Hi guys I'm currently driving Mazda 3 skyactiv 2016.Mostly city driving and on weekends go for spirited driving with high revs and twice a month go from KL to ipoh. Should I use expensive oil (300- 400 bucks++)and change at 8 -9 k km interval or use cheaper oil ( 150- 200 ++bucks) and change at 6k km intervals ? Both of the oil categories are fully synthetic. Also any recommendations on 5w30 engine oils. ? Is shell helix hx8 a good choice for 6k km change interval?

I'm using Bold Atas for my 3008. Every 7k will drain together with the filter.

what are the engine oil brands?

fyi, SC for Mazda gives semi synthetic during the free service period but push owners to use for 10k or 6 months.

any proper API SN or newer certified is good for 10k....i'm having the same car as yours and running 0w20 for more than 5 years...perfectly fine as at now at 151k, no oil consumption issue at all.....i almost never used the same oil brands twice since my free service coupon used up....never used anything above rm250....can't really tell much of a difference after driving more than 2k after oil change...cheapest i tried was Bold 0w20 at below RM100....boleh pakai also.....

Don't buy imitation oil filter as there are quite a lot in the market now, original oil filter is always above rm20....

if you haven't replaced your transmission fluid, please get it done along side transmission filter change

This post has been edited by wkc5657: Sep 5 2024, 01:37 PM

Yes just changed my atf fluid + filter in my last service. How is your driving style like? Fully city or got highway?

If use fully synthetic lub you can anytime use it up to 10k km (include idle time engine running). Imagine Merc and BMW service interval is 12k km and VW is 15k km, for normal car using fully synthetic definitely can use for 10k km. Yes, the Shell Helix HX8 is good even for up to 10k km interval.

btw to share some info about lubricant Fully synthetic does not always equal to 100% synthetic oil. In market MOST fully synthetic oil is not 100%. Those lub written is 100% fully synthetic then it is trully 100% synthetic. Many famous brand is up to 90% which is still very high synthetic content while some unknown brand although they are fully synthetic but the content can be only 50%. For semi-synthetic or synthetic oil the content is about 30% usually.

To buy engine lubricant recommended to go workshop or tyre shop to buy. If buy online then choose the official store. Try avoid buying from sparepart shop because genuine oil they sell to workshop or tyre shop while counterfeit one will usually sell to walk in customer.

Seeking advice:
Next year my 2nd car will be parked and only used a few times a year. My estimate is not more than 1000Km per year. The manual only recommends oil viscosity, ie 5/0W 30.

To save cost I'm planning to use mineral oil with 30 viscosity & change once a year. Appreciate feedback, tks.

i don't pamper the throttle, use manual gear shift all the time, don't drive in a leisurely manner, highway average 140, mixed city/highway...

side note, can search in shopee for Fram Tough Guard oil filter series, same price as mazda original (cheaper with shopee coupons/offers), but i personally think this is better quality as it is rated for higher mileage.

depends on luck, the engine top covers gasket seal isn't the best of quality, so may have a bit of oil leakage over time...mine started leaking since year 2 and i thought it was the usual mild oil consumption and didn't claim warranty. Do get it checked first if you notice got oil consumption. I changed mine 5 years back, the new batch seems to be pretty good, no signs of leaks till now

the engine is pretty tough, i had experience a blown vvt gasket (damn bad luck for me, that the SC said my car was the very first among their many thousand of skyactive series sold) and drove a short period of time under oil starvation, was surprised that no overheating and no oil consumption issue after that incident....

synthetic oil is more stable for sure.....

if you're tight on budget, can get those api certified local branded fully synthetic oil...almost similar price as those branded mineral version....Bold brand less than 90 if not mistaken for 4L....up to you la.....

you should be more concerned of flat spotting your tyres because it is moved so infrequently, that will cost you more.....pump the tyre pressure until almost maximum allowable by the tyre spec when you foresee long periods of idling.

I am certain not an expert in oil. Assuming you have to use 0W30, there is no such mineral oil on the market with those viscosity. And the 0W is important for starting from cold. So I would stick to that synthetic 0W30

cold start in oil spec is winter temperature...malaysia run 10/15/20w also fine for our average ambient temperature of "cold" start actually....

New modern engine might have tighter tolerance requiring 0W. Of course, could be for better fuel efficiency also. Since he is changing it once a year, no point saving a few Ringgit.

Mazda skyactiv need very good quality engine oil, due to high compression and a lot of modern technology (direct injection, VVT) infuse with the engine, especially low rpm a lot of knocking or so knew as LSPI (Low-speed pre-ignition), a lot of Mazda owners dont admit it but especially cold weather and low rpm driving (Below 2000rpm) can feel a lot of vibration and rpm keep on going up and down, that is the knocking/pre-ignition happening at low-speed. Besides from knocking, carbon built up in intake also another issue due to direct injection, using good quality oil also can reduce the carbon built up at a lower pace.

Please read your car manual book and search for the requirement of the oil grade and viscosity and stick to it.

This post has been edited by littlefire: Sep 6 2024, 01:49 PM

Use cheap api certified fully synthetic oil like Bold fully. Its only like rm55 for 4L..
Always change your oil max 1 year even if u use it very less. Anyway cars that are underutilized like yours will have reduced lifetime..

If you are keeping the car for more than 9 years...I dont recommend changing it every 10k.
Some info i got with general driving conditions (not include racing and track days) from engine builders and professional modern mechanics are:

1. If you plan to keep your car 5-9 years, its ok to change at 10k km intervals with fully synthetic.
2. If u plan to keep your car over 10 years or over 300k km, change your semi oil every 5000km. If you are fully synthetic change it every 6.5k km.

Generally most car manufacturers recommended specs, they calculated it for cars lifespan around 5-9 years. Business best choice, not best car lifetime choice.

My car i change every 5000km using various fully synthetic. Na engine, k20a type r modded with 260 hp dynoed last year, compression ratio 11.5 (high compression engine).
Now using bold fully 5w40 and used for around 7 cycles now, so far so good. I bought the car second hand with around 210k km mileage and it was having engine oil consumptions around 1L per 5000km initially (max take in oil 4.7L). Now the oil consumption reduced to around 500ml per 5000km with current mileage of 265k km. I think changing the oil more frequently slowly clean the harden sludge around the piston rings.
My driving style quite aggressive and hit redline quite often. Around 40:60 highway:city drive.
I plan to change to another local engine oil brand hipro soon tho. This brand has their own oil manufacturing factory instead of bold without their own factory.

Besides from the lub itself, oil filtering system also another concern. Continentals oil filter usually are larger/longer in size compare to Japanese rides thus they can filter the oil at a longer intervals. Japanese cars if you look at most like Honda/Mazda/Toyota all oil filter size almost 50% smaller compare to conti's oil filter, how you expect the oil to last longer in Japs ride?

LSPI mostly happen for turbo cars, NA cars not too bad...

I put in reader a few times, no codes showing major knock....

vibration terrible --> go change the engine mounts, mine now smooth as butter after changing it earlier of the year...before that really clunky

if hear the knocking sound --> check the belt tensioner first, after i changed that, no more "knocking" sound at low rpm...if got extra budget and time, go do the air cond compressor oil flushing, air cond colder and "smoother" running....

rpm up down a lot? you sure not because the car driving at the edge of its gear shift zone? I hated the automatic shift patterns, so i manual shift all the time...the latter years models seems to have better shift logic for the same gearbox, but heck, i manual shift at the rpm zone that i feel it will be smooth

carbon builduo, DI cars all same problem unless got both direct and indirect injection....i did carbon removal also, got noticeable improvements towards throttle response, but before that also no knocking issue

This post has been edited by wkc5657: Sep 6 2024, 03:33 PM

understand your pointers.....changing oil earlier definitely always help.....and also the planned obsolescence part of car makes....

i can take my chances of continuous 10k, usually i look for high VI oils that are likely more shear stable.....those are not expensive also for original oils....

i don't baby the throttle, but i don't pedal to the metal frequently....i'm happy to deal with the shift logic by manual shift instead of using pedal to overwrite the shift patterns if i need a boost....no power mods for my car also....

interesting about that hipro brand that you mentioned...but pricing is like 50% more than bold....

how about Motion brand? Heard of it?

May i know which high VI oils are you using? How much is it?

Reason why im going hipro oils.
1) A lot of good reviews on they oils especially the motorcycle oils at Bangladesh market. The environment there are even harsher and dustier than here.
2) hipro got organize and sponser races track days with their oils.
3) hipro honest with me so far. I asked them if their maxclyn oil have certain specs that has in the Bangladesh market (example a3 b4 spec), but not written in malaysia market. Hipro told me dont have, and they will inform related parties about it.
4) cheap. Hipro fully maxclyn is only rm62.50. their best is V9 but much more expensive at rm128. Still cheaper than branded fully.

I heard about motion but did not research on it though. U found anythg interesting about this oil?

mobil1 green bottle series...depends on offer, usually less than rm200

syntium 7000 dme - rm170 before shopee vouchers

but those are all thin oils that is not fit for your car

the motion brand have flagship range that touts pao+ester blend....intrigued me a bit because of the cost of it....more than 200 for 4L.....

on the other hand, thicker oils blended well are by nature less volatile...

Yeah i cant use yours as mine shld use w30 or 40 only. My engine oil specs quite lenient requiring only SM spec.. as my engine is old tech. More than 20 years old..

Motion brands seems like the typical proxy brand like bold, bolt, mizu... Abit red flag, they are selling motion brand oil filters and osk oil filters at rm5.90 per piece. I dont trust any filters so cheap as its most probably fakes.. my filters i usually buy bosch oil filters.

I got my car 4 months ago used so I did a major service changing spark plugs, filters and all fluids. Additionally I changed the valve cover gasket but unfortunately it's leaking again but I'll claim it from the shop I repaired my car in.So far not much issues but gearbox is jerking a bit when the car is cold other than that no major issues *touchwood*

I used Petron Blaze Racing SAE 5W 40 (fully synthetic) since my friend has a workshop attached to the Petron petrol station...

So far, ok la...

I buy at Petron Laz Mall (cheaper than petrol station), save RM 25 ++

chocolate oil

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT4xDuy2rLg

Is Bold available on Lazada? I've seen some American brands around RM50, will check on API cert.

Can you explain what you mean by reduced time lifetime?

This post has been edited by SKYjack: Sep 8 2024, 10:52 AM

I bought it at shopee but i think shld be available in lazada too.

Few potential problems.

Anything that is moving might seize up due to corrosion and rust. Example your brakes and rotors.

Fuel pump might seize.

Battery might go flat.

Tires might have flat spots.

Internals like the oil in the piston and cylinder walls might totally become dry. More damage when start up again.

Your car might attract rodents.

This post has been edited by Balanced: Sep 8 2024, 12:02 PM

My almera 20k and 2 years did not service still running fine.

bro thats fucked up

How is that f up? Everything still running fine and I drive it daily.

Engine still smooth.

Japan engine is very reliable these days.

Wow.

Up to u lah.

It’s your car.

Bruh.. its very bad for your car. Very bad.
Sure it can still run, but your engine interval will be very dirty and wear out very fast.

Please read up on engine maintenance.

sure it will run fine until it stop. Then instead of cheap maintainence, you may have to pay expensive overhaul. I know of a friend like that. Individual's choice.

Ok. Then I better call tan chong to make appointment for servicing

with city+spirited driving we should be changing oil at 7k km max. especially on modern engines. if the oil temp and pres are within range during high rev driving after 4k old then the current oil should be stable enough. keep monitoring it up to 7k km. most oil(even some expensive ones) breakdown after being driven hard, with high temp making them lose viscosity, plus our high heat weather stretching 30 weight oil thin before 5k old.

Just installed lufi meter in my car will need to monitor on my next genting drive. What is the highest oil temp the engine can withstand?Or what is the ideal engine oil temp?

Among the engine lub and oil filter, the engine lub play more important role. Fully synthetic from premium brand can anytime use more than 10k km even for Japanese car. I worked in automotive industry for over a decade and can assure not much issue on the oil filter that will cause need of change the engine lub before 10k km for fully synthetic. Even if we using the counterfeit engine lub, it will take at least 20k km or 30k km (2 or 3 times change of counterfeit engine lub) only it start giving bad symptom like louder engine noise, less smooth of driving etc. By 50k km onward the damage will get worsening and more apparent.

if you're still under warranty period, your warranty cover is absolutely screwed

Car already more than 10 years, warranty over d.

but lately feeling the car feeling a bit sluggish and gear change not so smooth.

different car different ideal temperature.....ideally should at least be above 110C when at operating temperature to evaporate the water content during combustion

maximum try not to go above 150C

When I owned Nissan X-Trail last time the service was always semi-syn for every 10k. It is just recently the car become fully syn for every 10k. Used my X-Trail for around 15 years without need to top-up engine oil or anything

Nissan cars are very durable. My car 2 years no service also no issue

Any car would be similar I bet. I've known one Chinese business man running Radio & TV Service when I was a kids. Close to my family. He also sell cooking gas. His wagon never changed engine oil. He only topped up oil when it got low. The car was running fine for 11+ year until his son wreck the car in an accident. No fatality but just normal accident

why do you still want to go back tan chong for normal servicing?

Peace of mind knowing they will use original parts

And last time when servicing outside workshop, the parts and labour is actually more expensive than tan chong.

Tan chong fully synthetic liquimoly RM120
outside workshop own house brand semi synthetic RM180

I always thought service outside cheaper, but turns out opposite is true

i understand from a colleague that it is also likewise for perodua....just that need to fit their timing if it is a busy branch....

This post has been edited by wkc5657: Sep 9 2024, 04:25 PM

and peace of mind. Original parts, skilled technician etc

Bro, Tan Chong using LiquiMoly engine oil?

So then semi syn oil use to 1000km per year, should not present issues right!

Last time saw the returned engine oil bottle got small liquiMoly logo at the back. I would assume they use liquimoly then stick their own logo on the bottle.

not sure whats the highest oil temp a skyactiv could withstand. but it runs hotter than most other run of the mill japanese budget-car engines. ideally on a road, car we shouldnt let the oil go above 135c. a typical 5w-30 and 5w-40 oils would be done at that temp.

for semisyn, it is best to change it every 6 months even when not driven much as they lose their properties earlier than fullsyn

Depends on where the oil temperature sensor is i think?
My aftermarket oil temperature sensor is located at the adapter for the oil filter.
Original water temperature sensor Needle starts moving from usual reading when the aftermarket water sensor reaches 108.. so i set my aftermarket water temp sensor to 110C before it starts alarm and 120C for my aftermarket oil temperature sensor.
Usual driving water temp is between 89-93 for my aftermarket water sensor and 99-105 for aftermarket oil temp sensor.

This post has been edited by Balanced: Sep 18 2024, 01:29 PM

Last time old car came with oil temp gauge, I see 130c still normal saja and hard driving will reach that with mineral oil.



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Anyone doing engine flushing? For high mileage car

Previously I did engine flushing using kixx engine flush oil for my over 200k km car.
Its easy. Remove old oil, pour in engine flush 3L + 1L engine oil. I have to pour in the engine oil for my dipstick to be over min dipstick level. Idle engine for 20 mins. Remove oil and old filter. Install new filter and pour in fresh oil.

I couldnt feel any difference tho..

Semi should last around 8000km max, 10 000km not good for the engine

As for me semi synthetic user, i will service my car every 7000km

If I drive normally it'll be around 85-90C if I tekan then it'll be around 100-105C never seen it going to 110C or above

Bro, engine oil work the best at 100C, that is the optimum temperature of all engine oil type.
Most modern engine only after 130C start to went into limp/safe mode, race cars go until 140~150C also no issue.
If your setting it for your coolant temperature, 100C is correct but for engine oil usually people set alarm at around 115~125C for normal road cars.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/m...erature.367823/
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/engine-oil-temperature/


For a dual-purpose car, engine oil needs to be at least 220 degrees F to burn off all the deposits and accumulated water vapor. For every pound of fuel burned in an engine, the combustion process also generates a pound of water! If engine sump temperatures rarely exceed 212 degrees (water's boiling point), the water will mix with sulfur (another combustion byproduct) and create acids that can eventually damage bearings


220 F = 104C
212 F = 100C

This post has been edited by littlefire: Sep 18 2024, 11:41 AM

Hi yeah it is my bad. I think i mix the values between water temp n oil temp that time. Must be drunk previously.. i have edited my previous post.

Not necessary, i got ask 1 of my technition friend in Nissan batch to batch different, some liquidmoly, some total, some Idemitsu, higher end race cars like R35 using Mobil/exxon. Why cheaper? As their management bought in barrel, 1 barrel usually got around 150L of oil and high volume is cheaper a lot compare to 4L packaging bottle.