First Oil Change Woes
#1
10-01-2019, 08:05 AM
First Oil Change Woes
Cliff's Notes: I am a new member on my 3rd Mazda, I underfilled the crank case on the 1st oil change and drove myself crazy thinking I had OVER filled it. Adding oil fixed the problem. Synopsis, I am an idiot. 
Hello all, I am a new member but not new to Mazdas. I am on my third now, my second SkyActiv 2.5 (this one is a 2019 CX-5 Touring Preferred).
My wife is the primary driver and after she totaled the 2016.5 CX-5 we had (not her fault), she wanted the exact same car, albeit the current model. So that's what we got!
Thankfully they both had the same engine so used the same oil/fiter combo since I already had some from our '16.
Well this past weekend I performed the first oil/filter change and tire rotation (I do all of my own service work) and ran into an issue and think I have it resolved, so I thought it may be helpful to others as well.
I let the oil drain while I rotated the tires so I am pretty sure it drained as much as would come out. I spun on the new oil filter (forgot to put oil in it) and put the drain plug back in the pan. I filled the engine until the dip stick registered it (roughly 4.2 qts or so). I took it off the jack stands, cranked it and let it run while I cleaned up then cut it off and let it sit for about five or so. I check the oil and as is typical with these engines, it just basically showed oil the entire length of the dip stick. I didn't add anymore and called it good.
Yesterday I drove it about an hour out of town and the oil pressure light came on. I immediately pulled over and check and once again, oil all up and down the entire length of the dip stick. Hmmm, did I overfill it? Is there air in the system? Could it be because I didn't put oil in the filter? Maybe the filter is bad? Who knows. So I got back in, cranked it up and the light didn't come back on. I drove on to my destination (only another ten or so minutes down the road) and that was that.
On the way back home it didn't cut on again until we were almost home (another hour down the road). So it seems to me at this point, as coincidentally as it might seem, it must be a PCM issue or something software because the oil/filter seem fine. The engine is humming along like a smooth sewing machine, no abnormal noise, temps are good, no idea.
So I let it sit for a while and check the oil again and once again, oil all up and down the length of the dip stick (whoever designed this dip stick needs to be fired).
So at this point I am beginning to think I have somehow overfilled it? So I drain about 1/4 qt or so and check and it still shows oil on the dip stick. I drive it about ten minutes and the light comes back on just as I get back to the house. So I change the filter this time and check the level and it still shows oil, so now I am convinced that it's overfilled so I drain some more oil and drive it again and same thing! Agh!!!
So I called it quits (it was 95 degrees in my garage) and scheduled an appointment with Mazda for this morning. Well before leaving for work I decided to check one more time and the oil has finally settled in the pan and now shows accurately what the problem has been all along. It's LOW!!! Not terribly low, it is dead even with the low mark which just means it needs another half qt or so. So I top it off until it hits even between low and high marks and drive it to work this morning and no light! Yay!!!
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!
So takeaways, if you change your own oil, the Mazda moly 0W-20 has the viscosity of vodka and will drain out completely in no time. So make sure you fill it back up to 4.8 qts!
Hello all, I am a new member but not new to Mazdas. I am on my third now, my second SkyActiv 2.5 (this one is a 2019 CX-5 Touring Preferred).
My wife is the primary driver and after she totaled the 2016.5 CX-5 we had (not her fault), she wanted the exact same car, albeit the current model. So that's what we got!
Thankfully they both had the same engine so used the same oil/fiter combo since I already had some from our '16.
Well this past weekend I performed the first oil/filter change and tire rotation (I do all of my own service work) and ran into an issue and think I have it resolved, so I thought it may be helpful to others as well.
I let the oil drain while I rotated the tires so I am pretty sure it drained as much as would come out. I spun on the new oil filter (forgot to put oil in it) and put the drain plug back in the pan. I filled the engine until the dip stick registered it (roughly 4.2 qts or so). I took it off the jack stands, cranked it and let it run while I cleaned up then cut it off and let it sit for about five or so. I check the oil and as is typical with these engines, it just basically showed oil the entire length of the dip stick. I didn't add anymore and called it good.
Yesterday I drove it about an hour out of town and the oil pressure light came on. I immediately pulled over and check and once again, oil all up and down the entire length of the dip stick. Hmmm, did I overfill it? Is there air in the system? Could it be because I didn't put oil in the filter? Maybe the filter is bad? Who knows. So I got back in, cranked it up and the light didn't come back on. I drove on to my destination (only another ten or so minutes down the road) and that was that.
On the way back home it didn't cut on again until we were almost home (another hour down the road). So it seems to me at this point, as coincidentally as it might seem, it must be a PCM issue or something software because the oil/filter seem fine. The engine is humming along like a smooth sewing machine, no abnormal noise, temps are good, no idea.
So I let it sit for a while and check the oil again and once again, oil all up and down the length of the dip stick (whoever designed this dip stick needs to be fired).
So at this point I am beginning to think I have somehow overfilled it? So I drain about 1/4 qt or so and check and it still shows oil on the dip stick. I drive it about ten minutes and the light comes back on just as I get back to the house. So I change the filter this time and check the level and it still shows oil, so now I am convinced that it's overfilled so I drain some more oil and drive it again and same thing! Agh!!!
So I called it quits (it was 95 degrees in my garage) and scheduled an appointment with Mazda for this morning. Well before leaving for work I decided to check one more time and the oil has finally settled in the pan and now shows accurately what the problem has been all along. It's LOW!!! Not terribly low, it is dead even with the low mark which just means it needs another half qt or so. So I top it off until it hits even between low and high marks and drive it to work this morning and no light! Yay!!!
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!
So takeaways, if you change your own oil, the Mazda moly 0W-20 has the viscosity of vodka and will drain out completely in no time. So make sure you fill it back up to 4.8 qts!
#5
10-02-2019, 08:53 AM
Bingo!
Also, with many cars oil will climb up the dip stick while driving. I always wipe the stick off and put it back in to get an accurate reading.
Also, with many cars oil will climb up the dip stick while driving. I always wipe the stick off and put it back in to get an accurate reading.
#6
10-02-2019, 11:46 AM
I have a 2018 CX-5 Sport. I let the dealer do the first oil change because I couldn't figure out where to place the floor jack. It was the first oil change I paid someone else to do in at least 35 years. I was told they use Total oil, which I read they have a nationwide deal with. They used a Mazda Value Line oil filter. Value Line to me means a cheap(er) filter. They filled it past the full mark. For the next oil change I bought Rhino ramps, a real Mazda filter from a different dealer, a five quart jug of Idemitsu Zepro advanced moly 0W-20, and a measuring cup with liters marked on it. I poured in 4.5 liters as specified in the owner manual and the oil on the dipstick only went about a third of the way up to the full mark. I poured in the rest of the five quarts, which was little more than .3 liter, and it didn't even get halfway to the full mark. I even checked it after sitting overnight and got almost the same result. I know I put in enough oil. On my GM cars and trucks, the oil read right to the full mark, no more, no less. That's just the way it is on this car.
#7
10-03-2019, 08:10 AM
I have a 2018 CX-5 Sport. I let the dealer do the first oil change because I couldn't figure out where to place the floor jack. It was the first oil change I paid someone else to do in at least 35 years. I was told they use Total oil, which I read they have a nationwide deal with. They used a Mazda Value Line oil filter. Value Line to me means a cheap(er) filter. They filled it past the full mark. For the next oil change I bought Rhino ramps, a real Mazda filter from a different dealer, a five quart jug of Idemitsu Zepro advanced moly 0W-20, and a measuring cup with liters marked on it. I poured in 4.5 liters as specified in the owner manual and the oil on the dipstick only went about a third of the way up to the full mark. I poured in the rest of the five quarts, which was little more than .3 liter, and it didn't even get halfway to the full mark. I even checked it after sitting overnight and got almost the same result. I know I put in enough oil. On my GM cars and trucks, the oil read right to the full mark, no more, no less. That's just the way it is on this car.
YMMV
#8
10-05-2019, 12:55 AM
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature. ( 5 minute road test is good)
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the sump.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it fully.
5. Pull it out again and examine the level. The level is normal if it is between the MIN and MAX marks. If it is near or below MIN, add enough oil to bring the level to MAX.
CAUTION Do not overfill the engine oil. This may cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature. ( 5 minute road test is good)
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the sump.
4. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it fully.
5. Pull it out again and examine the level. The level is normal if it is between the MIN and MAX marks. If it is near or below MIN, add enough oil to bring the level to MAX.
CAUTION Do not overfill the engine oil. This may cause engine damage.
6. Make sure the O-ring on the dipstick is positioned properly before reinserting the dipstick.
7. Reinsert the dipstick fully
#10
11-17-2019, 05:32 PM
I run a shop and do oil changes for a living. I have no Idea why any one would do there own first 2 or 3 oil change and not take it to the Steeler Dealer, and I'm not promoting the dealers here. My experience with new cars, Dodge, Toyota and Mazda, I have had major warranty work found and corrected while having oil change done at the dealer ships, from bad tires, bad bearings to bad water pumps and electrical issues. I currently have a 2019 CX-5 that replaced my wife's 2005 RX-8 that I totaled. Recommendation is use the warranty while you can.