Notices
RX-8 Discussion General discussion about the RX-8 that doesn't fit in one of the specialty forums.

Checking Engine Oil

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 12-20-2006, 07:05 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
06RX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Checking Engine Oil

Hey, first off I read the manual and dont understand this dipstick thing.

the dipstick has 3 measuring points and between each is .5 quarts?

Lets say that the oil is a little below full. How much do I need to add. I bought 1 quart of penzoil and am keeping it in my trunk. How often do i have to add oil also. My main thing is i dont want to overfill it and I am not 100% sure of how much to add.
Old 12-20-2006, 07:07 PM
  #2  
Baned
 
rglbegl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: By a lake
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
If you don't need to replace your hood latch every 6 months, you are not checking the oil often enough.
Old 12-20-2006, 07:15 PM
  #3  
GR8FUL
 
Gray06's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: N W FL
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am new here also and today I just change the oil at 975 miles. About 1 QT for each section on the stick. Make sure let the be shutdown a good 5 minutes before checking it.
My $.02 worth.
Old 12-20-2006, 07:18 PM
  #4  
Registered User
 
Butch Brown's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Pillow, PA
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
When I get mine changed at the dealer they put 1 1/2 gts too much in, pisses me off. I even left a note in the car for them DON'T OVERFILL OIL. Get the bill 5 gts. overthe fill line at least an inch, can't say it ever caused a problem though. I read about it causing oil to enter the intake but that hasn't occured.
Old 12-20-2006, 07:32 PM
  #5  
Registered
 
RX8Maine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 558
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
I am pretty sure oil in the intake is due to improper filling method, not overfilling, though severe overfilling could probably also do it. The PCV system has a connection from the filler neck to the intake to recirculate crankcase gasses. If you fill too quickly without a funnel, some oil is literally POURED into the intake. I am pretty sure the dealer where I bought the car did this.

I do my own oil changes using a funnel that ends below the PCV hose. So far, with 2 oil changes, no more oil in the intake.
Old 12-20-2006, 07:34 PM
  #6  
Registered
 
RX8Maine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 558
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Gray06
About 1 QT for each section on the stick.
0.5qt per section.
Old 12-20-2006, 08:10 PM
  #7  
Its all about Style...
 
Clavius's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: South of Boston, MA
Posts: 3,337
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by RX8Maine
I am pretty sure oil in the intake is due to improper filling method, not overfilling, though severe overfilling could probably also do it. The PCV system has a connection from the filler neck to the intake to recirculate crankcase gasses. If you fill too quickly without a funnel, some oil is literally POURED into the intake. I am pretty sure the dealer where I bought the car did this.

I do my own oil changes using a funnel that ends below the PCV hose. So far, with 2 oil changes, no more oil in the intake.
Ahh this happened to me recently, dealer had my car for a CEL and as they um "Tried to diagnois the problem" they took my oil cap off and put oil in. Sadly they over filled it and ran all the way into my intake. Now that is a mess and a half let me tell you. Went back to the dealer and they recleaned my entire intake system and gave me a new filter. They tried saying it was me for a split second till I told them I have a R-Magic Oil cap and when I last left it, the wording on the cap was facing directly down the front of the car (I'm **** like that) and when I was cleaning the intake I noticed it was turned about 40 degree's.

Rule of thumb by some is about 1k miles or every 3 fill ups either or, just depends on your driving habits. I dont drive alot and a full tank last me about 2 weeks (all 120miles of that tank UGH! lol). If you've not noticed yet the pass through to the trunk has a lil cubby hole, a large majority of us use it to store a bottle of oil just incase yanno .
Old 12-20-2006, 10:02 PM
  #8  
Registered
 
ken-x8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Originally Posted by 06RX8
Lets say that the oil is a little below full. How much do I need to add. I bought 1 quart of penzoil and am keeping it in my trunk. How often do i have to add oil also. My main thing is i dont want to overfill it and I am not 100% sure of how much to add.
None.

Wait until the level is down to the first mark below full. Then add half a quart.

Do Pennzoil bottles have a scale on the side? If so, that makes it easy. If not, switch to a brand that does.

Anyway, after you top off half a quart, put the half bottle back in your trunk. Then the next time it's down a half (approximately 837 miles later, but that can vary) just dump the remaining half in.

Buy another bottle and start over.

And be thankful that these days oil comes in screw-top bottles.

Ken
Old 12-20-2006, 10:03 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
swerver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My rule of thumb is "Oops, I haven't checked the oil in a long time"..........

To the original poster, do the math. If the dipstick says add .5 quarts, just do it. You ain't gonna kill your car if its running like 1/8 a quart low. For that matter, you aren't gonna kill the car if its running 1.5 quarts low.

To others: Yes, they always overfill the oil on my regular check-ups. Their excuse is that most drivers don't understand this concept that they have to check their oil on a regular basis so they over-fill to give some insurance............could argue this point all day but I made it abundantly clear not to over-fill my oil. My point is that if Mazda doesn't think that a bit of over-fill will kill thier cars then why worry about it.............

So I just just my oil when I think about it which is usually around 1000 miles since the last time I checked. Even then, after a 1000 miles, its usually only takes about 1/4 quart to top her off.........

Everybody, quit worrying so much..........!!!!
Old 12-21-2006, 07:36 AM
  #10  
space for rent
iTrader: (2)
 
CTrx8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 2,714
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 06RX8
Hey, first off I read the manual and dont understand this dipstick thing.

the dipstick has 3 measuring points and between each is .5 quarts?

Lets say that the oil is a little below full. How much do I need to add. I bought 1 quart of penzoil and am keeping it in my trunk. How often do i have to add oil also. My main thing is i dont want to overfill it and I am not 100% sure of how much to add.
i hate to pick on you here but all the threads you have started have already been asked before. just take a couple days to read through some threads and you'll have your answers.
Old 12-21-2006, 09:02 AM
  #11  
Registered
 
puch96's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Milan, Michigan
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by swerver
My point is that if Mazda doesn't think that a bit of over-fill will kill thier cars then why worry about it.............
Well, I sometimes tend to disagree with this... I think there are a lot of dealerships that have mechanics working on your car that don't really **** about the rotary engine.
Just because it is a Mazda dealer doesn't mean anything.
Old 12-21-2006, 04:17 PM
  #12  
Registered User
 
Huskyfan23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by rglbegl
If you don't need to replace your hood latch every 6 months, you are not checking the oil often enough.
This post is a horrible misconception of oil consumption with the RX8. I only need to check it once every 1500 - 2000 miles. Oil consumption varies with each model....most likely, he won't have to check it "every couple of fillups" once he learns how much his 8 will burn.
Old 12-21-2006, 06:34 PM
  #13  
Registered User
 
tmak26b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oil consumption is depended to your right foot, my fiance can go 1500 miles before adding a quart of oil. My last RX-7 did one quart every 1500 miles under normal driving, 1000 when beating on it.
Old 12-22-2006, 04:32 PM
  #14  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
06RX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Guys, seriously I have no idea when to add the oil in this car and how much. I know you told me but can someone please explain this again.

_______F__.__.__L__/


This is how the dip stick looks. Right now my oild after 380 miles is just a tad below the F. How much should I add to get it to the F? Also lets say the oil goes down from the F to the first dot ..example ( ___F__. ) How much oil do I add to get it back to the Full mark.

PLease help and remember that at one point you were new to this to.

Thanks
Old 12-22-2006, 06:29 PM
  #15  
Registered Abuser
 
Socr8tes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by 06RX8
Guys, seriously I have no idea when to add the oil in this car and how much. I know you told me but can someone please explain this again.

_______F__.__.__L__/


This is how the dip stick looks. Right now my oild after 380 miles is just a tad below the F. How much should I add to get it to the F? Also lets say the oil goes down from the F to the first dot ..example ( ___F__. ) How much oil do I add to get it back to the Full mark.

PLease help and remember that at one point you were new to this to.

Thanks


By any chance do your parents make you wear a helmet whenever you leave the house?
Old 12-22-2006, 08:02 PM
  #16  
Registered
 
RX8Maine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Richland, WA
Posts: 558
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Socr8tes
By any chance do your parents make you wear a helmet whenever you leave the house?
pwned.
Old 12-22-2006, 09:40 PM
  #17  
Registered
 
ken-x8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
after 380 miles is just a tad below the F. How much should I add to get it to the F?
If it were down to the first dot, you'd add half a quart.

Since it's just a tad below the F, a mouthful should be enough.

Ken
Old 12-22-2006, 09:51 PM
  #18  
livin' the dream
 
volk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ken-x8
If it were down to the first dot, you'd add half a quart.

Since it's just a tad below the F, a mouthful should be enough.

Ken
Nice! Actaully laughed at something on the fifth thread about oil consumption.
Old 12-24-2006, 10:46 PM
  #19  
Zoom-Freakin'-Zoom
iTrader: (5)
 
swoope's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: orlando, fl
Posts: 14,602
Received 35 Likes on 31 Posts
Originally Posted by Socr8tes
By any chance do your parents make you wear a helmet whenever you leave the house?
hopefully with a light so he can try to check it at night.. der dew de dew..

beers
Old 12-26-2006, 02:27 PM
  #20  
Klingon Grammarian
 
Krankor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Bellevue, WA
Posts: 1,204
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by 06RX8
This is how the dip stick looks. Right now my oild after 380 miles is just a tad below the F. How much should I add to get it to the F? Also lets say the oil goes down from the F to the first dot ..example ( ___F__. ) How much oil do I add to get it back to the Full mark.
The short answer is: NONE

The long answer is: NONE and stop obsessing over oil!

The whole reason you have a range on the dipstick is because there is a range of oil quantity that can happily be in the car. The oil level does NOT need to be on full. Someone said wait until it gets down to the first mark and then add a half quart, but I don't even agree with that. Too much trouble! And I don't wanna be hauling around an open, half empty bottle of oil that might spill and leak. The car will be JUST FINE if you let it get down to around the second mark and add a full quart, which is much easier. You just dump the whole bottle in and don't have to worry about anything. And you still have a whole half-quart buffer zone in case you forget and are a little late adding your quart.

And what's more, even in the worst-case scenario, if you don't remember to fill it at all, there's an idiot light in the car that tells you to add more. While I don't recommend letting it go that far, it's not the end of the world if it does. I had it happen to me once, and, remarkably, nothing bad ever happened to the car.
Old 12-26-2006, 08:00 PM
  #21  
Registered
 
ken-x8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 5,027
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
The oil level does NOT need to be on full. Someone said wait until it gets down to the first mark and then add a half quart, but I don't even agree with that. Too much trouble!
I believe I was the one who said that. But you're right - if it's too much trouble, waiting til it needs a whole quart is fine. There's still a half quart margin.

Lots of cars out there with one quart between the marks, and we'd always put a quart in when the level was down to the bottom.

I keep the traditional bottle of oil in my RX-8's trunk, and I enjoy fondling the car enough that I do top off at the half quart mark. But those half-quart fillups have always been done in the comfort of my garage, with the leftover half quart sitting on a shelf where it won't pose a leak problem. At a quart every couple of thousand miles, it's not like finding some when you need it will be a problem. Unlike clunkers I used to run, where I'd keep a case of oil (and a case of ATF) in the trunk.

Ken
Old 12-26-2006, 08:36 PM
  #22  
Klingon Grammarian
 
Krankor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Bellevue, WA
Posts: 1,204
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by ken-x8
I keep the traditional bottle of oil in my RX-8's trunk, and I enjoy fondling the car enough that I do top off at the half quart mark. But those half-quart fillups have always been done in the comfort of my garage, with the leftover half quart sitting on a shelf where it won't pose a leak problem. At a quart every couple of thousand miles, it's not like finding some when you need it will be a problem. Unlike clunkers I used to run, where I'd keep a case of oil (and a case of ATF) in the trunk.

Ken
And that's perfectly fine and reasonable. I just wanted people like the OP to understand that it's not necessary, that people top off the oil more frequently just because they like to.
Old 12-27-2006, 02:25 AM
  #23  
Registered
 
grinn253's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 219
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lightbulb

Originally Posted by Krankor
The short answer is: NONE

The long answer is: NONE and stop obsessing over oil!

The whole reason you have a range on the dipstick is because there is a range of oil quantity that can happily be in the car. The oil level does NOT need to be on full. Someone said wait until it gets down to the first mark and then add a half quart, but I don't even agree with that. Too much trouble! And I don't wanna be hauling around an open, half empty bottle of oil that might spill and leak. The car will be JUST FINE if you let it get down to around the second mark and add a full quart, which is much easier. You just dump the whole bottle in and don't have to worry about anything. And you still have a whole half-quart buffer zone in case you forget and are a little late adding your quart.

And what's more, even in the worst-case scenario, if you don't remember to fill it at all, there's an idiot light in the car that tells you to add more. While I don't recommend letting it go that far, it's not the end of the world if it does. I had it happen to me once, and, remarkably, nothing bad ever happened to the car.
Good Post
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Silver_Excalibur
Series I Tech Garage
23
06-06-2019 07:23 PM
mr. GrandGame
New Member Forum
5
03-23-2016 10:16 AM
akagc
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
7
08-11-2015 07:07 PM
marc2820
New Member Forum
6
07-26-2015 10:47 PM
RotaryRider
New Member Forum
11
07-20-2015 07:05 AM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Checking Engine Oil



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:23 PM.