Notices
Series I Trouble Shooting This is the place to learn more about or discuss any issues you're having with your RX-8

5-20 or 5-30w oil? will it really help? or?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 08-14-2011 | 03:19 PM
  #1  
2004_2xengine09's Avatar
Thread Starter
Aug 11' rc
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North county SD,CA
5-20 or 5-30w oil? will it really help? or?

will 5-30w do the trick or is 2 cycle oil in the gas tank the better answer?
Old 08-14-2011 | 03:34 PM
  #2  
dirkyd3rk's Avatar
Rotary Noob
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Originally Posted by 2004_2xengine09
will 5-30w do the trick or is 2 cycle oil in the gas tank the better answer?
Depends on location I think. I was running 5w20 in texas (extremely hot temps) and a few guys on here (also in texas) said that due to our temps they switched to 5w30; so I took their advice. Alot of users run 10w30 and synthetics so idk man. Im no expert so I dont know much about premixing 2 cycle oil and whatnot I haven't done that myself. Im running 5w30 now I still change my oil every 3000 miles though....Also not quite sure what you're asking. What is it you're trying to achieve?

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tech-garage-22/cumulative-synthetic-oil-discussion-52856/
Old 08-14-2011 | 04:29 PM
  #3  
SayNoToPistons's Avatar
Wheels, not rims!!
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,527
Likes: 68
From: LA
I use 20W50 and 6-8oz of 2-stroke per tank. Take that into consideration.

With that said, please search. Hundreds of similar threads.
Old 08-14-2011 | 11:25 PM
  #4  
atwood_101's Avatar
If ya aint first yer last
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City, Utah
There's like a million threads on this..
But i use 5w-30 non-synthetic and i use 4 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) every fill up. I live in utah where it gets pretty dang hot in the summer so the 5w-20 will thin out a lot easier than a heavier weight. Atleast thats i interpret. Check out this thread on premixing.
Page 39, 3/4 of the way down the page.

*Edit* And by every fill up i mean, when i fill up when my gas refill light comes on. So pretty much add 4 oz of MMO to 13 gallons of premium gas.

Last edited by atwood_101; 08-14-2011 at 11:26 PM. Reason: More detailed response
Old 08-14-2011 | 11:50 PM
  #5  
Flashwing's Avatar
3-wheeler
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,734
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix
Just remember that ambient temperatures outside have nothing to do with your choice of oil. The only temperature that matters with oil choice is the temperature of the oil itself.

Your car controls your engine temperature via a thermostat which is designed to keep it at an average operational temperature. Typically, your engine will operate at the same temperature whether it's 32 degrees outside or 100 degrees.

Ambient temperatures can sometimes cause slight rises in engine operational temperature because you exceed the cooling capability of the system under certain conditions like idling, traffic, or sometimes even city driving. Even in Arizona where we see 115 degrees during the summer I rarely see more than a 5 to 10 degree variant in oil temperature while cruising on the highway.

That all being said, you can't make good choices about your oil temps without knowing what your oil temperatures actually are. Most people who run heavier weight oils (40wt and above) do so without knowing why they are doing it but only because someone told them to do so.

Many RX8 owners compromise and run a 5w-30 weight since the 5w-20 seems to have been chosen by Mazda due to fuel mileage. A 5w-30 with your choice of brand will do just fine.
Old 08-15-2011 | 09:37 AM
  #6  
HiFlite999's Avatar
Registered
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,257
Likes: 5
From: MI
Premixing and heavier oil in the crankcase have almost nothing to do with one another. Thicker oil means that the oil pressure bypass opens earlier *reducing* flow volume at higher rpm's compared with 5w-20. 5w-30 or 10w-30 is probably okay with improved oil characteristics over 5w-20, but I wouldn't go heavier than that without installing Mazmart's oil pressure mod kit.
Old 08-15-2011 | 10:07 AM
  #7  
alnielsen's Avatar
Registered
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 12,255
Likes: 7
From: Buddhist Monastery, High Himalaya Mtns. of Tibet
The thicker engine oil is to help with bearing wear. Premixing oil is to help with seal lubrication.
I'm using 5w-40 synthetic engine oil and premix only 4 oz per fill-up.
Old 08-15-2011 | 07:46 PM
  #8  
2004_2xengine09's Avatar
Thread Starter
Aug 11' rc
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North county SD,CA
Originally Posted by Flashwing
Just remember that ambient temperatures outside have nothing to do with your choice of oil. The only temperature that matters with oil choice is the temperature of the oil itself.

Your car controls your engine temperature via a thermostat which is designed to keep it at an average operational temperature. Typically, your engine will operate at the same temperature whether it's 32 degrees outside or 100 degrees.

Ambient temperatures can sometimes cause slight rises in engine operational temperature because you exceed the cooling capability of the system under certain conditions like idling, traffic, or sometimes even city driving. Even in Arizona where we see 115 degrees during the summer I rarely see more than a 5 to 10 degree variant in oil temperature while cruising on the highway.

That all being said, you can't make good choices about your oil temps without knowing what your oil temperatures actually are. Most people who run heavier weight oils (40wt and above) do so without knowing why they are doing it but only because someone told them to do so.

Many RX8 owners compromise and run a 5w-30 weight since the 5w-20 seems to have been chosen by Mazda due to fuel mileage. A 5w-30 with your choice of brand will do just fine.
Thanks alot, you're one of the few with a real brain working on all rotors, R
Old 08-15-2011 | 07:49 PM
  #9  
2004_2xengine09's Avatar
Thread Starter
Aug 11' rc
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North county SD,CA
Originally Posted by atwood_101
There's like a million threads on this..
But i use 5w-30 non-synthetic and i use 4 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) every fill up. I live in utah where it gets pretty dang hot in the summer so the 5w-20 will thin out a lot easier than a heavier weight. Atleast thats i interpret. Check out this thread on premixing.
Page 39, 3/4 of the way down the page.

*Edit* And by every fill up i mean, when i fill up when my gas refill light comes on. So pretty much add 4 oz of MMO to 13 gallons of premium gas.
thanks alot, wise words and will try the MMO, seems like the only way seals will last longer. R
Old 08-15-2011 | 08:44 PM
  #10  
HiFlite999's Avatar
Registered
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,257
Likes: 5
From: MI
re MMO: https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...&highlight=MMO

search!
Old 08-15-2011 | 08:59 PM
  #11  
2004_2xengine09's Avatar
Thread Starter
Aug 11' rc
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North county SD,CA
Originally Posted by alnielsen
The thicker engine oil is to help with bearing wear. Premixing oil is to help with seal lubrication.
I'm using 5w-40 synthetic engine oil and premix only 4 oz per fill-up.
Thanks Al, so the premix is to solve the seal problems I had with engine one? My free engine in Aug. 2009 from Mazda warranty has 25k on it now with no problems, just the engine light goes on for a few days after redline... then is off for a month or more. I'm enjoying, yet wonder when it will self-destruct?
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RevMeHarder
New Member Forum
6
08-16-2023 07:23 PM
WranglerFan
New Member Forum
4
05-31-2022 08:51 AM
Carbon8
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
42
02-27-2020 09:39 AM
JimmyBlack
Series I Major Horsepower Upgrades
273
02-10-2020 11:23 PM
WranglerFan
New Member Forum
4
11-05-2017 10:35 AM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: 5-20 or 5-30w oil? will it really help? or?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:36 AM.