Oil and filter change on a 2008 2.3 Liter Mazda 3

I recently had the seemingly simple, yet ridiculously complicated task of changing the oil and filter in a 2008 Mazda 3. Mazda has done everything they can to make the average Do-It-Yourselfer take the drive of shame over to the neighborhood Jiffy Lube. Heaven only knows the embarrassment a DIY Weekend Warrior feels when pulling into Jiffy Lube. Thankfully for all the quitters, Jiffy's got a full supply of lube and oil drums to bend you over... and if you won't take my word for it, watch and learn.

With the OEM Mazda 3 2.3 liter, you don't replace a traditional oil filter, just the innards of a plastic reusable filter...and said innards cost more than buying a whole can filter...amazing.

I found a great guide online, so I won't re-invent what is in there, I'll just link you and get you on your way. However, before you check out the guide, below are a few things to keep in mind that I learned the hard way, hope these tips help! (The link to the guide is at the bottom of the post).

-The oil filter is a pain to change out, so the Mazda dealership is probably NOT changing your filter, and most likely, neither will Jiffy Lube (see above video link). My Mazda 3 has 18,000 dealer-serviced miles on it, and it is impossible to remove the encased oil filter without getting oil on the outside of the casing. My casing was totally CLEAN, so I can only suppose that it has never been touched by the dealership. 18,000 miles on one filter. Thanks Legacy Mazda, the worst dealership of all time. FYI- there is a 6 mm hex bolt on the filter casing that you will read about in the linked article. When you take the bolt out, oil runs across the bottom of the filter casing, so if you have your car dealer-serviced, it may pay to take a look at the bottom of the filter case (see article below for pics, etc) and see if there is oil residue on it. If there is not, it is likely your filter is NOT being changed. If you have Jiffy Lube service your Mazda 3, I can guarantee they are not changing it.

-You'll want the car up on jack stands so you have enough room to get under the car to leverage the drain plug and oil filter casings loose. My first attempt at changing the oil failed because the dealership had used an air gun to tighten the drain plug and I didn't have room to leverage the bolt free, so make sure you have room to use your muscles. :)

-Have an oil filter removal tool handy. My second attempt at the oil change was a failure because the factory had tightened the filter casing so tight that it could not be removed without a filter strap. These things only need to be "hand tight". Evidently Mr. Incredible got a job over at the Mazda 3 factory.

-The center bolt of the engine shroud you have to remove may not come out. I hadn't read about this anywhere, but on my 2008, the front center bolt holding the engine shroud to the car had an unsecured nut on it, so the bolt would just spin and not remove without considerable effort. Easiest way to deal with this: remove all the other bolts, pull the drivers-side front corner of the shroud loose from the plastic insert that holds it against the car, then swing the shroud out of the way so that the front edge of the shroud now runs front-to-back and the drivers-side edge of the shroud is running side to side in front of the car. Basically just turn the shroud 90 degrees.

-One of my next projects will be replacing the factory replace-the-internals-only oil filter with the adapter that allows you to put on a normal "can style" oil filter. I'm told the can filter we all know and love is what's used on the 2.0 liter Mazda 3's. I looked around on Google and found the kit for around $50, but since I haven't actually purchased from the site yet, I don't want to endorse it. I plan on switching out the ridiculous OEM filter system during my next oil change.

I think the tutorial covers the rest of it. Mazda has outdone themselves by taking a simple oil change and turning it into a full Saturday project. Good luck!

Here is the guide (http://robert.aitchison.org/tiki-page.php?pageName=Mazda3+DIY+Oil+Change)