So I bought a used 2007 RX-8 a few weeks ago and just had an oil change done at my local Mazda dealership. When I went home I checked the dipstick just so I could watch it in the future and make sure my 8 is consuming oil like it should. I'm not sure which dipstick I have as I heard there are two versions, but I'll try and draw it out below using keyboard characters.

^ --- This is where dipstick starts to flatten out, oil level is here
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
_ --- First notch that I though was the full mark

I I
I I
I I
O --- circle markings
O
O
I I
I I
_ --- The second notch I thought was the empty mark
V

As you can hopefully see, my dipstick is a long rod that has a flat piece that has two dashs, and then three small circles between the dashes. My oil level is higher than the highest dash, about to the point where the flat area starts. Is my oil level too high or is it where it's supposed to be? Also, can anyone tell me which dipstick I have based on that crappy drawing? Thanks for any help. I'll try to describe it better if I need to.

 

You've got the new one. No difference in top and bottom marks, but the new one has the pimples at half quart (or is it half litre?) increments.

What you thought is the full mark is the full mark.

My dealer fills up to the top of the flat, just like yours did. I have not had any problems. Slight benefit, since I don't have to start adding oil for a bit longer than if they had filled it exactly to the line.

Ken

 

That's a relief, thanks bud. This is a great website as usual.

 

Not a good idea ... luckily you have one of the newer models that relocated the overfill to somewhere other than the intake system or you would have some nice gummy residue in your intake system.

Dont fill past the F line .. its not a good habit to get into.

btw kudos on the drawing lol

 

Thanks man lol. Yeah the dealership did it. I'm going to mention it next time I go in and ask if they always fill it that high or if they had a new guy working on my car. If Mazda doesn't get it right, who the hell can? What the eff

 

We here at 8club can

 

OP said he has 3 dots... There is room for 3 half quart increments between the empty and full lines?

 

 

3 dots, 4 spaces means 2 quarts.
each space means 0.5 quart.

 

Total 1.8 quarts..........

 

Good luck getting the dealer to change. Couldn't get mine to, but since I've got an '06 with the revised overflow I have not had any problems.

As I mention in every one of these threads, whenever I've had a garage or shop change oil they always overfill. That's happened every time, with every car I've ever owned.

Ken

 

Lesson learned: Change your own oil! I don't really trust dealerships with anything other than warranty work.

 

good to know its different. I thought its the same as the S2 dipstick.

 

What is this revised overflow you guys are talking about? I have an S2, the dealership where I bought it overfilled it every time I went there. The last time it happened I tore apart the intake and there was oil everywhere. Just like this thread:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...t=oil+overfill

So how exactly has it been revised?

OP: Don't let the dealership do this again, it can have adverse affects. Namely gumming up the MAF sensor. If they do it again, find a new dealership. Thats what I had to do.

 

S1 was revised later, but S2 they redesigned the filler neck AGAIN. it now has two breather hoses and one goes to the intake AGAIN.

 

How much did they overfill it?

I don't have specific info on the change in the oil overflow. It's something I read here a few years ago when I was concerned about the dealer overfilling...but I didn't bookmark or save it. I think it was in a catch can thread. It seems like there are a lot fewer catch can threads now than there were a few years back.

I've checked my intake a couple of times, and found no trace of oil despite the overfilling. Hate to think the problem is back with S2s.

Ken

 

I think mine was about quarter inch over the FULL line. oil was all over the intake and soaked the air filter too.

 

^ This. Although mine was a full 1.5 inches over the fill line and it happened during several oil changes!

 

What breather or vacuum line on the S2 motor would cause overfilled oil to get up to the air filter and connector areas? I don't see anything....

 

^^ Wondering the same. Last I checked the vacuum line from the oil fill actually heads down the engine compartment to a T fitting, one of which goes to the crankcase while the other seems to go further down. Nothing tapping into my intake line directly from the oil fill though.

 

there are two breather lines on the filler neck I believe one goes down to the intake manifold like the revised S1, and one goes to the intake.

 

Try looking up the catch can threads, and see which line those get installed on.

Ken

 

I forgot to say that this was just genius! Seriously though they probably had some reason for bringing that line back.

 

My garage seems to overfill it, too. What do you think of this idea: give them only 3 quarts of oil, and when they hand the car back add the final quart+ yourself. Think that would solve it?

 

Nah. They'd add another quart of their own, and when you picked the car up they'd rag you for not having provided enough oil. And charge double retail for the quart they added.

Ken