3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

Synthetic Oil or non synthetic for oil changes?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-25-04, 03:26 PM
  #1  
New West Capital

Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Southern Cali, Diamond Bar
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question Synthetic Oil or non synthetic for oil changes?

Hey everyone,

I've been doing some research for this and I'm still confused. The manual for the FD states that synthetic oil is bad for rotories and shouldn't be used. But then I did a search and people on the forum are suggesting to ONLY use synthetic oils like Mobil 1...

who's right??

also, I'm going to be flushing my car out with new everything right now.. which brands are the best to use for diff, transmission, motor oil, and oil filter???

thanks
mike
Old 04-25-04, 03:52 PM
  #2  
Senior Member

 
stevecod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do a search on "synthetic oil" there was a HUGE HUGE arguement on it.
Old 04-25-04, 03:53 PM
  #3  
Yes it is for sale.

 
FormerPorscheGuy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: The Houston Club's Resident Lush.
Posts: 1,905
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Answer 1:
This has been discussed a lot on this forum. One thing is for sure though, no one has had an engine failure becasue of a synthetic.

Answer 2:
Mobile 1

SEARCH AND READ NEXT TIME!!!!!!!!!
Old 04-25-04, 04:05 PM
  #4  
Rebreaking things

 
CCarlisi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: 1 foot in Boston 1 in NJ
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Also check the Rx8 forum. This is a hot topic over there and a couple people have corresponded with mazda's customer service department about it.
Old 04-25-04, 04:20 PM
  #5  
BOOOYAHHHH!

 
RX7Wishing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 1,578
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
i used mobil1 sythentic for my diff and tranny fluid.. works great. smooth out my shifts ALOT. if you can get redline MTL then i would reccomend that for your tranny fluid... if not.. mobile 1 or RP
Old 04-25-04, 05:53 PM
  #6  
Full Member

 
Custom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Dallas
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I use regular oil because it is made to burn a little. Sythentic is made not to burn, I still use Mobil products and I like them. I change the oil every 1500-2000 miles so that is another reason I dont use sythentic. as for pros and cons I really dont care. I just know that mine runs fine.
Old 04-25-04, 06:14 PM
  #7  
White chicks > *

iTrader: (33)
 
1QWIK7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Secaucus, New Jersey
Posts: 13,147
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
mineral oil for a break-in process, then synthetic after that.. royal purple would be my choice for syn..
Old 04-25-04, 06:17 PM
  #8  
Power Trippin'

iTrader: (4)
 
SpeedKing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Land of The Quick
Posts: 3,129
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally posted by FormerPorscheGuy

One thing is for sure though, no one has had an engine failure becasue of a synthetic.
And no one has had an engine failure because they used regular oil either.

If you drive normally, changing with regular oil every 3K miles/3 months is just fine. I've been using Castrol GTX in all my rotary cars for years without issue. As for tranny, diff. fluid, and oil filters, I use regular Valvoline gear oil and Mazda OEM filters. Regarding the former, some people with bad synchros or other transmission issues find that synthetics smooth out their shifts, others report no difference. IMO, synthetics are overrated. That's not to say that they aren't useful. I just feel in the long run, they don't offer any real benefit over the regular stuff and isn't worth the extra money.
Old 04-25-04, 06:42 PM
  #9  
Senior Member

 
luizajeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Lynnwood, WA
Posts: 452
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Redline says they've used their synth. oil in rotarys from day one without probs. I think how often you change your oil and filter means more than the type (except for a Safeway brand or something, don't use that!)
Old 04-25-04, 07:01 PM
  #10  
Lives on the Forum

 
DamonB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Dallas
Posts: 9,617
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
I have yet to hear of any rotary motor, even a racing motor, that had wear or failure issues due to the fact it had dino oil or synthetic oil in it. Only oiling issues I have ever seen were due to loss of oil pressure.

Fact is when the motor or turbos go it will be from something other than the oil

FWIW I run Castrol 10W-30 motor oil and change it and the filter every 3000 miles or every two race events; whichever comes first. That's still a very conservative schedule for a modern oil. Mazda recommends changing the oil every 5000 miles for normal use or every 3000 for aggressive use. The only reason I change early if I have raced the car twice is to be certain the oil isn't dilluting due to fuel, but honestly I haven't had that problem with the new motor (now 25K on it). My car is still on the original stock turbos with 125,000 miles on them and the shaft play is still well within spec.

I run NEO synthetic in the trans and diff. I haven't tried anything else but have really liked the NEO. If it's good enough for a bunch of race teams it's good enough for me (but it's pricey!).
Old 04-25-04, 07:08 PM
  #11  
Racing is life!

iTrader: (2)
 
cpa7man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Grapevine, TX
Posts: 2,173
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by DamonB
Fact is when the motor or turbos go it will be from something other than the oil
True!

Your best reliablity mod is no mods. Well almost!
Old 04-25-04, 08:17 PM
  #12  
Junior Member

 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Indy
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have always heard that rotaries burn oil so if you use synthetic it doesnt burn completely and builds up eventually and snags the apex seals and causes a blown a motor whereas regular oil burn completely i use castrol gtx as well.... and a very important mod for oil is the thermal pellet you can get an aftermarket one from atkins for 8 dollars and they replace the stock one whcih fails frequently and causes loss of oil pressure very good idea for reliability
Old 04-25-04, 09:14 PM
  #13  
Full Member

 
RE-Renegade's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here is More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Motor Oil
Old 04-25-04, 11:06 PM
  #14  
Rotary Freak

 
PVerdieck's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,742
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Custom
I use regular oil because it is made to burn a little. Sythentic is made not to burn, I still use Mobil products and I like them. I change the oil every 1500-2000 miles so that is another reason I dont use sythentic. as for pros and cons I really dont care. I just know that mine runs fine.
Ignore the above, some synthetics are made to burn.
Old 04-25-04, 11:22 PM
  #15  
Rotary Freak

 
BLKTOPTRVL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,817
Received 15 Likes on 6 Posts
Originally posted by PVerdieck
Ignore the above, some synthetics are made to burn.
Even if it didn't burn...

Does the engine need to actually burn the oil? Or does it just need to lube internal componenets?

If it is just a matter of lube, then burning is not an issue.
Old 04-25-04, 11:33 PM
  #16  
2/4 wheel cornering fiend

 
Kento's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 3,090
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally posted by FD3S94Adam
I have always heard that rotaries burn oil so if you use synthetic it doesnt burn completely and builds up eventually and snags the apex seals and causes a blown a motor whereas regular oil burn completely i use castrol gtx as well.... and a very important mod for oil is the thermal pellet you can get an aftermarket one from atkins for 8 dollars and they replace the stock one whcih fails frequently and causes loss of oil pressure very good idea for reliability
Some people once "heard" that the world was flat, so it must've been true...
Old 04-25-04, 11:47 PM
  #17  
Where has my $ gone?

iTrader: (12)
 
MakoRacing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bay Area, Cal/Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 1,654
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 2 Posts
What?! The world isnt flat!?
Old 04-26-04, 12:13 AM
  #18  
Can't live without boost.

iTrader: (2)
 
EviLPeNeviL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 1,220
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I use Crisco.............
Old 04-26-04, 12:57 AM
  #19  
ttb
No Cup Holder Racing

 
ttb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
people are too paranoid.
Old 04-26-04, 08:24 AM
  #20  
Lives on the Forum

 
DamonB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Dallas
Posts: 9,617
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
Originally posted by Kento
Some people once "heard" that the world was flat, so it must've been true...
Old 04-26-04, 09:14 AM
  #21  
Rotary Freak

 
PVerdieck's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,742
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by BLKTOPTRVL
Even if it didn't burn...

Does the engine need to actually burn the oil? Or does it just need to lube internal componenets?

If it is just a matter of lube, then burning is not an issue.
Ouch. With 614 posts you should have read by now that rotaries burn engine oil with the gas. Or have you just been looking at bodykits for almost 3 years?
Old 04-26-04, 09:26 AM
  #22  
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary

 
Fatman0203's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: MIA
Posts: 3,639
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by PVerdieck
Ouch. With 614 posts you should have read by now that rotaries burn engine oil with the gas. Or have you just been looking at bodykits for almost 3 years?
I dont think he was asking, just stating or talking out loud.
Old 04-26-04, 11:00 AM
  #23  
Rotary Freak

 
PVerdieck's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,742
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I guess so, but when you are in a rotary engine forum, discussing engine oil, why do you even need to ask?
Old 04-26-04, 11:46 AM
  #24  
Yes it is for sale.

 
FormerPorscheGuy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: The Houston Club's Resident Lush.
Posts: 1,905
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
20K miles so far on mobile 1, without any problems, leaks, or failures what so ever.
Old 04-26-04, 11:55 AM
  #25  
Moderator

iTrader: (7)
 
dgeesaman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fort Kickass
Posts: 12,302
Received 16 Likes on 15 Posts
Random question:

Does unburned synthetic oil in the exhaust gas affect the cats at all?

(Mobil1 10w-30 user)


Quick Reply: Synthetic Oil or non synthetic for oil changes?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:38 AM.