Tell me how oil can effect my fuel economy

[S.G.D]

Hi guys, I'm new here,
I just got my MZ3 month ago, and about reaching her first 1K now. Everything just as prefect as it could be except the milage. I do 99.98% City driving and I only got 300KM per tank. I don't know if it's normal for 06' Mazda 3 AT Sports GT HB but it seems worst than worstest story I've heard.

But highway driving my MZ3 is perfectly good that give me 300KM+ half tank (cruise @ 100KM/H)

. My friend suggest me to try some better engine oil like M1, Amsoil, etc that will helps on milage, because he think 1) it's a new car; 2)I have a good driving style.

My questions are:
1.) Can a good engine oil helps milage?
2.) Will it better if I have oil changed before 8K? Because my dealer told me I only need change engine oil at every 8K, and they using Mazda brand oil.

3.) If both questions is YES then which brand I should use on my MZ3? Like German Castrol is very good but I can't find it anywhere in Vancouver.

Any input will be appreciate.

S.G.D

[ October 16, 2005, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]

 

[bar1]

What engine is that? 1.6 or 2.0? You have to expect high consumption if it's only short trip city driving. Mileage will be a little better when that engine is broken in.
1.) No. I expect Mazda already use xxW-30 or xxW-20 oil in your engine.
2.) It's a good thing to change oil and filter early in a new engine. This will not influence consumption, but engine life.
3.) (Full)Synthetic oil will perform better in cold start situations (I expect you have cold winters).

 

[michaelc80]

Your fuel mileage should improve somewhat once the engine is fully broken in. Let it get close to 10,000 miles on it before worrying too much. However don't ever expect it ever to be close to the highway driving numbers.

And....

 

[21Rouge]

quote:

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Originally posted by bar1:
(I expect you have cold winters).

---

Vancouver BC has amazingly moderate 'winters'....the best in Canada.

 

[bar1]

Thanx. I didn't know. I would recommend a synthetic even if the winters are mild (but below freezing).

 

[mshu7]

Hey S.G.D, I have an '05 Mazda3 Hatch (2.3L). If you don't want to spend the money on a full synthetic oil, I would suggest using Motorcraft 5w20. It's a synthetic blend and doesn't cost very much at all. I would suggest you do an oil change at 1K miles, and then again at 5K. A 5K OCI is probably what you'll want to go by with the MC 5w20. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to have a UOA done with a TBN to determine the best OCI. I do mostly highway driving with mine. The manual says to change the oil at 7500 miles for under normal conditions, so that's what I'll be sticking to while I'm under warranty.

I have a 5-spd manual and my gas mileage is great. However, I know people that have the 4-spd auto's in the '04 & '05 models are getting very bad gas mileage. I thought that the new 5-spd auto in the '06 would help that. But like others have said, wait till your engine is broken in before worrrying.

I'm sure a lot of people here would back me up when I say that MC 5w20 is a great oil for a great price. You might want to also check out http://www.mazda3forums.com/ .

 

[Russell]

Just for reference, my 95 bmw 525i 2.5 liter engine with 115,000 miles epas at 18 town, 25 highway. 1 get about 14-16 in medium stop and go in town. However I usually get 28-30 mpg at 65-75 at interstate speeds.

I use mobil 1 5w40 engine oil, mobil 1 synthetic atf and redline synthetic diff oil with recent plug and air filter change. I keep high quality 225x60 15 bridgestone turannza hl tires at 34-36 psi.

just my experience.

 

[Steelhead]

change the filter at 500 to 1000 km, prevents potential plugging from build debris in engine, leave manuf. breaking oil in the recommended time period. top off after filter change.
you Canucks have one really top oil we don't have access to down south, that good as gold Esso brand, search the forum for Esso
, use the 0w20 or 0w30 can't go wrong, as good as or better than Mobil 1, won't see more than a couple kmpg better on the thinner of the two. don't have to use Mazda oil, just use whatever spec your owners manual calls for, probably SM rated oils 0w20, 5w20, etc.

give that 4 cyl 5k to 10k km's breakin before you judge it's final km. per l. most 4 cyl. Hondas take up to 10k miles before the gas mileage max's out.
no redline spurts or runs until at least 5k km. take her out at least once a week for a 100km run on the BC autobahn, several runups to speed limit at max of 4k rpm on each shift, vary your cruise speed up and down, turn off the cruise control.
straight slow speed city driving only will kill that little high rpm marvel of Japanese high tech engine design.

[ October 16, 2005, 10:28 AM: Message edited by: Steelhead ]

 

[TomJones76]

In US terms, his 1 tank per 300 KM works out to 13 MPG.
Assuming his car is like most Fords and has 3 gallons left when he reads "Empty" then he is getting 16 MPG.
In REALLY heavy traffic I could believe 16 MPG for a car EPA rated at 24 MPG for city driving.
My car is rated for 20 MPG city, but I only get 15 MPG on the way to the ice cream shop two miles away that my wife makes me pick up her coconut cheesecake ice cram from. And that 15 MPG is with barely any traffic, just getting caught at a bunch of stoplights.

 

[ruking77]

I've driven my Z06 Corvette in Vancover BC. I thought getting 22-23 mpg in heavy traffic, when I am used to getting 26-31 mpg on the road was bad! I would not look to engine oil as the magic bullet here.

 

[Dad2leia]

My two cents is that it could've been a bad batch of fuel at the station as well. I've had that happen more than once, and it had nothing to do with the oil that I was running at the time.

 

[bobo]

Don't be in any rush to switch to synthetic until the engine has say 20,000 kilometres on it.
Let it break in first.

If the manual specifies 5w30 or 10w30 oil, consider Esso Extra XD3, 0w30, PAO, full synthetic.

You can get it through the Esso bulk plant. The distributor I got it from was M.R. Smith on Underhill (Lake City industrial park), just off the Lougheed Highway in Burnaby.