Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: Hi RX7 on June 24, 2008, 08:53:29 AM

Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Hi RX7 on June 24, 2008, 08:53:29 AM
Hi,
I have just swopped my Pajero Evolution for the 1997 Bathurst RX7 owned by NathV on this forum. Love the car and chose it over a Honda NSX despite the Honda being twice the price.
Is the oil capacity greater with the twin oil coolers? As the engine has had a recent rebuild is the continued use of GTX for higher mileage vehicles still o.k.? Ultimately I will take the car to Re-Worx for servicing as they are just down the road but I do like to carry out a lot of smaller detail items of maintenace myself.
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: clive on June 24, 2008, 09:44:09 AM
Hi David and welcome,

Engine oil capacity 3.5 Litre\'s and GTX is fine
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: hairyhoover on June 24, 2008, 10:16:54 AM
does this included cars with twin oil coolers?
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Nik da Greek on June 24, 2008, 10:49:48 AM
Is it really possible to drain all the oil out of the coolers and piping anyway when changing it?
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: hairyhoover on June 24, 2008, 10:54:24 AM
If you jack up the front of the car, it should help drain them.
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Hi RX7 on June 24, 2008, 10:58:26 AM
What I have done in the past (on other cars) is drain it for an hour then turn it over once or twice, but not sure this is good practice with the RX7
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: SmbFD3S on June 24, 2008, 11:07:22 AM
Total Oil Capacity (when dry) is 5.4L for twin oil coolers, and 4.9L for others.  Capacity of the oil pan is 3.9L.
 
This is straight from Mazda service book.
 
I usually drain the pan, fill the oil up again with new, run for 10 minutes then drain and put fresh oil in.  Depends if you can afford to waste a perfectly good tub of new oil tho :) although i only do this every 3 changes :D
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Nik da Greek on June 24, 2008, 11:08:02 AM
I\'m not sure if it really makes that much difference. Had a quick look in the online manual site, and it lists a difference of just .4 of a litre capacity between models (I think I\'m right that the American R1 was the model with twin coolers? the manuals are all in Yank!). That\'s a fair percentage of the overall capacity, but I dunno if it\'d really be enough to seriously reduce the efficiency of the fresh oil? I had a sump leak on mine for so long, and had to top it up so regularly I\'d probably completely refreshed the oil between proper changes, anyway! Now its fixed, I think 3,000 mile changes should be plenty enough.

I don\'t think I\'d be wanting to turn the engine over with little or no oil in it, I\'d rather invest in a magnetic sump plug and put up with having some dregs left in the coolers, personally.

Oh yeah, and hi! and welcome, btw!

EDIT: oops beaten to it with my slow typin! And my maths is obviously sh!te, too, that\'d be a .5 litre difference, anyway. Doh!
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Hi RX7 on June 24, 2008, 11:19:42 AM
I don\'t think I\'ll attempt turning it over. It\'s a pity that you can\'t run the cars on fully synthetic because I buy Silkolene PRO-S in bulk for my other vehicles still I guess GTX is not that expensive.
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Nik da Greek on June 24, 2008, 11:23:00 AM
Up till now I\'ve put Shell Helix in my FDs (over three years with no ill effects). The only reason it\'s got mineral oil in it this time is that someone different to my usual guy did the service on it, and stuck religiously to the Mazda recommendations. I think RE:Worx use Shell Helix, or they did, anyway, when I had a service there a few years back, so it can\'t do too much harm. I think it\'s one of those things that everyone\'s got a different opinion on, and there\'s probably no "right" answer!
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: SmbFD3S on June 24, 2008, 11:28:29 AM
Deffo would not turn it over without oil to be honest....
 
Mmmm yeah the great oil debate again lol....
 
I\'ve been using Comma X-Tech 5w-30 Semi Synth and the car has used this for the last 9 years so can\'t be that bad... Original engine 59K miles :D
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Hi RX7 on June 24, 2008, 02:18:44 PM
Wouldn\'t dare start that (the oil debate) I have used Mobil 1 in my generators and other equipment used on site since it\'s introduction and never use anything else.
Title: New owner question on oil capacity.
Post by: Warthog on June 24, 2008, 02:44:31 PM
Hellp and Wecome................:Ladys-man