MazdaSpeed on Engine Oil - Page 2

Nov 13, 2004 | 12:44 PM

#26

valpac

Ahead of its time

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From: GA

Quote:

Originally Posted by quack_p

...The U.S. manual also recommends shift points of 12, 22, 29, 36, and 46 mph ...Now it seems obvious to me those shift points are intended to improve the car's fuel economy...

I know its off topic, but has anyone tried these SP's to improve gas mileage? Results? Looks kinda dull though.

Nov 13, 2004 | 12:47 PM

#27

MELRX8

"RX-8 my stress reliever"

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 201

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From: Keizer, Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by valpac

I know its off topic, but has anyone tried these SP's to improve gas mileage? Results? Looks kinda dull though.

Yuh, but it's like trying to find the center of a tootsie roll pop without biting!

Nov 13, 2004 | 12:54 PM

#28

bean438

Registered User

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 429

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From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

So, how many licks DOES it take to get to the center anyway?

Nov 13, 2004 | 01:06 PM

#29

MELRX8

"RX-8 my stress reliever"

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 201

Likes: 0

From: Keizer, Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by bean438

So, how many licks DOES it take to get to the center anyway?

Geez, I don't know, I could no more get to the center than I could go through a tank of gas shifting at those points!

Nov 13, 2004 | 02:00 PM

#30

valpac

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From: GA

just wondering if this is how Mazda got those unobtainable 18-24 mpg numbers.

Nov 13, 2004 | 02:09 PM

#31

MELRX8

"RX-8 my stress reliever"

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 201

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From: Keizer, Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by valpac

just wondering if this is how Mazda got those unobtainable 18-24 mpg numbers.

Could be, but I'm consistently getting between 19 & 25 city/highway figures with Shell V-Power gas Castrol GTX 5W-20.

Nov 13, 2004 | 05:47 PM

#32

sandia8

car for 2 and the dog

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 99

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From: CA

mazda says 10w-30 is fine for the rx-8

so why do 5w-30 or 5w-20
remember that 5w-30 would be worse than 5w-20 (bigger spread - longer molicular polymer chains )

Nov 13, 2004 | 07:41 PM

#33

MELRX8

"RX-8 my stress reliever"

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 201

Likes: 0

From: Keizer, Oregon

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandia8

mazda says 10w-30 is fine for the rx-8

so why do 5w-30 or 5w-20
remember that 5w-30 would be worse than 5w-20 (bigger spread - longer molicular polymer chains )

When I told MNAO that my dealer would use 10W-30 they told me to find a dealer that would follow the spec. Didn't want to do that so I supply my own Castrol GTX 5W-20.

Nov 14, 2004 | 09:53 AM

#34

crossbow

Registered User

Joined: Aug 2003

Posts: 839

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Quote:

just wondering if this is how Mazda got those unobtainable 18-24 mpg numbers.

Have you ever seen how the MPG numbers are calculated? Its a car, sitting inside a controlled environment (in a building), that undergoes a "programed" computer route. I don't know the US specifications, but 5th gear recently had a show where they actually video taped the MPG process. Its basically a condition that will never occur on the open road.

Here's a quote from
http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/420f04053.htm

Quote:

How are Vehicles Tested?
Vehicles are driven over identical driving patterns by professional drivers in controlled laboratory conditions on a dynamometer, which is like a treadmill for cars. The conditions that occur during driving, such as wind drag and inertia are accounted for on the dynamometer. There are two types of tests that are conducted: city and highway tests.

The city test is approximately 11 miles long and simulates a stop and go trip with an average speed of about 20 miles per hour (mph). The trip lasts 31 minutes and has 23 stops. About 18 percent of the time is spent idling (as in waiting for traffic lights). A short freeway driving segment is included in the test. The engine is initially started after being parked overnight.

The highway simulates a 10 mile trip with an average speed of 48 mph. The vehicle is started "hot" and there is very little idling and no stops.

Nov 14, 2004 | 10:20 AM

#35

Gord96BRG

Registered

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 2,845

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From: Calgary, AB

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver04RX8

I will stick with what the Owners manual say's. This seems to be an on-going debate, some say synthetic, some say follow the owners manual. Isnt there another thread somewhere dedicated to this whole subject?

Read your owners manual more carefully. It specifies 5W20 (5W30 outside North America), API spec SL. Nowhere does your owners manual say anything about NOT using synthetic. Follow? THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS YOUR OWNERS MANUAL IS CONCERNED.

As long as your synthetic oil is API SL 5W20, then your synthetic oil is perfectly compliant with all warranty requirements. "Follow your owners manual" and "synthetic" are NOT mutually exclusive. I use synthetic (Castrol Syntec).

PS - Brian Burrow (Mazdaspeed Motorsports) is very wrong - synthetics burn just fine - more cleanly than mineral oils, usually.

Regards,
Gordon