| I've been looking at these messages and will be helping my brother change the oil on his roadster gearbox at the weekend. So far he's had a quick look at it and has found the drain plug but not the fill hole. Also which of the two methods below is best and has anyone got an opinion on any special oils to use. We're planning to just use halfords gearbox stuff. (11/99) |
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To find the filler plug, start at the drain plug and then go round to the left (passenger side) and up the side of the gearbox. You'll come to a square headed plug (half way up) - that's it! You need a tube and a funnel so that you can pour oil in somewhere near the exhaust manifold - needs quite a long tube. So long as it's pushed well into the gearbox (make sure it's clean!) you can do it one man. You don't really need the pump - but it might help. I would seriously recommend that you use synthetic oil. Halfords do Castrol synthetic, but it's horrendously expensive. They don't seem to sell Comma, but that is widely available at accessory shops - Comma SX 75W-90 synthetic gearbox oil. But Redline or AMS is better. Let me just repeat my warning in case people didn't see it - NEVER, NEVER go under a '5 unless it's properly supported on axle stands. A jack alone is NOT sufficient. (11/99) |
| I recently switched to Redline MTL synthetic gearbox oil; vastly improved the stiff 1st-2nd change when cold. Might also want to check the turret shifter oil while you're at it (accesible by removing the centre console and peering down at the gearbox) (11/99) |
| Take a look at this site for info on the redline oil http://www.redlineoil.com/mtlti.htm (11/99) |
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I've changed the gearbox oil on my Roadster !! I used redline oil (expensive but is supposed to help the notchy gear shifts) For drainage and filling details I followed the instructions in Rods handbook. If you havent got a manual then Jack the 5 up to drain gearbox
, lower after plug has been removed to allow all oil to escape(replace
drain plug) jack up to remove filler plug . NOTE this is a 2 man job !!! one holds the tube in the gearbox , the other holds the funnel and fills !!! this is a timely process !! (11/99) |
| Not necessarily, I purchased a plastic squeeze top syphon pump (the type used for emptying fish tanks) attached it to the plastic tubing and pumped the oil straight from the carton into the gearbox. (11/99) |
| ... or if you other cars are Citroen .. they provide their gearbox oil in neat little 500ml pots with additional top with a 6" clear tube on it.. wash it out, fill with redline, offer up to hole, stuff tube in, rotate until vertical and squeeze bottle.. repeat 3 times .. easy one man job. (11/99) |
| I am currently due for my first 9000 mile and am unsure wether to accept the standard oil from the dealer or provide my own. Can anyone advise if semi or full synthetic oil is req'd etc ? I have heard of Mobil 1 or Shell Helix Ultra in the fully synthetic and Shell Helix Plus in the semi synthetic. What would the list advise for the first service etc ? and what costs should I expect.(11/99) |
| I paid 125 pd at Crowthorne Mazda. I used their oil as I had a lot of valve clatter with Mobil 1. Car is running fine so I guess thats ok (11/99) |
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Can anyone advise if semi or full synthetic oil is req'd etc ? In my rigorously scientific sampling of dealers opinions, both said semi-synthetic What would the list advise for the first service etc ? and what costs should I expect? I paid around GBP140 if memory serves, at Peter Hawkes Mazda in Huddersfield. But I had a couple of other little things done, so a straight service might be a bit less. Gosh, keeping that warranty is going to turn out expensive, methinks. (11/99) |
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Is Magnatec any good, or should I go for Mobil1? I'm going to put my 5 in for various things tomorrow, so what should I go for? I have about 3-4 secs of HLA clatter when cold, but the other day when the car hadn't been started for about 30 hrs, she sounded like a bag of sh!te. She even sounded like she wasn't firing on all cylinders!!!!! Any ideas? No probs since though! (6hrs at the most left on own) (11/99) |
| FYI - I use semi-synthetics, Fina Excel 10W-40 until it became too hard to find, now Comma 10W-40. I change at about 5500 miles, HLA clatter starts to appear just before 5000 which I take as indication that an oil change is approaching. Regarding the next point, I've found that my engine should not be started from cold and run for only a few seconds - i.e. to move the car a couple of feet. Next time it is started it will run like poo until properly warmed up. Must leave a lot of unburned fuel in the cylinders to upset the management system? (11/99) |
| I had mobil1 0W40 for a while and also had clatter when cold. Changed to Castrol 10W60 and problems are gone... I'm not saying mobil1 is bad (before another war starts ;) , just make sure whatever you take is thick enough! (11/99) |
| I have used both these oils, and none of them caused valve clatter in our Miatas. (11/99) |
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Mine does this if I either drive it for a short time (eg wash + dry + put away) Then the next time start it is sounds terible, for a short while. It also used to do it if I left it alone all weekend and parked out side. It isn't a problem, as long as your plug leads are in good condition. On one occasion mine weren't and the car did not start. I think the problem is condensation on the plugs. The lumpiness goes away before the HLA clatter. By the way if you are bothered by the HLA clatter do a hot flush when you change the oil. this is what I will do at my next oil change. My car has HLA clatter sometimes. (11/99) |
| After just doing a quick shopping trip to France I thought I'd better ask what the difference in there Mobil 1 5/50 is to ours 0/40 before I put it in, thought it worth the risk at £18 v £30 (11/99) |
| No problem - use it - actually it should be better re cold HLA clatter. (11/99) |
| On phoning my local dealer for an oil and filter change, He says they use 5 / 30 fully synthetic, in the 99 1.8 MX-5's, this is because the hydraulic tappets need a thinner oil ?! I don't have the handbook on me, so cannot look up what Mazda recommend, though I have asked a fellow engineer here, (Mazda engineers now work in the building as Ford ones ), but he as not come back to me yet. Is 5 / 30 a bit too thin ? Would a 10 / 40 lead to stalls ? |
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He says they use 5 / 30 fully synthetic, in the 99 1.8 MX-5's, this is because the hydraulic tappets need a thinner oil ?! BS. The M1/NA classic MX-5 uses hydraulic tappets. M2/NB new MX-5 don't. Is 5 / 30 a bit too thin ? Would a 10 / 40 lead to stalls ? I switch between 0/40 and 5/30 on the old MX-5 with no problems. (12/99) |
| The Mazda engineer, just got back to me, His collegue said 15W/40 grade SJ is the one they recommend The 5 / 30 is alot more expensive. (12/99) |
| The 99 MX-5s do not have hydraulic tappets. (12/99) |
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This is because the hydraulic tappets need a thinner oil ?! Hmmm, Did he now? Tell him that the Mk2 99 MX5 doesn't have any hydraulic tappets. (12/99) |
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Just to clarify, the bottom message is what the dealer said [not the Mazda engineer]! The Mazda engineer, just got back to me, His colleague said 15W/40 grade SJ is the one they recommend Local dealer service dept said : He says they use 5 / 30 fully synthetic, in the 99 1.8 MX-5's, this is because the hydraulic tappets need a thinner oil ?! (12/99) |
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I emailed Mobil 1 about which product to use on my Roadster 1990 MK1 1.6i. Here's their reply As the engine is ten years old, and has not used Mobil 1 before, I suggest using the Mobil 1 Motorsport 15W/50 rather than the Mobil 1 0W/40. The reason being that we introduced the Motorsport for those older, high mileage engines which could not cope with the 0W/40 but where a fully synthetic was wanted. The Motorsport is available from Halfords. (1/00) |
| Interesting - I saw the Motorsport oil in the shops, and was unsure which to buy. The "Motorsport" name tends to make you think it will be a better oil than Mobil 1 "standard". I have used 0W/40 in my car from 700miles, presumably though I'm best off still using the standard stuff than Motorsport, even though I do take my car on trackdays occasionally. (1/00) |
| Odd isn't it. I e-mailed them a year ago for the very same reason (1991 car). Their reply was along the lines "no reason whatsoever why you shouldn't use Mobil 1 0W/40 on a car with 44,000 miles." But then that was before they introduced Mobil 1 Motorsport 15W/50. So I guess rather than advising me correctly the prime aim was to get me to buy the only Synthetic oil they had on the market at the time. (1/00) |
| I've been persuaded to try an alternative transmission oil. It's Silkolene Silktran Syn 5, fully synthetic gear and transmission oil. API GL-5 and 75W-90. It's going into the gearbox and differential. (Not available in Halfords though) (1/00) |
| Same oil for gearbox and diff? AFAIK, Mazda, Redline, Castrol, ..... recommend different oils for gearbox and diff. (1/00) |
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Specs are: Thing is - I don't think you can buy a monograde synthetic for diffs - suitable Redline product is 75W90 which is a 75W-90 multigrade, but they say its "too slippery for synchromesh gearboxes". They have an alternative 75W-90 GL-4 oil for gearboxes (MT90) So I reckon I'll be OK with a GL-5 75W-90 in both - packaging says it's what it's designed for (Quote: ..is a fully synthetic gear lubricant for manual transmissions
and final drive units in high performance vehicles.........meet
or exceed the most stringent gear oil criteria............recommended
for use wherever a multigrade API GL5 lubricant is specified),
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| AFAIK, the Mazda dealers over here [Germany] use different oil for the diff and the gearbox. Redline recommends different types, as does Castrol. Rather different type of load for a diff and a gearbox. Much higher load on the gears in the diff, and no need for ingredients helping the synchro-parts in the gearbox. IIRC, I run Castrol 75W140 in the diff and 75W90 in the gearbox. (1/00) |
| This gear oil thing seems to be a subject about which there is little solid info. What I have gleaned is that GL5 seems to mean extreme pressure rating - ie it's what used to be called EP. GL4 is medium pressure rating. And obviously the viscosity rating depends on how thick the designer thinks the oil needs to be in his 'box. The synthetic gear oils seem to be more "all-purpose" than mineral gear oils. Has anyone found anything actually authoritative on the subject? (1/00) |
| I looked into a list by Castrol with recommended mineral and synthetic oil for gear boxes and diffs for different cars. The MX-5 is listed in there, and I went with their recommendation for synthetic oil. These lists are usually available in car parts shops (at least over here in Germany). (1/00) |
| What quantity of oil does the '5 take on an oil change? Planning on moving to synthetic at 54k service and want to know how much to buy. (4/00) |
| Around 3.8L, there should be a bit left from a 4L container (4/00) |
| Those that want to/do change their own oil may want to take a look at Hakuna's instructions on Miata.net. http://www.miata.net/garage/trans/index.htm They made sense to me, and I'm clueless when it comes to this sort of thing! I should imagine this is a great addition to the guides provided by those here on the list and also the enthusiasts books etc. (12/00) |