MAZDA 3 (BM) 2.0 SKYACTIV-G 120 (petrol)

Engine oil ()

ACEA A3, A5 API SL,SM,SN

SAE 5W-30
SAE 0W-20

MAZDA 3 (BM) 2.2 SKYACTIV-D 150 (diesel)

Engine oil () ACEA C3 SAE 0W-30/5W-30
 
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I suppose in these new world order/globalisation times we should be asking

Are the Mazda engines made by Mazda or just badge engineered Ford engines.

If they are both Ford engines then I'd swerve the diesel engine, I don't believe Ford have made a good diesel engine yet.

Ford petrol engines are good though.
 
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