2008 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 engine oil

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8Maintenance and Care
How to keep your Mazda in top condition.
Introduction .................................................................................. 8-2Introduction ............................................................................... 8-2
Scheduled Maintenance ................................................................ 8-3 Scheduled Maintenance ............................................................ 8-3
Owner Maintenance ..................................................................... 8-8 Owner Maintenance Schedule .................................................. 8-8
Owner Maintenance Precautions ............................................... 8-9
Engine Compartment Overview .............................................. 8-10
Engine Oil ............................................................................... 8-11
Engine Coolant ....................................................................... 8-13
Brake/Clutch Fluid .................................................................. 8-15
Washer Fluid ........................................................................... 8-16
Body Lubrication .................................................................... 8-17
Wiper Blades ........................................................................... 8-18
Battery ..................................................................................... 8-20
Tires ........................................................................................ 8-22
Light Bulbs ............................................................................. 8-27
Fuses ....................................................................................... 8-34
Appearance Care ........................................................................ 8-39 How to Minimize Environmental Paint Damage .................... 8-39
Exterior Care ........................................................................... 8-41
Interior Care ............................................................................ 8-44
8-1
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qSchedule 1
Maintenance Interval Number of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
×1000 km 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96
×1000 miles 7.5 15 22.5 30 37.5 45 52.5 60
ENGINE
Engine oil RRRRRRRR
Engine oil filter RRRRRRRR
Drive belt II
AIR FILTER
Air filter CC R C
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs R
FUEL SYSTEM
Fuel filter Replace every 160,000 km (100,000 miles)
Fuel lines, hoses and connections
*1II
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I I
Engine coolant FL22 type
*2Replace at first 192,000 km (120,000 miles) or 10 years; after
that, every 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 5 years
Others Replace at first 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 4 years; after that,
every 2 years
CHASSIS AND BODY
Brake lines, hoses and connections I I
Disc brakes IIII
Tire (Rotation) Rotate every 12,000 km (7,500 miles)
Steering operation and linkages I I
Front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel
bearing axial play II
Manual transmission oil R
Rear differential oil R
Driveshaft dust boots II
Exhaust system and heat shields Inspect every 72,000 km (45,000 miles) or 5 years
All locks and hinges LLLLLLLL
Bolts and nuts on chassis and body TT
Flat tire repair kit
*3Inspect every year
8-4
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
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qSchedule 2
Maintenance Interval Number of months or kilometers (miles), whichever comes first
Months 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
×1000 km 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
×1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
ENGINE
Engine oil Puerto Rico Replace every 5,000 km (3,000 miles) or 3 months
Others
RRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filter RRRRRRRRRRRR
Drive belt II
AIR FILTER
Air filter CC R C
IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark plugs R
FUEL SYSTEM
Fuel filter Replace every 160,000 km (100,000 miles)
Fuel lines, hoses and connections
*1II
COOLING SYSTEM
Cooling system I I
Engine coolant FL22 type
*2Replace at first 192,000 km (120,000 miles) or 10 years; after
that, every 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 5 years
Others Replace at first 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 4 years; after that,
every 2 years
Engine coolant level IIIIIIIIIIII
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Function of all lights IIIIIIIIIIII
8-6
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
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Owner Maintenance Schedule
The owner or a qualified service technician should make these vehicle inspections at the
indicated intervals to ensure safe and dependable operation.
Bring any problem to the attention of an Authorized Mazda Dealer or qualified service
technician as soon as possible.
qWhen Refueling
lBrake and clutch fluid level (page 8-15)lEngine coolant level (page 8-13)lEngine oil level (page 8-12)lWasher fluid level (page 8-16)
qAt Least Monthly
Tire inflation pressures (page 8-22)
qAt Least Twice a Year (For Example, Every Spring and Fall)
You can do the following scheduled maintenance items if you have some mechanical
ability and a few basic tools and if you closely follow the directions in this manual.
lEngine coolant (page 8-13)lEngine oil (page 8-11)
8-8
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Owner Maintenance Precautions
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions only
for items that are easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (page 8-2), several procedures can be done only by a
qualified service technician with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during the warranty period may affect warranty coverage.
For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If
you're unsure about any servicing or maintenance procedure, have it done by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fluids. Please
dispose of your waste properly and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fluid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience or
the proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a
qualified technician:Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You
can be seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all
neckties, scarves, and similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling
fan which may turn on unexpectedly: Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even
more dangerous when you wear jewelry or loose clothing.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
Turn off the ignition switch and make sure the fan is not running before attempting
to work near the cooling fan: Working near the cooling fan when it is running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefinitely even if the engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You could be hit by the fan and seriously injured.
NOTE
Once the engine coolant exceeds a preset temperature, an electrical cooling fan turns on. It will
continue running for about 10 minutes after the ignition switch is turned to off.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-9
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Engine Compartment Overview
BatteryEngine oil dipstick
Engine oil-filler cap
Air filter
Engine coolant reservoir
Cooling system cap
Brake/Clutch fluid
reservoir
Windshield washer
fluid reservoir
Fuse block (next
to air filter)
Fuse block
(near battery)
8-10
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Oil
CAUTION
Do not use either synthetic or semi-
synthetic motor oil. Otherwise engine
starting performance could worsen.
NOTE
lChanging the engine oil should be done by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
lThe Mazda RX-8 requires regular checking
of the engine oil level. The compact, high
performance RENESIS rotary engine in
your vehicle consumes a small amount of
engine oil due to its structural design. An
oil pump optimizes the amount of oil
injected to lubricate the rotor seals in the
combustion cycle. Although your vehicle is
equipped with an engine oil level warning
light and an engine oil pressure gauge, it is
best to keep the engine oil level in the range
between full and low by checking the oil
dipstick regularly. Mazda recommends
checking the oil level at every second fuel
filling. The oil consumption of the engine
depends on engine speed and engine load.
Under extreme driving conditions, oil
consumption can be higher.
q Recommended Oil
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine
friction.
U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
Only use oils “Certified For Gasoline
Engines ”by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark
symbol conforms to the current engine
and emission system protection standards
and fuel economy requirements of the
International Lubricant Standardization
and Approval Committee (ILSAC),
comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
5W-20
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
–20
5040
30
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-11
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Except U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
The quality designation SL,SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
5W-20
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
–20
5040
30
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
q
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan. 4. Remove the engine cover.
5. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Full
Low
OK
6. Pull it out again and examine the level.
It's OK between L and F.
But if it's near or below L, add enough
oil to bring the level to F.
CAUTION
Don't add engine oil over F. This may
cause engine damage.
The distance between L and F on the
dipstick represents the following:
Oil capacity
L (US qt, Imp qt) 1.7 (1.8, 1.5)
8-12
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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