ArthurY

My 2005 RX-8 (bought in June) has 2300+ miles on it. I checked the engine oil a few times already and it hasn't moved a bit. The oil meter also says the same thing. Is this normal or has the last TSB really got it right? The dealer said they applied all the latest TSB before they let the car out of the lot.

Red_X8

Are you driving it hard yet or pretty easy? I have noticed when I drive the car really easy there is very little oil consumption.

BunnyGirl

I have right around 6000 miles on my car, two oil changes, and my car has used up 2-1/4 quarts of oil so far, so it seems to be around what others have reported of 1 quart per 3000 miles.

Razz1

Depends upon how hard you drive it.

ArthurY

Most the time, I'm at around 4500 RPM on the freeway and move up to 5-6K RPM when I need to zip in+out. I rev it up to around 7-8K a couple of times per week. I use up 1 tank of 92 octane gas per 5 day week. Weekends I use another vehicle.

Is this still normal?

I also notice that as the weather gets cooler (we're getting 55-58 deg mornings these days) , the mileage is also beter for gas consumption.

BlueSky

my my consumption is pretty low too. I've only added a quart and its been about 2000 miles now.

Raptor2k

There's an oil TSB? o_0

Anyway, my dipstick's oil moved from a notch above medium to below low in like 900 miles. I started the car up today and saw the oil sign. My heart skipped a beat, so I ran over to my stash of 5W-20 oil and fed it a quart and a half . I should probably cut down on the redlining....I hit the rev limiter a dozen times a day maybe?

ArthurY

That's what's worrying me ... I have not added a single drop of oil in the last 2300+ miles. Dip-stick showed no change.

BlueSky

Dipstick's kinda hard to read as well. I've gotta hold it up to light and peer at it from wierd angles to see where the oil really starts.

ArthurY

Can you recommend a better way to check oil levels? I heard from others that the oil meter on the dashboard is not accurate and it should not be relied on for minute changes. Please advise.

Red_X8

The oil pressure gauge is a dummy gauge, it will never read anywhere else except a little off center, you should always rely on visually checking it yourself.

NoTears316

True, all that gauge is saying is that you have oil pressure. It will either be slightly off center or have no reading at all.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

I drive really hard, and my oil consumtion is about 1 quart every 1000~ miles.

I just checked yesterday, I have about a bit more than 1/2 left.

Hightshoe

You can drill a few small holes in your dipstick (one at full/medium/low). It makes it much easier to read.

labutler

My 2004 mt uses very little oil. It has less than 9K miles on it and I've added about half a quart during it's life with me.

Raptor75

My 05 burns a qrt. every 700 miles and the last one was 500 miles. I have the new flash so we will see what it dose.

Unhooked

Personally I'd rather have my car burn more oil than none

9291150

I was wonder'n about this too, at 16000kms (10000 miles), three oil changes, hitting the redline daily, I'm using far less than before. Less than half a qrt. over the last 1000! I still check after every 2nd fill, or 800kms.

And yeah, forget about the gauge. But I remember Car & Driver's long term RX8 having the oil light coming on "constantly" to remind them to top up.

Socr8tes

What do you mean, "got it right"? It's SUPPOSED to use oil by design. Perhaps you had unrealistic expectations due to the overblown oil consumption threads here. Or maybe it was just overfilled when you took possession. Either way, stop obsessing and enjoy the car. Check the dipstick every other fill up, and when it gets low, add oil. And stop using the oil pressure gauge as an oil level gauge.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Agreed.

Mine actually consumes virtually no oil as well.
That is one of the reasons I use premix these days.

I change my oil every 3k miles and if it uses 1/8 of a quart in that time it is a lot.

DrDiaboloco

Well, THIS part doesn't sound "normal".

Haze

If he has a manual then he's averaging 90 somethin' or he is driving in fifth.

Personally, I think that he has a reason to be worried. Driving at those RPMs he should be going through about a 1/2 quart per 500 miles. I would have the dealer check the metering pump and make sure that all is going alright.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

^^ Why not? My Renesis spends most of its life at 4500 RPM.
65 MPH in 4th is 4500 RPM or so. IIRC, that is about 80 in 6th. (I'm sure I'm off, but it is in the ballpark.)

DrDiaboloco

Because, as Haze said, that's about 90mph in sixth. That's not "normal" for people who still have their license. I don't know about y'all, but I don't live in a mystical land where you can do that speed "most of the time" and not end up with an up-close meeting with the local constabulary. Even in those parts of Texas with an 80mph limit, doing ten over in those zones seems to be an invitation for the po-leece. Spurts for passing? Sure. "Most of the time"? Certainly not... And the way it's worded, there's the "zip in +out" thing to be considered, which I assume means a downshift and accelerating.

Either that or I don't understand why you'd use lower gears when cruising on the freeway, unless you forget to shift. Not that this has ever happened to ME, of course. I've never had it in fifth for about ten minutes before I realized what I was doing. Never.

Raz0rama

True dat.. I've never had it in fourth for about 30 minutes before I realized what I was doing....