Recommendation Needed... Short Trips and GDI Engine.

[AdmiralYoda]

My wife has a 2016 Mazda CX-5 with the 2.5L SkyActive GDI engine. She walks dogs for a living and is a full-time mom so she typically does many short trips per day, probably just a couple miles at a time. Enough to drive about 15k miles per year but many, many short trips.

The 2.5L SkyActive engine is also GDI and I believe is known for fuel dilution.

I usually change the oil every 5k but I've noticed lately it is black as ink and smells a bit like gasoline. Is there a specific brand oil that handles short trips and fuel dilution better than others? Thanks!

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

My wife has a 2016 Mazda CX-5 with the 2.5L SkyActive GDI engine. She walks dogs for a living and is a full-time mom so she typically does many short trips per day, probably just a couple miles at a time. Enough to drive about 15k miles per year but many, many short trips.

The 2.5L SkyActive engine is also GDI and I believe is known for fuel dilution.

I usually change the oil every 5k but I've noticed lately it is black as ink and smells a bit like gasoline. Is there a specific brand oil that handles short trips and fuel dilution better than others? Thanks!

Answer: Higher viscosity oil.

If the automaker recommends a 20 weight move to a 30 weight preferably API SP. No oil can "handle" fuel dilution because we're talking about a low viscosity liquid, in this case gasoline, which is thinning the higher viscosity motor oil. In any case some fuel isn't going to be the end of the world and from UOA's I've seen as it appears that they all remain under the 5 percent range.

GDI will turn oil dark. They're like a diesel in that regard.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I would use an inexpensive store brand oil and change it more often. 2,000 - 3,000 miles?

 

[AdmiralYoda]

@BMWTurboDzl The engine has 130k on it now so I have thought about moving to a 0W-30 from a 0W-20. I have also considered moving to a "Euro" spec oil as well to better deal with the contaminants.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

@BMWTurboDzl The engine has 130k on it now so I have thought about moving to a 0W-30 from a 0W-20. I have also considered moving to a "Euro" spec oil as well to better deal with the contaminants.

I don't know what OCI or oil Mazda recommends but euro spec oils are designed for long drain intervals (10k miles) so they would give you a lot of headroom on a 5k oci.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I don't know what OCI or oil Mazda recommends but euro spec oils are designed for long drain intervals (10k miles) so they would give you a lot of headroom on a 5k oci.

Factory says 7500 miles but all of the dealerships I've seen seem to be leaning towards the 5K range. My Stealership is $130 to do that full synthetic change. Guess who is still doing their own OCI's for under $35 a change.

 

[JavierH19]

I'd just use some $20 full syn like Quaker state or supertech 5w-30 and change it every 3k. Slightly thicker to help with dilution.

 

[DwightFrye]

I have a 2019 CX 5 with the 2.5L turbo engine, I also make a lot of short trips although I have only put about 5000 miles per year on it. I posted a Blackstone UOA a few weeks ago here:

Mobil 1 EP 5W-30, 4975 Miles, 2019 Mazda CX 5 2.5L Turbo

I just received my Blackstone Labs report for my 2019 Mazda CX 5 GT Reserve with the 2.5L Turbocharged Skyactiv engine. The car was four years old at the beginning of June and this oil was in the car for 14 months and 4975 miles. I am retired so make a lot of short trips and have only put 20,000...

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[4WD]

I'd just use some $20 full syn like Quaker state or supertech 5w-30 and change it every 3k. Slightly thicker to help with dilution.

^^ This - a good 5W30 is easy to find - and might have less VM ^^
Note - everything in my signature came with 0W20 - they run great on 5W30 …

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

^^ This - a good 5W30 is easy to find - and might have less VM ^^
Note - everything in my signature came with 0W20 - they run great on 5W30 …

None of us would have ever guessed. But thanks for reaffirming its a good choice.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

My wife has a 2016 Mazda CX-5 with the 2.5L SkyActive GDI engine. She walks dogs for a living and is a full-time mom so she typically does many short trips per day, probably just a couple miles at a time. Enough to drive about 15k miles per year but many, many short trips.

The 2.5L SkyActive engine is also GDI and I believe is known for fuel dilution.

I usually change the oil every 5k but I've noticed lately it is black as ink and smells a bit like gasoline. Is there a specific brand oil that handles short trips and fuel dilution better than others? Thanks!

I would substitute a qt of 10W30 (not 0W30 !) to your sump. You can run 5W20 in the warm months.
You don't want 0W anything unless you need it or if its a "real" synthetic. If you find a real synthetic** let me know,

I know Winter here, I live just a few miles up the road in NH
_________________________________________________________________
** majority group IV & V base stock

 

[Triple_Se7en]

My opinion....
Use the next higher viscosity oil with SP-cert and change that oil every 3-4k. Filter can stay on for two OCIs.

 

[VTECOverRated]

Valvoline because of high moly content. I don't think any off the shelf 5w30 has as much moly as valvoline (300+ ppm). At least that was my rationale with Turbo GDI

 

[kschachn]

Valvoline because of high moly content. I don't think any off the shelf 5w30 has as much moly as valvoline (300+ ppm). At least that was my rationale with Turbo GDI

How does "high moly content" help an oil resist fuel dilution?

 

[4WD]

None of us would have ever guessed. But thanks for reaffirming its a good choice.

He mentioned 0W30 … Don‘t see the point …

 

[VTECOverRated]

How does "high moly content" help an oil resist fuel dilution?

"The common type of moly that is used in today’s oil formulations is "Molybdenum Dialkyldithiocarbamate" (MoDTC). This form of moly is 100% oil-soluble - which means that it remains suspended in the motor oil and does not fall out of suspension.

Molybdenum Dialkyldithiocarbamate (MoDTC) is an organo-molybdenum compound. The oil-soluble moly’s are considered to be organo-metallic friction reducers. They also provide very effective oxidation resistance."

From : https://synlubepros.com/blog/posts/tips/moly-in-engine-oil

Fuel dilution increases oxidation. Moly not only reduces friction but lowers oil oxidation. Win - Win.

 

[kschachn]

Yeah okay. Cut-and-paste shows you don't really know.

 

[JHZR2]

Does the engine get to temp after a few short trips? 15k is a good bit of mileage, any long trips?

Id want to pull a UOA, and see what the fuel dilution is, and what it looks like degradation wise.

 

[Rand]

I think the easiest thing would be to move up to a 5w30 to combat fuel dilution (thinning of the oil mainly)
and use reasonable OCI's
in the winter 3mo/3000 miles might be appropriate.
rest of the year 6month/5000 miles?

UOA if you want.

Even with all the short trips it seems you must be getting it good and warmed up on a regular basis if you are putting on that many yearly miles.

 

[H. Swanson]

There are much

I have a 2019 CX 5 with the 2.5L turbo engine, I also make a lot of short trips although I have only put about 5000 miles per year on it. I posted a Blackstone UOA a few weeks ago here:

Mobil 1 EP 5W-30, 4975 Miles, 2019 Mazda CX 5 2.5L Turbo

I just received my Blackstone Labs report for my 2019 Mazda CX 5 GT Reserve with the 2.5L Turbocharged Skyactiv engine. The car was four years old at the beginning of June and this oil was in the car for 14 months and 4975 miles. I am retired so make a lot of short trips and have only put 20,000...

bobistheoilguy.com

Do you put in regular or premium gas? I'm curious if you've played with that and whether it impacted your fuel dilution issue.