Just changed the gearbox oil but not without some difficulty. I did this with the car on ramps at one end and jacked up the other end. Getting at the level/filler plug is not easy. There isn’t room to use a standard 24mm socket and without removing the aluminium cross-brace there isn’t much room to swing a ring spanner. Eventually I decided to turn my 24mm socket into a low profile one by trimming about 1.5 mm off top and bottom with an angle grinder. That just allowed enough room to get it on with a ratchet handle. The drain plug is the same size and much easier to get at. Just make sure you have the filler plug out first.
It would be impossible to get the oil in without a syringe tool and even with the tool its messy. I used a new Silverline syringe and next time I’ll make sure that I keep the new oil in a warm place for a few hours - it was hard work at 6 degrees C.
The oil that came out was either graphite or molybdenum disulphide loaded and the colour of shiny dark grey. No significant metal on the drain plug magnet though.
I used Castrol Syntrans 75W-90 GL4 which claims very good cold change properties. It has changed the feel and made it lighter and I don’t think I’m just imagining that.
Now all I have to do is soak my overalls to remove all the oil that squirted in the wrong direction!
The guys on bobsistheoilguy forum recon the factory fill by Mazda is high in moly.
Paul Roddison has measured some high diff temperatures on the Mk4 but some were wondering if it ws heat from the exhaut, the car was written off so further investigation will have to wait but for the cost involved, I think I would also do the diff as both the diff and gearbox have high iron content from the first change reducinging after that. It can be up to 300 ppm from the diff.
The engine oil being say 10 ppm of iron but the combustion blow by does get into the engine oil.
I did think that there was not that much room to get in there.
I will gave to look out a 24mm ring or possibly grind a 24mm socket as we are running a techday in the spring in NE Scotland.
There is nothing in the warranty statement to advise that the gearbox oil cannot be changed by an owner before the prescribed service interval of 5 years or 62,500 miles, go on to the Mazda site and download the car manual and give it a read through if you disagree.
There is a belief that the very high iron count in a new engines oil or transmission system after the first 1,000 miles or so is better drained and the oil replaced with clean oil which will collect less parts per million of iron as the worst of it has dropped into the first oil fill.
Against that we all know of cars that have had the gearbox oil changed at 50,000 miles if it is lucky and the gearbox and diff still works all those years later.
Some people change the car oil at short intervals others go out to the pub at the weekend and spend lots of money there.
I would not say anyone is wrong for doing a short oil change or going to the pub every week. Their money their choice.
I merely asked as I have a three month old Mazda 2 and was interested to know the thinking behind it. I didn’t say I disagreed or that it was wrong.
Over the past few years I have had about a dozen new cars including Ford, Honda, Kia and Mazda and have always relied on the manufacturers service schedules with no problems at all - hence my curiosity.
Might be wrong but to keep the warranty Mazda might insist on block exemption rules which would need receipts for the correct parts/oil and work done by a vat regd garage.
Sorry that I caused a spat about this. I only posted so that anyone considering the oil change would have some idea of what is involved. Its not a recommendation that you do ( or don’t) change the oil - that’s up to you.
The reason I did is because my transmission is a bit noisy and the change is ( was?) quite stiff when cold. A level check would have been sufficient but as that is the difficult part I though I might as well change it anyway. I’ll report back on the stiffness when I have done a few more runs.
When I replace the rear exhaust box I’ll probably change the axle oil too.
I find the comments about warranty a bit spurious but I can tell you that although retired I am fully qualified should that be questioned.
I had a quick google and see that Kia were taken to task over a vat garage requirement in 2011 and so removed it from their literature and website. We had a new Twingo in 2008 and I’m pretty sure Renault also asked for a vat garage back then. We used our local garage for 3 years servicing with all receipts and Renault were good as gold when we had a just-out-of-warranty claim at 3 year and a month.
How does block exemption work now then? Does the person doing the work need any qualification at all or is it up to the manufacturer to show they messed up if they don’t want to uphold a warranty issue?
Just a thought on the dark oil, has anyone had it analysed? If Mazda use a similar box they made a few mods for the Mk3.5 inc carbon on some synchro hubs iirc. Could that have coloured the oil during running in?
TOO MUCH pedantia if you want to change it do it I had 10 vans to service in my last job non had trans oil changes in 250 k miles never g/box prob over 8/9 years. mazda will have done long term testing and figures will be far less than any problem figs , Im old school [ 1000 mile oil and filter changes when I started ] but happily run engine oil for 10k miles before change but always use quality products and change filter at the same time . Waiting for incoming
There is no hard and fast way to prove the garage is up to spec as we have no quaification in this country that the mechanics must have. There are plenty qualifications that the garage mechanic can get and the younger ones will have these. Also most garages will belong to a trade scheme but as we know that can be nothing more than £100 a year subscription.
Yes if a garage is VAT registered and produces an invoice to show they have done the work, then a manufacturer would be hard pressed to refuse as BMW did recently when they refused to carry out warranty repairs as the car was serviced at a local garage. After the local garage’s national motor traders association got in touch with BMW they changed their mind.
It is possible that a one man garage can run a local garage without being VAT registered. If they turnover less than £82,000 a year. The advantages is that in a crowded market their labour costs are 16% lower than a registered trader. Their supplies have VAT on them and they have to pass that on. Therefore they are say 10% to 12% cheaper than a registered trader.
As soon as you are a two man garage or even you have a second mechanic coming in for two days a week to assist with the bigger jobs or to add some effort the small garage will hit the £82,000 turnover figure, therefore by default most garages are VAT registered.
Yes I agree with all of that Eddie and had just accepted the manufacturers used vat on the garage and parts bills as a way of establishing a bona-fide company and receipt. After all no-one with any sense messes with the vat man!
That’s not fair to non-vat folk though, like the op and diyers who can also do a good job, and smaller non-vat pro’s such as the mobile guy who won over Kia. So can we take it that diy servicing with a proper parts receipt would be acceptable for servicing during warranty period do you think?