You are not checking it correctly, as specified by Mazda.

An abbreviated version on how to correctly check the engine oil in a skyactiv engine.

The engine needs to be hot, ( following a good drive ). ( FYI oil expands when hot )
Park it on a flat surface.
Turn off engine.
Leave it for 5 minutes.
Clean dipstick, insert dipstick, pull it out & check oil level.

 

OK. I’ve read everyone’s posts and thank you for taking the time to write.
I have found the owners manual procedure for checking oil.

I have never ever seen an oil level higher when hot than when checked cold. I have checked this oil now several ways.

I checked it cold after sitting over night and it shows half way between marks with 5.0 qts

I checked it immediately after shutting it off hot and it reads at add mark.

I wait 5 minutes like manual says and it shows half way between add and half.

I get my highest reading when cold.
This is exactly what I would expect to see after being a mechanic and working on cars for 40 years.

When I looked at the car at the dealership before buying I checked the oil before starting the engine and it was dead on the full mark. That was cold and it had not been been pulled up to the door for us.

I changed the oil and drained out OVER 5 qts. That means the dealer put over 5 qts in it to get to full mark.

The dipstick is fully seated each time.

Synthetic oil clings to metal longer than Dino oil so that is why it takes longer for synthetic oil to make its way back to the pan. I have seen this most drastically with AMSOIL. This is part of the reason synthetic oil is good for preventing wear at cold startup and why its great to use before storing a vehicle.

The reason I was posting here initially is to find out if there was some discrepancy with oil capacity and the dipstick reading. Meaning an inaccurate dipstick known to be an issue.

There are a at least 2 comments on the Internet where owners have said that Mazda under fills the engine with oil. One of them was a YT video where a guy was showing how to change the oil.
I was wondering if what I was experiencing was reflective of people getting their cars back from a dealer oil change and finding the oil level low on the dipstick when 4.8 qts was metered in.

If you want to tell me I don’t know how to check oil, fine. But, there is absolutely no way I can get a full reading on this dipstick with even 5 qts of oil.

So, with overfilling being such an issue with DI engines do I believe the dipstick reading or the manual that says 4.8 qts?

 

ROLMAO... this thread is getting wild with *stretching empirical information now... but we will leave that for another day and another thread... and then maybe? lol


Ok look lets try a different way....
There is a minimum oil and a maximum hole on the dip stick if you are at least above the minimum hole and at or a hair below the upper hole measuring engine warm not hot and let sit for about 30 minutes?you are good to go!!! LOL
I just changed my oil and filter about a week or so ago... 2018 Mazda 3 with 2.5 , this is 5 quarts @ 130F measured oil temperature, ambient 86F both measured with a Raytek MiniTemp , oh one more thing,0 (ZERO) floor deviation. In other words level ground surface.

In the pictures please lets not talk about *surface tension of fluids? LOL

 

Your oil level in the pic is exactly how mine looked when I checked before buying.

I can’t explain why I’m getting a lower reading but I’m in the middle so I’m leaving it there with 5.0 qts.

I have checked this oil from hot with no wait to 5 mins after shutting it off to hours after shutting it off and after sitting over night. My highest reading is when cold and that reading is at the half way mark.

 

I have an explanation now for what I’ve been seeing.
Spoke with Service Advisor at dealership I just bought car from.
I asked how much oil this car takes and she didn’t know. She then walked away from phone to ask a oil change tech a short distance away.
She told me his reply was “5 qts or a hair over”. He also told her they fill according to the dipstick reading
That fresh oil is not hot.

 

LOL "OIL CHANGE TECH" auh... ok.... golly I wonder if he/she had to study to get a certification to hold such a prestigious title?

I am being sarcastically funny BTW!

 

Feel free check your oil any which way you choose.
Feel free to add as much oil as you choose.
Don't keep arguing with us when you ask the question and don't like the factory information that both I have given you, & what's printed in your owner's manual.

Good bye.

 

Sounds like a lot of overthinking this. Standard capacity is 5 quarts =/-.
Most all 5 qt. jugs are a bit over exactly 5 qts.
And like most all engines a pint over isn't going to harm anything.
Just dump the jug full in and be done with it.


My 2¢

 

Good advice. That’s what I did and it’s at half mark and I’m leaving it there.

 

Good advice, after 80,000 miles my 2016.5 (that .5 is important ;-) has worked fine with five quarts. Like discussions on tires, this topic's been overthought, methinks.
And please folks, I'm trying to add a little humor, please no flaming.