Any help for Mazda 5 Oil Consumption?
Discussion
We have a Mazda 5.0 2.0 petrol using oil, and I am trying to understand why.
For years the car sometimes struggles to start, it always does, but can take quite a lot of cranking for the engine to actually fire after shaking the car for 2 or 3 seconds prior to starting. It’s like it has been run dry of petrol and you’ve just put 5 litres in and trying to start it for the first time.
Sometimes it starts immediately, and the problem is not dependent on temperature or whether it is park on a hill etc.
Not sure if this is related to oil consumption, but I have to check this every week now, and top up with 200 – 300 mls to keep the level on max.
There is never smoke from the exhaust, and no leaks.
Mazda themselves found no problems, no fault codes etc. My local indy garage can’t see anything wrong.
Only this last month, performance has dropped off with the engine feeling sluggish and not pulling how we’re used to.
I have been trying to do my own research without much luck, but PCV valve and hoses seems to be a common theme in regards to oil consumption without smoke.
Could this be a problem? I tried searching for such parts on ECP but they don’t exist. I did find something on Amazon of all places, and leads I get result in me ending up on a US site referring to V6 engines.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
For years the car sometimes struggles to start, it always does, but can take quite a lot of cranking for the engine to actually fire after shaking the car for 2 or 3 seconds prior to starting. It’s like it has been run dry of petrol and you’ve just put 5 litres in and trying to start it for the first time.
Sometimes it starts immediately, and the problem is not dependent on temperature or whether it is park on a hill etc.
Not sure if this is related to oil consumption, but I have to check this every week now, and top up with 200 – 300 mls to keep the level on max.
There is never smoke from the exhaust, and no leaks.
Mazda themselves found no problems, no fault codes etc. My local indy garage can’t see anything wrong.
Only this last month, performance has dropped off with the engine feeling sluggish and not pulling how we’re used to.
I have been trying to do my own research without much luck, but PCV valve and hoses seems to be a common theme in regards to oil consumption without smoke.
Could this be a problem? I tried searching for such parts on ECP but they don’t exist. I did find something on Amazon of all places, and leads I get result in me ending up on a US site referring to V6 engines.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
Thanks for the replies.
Quantifying the oil consumption is something I need to do. It’s my Wife’s car and she must do 200 miles a week tops. That will reduce the dipstick level by ¼. I’ll start noting the mileage.
The car is a 2005, and we bought it 3 years ago privately. I think they didn’t spend on servicing as I would have done, there was only one Mazda service with the rest a local garage.
It has started like this since we’ve had it, and accepted that’s just how it is. But the oil consumption seems to be getting worse the past couple of months coupled with poor performance.
It is used for commuting to work and back, so not really that bad i.e. no silly 5 minutes journeys all the time with the engine temp remaining cold.
Quantifying the oil consumption is something I need to do. It’s my Wife’s car and she must do 200 miles a week tops. That will reduce the dipstick level by ¼. I’ll start noting the mileage.
The car is a 2005, and we bought it 3 years ago privately. I think they didn’t spend on servicing as I would have done, there was only one Mazda service with the rest a local garage.
It has started like this since we’ve had it, and accepted that’s just how it is. But the oil consumption seems to be getting worse the past couple of months coupled with poor performance.
It is used for commuting to work and back, so not really that bad i.e. no silly 5 minutes journeys all the time with the engine temp remaining cold.
if it's an early MK3 i believe they can suffer poor oil circulation on start up plus oil usage. Poor maintenance thens leaves oil levels too low as nobody checks MX5 oil - they're bullet proof?? well not since NC. Can you confirm oil levels have always been checked? that includes between scheduled services. The original NA and NBs were tough, but the Ford built NC.1s not so.
Robert Elise said:
if it's an early MK3 i believe they can suffer poor oil circulation on start up plus oil usage. Poor maintenance thens leaves oil levels too low as nobody checks MX5 oil - they're bullet proof?? well not since NC. Can you confirm oil levels have always been checked? that includes between scheduled services. The original NA and NBs were tough, but the Ford built NC.1s not so.
Erm, Mazda 5, not MX5 
podwin said:
How would I find out?
engine number will have "FMC" on it somewhere, but not sure where. The design may still be "MZR" though. Many engines from Ford/Mazda last decade have been part of the Duratec family even though some designs are very different. MZR engine code can often mean Mazda design, Ford manufactured. Although the 2.0 in the MX5 and 5 have different BHP, they do have exactly the same displacement of 1999cc, so i would wage it's the same lump.podwin said:
Do you think this is a problem which could get worse / require a costly fix?
Well, if low oil earlier in the car's life was the cause it's not good news, sorry. I'm trying to help you identify a distinctly possible culprit....i've learned something, the engine is the same and it's called an "L": wiki
2.0L (LF-DE, LF-VE, LF-VD)[edit]
Mazda LF-DE
The 2.0 L (1998 cc) version has 10.0:1 Compression Ratio, an 87.5 mm (3.4 in) bore and shares the 83.1 mm (3.3 in) stroke of the 1.8. The LF-VD was also equipped with DISI direct injection and a higher compression ratio for improved efficiency in the JDM and EDM markets.
1998 cc; 110 kW (148 hp) @ 6500 rpm; 187 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Applications:
Mazda Axela/Mazda3
Mazda6 for Europe
2005 Mazda Premacy/Mazda5
2006– Mazda MX-5
2004– Ford EcoSport
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff