Mazda 5 2.3 - 0W-20 in winter, 5W-30 in summer?

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I will run TGMO 0W-20 this winter on my 2010 Mazda 3 2.0L. The 2010 is specced for 5w-20. When we see cold starts down to -40C, any engine needs all the help it can get.
#35, The Mazda 0W-20 sold in Canada is just a rebranded PetroCan synthetic. Really nothing special. TGMO is the way to go IHO. You can get TGMO at the Toyota Dealer Parts counter for $5.70 per liter in Ontario - a screaming good deal any way you slice it.
 
If I were you I would use 0w20 year round. 0w20's are usually more stout than 5w20's and for the most part are lighter on start up. They are also usually full synthetic and have higher film strength because of that. Ambient temps have little to do with oil temps...if you change your oil frequently with a name brand 0w20 SN your engine will run a LONG time.
 
Kris - No problem starting, it's just that I like to minimize the cold-start rattle and see the oil light go out ASAP. My first winter out here (longer ago than I'd care to admit), I had an old Impala with a 307. I pretty much ruined the engine starting it in the -30s not plugged in, and running Quaker State 10W-30 conventional oil with a Fram. The engine would clank away, and eventually the oil light would turn off. Older and wiser now ...
 
Originally Posted By: Number_35
I asked at the dealer, but they said that 0W-20 was not back-spec'ed to 2009, and to use only 5W-20.


This is because your dealer knows about as much about oil as the guys who work at Canadian Tire!
 
It was the parts guy too, not a service writer. Even if not back-spec'd that may only mean they haven't done the testing, right?
 
How long have you had the M1 in? I say that because my corolla was louder but only the first couple thousand kms. After that its very quiet in mine. Use either oil you will be fine. my next 2 oil changes will be 5w30 and 5w20. My car can use 0w20, 0w30, 5w20 or 5w30. Car was originally sepec'd for 5w30 though. All oils have run fine though. Welcome to BITOG!!
 
Originally Posted By: Number_35
Hello all -

After years of enjoying this site, I've finally joined. I have a couple of questions regarding the choice of motor oil for one of my vehicles, a 2009 Mazda 5 2.3 l inline-4 w/ 5-speed manual. I've searched the forum, and have gotten some good ideas, but would like to ask my questions anyway.

1. The manufacturer specifies 5W-20 year round...

To start with a thin oil (5W-20) and have it sheared down in a hard-working engine scares me a bit - I'd feel a bit better with 5W-30 in the summer, and perhaps 0W-30 in the winter...

.


Yes. Run the 5w30 in the summer... and use 0w20 in he winter. Should work well, a little extra thickness (protection...!) in summer, and better flow in the winter, with adequate thickness, because the oil will rarely hit normal operating temps in VERY cold temps, and is thus thicker anyway...!

I am of the opinion that modern oils allow a 20 grade to be " adequate " in most conditiions, but not necessarily the best choice available.... ! see CAFE...

Others argue that a 20 grade IS THE BEST CHOICE available. See Ford tests F-150 in Texas... To each his own...

However, seasonal oil changes aren't really required anymore, particularily with a quality synthetic...simplify things, and just run a 0w30 year round... even a 5w30 synthetic works fine in cold winter conditions... and... M1 0w30 is now available in Canada... try that... might be a good choice year round...!
 
Originally Posted By: geeman789


Yes. Run the 5w30 in the summer... and use 0w20 in he winter. Should work well, a little extra thickness (protection...!) in summer, and better flow in the winter, with adequate thickness, because the oil will rarely hit normal operating temps in VERY cold temps, and is thus thicker anyway...!

I am of the opinion that modern oils allow a 20 grade to be " adequate " in most conditiions, but not necessarily the best choice available.... ! see CAFE...

Others argue that a 20 grade IS THE BEST CHOICE available. See Ford tests F-150 in Texas... To each his own...

However, seasonal oil changes aren't really required anymore, particularily with a quality synthetic...simplify things, and just run a 0w30 year round... even a 5w30 synthetic works fine in cold winter conditions... and... M1 0w30 is now available in Canada... try that... might be a good choice year round...!



Thicker != more protection. That is a myth.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
So, do you believe that people on this site know better than Mazda? They had full opportunity to back-spec and they didn't. While sometimes the manufacturer may choose 5w-20 instead of 0w-20 to reduce cost that doesn't matter after the fact when they back-spec. So, they must have had a reason. I would stick with their recommendation.

Second, on the 5w-30 do you believe you are using your vehicle harder than Mazda engineers tested to? If not then it won't matter either way. Unless Mazda is selling the exact same car with the exact same equipment with the exact same tuning and the exact same emission equipment then who cares what they spec'd in Mexico.


If this is the case..then the OP could STILL use M1 0w20, as they warrant the use of their 0w20 in 5w20 applications.
 
Originally Posted By: Number_35
One other thing I should have mentioned - we got the car at 52,000 km, and it's now at 74,000. I'm a bit disappointed in the oil consumption (around a litre per 7000 km), and thought that a move to a 5W-30 might reduce it.

That consumption isn't bad, but I understand your point completely. Pick a suitable grade and stick with it year round. There's no need to switch about.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm



Thicker != more protection. That is a myth.


Only on BITOG... where THIN IS IN...! Except in M series BMW's... !

Car makers spec a 20 grade oil for one reason, FUEL ECONOMY, and for very small gains at that.

Better fleet mileage, lower CAFE fines, ** ADEQUATE ** protection to get engine past warranty...
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Pick a suitable grade and stick with it year round. ...


You use a 5w40, but what does your car spec...? And why do you choose to run that grade....? Just curious...?
 
Originally Posted By: geeman789
You use a 5w40, but what does your car spec...? And why do you choose to run that grade....? Just curious...?

He he, well, it is a suitable grade (not necessarily optimal), and it can be used year round. Mine specs 5w-30 in SM/GF-4 or better, of course, but I had some Delvac 1 ESP 5w-40 laying around from when I had the Audi. Additionally, at Imperial Oil, Delvac 1 is about as cheap as conventional at Canadian Tire (regular price of course). Imperial Oil also has no issue with it being used in "high performance gasoline engines." One day, I will send out a UOA sample and see how long I can extend the OCIs with the lube. Doug Hillary has had some very impressive OCIs with Delvac 1 in gassers.

The car in this thread is likely out of warranty, like I am. So, I suspect that a 5w-30 or a 0w-20 year round would work very well. If the OP would like to use a synthetic 20 grade, it would be hard to beat M1 0w-20 AFE, since Imperial Oil guarantees that oil for 5w-20 applications.
 
Originally Posted By: Number_35
Kris - No problem starting, it's just that I like to minimize the cold-start rattle and see the oil light go out ASAP. My first winter out here (longer ago than I'd care to admit), I had an old Impala with a 307. I pretty much ruined the engine starting it in the -30s not plugged in, and running Quaker State 10W-30 conventional oil with a Fram. The engine would clank away, and eventually the oil light would turn off. Older and wiser now ...


I'm just curious, how long does the oil pressure light stay on during a cold start? The two cars in my sig. the light goes off the moment the engine fires up. All my prior cars behaved the same, and they were bought used with high mileage and unknown maintenance history.
I think you are drawing wrong conclusions from your prior experience. Likely, from what you described, you had oil pump problems.

Don't get me wrong, using a quality synthetic and in 0w20 viscosity during winter months will provide some benefits, but don't expect miracles and don't buy into "better protection" or "less wear" nonsense that gets repeated here endlessly.
 
I have the same basic engine in my Fusion and Focus. I use M1 0-20 year round at 10K OCIs. My engines are very clean, run great, use no oil between oil changes. This oil performs very well from extreme heat to extreme cold.
 
Last edited:
Kris - I had moved out here from BC to finish school, and didn't even have a block heater at first. Did get one, but forgot to plug the car in occasionally. She started once at -38 C (cranking RPMs were very low) and rattled like crazy. The QS 10W-30 must have been like tar in the pan. The oil light seemed to stay on for an eternity - but likely was out after 5 seconds or so. Oil consumption was a lot higher over that winter, and there was a lot of lifter noise the next winter. I finally changed out the lifters the summer after that, and found the noisy one had worn right through. Will post photos sometime. I don't know that I can attribute all of that to the cold starts with dino - in the leaded fuel days, engines didn't last as long, and that winter the car was already past 130,000 miles.
 
Checked my oil stash last night, and had a 5 l jug of PP 5W-20, so used it for the oil change. Only 7k km on the 0W-30 but six months of mostly short trips already, so time to dump it.

I do like the idea of something like 0W-30 year-round.

Thank you all for your input. Differing opinions, but all well thought-out and expressed. Lots of food for thought for me.
 
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