HEMIMANN
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2020
- Posts
- 9,577
- Reaction score
- 25,200
- Location
- Minneapolis, MN
- Ram Year
- 2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
- Engine
- 6.4L HEMI
We finished changing driveline oils in wife's 2021 Mazda CX-5 today.
Third auto transmission oil change (to 87.8% new oil) went well. We documented what blogosphere said - Mazda does not fill driveline oil levels to where they recommend. They are oil low. Transmission oil was at the low level on the dipstick - it is supposed to be halfway to full mark hot. I wasn't so a*n*a*l as to measure oil temp, we ran the car around and left it running hot just like any other vehicle I change trans oil on. And then, the dipstick isn't marked for oil add quantity, it's not in the Owner Manual, and blogosphere said everything between 2 and 20 ounces. Oooooooookkkkkkkkkkk, then. So we added another 4 ounces and called it good.
I had to buy special flat open end wrenchs to get the drain and fill oil plugs out of the two differentials. Check this out - the drain is 24mm and the fill is 23mm. WTAF?! All to to change 18 oz of oil in each. Which is pretty important, since the oil amount is so small and it's been in there 5 years (36,000 miles) exposed to breather moisture. We could see a lot of metal fines in the drain oil as well as some milkiness from moisture. And - each differential box was also low on oil - we measured 14 oz drain oil from each, they take 18 oz to top of fill hole where service manual requires. Once again, Japanese cheaping out on oil fill. I never expected made-in-Japan vehicles to short-change fill oil.
These Japanese vehicles are maddening for service work.
End of report.
Third auto transmission oil change (to 87.8% new oil) went well. We documented what blogosphere said - Mazda does not fill driveline oil levels to where they recommend. They are oil low. Transmission oil was at the low level on the dipstick - it is supposed to be halfway to full mark hot. I wasn't so a*n*a*l as to measure oil temp, we ran the car around and left it running hot just like any other vehicle I change trans oil on. And then, the dipstick isn't marked for oil add quantity, it's not in the Owner Manual, and blogosphere said everything between 2 and 20 ounces. Oooooooookkkkkkkkkkk, then. So we added another 4 ounces and called it good.
I had to buy special flat open end wrenchs to get the drain and fill oil plugs out of the two differentials. Check this out - the drain is 24mm and the fill is 23mm. WTAF?! All to to change 18 oz of oil in each. Which is pretty important, since the oil amount is so small and it's been in there 5 years (36,000 miles) exposed to breather moisture. We could see a lot of metal fines in the drain oil as well as some milkiness from moisture. And - each differential box was also low on oil - we measured 14 oz drain oil from each, they take 18 oz to top of fill hole where service manual requires. Once again, Japanese cheaping out on oil fill. I never expected made-in-Japan vehicles to short-change fill oil.
These Japanese vehicles are maddening for service work.
End of report.
