0W 40 ok for nb8a?
Moderators: timk, Stu, -alex, miata, StanTheMan, greenMachine, ManiacLachy, Daffy, zombie, Andrew, The American, Lokiel
- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
0W 40 ok for nb8a?
hello all
just about to start an oil change an realised i bought a different wieght to what i was previously told to use.
i have bought castrol's edge 0w 40 usualy use 5w 30
will the 0w 40 be ok or should i go back and get something else?
what you all use?
just about to start an oil change an realised i bought a different wieght to what i was previously told to use.
i have bought castrol's edge 0w 40 usualy use 5w 30
will the 0w 40 be ok or should i go back and get something else?
what you all use?
- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
- tk421
- Fast Driver
- Posts: 233
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:52 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: Springwood
My mechanic told me that 0w40 was the go for my next service when I turned with 5w50 mobil 1 last time. He's a very experienced former MX5er (Jason from Top tune Nth syd). As long as your tappets aren't noisy you should be fine.
Steve
Steve
98 NB8A, Mania CAI, Eibachs and Bilsteins, Whiteline brace, Starcorp's, DBA Slotted and asstd bling, FM butterfly brace. FFS coldside and the whiiiinnne. Now 138rwkw (Glory Run
) More with tuning.
http://users.tpg.com.au/usethe4c/Green+Machine.jpg

http://users.tpg.com.au/usethe4c/Green+Machine.jpg
- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
- tk421
- Fast Driver
- Posts: 233
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 1:52 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: Springwood
Thinking about it you are lowering the lower number compared to the 5w30 so they may in fact be quieter at start up and about the same or a little quieter when hot as your raising the higher number (sorry about that didn't notice the higher number was going up)
I have used 0w 30 in mine before and found the tappets too noisy at the time. I have had them set by the rev doctor in hornsby since then so the prob is cured now.
Steve
I have used 0w 30 in mine before and found the tappets too noisy at the time. I have had them set by the rev doctor in hornsby since then so the prob is cured now.
Steve
98 NB8A, Mania CAI, Eibachs and Bilsteins, Whiteline brace, Starcorp's, DBA Slotted and asstd bling, FM butterfly brace. FFS coldside and the whiiiinnne. Now 138rwkw (Glory Run
) More with tuning.
http://users.tpg.com.au/usethe4c/Green+Machine.jpg

http://users.tpg.com.au/usethe4c/Green+Machine.jpg
- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
- Garry
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3481
- Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
- Vehicle: NB SP
- Location: God's Country
- Contact:
- Garry
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3481
- Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
- Vehicle: NB SP
- Location: God's Country
- Contact:
I have been using 0w-40 formula R castrol for over 1.5 years, and the is still running
That says a lot. I've seen how you drive.



Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven
- Inf3ct0R
- Fast Driver
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 10:04 pm
- Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
- Contact:
Re:
Garry wrote:I have been using 0w-40 formula R castrol for over 1.5 years, and the is still running
That says a lot. I've seen how you drive.1.5yrs of your driving is equivalent to 5yrs normal driving.
![]()
yup yup, been to the track over 15 times? motorkhana 20 times?
of course you should only drive the car hard when its in its operating temperature



- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
- Inf3ct0R
- Fast Driver
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 10:04 pm
- Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
- Contact:
Re:
Chris P wrote:If Mazda recommends a weighting of 10W....that means that the oil pump is used to the resistance of pumping 10W oil?
If its thinner say 5W or 0W will that lead to the oil pump breaking down, not in the immediate future but say years down the track?
in the manual it states that 5w-30 is ok as well... furthermore, 5w from mobil and 5w from castrol will not be the same...
- irwin83r
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 8:32 pm
- Vehicle: NB8A
- Location: wollongong
- Contact:
- Garry
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3481
- Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
- Vehicle: NB SP
- Location: God's Country
- Contact:
It's a positive displacement pump dríven from the engine. It can only go as fast as the engine will let it. I dont think you'll burn it out by spinning it to fast with thin oil.
You may end up with sligtly lower oil pressure when cold and more oil may drain back into the sump when the engine is cold due to the thinner oil. But then the oil should move through the engine faster when you cold start the engine. So there's advantages and disadvantages. It's in the accepted range in Mazda's oil recomendations sheet in the owners manual so I doubt you would have any problems.

Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven
Return to “MX5 Engines, Transmission & Final Drive”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests