2008 Mazda RX-8 Owner's Manual - Page 281

Maintenance and Care Owner Maintenance Engine Oil CAUTION Do not use either synthetic or semisynthetic motor oil. Otherwise engine starting performance could worsen. NOTE l U.S.A. and CANADA l Changing the engine oil should be done by an Authorized Mazda Dealer. The 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. (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. -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 qRecommended 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. 5W-20 8-11