New car - 2023 Mazda 3 2.5, same old questions.

[Bitter]

I finally got my new 2023 Mazda 3 2.5 base model after a 6 month production backlog. I've put about 350 miles on it and was planning on changing the factory fill at 1000 miles because no particular reason other than I'm 'old school' and worry about break-in/production debris in my new engine. I realize I'm probably just throwing away a perfectly good oil filter and oil but it's a cheap price for a little peace of mind.
According to Mazda 0W-20 for US and 5W-30 for the rest of the world, I'll stick with 0W-20 since it's got cylinder deactivation which relies on oil pressure to run that system and likely is tuned for the expected properties of 0W-20 oil.

My first question comes in at which filter to run. The OEM filter is equivalent to a Purolator 14612 size (68x65) but there's a 14610 size (68x85) that's the same gasket diameter, same thread, same bypass pressure, just a taller filter by 20mm. Filter sits behind the engine at a downward angle so I'm not concerned about it being low hanging fruit, if I hit the filter on something then I've also smashed the car bad enough that a dented filter is the least of my worries.
Is there any reason NOT to run the larger filter? They're the same price. I don't gain any significant oil volume. I get a little bit more filter area. Warranty might be at risk if I had an engine issue crop up?

2nd question, this is my first vehicle with DI. I haven't seen much about Mazda having fuel dilution issues or carbon build up issues with their PY-VPS 2.5 SkyActiv G engine. Other than drive it and change the oil every 5K miles or so is there anything I should be aware of or do differently or keep in mind not to do? I already know that generally frequent short cold trips and DI are not great and lead to fuel dilution, I see this on DI cars owned by older people at work often enough so we just do shorter OCI's on those vehicles. My typical driving schedule should be fine to avoid that, a good dose of highway and a little stop and go on. Should I get an aftermarket catch can to further reduce the risk of carbon build up or is that a myth that those help with that? I'm planning to keep the vehicle past 100,000 miles.

The outgoing Mazda 626 (FS-DE) clocked up to 208K and that engine runs like a tappy top with strong cross hatch still on the cylinder walls. It got 0W/5W/10W-30 Sythetic from Valvoline or Mobil and a PureOne filter every 5-7K miles for the past 120,000 miles. I'm hoping the new car can do the same long run for durability.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Congrats.

I would run the Mazda Tokyo Roki OE filters if still Japan sourced. It's a good filter.

During break in my Ford .Mazda 2L D.I. engine severely diluted my oil. Mazda has diverged from Ford in recent years, but I would keep an eye, nose and ear on that sump.

Sounds like you got this handled given past results.

Forget the typical new car jitters and drive on.

Oh ... is it a stick shift?

 

[Bitter]

Congrats.

I would run the Mazda Tokyo Roki OE filters if still Japan sourced. It's a good filter.

During break in my Ford .Mazda 2L D.I. engine severely diluted my oil. Mazda has diverged from Ford in recent years, but I would keep an eye, nose and ear on that sump.

Sounds like you got this handled given past results.

Forget the typical new car jitters and drive on.

Oh ... is it a stick shift?

Well I grabbed a M1 108a filter on sale on Amazon with an order last week so I'll just run that for my first OCI from 1000-6000 miles, I'm figuring that if I'm running 5K OCI's that as long as the filter is pretty decent M1, Purolator, etc it should be fine? I have checked the oil twice in the first 340 miles but I can't recall if I smelled it which means I probably did not.
Not a stick shift, this is a sedan which only comes in automatic. Evidently base model sedans are rare to come by and according to the sales manager they only allot about 5% of a production run to them per 3 month run. My initial order went in a little too late and missed the start of a run so I had to wait an extra 3 months. I had to get a base model to NOT get vinyl seats and 18" wheels. I do plan on swapping to some 17" wheels likely the 10 spokes off a NC Miata for summer rubber and keeping the OEM 16's for winter tires, adding seat heaters to the cloth seats, and a few other minor upgrades here and there that the base model is missing but that were not worth the jump in price to another trim up along with all the things I didn't want. I miss the days of old when you could ala-carte order cars.

 

[dnewton3]

Yup; you're right ... the same old questions about the same old topics.

 

[addyguy]

…and that’s okay, we should welcome new members, and if reassuring them about a basic question is how we do that, then that is what we do.
OP; You are correct Mazda’s do not seem to have issues with fuel dilution and problems with it, so any 0W-20 oil and a decent quality filter at 5k intervals will have that car running well longer than you will want!

 

[ATex7239]

According to Mazda 0W-20 for US and 5W-30 for the rest of the world, I'll stick with 0W-20 since it's got cylinder deactivation which relies on oil pressure to run that system and likely is tuned for the expected properties of 0W-20 oil.

What is this based on?

 

[kschachn]

What is this based on?

Imagination.

 

[TheOilWizard]

My first question comes in at which filter to run. The OEM filter is equivalent to a Purolator 14612 size (68x65) but there's a 14610 size (68x85) that's the same gasket diameter, same thread, same bypass pressure, just a taller filter by 20mm. Filter sits behind the engine at a downward angle so I'm not concerned about it being low hanging fruit, if I hit the filter on something then I've also smashed the car bad enough that a dented filter is the least of my worries.
Is there any reason NOT to run the larger filter? They're the same price. I don't gain any significant oil volume. I get a little bit more filter area. Warranty might be at risk if I had an engine issue crop up?

I've never felt comfortable running oversized filters, so my opinion is to simply run the proper size filter designed for your car. I'm not convinced you actually gain anything and, like you said, could complicate the warranty.

 

[Bitter]

What is this based on?

Imagination.

It uses a collapsing hydraulic lash adjuster style cylinder deactivation scheme which uses oil pressure to either keep the lifter pumped up and valves opening or it allows the lifter collapse and valves to not open. Since this uses oil to accomplish the feat and since it's critical to have the activation and deactivation timed to the position of the cam to avoid slamming the roller into the wrong part of the lobe and potentially causing damage I assumed that Mazda takes into account oil temperature then assumes viscosity and likely is timing the system on some assumptions for best performance. I read some technical papers about AFM failure in GM LS engines and one of the theories is mistimed lifter reactivation causing high loading on the roller and bearing leading to bearing damage and brinelling of the roller and lobe and then eventual failure of the roller and lobe surfaces and we all know how that goes. Tap tap tap chirp chirp chirp goes the neglected LS.
As for the oil viscosities themselves, I pulled that from AllData which probably got that information from Mazda as seen above. A little weird they don't call out an API oil spec for engines with CD at all, looking at spec listed for non CD engines it's the same ILSAC GF-V for the US but shows API SM for the rest of the world.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

View attachment 188219
It uses a collapsing hydraulic lash adjuster style cylinder deactivation scheme which uses oil pressure to either keep the lifter pumped up and valves opening or it allows the lifter collapse and valves to not open. Since this uses oil to accomplish the feat and since it's critical to have the activation and deactivation timed to the position of the cam to avoid slamming the roller into the wrong part of the lobe and potentially causing damage I assumed that Mazda takes into account oil temperature then assumes viscosity and likely is timing the system on some assumptions for best performance. I read some technical papers about AFM failure in GM LS engines and one of the theories is mistimed lifter reactivation causing high loading on the roller and bearing leading to bearing damage and brinelling of the roller and lobe and then eventual failure of the roller and lobe surfaces and we all know how that goes. Tap tap tap chirp chirp chirp goes the neglected LS.
As for the oil viscosities themselves, I pulled that from AllData which probably got that information from Mazda as seen above. A little weird they don't call out an API oil spec for engines with CD at all, looking at spec listed for non CD engines it's the same ILSAC GF-V for the US but shows API SM for the rest of the world.

You shot holes in your own theory; if the vehicle recommends 5w30 in the rest of the world, it will obviously work here.

 

[ATex7239]

View attachment 188219
It uses a collapsing hydraulic lash adjuster style cylinder deactivation scheme which uses oil pressure to either keep the lifter pumped up and valves opening or it allows the lifter collapse and valves to not open. Since this uses oil to accomplish the feat and since it's critical to have the activation and deactivation timed to the position of the cam to avoid slamming the roller into the wrong part of the lobe and potentially causing damage I assumed that Mazda takes into account oil temperature then assumes viscosity and likely is timing the system on some assumptions for best performance. I read some technical papers about AFM failure in GM LS engines and one of the theories is mistimed lifter reactivation causing high loading on the roller and bearing leading to bearing damage and brinelling of the roller and lobe and then eventual failure of the roller and lobe surfaces and we all know how that goes. Tap tap tap chirp chirp chirp goes the neglected LS.
As for the oil viscosities themselves, I pulled that from AllData which probably got that information from Mazda as seen above. A little weird they don't call out an API oil spec for engines with CD at all, looking at spec listed for non CD engines it's the same ILSAC GF-V for the US but shows API SM for the rest of the world.

Where does it say it is programmed differently though?

 

[kschachn]

You shot holes in your own theory; if the vehicle recommends 5w30 in the rest of the world, it will obviously work here.

Yep. So much imagination about grade sometimes and “programming” is at the forefront.

 

[Bitter]

You shot holes in your own theory; if the vehicle recommends 5w30 in the rest of the world, it will obviously work here.

Where does it say it is programmed differently though?

No. If this bugs you SO much to pick out ONE singular assumption that I made just so you can tell me I'm wrong you need to find a different hobby because....
I'm not playing this game here, I know this place better than that. We'll have a 20 page thread about CD and AFM and VCM, cam event timing, oil viscosity, and how everything everyone says or knows is wrong on some level or in some small way that completely invalidates everything they've ever done in their lives and buried somewhere in it will be 2 or 3 good posts about using oversize vs standard size oil filters and which oils are currently the best for DI engines.
So. Let's stay on topic, ok? I already said I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil and I already said why I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil. If this bothers you oh so very much you're welcome to sneak into my garage and change my oil to 5W-30 just to prove me wrong so you can give me the big "I told you so". Got it? Ok good. Let's move on.

 

[Eddie]

This discussion went nowhere. I agree with kschachn

 

[Oillover]

Yep. So much imagination about grade sometimes and “programming” is at the forefront.

True,
But if it helps them sleep better at night, who are we to suggest otherwise?

 

[ATex7239]

 

[kschachn]

No. If this bugs you SO much to pick out ONE singular assumption that I made just so you can tell me I'm wrong you need to find a different hobby because....
I'm not playing this game here, I know this place better than that. We'll have a 20 page thread about CD and AFM and VCM, cam event timing, oil viscosity, and how everything everyone says or knows is wrong on some level or in some small way that completely invalidates everything they've ever done in their lives and buried somewhere in it will be 2 or 3 good posts about using oversize vs standard size oil filters and which oils are currently the best for DI engines.
So. Let's stay on topic, ok? I already said I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil and I already said why I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil. If this bothers you oh so very much you're welcome to sneak into my garage and change my oil to 5W-30 just to prove me wrong so you can give me the big "I told you so". Got it? Ok good. Let's move on.

Because none of it is true. If it were then the other counties would be different, not to mention all the failures anywhere where there is cold-weather operation. Here in the upper Midwest there are many trips where the oil never reaches normal operating temperature. This is a much greater viscosity deviation than a grade.

It’s okay to be cautious but it’s the entire made up universe where mechanical mis-operation (in great detail) that’s the problem.

 

[Bitter]

Is there a specific reason, other than Mazda giving me a hard time about warranty if it went in with a taller filter, that I should not run a taller filter if it seals the same and has the same bypass pressure?

Because none of it is true. If it were then the other counties would be different, not to mention all the failures anywhere where there is cold-weather operation. Here in the upper Midwest there are many trips where the oil never reaches normal operating temperature. This is a much greater viscosity deviation than a grade.

It’s okay to be cautious but it’s the entire made up universe where mechanical mis-operation (in great detail) that’s the problem.

And the purpose of pointing this out is to tell me to run 5W-30? Or was the purpose just to tell me that I'm wrong?

 

[ATex7239]

No. If this bugs you SO much to pick out ONE singular assumption that I made just so you can tell me I'm wrong you need to find a different hobby because....
I'm not playing this game here, I know this place better than that. We'll have a 20 page thread about CD and AFM and VCM, cam event timing, oil viscosity, and how everything everyone says or knows is wrong on some level or in some small way that completely invalidates everything they've ever done in their lives and buried somewhere in it will be 2 or 3 good posts about using oversize vs standard size oil filters and which oils are currently the best for DI engines.
So. Let's stay on topic, ok? I already said I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil and I already said why I'm going to use 0W-20 engine oil. If this bothers you oh so very much you're welcome to sneak into my garage and change my oil to 5W-30 just to prove me wrong so you can give me the big "I told you so". Got it? Ok good. Let's move on.

Use whatever you want just don’t spread misinformation. You seem to be overly sensitive to comments maybe posing on the internet isn’t for you.

 

[Bitter]

Use whatever you want just don’t spread misinformation. You seem to be overly sensitive to comments maybe posing on the internet isn’t for you.

Just been through this endless loop way too many times before and have pawed through far too many threads here looking for information hidden amongst the bickering. This place has the reputation it does for a good reason.