Mazda Diesels Facing Oil Issues In Australia

by Derek Kreindler

December 19th, 2012 1:11 PM

mazda diesels facing oil issues in australia

A reader tip pointed us to an issue with Mazda’s recent Skyactiv-D diesel engines in Australia. Apparently, the vehicle’s particulate filter may be the source of some engine oiling issues.

Our reader sent us this note regarding the issue

I’m really looking forward to the new skyactiv D engines coming to North America next year. As I was looking for info about them I came across issues with oil rising over the full mark. Seems to be caused by diesel leaking into the oil sump after being sprayed to burn off contaminates in the particulate filter (apparently this happens in other manufacturers diesels as well.) Most of the problems reported seem to be in Australia but apparently it is happening in Europe too. I know that the CX 5 Diesel is very popular in Japan but I didn’t find anything about the issue in Japan

Mazda sent out this leaflet to diesel owners regarding monitoring the oil, while forums have been alight with this topic. While some would-be owners have canceled their orders for CX-5 and Mazda 6 diesels, it appears that new engine software and a re-designed dipstick (which can give owners a more accurate reading of the oil level) can remedy the problem.

#Diesel #Mazda #MazdaCx-5 #Mazda6 #SKYACTIV

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6 of 59 comments

DenverMike on Dec 19, 2012

I remember when diesels were way simpler than those darn carbureted and cutting edge, computer/fuel injected gas engines. I had no idea how to set points or what the heck a carburetor bowl was, but I could figure out and repair any diesel drivability problem back in high school. Even then, it was tough to break a diesel, no matter how hard you beat on it and ignored maintenance. I knew when it was time to change the fuel filter when it wouldn't drive over 45 mph. Diesels had all the advantages, and you'd be crazy not to get one if it was an optional engine. Damn, how the tables have turned!

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- Rnc on Dec 20, 2012
  
  The amazing diesels of the 60's and 70's were so amazing because they weren't quite sure what was happening in the combustion chamber so they were overbuilt like the a 1920's bridge (as soon as they got mainframes and simulation programs working), they started making them for the function required (now the rest didn't pull a GM and just take a gas engine, add glow plugs, increase compression and hope for the best, that was making an engine to the bare bones minimum required), my Dad's 81' caddy was such a piece of crap that the dealer basically took it back and gave him an 83' olds 98 deisel, the car never really had any problems with the engine (but it was his last GM product), when we lived in Mass. during the winter it had to be plugged in over night. (I was amazed by and loved those 20 or so idiot lights that had to go off (ding, ding, ding) before cranking thinking they were some sort of state of the art nasa tech, when in reality it was just giving time for the plugs to get the Cyl. to temp for initial compression ignition)
  
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Jal142 on Dec 19, 2012

An engine with a perpetually rising oil level? Maybe they can add this technology to the 2017 RX-7. When life gives you lemons....

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Indi500fan on Dec 20, 2012

When we got some of the pre production 2007 spec truck engines in our lab to run back in the 2006 time frame, I said to myself: these babies aren't going to age well. It looks like that's the case bigtime. Any light duty diesel vehicle that isn't covered by some type of extended warranty is probably going to be an economic loser (vs equivalent gasser) over the long term just due to repair costs. Throw in the decreasing gap in fuel economy due to DI gassers getting better and USEPA diesels getting worse, and the govt has achieved its goal of keeping ld diesels off the market.

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- RobertRyan on Dec 20, 2012
  
  The Irony is car diesels have increased their market share 50% in the last 3 yrs in Australia. Non-diesel Pickups are becoming very rare.
  
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Michaelfrankie on Sep 13, 2013

As the old saying goes: A lot of things have to go right to make a gas engine run and a lot of things have to go wrong to make a diesel not run. Not so much anymore.

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