Mazda 2.0L & SSO 0W-30?

[pjp9543]

First post--been lurking for a while--have learned a lot.

I have a '02 Mazda Protege 2.0L engine. Manual calls for either 5w30 or 10w30. I'm at 70,000 (got the car at 45K, 2nd owner) on the engine and 8,500 miles with ASL 5w30 / EAO filter (mostly winter driving) and will drain and do a UOA. Have burned a tad, I think, but have not added any oil.

First run of Amsoil; used Mobil 1 5w30 the two changes previous to ASL--first change at 5k, 2nd at 7500. Didn't burn any with the Mobil 1 but wasn't doing the high speed commute then, either. Blackstone said #s and TBN all OK. Anxious to see the results on the ASL--car seems to like it better than the Mobil.

I do a lot of freeway commuting at 65-70 mph, some stop/go. Is the Amsoil SSO suitable for this car? This is a high-reving engine and I grind away at 70 every day for about an hour. . . .

I learned here that there's a lot of good oils and each can be different in each car--any advice/thoughts are welcome on this car, though. I'd like to take the car out to 200K or more and like long drain intervals but don't want to push it.

Thanks in advance--
PJP

 

[Pablo]

IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.
How so? Has there been a track record with this oil?

 

[pjp9543]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.


Could you say some more about this? I think, from reading the SSO thread, that you have it in your Volvo and like it?

There isn't much of a record yet--but people who use it so far like it. This Mazda's engine is under some stress and I just want to do the best I can for it. . . .which is probably not driving extended periods every day on the highway, but I'm stuck for now.

 

[mechtech2]

Highway driving is the best driving for the engine.
Really.
0-30 is a near perfect viscosity.

 

[02zx9r]

the asl or sso will do good in this car with longer intervals and with the eao filter as well. would like to see that report

 

[pjp9543]

Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
the asl or sso will do good in this car with longer intervals and with the eao filter as well. would like to see that report


OK--thanks everyone. I'll give the SSO a try. By the time I change out the ASL 5w30 in there now, I'll be pushing 9K. I'll post that UOA and maybe the Mobil 1 7500K UOA before it for comparison. And, months from now, I'll post the SSO. If the ASL looks OK at ~9K I might try for at least that with the SSO. All variations on good oil. . . .

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: pjp9543
Originally Posted By: Pablo
IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.


Could you say some more about this? I think, from reading the SSO thread, that you have it in your Volvo and like it?

There isn't much of a record yet--but people who use it so far like it. This Mazda's engine is under some stress and I just want to do the best I can for it. . . .which is probably not driving extended periods every day on the highway, but I'm stuck for now.


like mechtech stated, highway driving is the best you can do for your motor and oil. Steadily rolling along at 70mph is good. No worries. Steadily rolling along WOT all day every day, well.....

 

[pjp9543]

Originally Posted By: 02zx9r
Originally Posted By: pjp9543
Originally Posted By: Pablo
IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.


Could you say some more about this? I think, from reading the SSO thread, that you have it in your Volvo and like it?

There isn't much of a record yet--but people who use it so far like it. This Mazda's engine is under some stress and I just want to do the best I can for it. . . .which is probably not driving extended periods every day on the highway, but I'm stuck for now.


like mechtech stated, highway driving is the best you can do for your motor and oil. Steadily rolling along at 70mph is good. No worries. Steadily rolling along WOT all day every day, well.....


Yeah, that's what's bugging me--a little. The Protege is a great driver at less than interstate speeds. Not built to be a highway cruiser. At 62-66 car feels good, at 70+ it starts to strain, at least to me. Over that, forget it: the car is doing something it isn't supposed to and it tells you. WOT = not good. On to the SSO. . .and let's keep it under 70! : )

 

[02zx9r]

on my corolla, i got it strictly as a commuter car, so I set the cruise between 65-75 depending on my mood and just roll on

 

[pjp9543]

L-o-v-e the corolla. At least the old ones--don't know the new ones. I had a '90 5-spd wagon with just 150k on it a few years ago. that's a few generations back, but still. . . . I got it from the 1st owner who had done something bad: car burned oil (a lot) and was end-of-life before its life should have ended.

Want to avoid that with the Mazda. I'm used to having them rust out from under me

but I hate to see the engine go south first.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: pjp9543
Originally Posted By: Pablo
IMHO SSO is way better than ASL for highway driving and consumption.


Could you say some more about this? I think, from reading the SSO thread, that you have it in your Volvo and like it?

There isn't much of a record yet--but people who use it so far like it. This Mazda's engine is under some stress and I just want to do the best I can for it. . . .which is probably not driving extended periods every day on the highway, but I'm stuck for now.


Well I base it on more than just BITOG. Not all my customers post here, and even a smaller sample post UOA's. But there is enough of a track record already to say the SSO is a great highway oil based on consumption (with ASL being OK*, but not great at consumption) and UOA's being good on both but SSO being superior. Some Mazda engines included as well.

*However with both oils and particularly with ASL first time use after petroleum, consumption may be higher for the first couple OCI's.

 

[Max_Wander]

That protege is geared way too low in overdrive as far as I can recall, so I too think the SSO would be perfect.. It's a reduced drag oil isnt it? perfect I say....