2010 Mazda Speed 3 correct oil?

[Harryclay]

Today I went out to do my first oil change and misread the owners manual for the wrong engine. I ended up putting in 5W 20 Valvoline full synthetic and after I poured it in and put the cap on I see on that oil cap that it says 5W 30. It is summertime here so it can get really hot. It is a turbocharged direct injection 2.3L. Do you guys think that a 5W 20 will be okay or should I change it? I feel this is more out of curiosity because I am going to need to change it due to warrenty issues, and piece of mind anyways.

 

[PW01]

I would change the oil to the specified weight, if it were my car.

 

[rjacket]

I believe that synpower is generally on the heavier side so you may be closer to a 5w30 than would be the case with other 5w20s.

I don't think you have to change it for warranty purposes. How would they know?

If you engine doesn't spec synthetic, then you have less reason to change it since a syn 5w20 is going to give you more protection than a dino 5w20. However it is a turbo so that is another consideration.

If your driving style is aggressive, then you may want to change it. If you're an average driver, then the 5w20 is probably fine.

Also, if you do change it, you can keep 5w20 oil for another application that you'd feel would be ok with that weight. No need to dispose of it.

 

[Eddie]

I would change it to the correct oil. I feel this is especially important for the first few changes. Save the oil if you can and use for other things as rjacket suggested.

 

[barlowc]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
I believe that synpower is generally on the heavier side so you may be closer to a 5w30 than would be the case with other 5w20s.


Not really. Looking at the numbers, the viscosity of SynPower 5W-20 is pretty average. V@100 = 8.65 and V@40 = 48.00. Castrol EDGE 5w30 which is one of the lightest 5w30s has V@100 = 9.80 and V@40 = 54.17.

To throw some more numbers out there for comparison, SynPower 5w30 has V@100 = 10.50 and V@40 = 59.00.

If it were my car, I'd drain and fill with 5w30. The 5W-20 just gave you a "clean oil flush".

 

[brandini]

hop up to a 10w-40 in that motor, it has a LONG stroke for such a turboed motor and the 40 will cook less on the back of the intake valves since nothing is cleaning them off.

You might want to seafoam every 15k miles too

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: barlowc
Originally Posted By: rjacket
I believe that synpower is generally on the heavier side so you may be closer to a 5w30 than would be the case with other 5w20s.


Not really. Looking at the numbers, the viscosity of SynPower 5W-20 is pretty average. V@100 = 8.65 and V@40 = 48.00. Castrol EDGE 5w30 which is one of the lightest 5w30s has V@100 = 9.80 and V@40 = 54.17.

To throw some more numbers out there for comparison, SynPower 5w30 has V@100 = 10.50 and V@40 = 59.00.

If it were my car, I'd drain and fill with 5w30. The 5W-20 just gave you a "clean oil flush".

Sure but the following is what I meant:

1) Min viscosity at operating temp for a 5w30 is 9.3
2) Synpower 5w20 is 8.65
3) The OP didn't say whether synthetic was mandatory for his engine, but assume it isn't.

Therefore, he is quite close (simplistically 7% off) to the recommended viscosity at operating temp and is using synthetic to boot. There's a good chance that a dino 5w30 would shear down to a 5w20 range quite quickly, whereas the synthetic 5w20 would remain stable. Not that the OP will use a dino 5w30 but that the manufacturer knows it is a possibility.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Harryclay
Today I went out to do my first oil change and misread the owners manual for the wrong engine. I ended up putting in 5W 20 Valvoline full synthetic and after I poured it in and put the cap on I see on that oil cap that it says 5W 30. It is summertime here so it can get really hot. It is a turbocharged direct injection 2.3L. Do you guys think that a 5W 20 will be okay or should I change it? I feel this is more out of curiosity because I am going to need to change it due to warrenty issues, and piece of mind anyways.

to BITOG!

I would change it back. Turbochargers and direct injection are both hard on oil, and your car has both. It would be best not to gamble on a thinner oil.

 

[Harryclay]

They didnt say that synthetic was mandatory by the way. I eneded up just draining it and puting the same oil at the 5W 30 weight. Thanks for the info guys.

 

[JAG]

Well at least you got a flush in the process.

 

[CaspianM]

2010 Mazda CX7 touring has the same engine and it specefies 5W-20.

 

[Thermo1223]

Good Job.

Always you synthetic though, your engine will thank you.

 

[sangyup81]

Originally Posted By: CaspianM
2010 Mazda CX7 touring has the same engine and it specefies 5W-20.

Does the CX-7 have a turbo?

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
Originally Posted By: CaspianM
2010 Mazda CX7 touring has the same engine and it specefies 5W-20.

Does the CX-7 have a turbo?


Yes, it does.

 

[CharlieJ]

The Cx7 with the 2.5L NONTURBO engine is speced for 5w-20. The TURBO version is speced for 5w30.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: CharlieJ
The Cx7 with the 2.5L NONTURBO engine is speced for 5w-20. The TURBO version is speced for 5w30.


Charlie is right, for 2010, the CX-7 is available in two engine choices the 2.5 NA and 2.3 turbo charged engines. The 2.5 specs 5W-20 and the turbo scpecs 5W30.