#1...My NA will be taking her first extended road trip next month (@3K miles in two weeks). Common sense tells me to check the oil level frequently- many recommend every fuel stop- so the question is...how long does it take for the oil to drain back into the pan so I get an accurate reading on the dipstick?
Piston cars take a while, what with all the valvetrain, etc. to drain down but since the rotary has none of that I'd assume the wait time to be shorter.
True?

#2...Since the weather has turned surface-of-the-sun hot I've switched from 10/30 to 20/50w Castrol GTX but my newfound mechanic says this is unnecessary and 10/30 will be fine and may even improve fuel consumption, albeit slightly.
He points out recent(?) service advisories from companies like Ford that recommend lower weight oils- even in older vehicles- due to improvements in oil technology, but this advice goes against traditional practice as I've always understood it.
I have aftermarket oil pressure/temp gauges installed and plan on switching to 10/30 to see the effect but won't have the chance to put real highway miles on her till the trip comes up.
Opinions welcome.

 

#1 - You should have no problem checking the oil just after shutting down the car. If you car is running that low on oil, you will know it whether you wait 2 minutes or 20 minutes.

#2 - I would stick with the 10w30. It is all around a good oil and you should have no problems. Switching to a thicker oil, IMO, would not really be necessary for the rotary motor.

It seems that you are paranoid of oil comsumption. Have you already had problems with you engine?

 

I like to check my oil about 5 minutes after running. No real reason, just how I do it.

 

Not so much paranoid, more accurately "unfamiliar", with the consumption on an extended trip.
My oil usage has been out of whack due to some leaks which have recently been addressed so as yet I have no baseline data on what the motor burns opposed to what it was dropping on the ground.

Car runs fine and I've been slowly taking care of reliability/maintenance issues (full 60k service, etc.) but I really don't want anything to happen in the middle of Nebraska at 2AM...

 

I think people are just paranoid about running these things for long trips.
I've done it, and it's not that big of a deal.

Check the oil at every gas fill - I think it's not necessary, but whatever makes you feel better.
The car does have a LOW OIL sensor, so if something does go bad, it's supposed to tell you.
You don't need to let the car sit to get an "accurate" reading.
The oil level is supposed to be read with the car "at temp", so you can do it with the engine running if you like.
Technically, letting the car sit to allow the oil to "drain" would be a "false reading".

I would use 20W50 unless you drive like a grandma.
The thicker oil (usually) has higher film strength, and this is better for lubrication and protection.
If you like to rev the engine to redline (which you're supposed to), the thicker oil is just better period.
Gas mileage is not what the rotary engine is about - drive the crap out of the car, and use the best oil to protect it...not to get better gas mileage.


-Ted

 

Best. Quote. Ever.

 

i run 20w50 gtx year round and i live in south florida, it gets pretty toasty down here

 

No. 20w50.

If you don't use it year round then you use it in the summer despite what your "mechanic" says.

I've driven many miles in my RX-7's and all without incident.

The most important thing to remember is the simple fact that it is a car and needs to be taken care of as such.

I agree with Ted. Too much unnecessary paranoia.

 

10w30 is good to about 90*F. I don't care what people say about it, if the chart mazda has in the FSM says 10-30 is good to 90*F, I don't think its going to matter weather or not its out side temp or engine temp, your engine runs MUCH hotter then that.

I would use 20-50 all day long. I run nothing but 20-50, after a hot drive, when i checked my 10-30 oil when I used to use it, it would run off the dip stick like water.

I also run 20-50 in the winter, takes about 5-10 seconds for the engine to hit 80*F, so it would take less time for it to get above 20*F . 20-50 is good down to about 20*F.

Quick Change places always tell me, that the SAE temp numbers are for outside temps. How the hell can they go by that? My engine runs the same temp no matter if its -30*F or 110*F outside.

 

I drove my 90 TII from Texas to Georgia last year in July. It was about 750 miles. Average temp was around 98. I had no problems. Just drive.

 

#1: Just a couple minutes or so. But contrary to wait people say, yah you do need to wait to be accurate. I hear Mazda recommends 5 minutes. Dipsticks are designed to measure the level after the oil drains in the pan. So if you do it with the car running, you'll add a little too much oil. Not that it matters too much. I check my oil every fuel stop, but I only lose a cup every 4 stops. So technically I could wait 16 stops before losing a quart. If your engine has a leak you might need to check it more often. So unless you have a leak you could skip a few fuel stops between checking oil. Just don't forget. If it makes it easier to remember you could just check it every stop unless you're in a hurry.

#2: It shouldn't matter much whether you go 20w50 or 10w30.

Running 20w50 in the cold winter is a bad idea. The oil is really thick at cold temperatures and takes a long time to coat the engine. That means your engine will have hardly any oil on it as the car starts. That's when it hurts; after that it doesn't matter. You won't notice it in the short run, but you're cutting into your engine life. That's why rated temps are for outside. Afraid only 20w50 is for your engine temps? Guess what, your oil is over 200F. I don't think even 20w50 is rated for that. The ratings are for outside temps.

Basically thicker oils coat better but flow poorly. Thinner oils coat worse but flow better. Both have advantages and disadvantages for protection; you need to strike a balance. So wouldn't it be nice if an oil could do both? That's what multi-weight oils are for. All oils today are multi-weight. The temperature ranges on 20w50 and 10w30 are so large that your really don't have to worry. You can run 20w50 down to below freezing (but not much lower), and you can run 10w30 in hot summer weather (but not Death Valley).


In short, don't worry, none of this matters just as long as you don't go below the "L" on the dipstick. But if you're having trouble deciding... I'll say 20w50 just b/c that gives you a 60 degree fahrenheit buffer above and below in case of a freak blizzard or evil genious with a giant magnifying glass. Check oil every stop unless you're on a time crunch. That way you won't forget and accidentally wait 20 stops.

As for me I run 10w30 b/c I like my oil to be slightly more slippery. Strange, I know, to want oil to be slippery. But really the difference is small between 10w30 and 20w50.

 

As opposed to the necessary type?
Is the line between prudence and paranoia really so thin?

And my clock is supposed to display the time but takes vacations on a whim.
Prior to last week I had never seen any activity from my low oil sensor so I had no idea that it worked. After resealing the oil pan and filling with oil the display was active for a few minutes till the sensor normalized (is that some sort of float assembly or what?) so now I have reassurance that I'd get some warning in case of extreme low oil level, which is comforting.

Why the quotes around mechanic?

Thank you all for your responses...the dichotomy is interesting.

 

To answer your question, yes. Unfortunately, there is a bit of necessary paranoia due to the minor nuances these cars tend to have. If you don't know what I'm talking about, pay attention to the 2nd gen forum for a day and look at how many of the same or similar topic threads are started.

You refer to him as a "mechanic" but for all I know he could flip burgers at McD's and act like he knows a thing or two about cars. Everybody and their brother has a "mechanic" that tells them this that or the other thing. In my experience, from other "mechanic" stories that have been posted, they're typically wrong. His 10w30 comment is what makes me wonder. Fine on your average reciprocating motor but not on the rotary. Unless of course they specialize in RX-7's or Rotary powered vehicles...but then again I've seen some wild **** pop up.

You can listen to whomever you what. It's your call and your car.

 

a good 10w30 oil should protect fine assuming you are doing regular oil changes and you don't live in Death Valley.
i don't know why some people here are making it sound like it's bad.

assuming where you drive has warm summers though you should run 20w50 in the summer.
oil filter is also important. i'll just say don't get Fram.

 

Of course, for all I know, so could you.

This is the shop that works on my car and Marc, owner/driver of the red FD race car, is the "mechanic" I was referring to.

I really did not intend to start a pissing contest but I'm not stupid, I know how/and from whom to solicit advice. Can't remember the last time I asked a MickyD's employee for car advice and I probably wouldn't ask Marc how to make a burger- although to be fair, either of them might surprise me.

I asked here just because his recommendation of 10/30w was so counterintuitive to my previous practice that I thought more input would be good.

And it is, even if I still haven't decided what to do.

Thanks again.

 

Yep.
Just to give you an idea of what I did before my long distance trips...
I had extra bottles of oil and coolant.
I also had some extra hose clamps, and a set of extra belts, and a set of extra radiator hoses.
I call that prudent but not paranoid.

Checking your oil level every several hundred miles is a bit too much in my book.
If it makes you feel any better, go ahead and go that.

Hmmm...now that I think of it, if you're running the stock oil injection, it might be prudent to do so.
I've been running pre-mix for so long now, I've forgotten that people still use the stock oil injection.
Even though, if the oil level gets too low, the LOW OIL buzzer will go off.
At this point, you just top off with another quart of oil, and you're good to go.


Dude, jumping topics is getting to be a headache.
You really should be starting a new thread if you're going to keep going off on tangents.
It's bad enough you asked two question in one thread.
This is just bad forum manners.

There's a test for the oil level sensor.
It's in the FSM.
You can look that up yourself.

BTW, your warning cluster could be disconnected, and the buzzer should still go off if the LOW OIL sensor is tripped...


-Ted

 

clokker - we don't all know you personally and who your mechanic is (until your previous post).

We don't assume you're stupid and go out listening to just anybody. If you don't specify that the person is very capable from the start, what are we to assume?

We're just trying to help.

As far as oil viscosity is concerned, the chart you see is based on anticipated ambient temperature until next oil change. Yes, once warm, the thermostat keeps the engine at a relatively reasonable temperature range. But once it cools off, it cools off to ambient temperature.

Who am I to question the mazda engineers? I use my oil year-round (drive mostly in summer, but start it every two weeks in winter, so with my ambient temps. the chart says to use 10W30.

Engineers always have different variables to contend with and always have to compromise when designing engines. A few things on our cars are a direct result of this, especially the emissions related stuff. This causes some people to think they don't know what they're doing and question everything. I'm getting off topic here - back to the oil issure.

I'll take Mazda's advice as far as oil viscosity is concerned. Check your anticipated ambient temp. and go from there.

 

Oh hey, good idea. And back on topic. I'd also throw in:
a thermostat
any necessary wrenches/sockets: one for thermostat bolts, belt tightening and a long lug nut wrench
a screwdriver for screw hose clamps or vise grips (aka locking pliers) for spring hose clamps
a prybar: for belt tension. A long wrench/etc. will do in a pinch
a rag to keep from burning yourself
A jar of gojo and/or gloves might be handy to keep clean, though not essential.
Check your tire pressure before leaving, including your spare tire pressure.

Hey, hey now the stock oil injection doesn't drink that much oil . Mine drinks a quart every 2000 miles, which is average I think. Checking once every several stops is fine unless you have a leak, but checking every stop is easier to remember.