recommended oil MAZDA MODEL RX 8 2004 Owners Manual (in English)

4-9
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
•Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag
of sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to
perform the following precautions:
•Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in
the radiator.
•Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
•Use only cold-weather engine oil (page
8-9).
•Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
•Use washer fluid made with
antifreeze—but don’t use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid
(page 8-17).
•Don’t use the parking brake in freezing
weather as the parking brake may
freeze. Instead, shift to P with an
automatic transmission and to 1 or R
with a manual transmission. Block the
rear wheels.

Snow Tires
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Don’t go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph).
Inflate snow tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm2,
4.3 psi) more than recommended on the
tire pressure label (driver’s door), but
never more than the maximum cold-tire
pressure shown on the tires.
Your vehicle is originally equipped with
summer tires designed for optimum
traction on wet and dry roads. If your
vehicle is to be used on snow and ice
covered roads, you may find it necessary
to replace the original equipment tires
with snow tires, during the winter
months.
Winter Driving
Mixing Tire Types:
Using tires different in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle’s handling
could be greatly affected and result in
an accident. Use only the same size
and type tires (snow, radial, or non-
radial) on all four wheels.
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
NOTE
If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitoring system, the system
may not function correctly when using
tires with steel wire reinforcement in
the sidewalls (page 5-26).
WARNING
CAUTION
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7-16
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
To replace the nut
1. Place the key on top of the nut.
2. Place the lug wrench on top of the key,
apply pressure, and turn it clockwise.

Mounting the Tire
1. Remove dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel and
hub, including the hub bolts, with a
cloth.
2. Mount the tire.3. Install the lug nuts with the beveled
edge inward; tighten them by hand.
Removing Dirt and Grime from
Wheels, Hubs and Hub Bolts:
When changing or replacing a tire,
not removing dirt and grime from the
mounting surfaces of the wheel, hub
and hub bolts is dangerous. The lug
nuts could loosen while driving and
cause the tire to come off, resulting in
an accident. Make sure the mounting
surfaces of the wheel, hub and lug
nuts are clean before changing or
replacing tires.
WARNING
Don’t Apply Oil or Grease to Lug
Nuts, Bolts:
Applying oil or grease to lug nuts and
bolts is dangerous. The lug nuts could
loosen while driving and cause the
tire to come off, resulting in an
accident. In addition, lug nuts and
bolts could be damaged if tightened
more than necessary. Do not apply oil
or grease to lug nuts and bolts and do
not tighten the lug nuts beyond the
recommended tightening torque.
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 16 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-4
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Schedule 1
I
: Inspect and repair, clean, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R
: Replace
L
: Lubricate
C
:Clean
ENGINE
AIR CLEANER
IGNITION SYSTEM
FUEL SYSTEM
COOLING SYSTEM
CHASSIS & BODY
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
*1 According to state / provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not
void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or mileage / kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*2 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the
tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
Maintenance Interval
(Number of months or kilometers
(miles), whichever comes first)Months 6 12182430364248
×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 oilRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRR
Drive beltII
Air filterCCRC
Spark plugsR
Fuel filterReplace every 160,000km (100,000miles)
Fuel lines, hoses and connections
*1II
Cooling systemII
Engine coolantR e p l a c e a t f i r s t 9 6 , 0 0 0 k m ( 6 0 , 0 0 0 m i l e s ) o r 4 8 m o n t h s ;
after that, every 24 months
Brake line, hoses and connectionII
Disk brakesIIII
Steering operation and linkagesII
Front and rear suspension and ball jointsII
Manual transmission oilR
Rear differential oilR
Driveshaft dust bootsII
Bolts and nut on seatsII
Exhaust system heat shieldsII
All locks and hingesLLLLLLLL
Flat tire repair kit
*2Inspect every year
Cabin air filter (If installed)Replace every 40,000km (25,000miles) or 24 months
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 4 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-5
Maintenance and Care
Scheduled Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Schedule 2
I
: Inspect and repair, clean, adjust, or replace if necessary.
R
: Replace
L
:Lubricate
C
:Clean
ENGINE
AIR CLEANER
IGNITION SYSTEM
FUEL SYSTEM
COOLING SYSTEM
CHASSIS & BODY
AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM
*1 According to state / provincial and federal regulations, failure to perform maintenance on these items will not
void your emissions warranties. However, Mazda recommends that all maintenance services be performed at
the recommended time or mileage / kilometer period to ensure long-term reliability.
*2 Check the tire repair fluid expiration date every year when performing the periodic maintenance. Replace the
tire repair fluid bottle with new one before the expiration date.
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 1624324048566472808896
×1000 miles 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Engine oilPuerto RicoReplace every 5,000km (3,000miles) or 3 months
OthersRRRRRRRRRRRR
Engine oil filterRRRRRRRRRRRR
Drive beltII
Air filterCCRC
Spark plugsR
Fuel filterReplace every 160,000km (100,000miles)
Fuel lines, hoses and connections
*1II
Cooling systemII
Engine coolantReplace at first 96,000km (60,000miles) or 48 months ;
after that, every 24 months
Brake line, hoses and connectionII
Brake fluidRR
Disk brakesIIII
Steering operation and linkagesII
Front and rear suspension and ball jointsII
Manual transmission oilRR
Rear differential oilRR
Driveshaft dust bootsII
Bolts and nut on seatsII
Exhaust system heat shieldsII
All locks and hingesLLLLLLLLLLLL
Flat tire repair kit
*2Inspect every year
Cabin air filter (If installed)Replace every 40,000km (25,000miles) or 24 months
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 5 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-9
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Recommended Oil
Oil container labels provide important
information.
The quality designation SL
or ILSAC

must be on the label.Engine oil viscosity, or thickness, has an
effect on fuel economy and cold-weather
operation (starting and oil flow).
Low-viscosity engine oils can provide
improved fuel economy and cold-weather
performance.
But high-temperature weather conditions
require higher-viscosity engine oils for
satisfactory lubrication.
When choosing an oil, consider the
temperature range your vehicle will
operate in before the next oil change.
Then select the recommended viscosity
from this chart.
Energy conserving oils are recommended.
A chief contribution they make to fuel
economy is reducing the amount of fuel
necessary to overcome engine friction.
Engine Oil
NOTE
The Mazda RX-8 requires regular
inspection 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.
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.
Inspect the level when refueling.
FORGASOLINEENGINES
(ILSAC)
Using oils of viscosity besides those
recommended for specific temperature
ranges could result in engine damage.
–30–20–100 1020304050
–20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120
5W-20
CAUTION
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8-18
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the engine hood’s secondary
latch keeps the hood from opening when
the primary latch is released.This air filter may be cleaned with
compressed air and reused, or replaced,
depending on its condition. Unless it is
very dirty, simply shake it to remove
foreign particles. Each time you inspect it,
wipe inside the air cleaner housing with a
damp cloth.

Replacing the Air Filter
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turned
off.
2. Disconnect the electrical connector.
Body LubricationAir Filter
Don’t drive without an air filter. This
could result in excessive engine wear.
NOTE
If the vehicle is operated in very dusty
or sandy areas, replace the filter more
often than recommended intervals.
CAUTION
Electrical
connector
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 18 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

8-46
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Cleaning the Lap/Shoulder Belt
We b b i n g
Clean the webbing with a mild soap
solution recommended for upholstery or
carpets. Follow instructions. Don’t bleach
or dye the webbing; this may weaken it.
After cleaning the belts, thoroughly dry
the belt webbing and make sure there is
no remaining moisture before retracting
them.

Cleaning the Window Interiors
If the windows become covered with an
oily, greasy, or waxy film, clean them with
glass cleaner. Follow the directions on the
container.
Damaged Seat Belt:
Using damaged seat belts is
dangerous. In a collision, damaged
belts cannot provide adequate
protection. Have an Authorized
Mazda Dealer replace damaged belts
immediately.
•Don’t scrape or scratch the inside of
the rear window. You may damage
the rear window defroster grid.
•When washing the inside rear
window, use a soft cloth dampened
in lukewarm water, gently wiping
the antenna lines.
Use of glass cleaning products
could damage the antenna.
WARNING
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 46 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

10-5
Specifications
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C


Lubricant Quality
*Refer to the recommended SAE viscosity numbers on page 8-9.


Capacities
(Approximate Quantities)
Check oil and fluid levels with dipsticks or reservoir gauges.


Dimensions
*With license plate holder
LubricantClassification
API Service ILSAC
Engine oil
*SL GF-III
Lubricant Classification
Manual transmission oil API Service GL-4 or GL-5 (SAE 75W-90)
Automatic transmission fluid ATF M-III or equivalent (e.g. Dexron® III)
Rear differential oil API Service GL-5 (SAE 90)
Brake/Clutch fluid SAE J1703 or FMVSS116 DOT-3
ItemUnit
L US qt Imp qt
Engine oilWith oil filter replacement 3.5 3.7 3.1
Without oil filter replacement 3.3 3.5 2.9
Coolant 9.8 10.4 8.6
Manual transmission oil 1.75 1.8 1.5
Automatic transmission fluid 8.7 9.2 7.7
Rear differential oil 1.3 1.4 1.1
Fuel tank 60 15.9 (US gal) 13.2 (Imp gal)
Item Model
Overall length
4,425 mm (174.2 in), 4,430 mm
*(174.4 in)
Overall width 1,770 mm (69.7 in)
Overall height 1,340 mm (52.8 in)
Front tread 1,500 mm (59.1 in)
Rear tread 1,505 mm (59.3 in)
Wheelbase 2,700 mm (106.3 in)
10.fm Page 5 Friday, July 4, 2003 11:46 AM