Totally Confused! ENGINE OIL?

Technical Area Engine, Transmission, Exhaust etc
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As the proud new owner of a 2005 Arctic (1.6), I have looked at some posters comments on type of engine oil to use.

The car has covered 50k from new and has full main dealer service history.

Dealer has used “factory” oil from new, which they tell me is 10-40 mineral!!

I want to look after this little gem, but who on earth still uses fully mineral anymore.

General help and advise for this newbie would be appreciated.

Thank you

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There is no legal guarantee that mineral oil does not contain some synthetic oil so stop worrying about this as you are worrying about nothing at all.

Buy any car engine oil that on the tin or tub says 10W/40 A3/B3 or A3/B4. The vast majority will be A3/B4 Do not worry about the brand or any other markings on the tin or tub.

3 Likes
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10w40 Semi Synthetic, every time for MK1 - MK2.5 MX5 cars  

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Hi Speedbird, I understand your dilemma, I went through the same a couple of years ago with my MK1. To be honest the guys on here and the posts convinced me that 10w/40 semi synthetic is the way to go. I ended up using shell helix 10w/40 semi and the engine is as sweet as a nut and there is no hydraulic tappet noise what so ever at start up. All the best.

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What oil does my Mx5/Miata/Roadster use and how much ?

MK 1 NA
Engine 1.6 and 1.8…3.5 Ltrs of semi synthetic oil 10-30
Gearbox Manual… 2 Ltrs of 75-90 / Automatic 7 Ltrs of dextron II power steering/autobox oil
Gearbox Turret oil manual 5Spd…90ml of your gearbox oil
Differential… 1 Ltr of of 75-90 
Power steering… 0.8 ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil


MK 2 
NB Engine 1.6 and 1.8…3.5 Ltrs of semi synthetic oil 10-30
Gearbox… Manual …5spd/6spd… 2 Ltrs of 75-90 / Automatic 7 Ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil
Gearbox Turret oil manual 5Spd only …90ml of your gearbox oil ( 6Spd is self fed from the gearbox )
Differential…1 Ltr of 75-90
Power steering… 0.8 ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil

MK 2.5 NBFL 
Engine 1.6…3.5 Ltrs of semi synthetic oil 10-30 ,/ 1.8 VVT Engine…3.5 Ltrs of Fully synthetic oil 0-30
Gearbox…Manual 5spd/6spd…2 Ltrs of 75-90 / Automatic 7 Ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil
Gearbox Turret oil manual 5Spd only …90ml of your gearbox oil ( 6Spd is self fed from the gearbox )
Differential… 1 Ltr of 75-90
Power steering… 0.8 ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil

Mk 3/3.5/3.75 NC 
Engine 1.8 and 2.0… 4.5 Ltrs of fully synthetic 0-30
Gearbox… Manual… 2 Ltrs of 75-30 / Automatic 7 Ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil
Differential… 2 Ltrs of 75-90
Power steering… 0.8 ltrs of Dextron II power steering/autobox oil

MK 4 ND 
Engine 1.5 and 2.0…
Gearbox…
Differential… 2 Ltrs of 75-90
Power steering…Electric

 

There you go…

M-m

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He asked about engine oil

10w40 semi synth in MK1 - MK2.5 is the usual recommendation but whilst we are at it… 

5w30 fully synth in MK3

Always recommend filter change but in any event you will need at least 4 litres of oil IIRC  

 

 

 

 

 

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Fully synth for the MK 2.5 NB VVT and there after the guide is correct and says it all . semi synth for everything else., end of.

M-m

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end of what? - I don’t agree with you.

 

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Agree 100% 

you can run 10w30 in mk1 - mk2.5 as well as 10w40

and definitely 5w30 in all mk3s  as for 0w30 definitely not in my guides or according to mazda or ford 

And last but not least mk4 all models 0w30 or 5w30 

 

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So if others come in and read this, it can and will be read incorrect and the wrong oil dropped into engines , remember other owners will read this, at no point do any of you correctly state what goes into what in them all…

 

So i’ll keep this simple …

For the OP…

For your MK 2.5 NBFL 1.6, the engine is the same engine as the MK 2 NB, and you need to get 10/30 or 10/40 semi synth oil regardless of make, asda have good deals on 4 Ltrs of castrol GTX job done, and i am sure i seen it in aldi also?

 

 

And what is NOT clarified in any of this when the "info " for them all is being thrown… bar the guide i personally put together to help the fellow owners not make mistakes from being asked so many times is… 

NOT all the so called MK 2.5 NBFL models use semi synth oil, the 1.8 VVT version NEEDS, and i state NEEDS to use fully synth, other wise you will get fault readings…

I have dealt with many 2.5 vvt’s with the wrong oil in that “WILL” give issues 100%, yes i know the OP was asking about his personal 1.6NB he as bought, but you are throwing all the other versions into play and that being the case then it it needs to be correct info for owners to follow with faith, my guide states the engine oils and loads more it was just easier to copy and paste the full section of info which i am sure owners will use, agree with the filter change it is in the bible, think about the heading and the searches owners will do, it is not pin pointing any one version.

If i am wrong so be it , sorry for thinking of them all and the whole picture…

Here is the full link … http://www.mazdamenders.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=6885&fbclid=IwAR0_W8_3wcqBMyOH2TvpUdmtZcdgzULlYJqAGHRVOy13ea76429gEpG_VOI

Getting the hang of this adding links on here now.

M-m

 

 

 

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I am also inclined to disagree with the capacity you quote in your guides for the MK1/MK2 but please put me right as not entirely sure of my facts and this is either right or wrong. From the point of view of giving good advice where opinion has no place we need to get this right. When I change the oil in our MK1/Eunos 1.6 cars. I drain as much as possible out of the sump via the sump plug on a hot engine and replace the filter. Always work with a 5 litre container of oil and have a strong feeling that to replace oil to the top of the range on the dipstick is 4 litres+. Lots of oil sold in 4 litre containers now so please can this be clarified.     

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Well having run VVi engines for years and years, 15 years in fact, and over many tens of thousands of miles, the Mrs’s car that did the tyre video, was on the stand at the Classic car show, at Rockingham this year, and many other times and for that matter on the Grand Tour and is now on 120k has always had 10 W40 semi synthetic. The black supercharged car that appears in Ring video’s equally has been run on similar oil.  I did try lower viscosity and fully synthetic oil in the black on but found it confirmed what Mark Adams (Only MX-5’S)  had told me a couple of years before which was the engines burn fully synthetic as it “too thin”. Now I don’t  know if “too thin” is correct but it certainly needed topping up.

You would ideally use a low ash oil to prevent blockages in the VVi valve through deposits but these can be avoided with the occasoccas engine flush. 

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I think you will find that you came in spouting off info that wasn’t needed and quote “throwing all the versions into play” especially in the mk3 where very incorrect info was given engine oil wise

you also copy and pasted info for the mk4 and left it blank so that was a very comprehensive guide

So maybe its you who is misleading the forum

 

 

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OK i see we cannot teach stupid, enjoy lol.

M-m

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So it would appear:-)

 

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I see your one of those people who cant play nice

were you an only child ??

 

Lets let people make there own decisions  from the info given

 

 

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This is going well then.

And…breathe…

 

 

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Yep lol

 

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Yep.  It’s getting to the point where it now resembles the “Have Your Say” threads on the BBC News sites.  Lots of heated exchanges, insults and eventually moderator interventions.