For what it's worth...

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/UsedOil/OilChange/

I haven't drank the Kool-Aid yet. I aim for 3000 miles. Meaning, more like 4000 in practice.

 

the problem here is that cars with oil cooler, like the rx-8, will NOT be able to change most of its oil out at oil change, with about 1/3-1/2 of old oil remain in the lines, engine, and cooler(s).

For my FIT, yeah I change my oil about 3-4K miles.

and CA is nothing but a tree hugger state.

 

Most of the new cars do specify a full synthetic now, and as mentioned, most people will just take the car to a dealer, so it'll get filled with the right stuff.

 

That's the popular perception; other states love that stereotype. But come out here and take a look around. You can see the need. Air quality in the major cities is way better than 40 years ago. But it's still not what you'd call healthy. Had nothing been done, the increase in cars and population would have made it truly unliveable for millions. These problems manifest here first, due to population and geography. But they portend the same problems elsewhere. I'm the first to point out that CARB is sometimes nonsensical and oppressive. However, the reality is that we are damaging our one fundamental resource -- the planet we live on. CA knows this well because we have made many environmental mistakes first, and to greater degrees. For better or worse, we face those problems and try to do better.

 

Right, because metal on metal contact for a few brief seconds while oil as thick as honey is flowing around the motor won't cause any serious damage after several thousand starts.

I subscribe to Blackstone Labs' monthly newsletter and they reported similar findings. The report stated that about 70% of all used oil is still serviceable meaning it could still be used longer.

Granted, the RX8 cannot go seriously long intervals due to there still being dirty oil in the system but there's no reason a good quality synthetic can't go 4,000 or perhaps even 4,500 miles between changes. The only real way to know is by having your oil tested.

 

I just wish I can say the same for the US dealership network ...

I mean there are good dealerships like Wayne, but before I start going to Wayne ... argh ...

Im not saying Going green is wrong. Hell I like trees too.

but sometimes request/requirements in CA are just ridiculous.

If its as bad as you think it is, before "thinner" weight oil was born, none of the engine should last more than 50K miles.

but the fact is, its exactly opposite. a typical Toyota engine from the 80s-90s can go 250 even 300K without any problems. Now ?

Like my Honda FIT, Honda said I can go 100K without Tune-up. but how many miles can it really last?? I dont know.

They ask for 5w20. I was like yeah right. it has been seeing nothing but 5w30. Soon Im gonna go up another level to 10w40. Im pretty sure my FIT will last longer than other FIT even when I beat the **** out of it every other day.

You can say thats because older engine will not try to squeeze 1000 HP outa 2 Liter displacement. but as tree huggers ask for "better and sometimes ridiculous MPG" figures. The engineers have to give something up. Engine longevity is one of them (just my opinion), why? Cuz most people change their cars every 3-5 years. They dont give a damn if the engine goes to hell after 100K miles. Used car buyers? They dont care either, cuz Used car is always a "risk", if the engine goes "bye bye" after they put another 10K miles on it. they just gonna blame the previous owner who sold him/her a piece of crap. No one will think of the oil might be the cause.

 

Ah see, they've realised over here that they can then charge you $250 just in costs for the oil because it's 'Special Oil'........

 

hmm ... well dealerships here "ALWAYS" have this oil change "special" from 29.99 for Conventional oil or 45.99 for "Synthetic oil" thats not always a real synthetic ...

Are we getting a great deal then?

 

That's the exchange rate for you!

But yes, the dealers appear to be marking up synthetics by about twice their RRP over here....

 

Australia is every 6 months or 10,000 KMS (6000 miles)..

 

Yep, I'm wrong and you're right. Obviously you've got experience with this I don't have and I should have seen that from the start.

 

You would be shocked to know the Mazda Dealer I worked at in Service for a while used a Castrol Synth blend oil at the equivalent of $8 a litre to the customer, until the owner (Dealer Principal) found out why his oil costs were so high, made us change to a 'cheaper" Dino oil, but still charged a higher price.....in other words you are not always sure what you get from a Dealers Bulk storage.

 

Exaggerate much? Toyota's for the most part are good cars but they don't typically go for 250-300,000 without any problems. Let's keep it realistic.

Oh, and here is a tidbit that may not have any meaning but i was driving my bosses C63 today and i was messing with the menus and such and it recommends Mobil 1 5W-40. No temp range, etc. Just 5W-40 across the board.

 

If "start up" wear is an issue why did we not see this bearing wear or any wear in earlier rotaries, same parts, different 'thicker' oil.

BTW, I am not saying this wear IS cold start up related...

And G I think I have said enough on this issue, I think OD is going to do the Mods so, we will have to wait and see...

 

I would love to talk to a factory engineer about this matter.

 

People I know got them, 5 Toyotas actually, It all came from the 80s-90s period. I think it was 2 corollas and 3 camry or was it the other way around Im not sure.

Other than just typical spark plugs, timing belt kind of thing, all 5 of them still runs before they moved on to new car. the least was I think 239K miles. one actually hit 297K miles. but it had tranny problem, its not worth fixing, so he sold it to junk yard and got 100 bux out of it

no way ! they must be smoking crack to recommend 5w40 ! Come on 5w20 is the o-holy god's gift to all motorist ! it can handle everything !

 

well i can buy a new rear 93-95 regulator for apprx $31, I will probably do that over crushing mine
will get this done by the 2nd w/e in November. track stuff will be over.
Has any 09's measured an oil pressure?
OD

 

There is actually more truth to this than you might think. One of my kids drives a '93 Nissan 3.0L V6 with 230,000 miles and it runs perfectly. I bought it new in 1993. One new clutch, routine maintenance, and lots of missed oil changes in the middle years. Always ran on cheap Pennzoil or whatever conventional 10w-30. Changes averaged about every 7.500 or so. Now burns about 1/2 qt. between changes. One noisy lifter on cold start up.

If you have to agonize over an oil choice to get any motor to last more than 50K miles, there's something really wrong with the design. But I knew that when I bought it, and I bought it anyway.

 

I don't doubt that mileage can be acheived, I have owned two Honda's with well over 200,000 miles but they were meticulously maintained and cared for and even then they had some problems although nothing major. Both my Maxima's lasted 150k or so each without issue but to say Toyota's average that mileage or that amount of mileage is "typical" or that mileage like that comes without problems is just false.

 

the word "typical" might be a bit too much

but its not hard to see Toyotas (talking about 80s-90s Toyotas) go at least 200K without any major issue.

 

this is the question!

 

I might consider it later....

Remember though, the Series II does not have a Rear By Pass Valve in their new Oiling set up...hang on I am lying...NO..Hang On I am Wrong...No hang on , I am right..

Yeah, they have NO Rear By Pass Vale, but an OCV Oil Control Valve which also controls the Higher Oil Pressure to the two EMOP's...but I am also wrong there...
the Valve sits externally at the Top Left of front timing cover....wrong again!

BTW: Fitted my 2 new Oil Cooler Mesh splash screens today, Summer is coming fast.... over 30 C by the end of this week.

I will monitor Coolant temps, I wish I could monitor Oil Temps Too, I should ask PhillipM from the UK on his set up for Oil Temps..

 

Fit an oil cooler from a 540bhp lorry, you don't have to worry about oil temps then...

 

If you would me, would you modify your engine without real life datas? We found that Mazda sometimes lying about the datas, so I'm not brave enough to increase the pressure so much just on documents.

 

you are exactly right---dont do mods without due diligence. It is easy to miss a little detail that ends up being important.
All this discovery is very interesting and is opening up a very good discussion. But one step at the time has to be done.
For instance
1- what is the oil pressures of the 09? Did the changes actually cause the pressure to go up---probably --but we really dont know? What does the 09 manual say the oil pressure spec should be?
2- reinstall an oil pressure gauge on my car since I now have a new engine
3- f/u with in dept conversation with Paul and Rick E about this issue.
OD