Oil Filters

I changed the oil and filter in the '90B this evening. This was my first encounter with the "new" oil filters; I bought replacements during this particular interval and, frankly, didn't notice the difference until I went to take the old one out.

Somewhere along the way, I bought a new socket. Probably when we got the '97 Protégé last year for our younger daughters and I bought some Proline filters. Turns out the filters seem to be common between the '90 Miata, '97 Protégé and the 2003 Protégé our oldest just bought. At least that's what the aftermarket filter manufacturers seem to believe and state in their replacement guides.

The 2003 was coming up on it's first oil change and I didn't want our oldest, who lives out of town, to be at the mercy of someone other than her Dad to do this. Curiously, while the owner's manual for the '03 Protégé suggests that it's OK for the dummy owner to change their own oil, it warns against changing the oil filter. This, it claims, requires "special tools" and, one might suspect, special intense training at Mazda U. Actually, I sort of lied as the '03 Protégé was really my first exposure to the new filter as I elected to use one of the Mazda branded parts for, at least, the first change.

The special tools for the 2003 2L Protégé turn out to be either a floor jack or lift and, of course, the filter socket. The oil filters are mounted on the same side of the engine for the 1.6L Miata, 1.5L and 2.0L Protégés. While you can reach to the rear of the engine on the 1.5L and easily get to the filter, there is too much junk in the way to do this with the 2.0. Jack it up, slide underneath and it's easy. (it's the "rear" because the Protégé engines are mounted transverse).

So since I haven't recycled the '03 Protégé filter yet, I had it at my disposal along with the large one from the '90, a "new" replacement, Proline filters and a Pennzoil filter that somehow snuck into the mix. A man with all this stuff and a caliper can't resist taking a few measurements. Since they all screw on OK (assuming this to be true for the Pennzoil as well), the only real difference in mounting is probably the gasket. So I took my precision plastic caliper and made some measurements of the mounting gaskets. Those of you who are astute probably are thinking, "yes, but the used ones have been flattened in service". Since I am not attempting to prove much of anything with this exercise (because the new ones don't seem to leak), just consider this information for information's sake. I'll put them in the order of increasing Gasket ID:

Filter Number Gasket ID Gasket OD Gasket width Socket used (Old Mazda/New Mazda)

New Mazda B6Y1 14 302 9A 55mm 62mm 3.5mm New Pennzoil PZ37 56mm 63mm

3.5mm New 03 Protégé B631 14 302 57mm 63mm 3mm Old Proline PPL 14622 57mm 63mm 3mm New Old Mazda B6Y2 14 302 58mm 65mm 3.5mm Old

Biggest differences seem to be between the old and new Mazda filters. How the '03 Protégé fits into the mix, I don't know. It would be interesting if a real Mazda engineer read this newsgroup and might elaborate on what, if any, differences are implied by B6Y2, B631 and B6Y1 (9A). Curiously, it's pretty much in the median of this mix and has the thinner gasket.

Proline seems to have nailed this dimension with regard to the factory '03 filter.

Pennzoil uses a square cross section gasket, vs the rounded shapes of the others. The valve in the Pennzoil looks like some sort of plastic deal, where the others (including Proline) are metal. I don't know if this has any significance.

Anyway...thought I'd share and see what comments the group might have.

Regards,

Ken

Reply to
Ken Stoorza
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Of course we all know the 'G' wrench doesn't work on the new smaller OEM [B6Y1 14 302 9A]

I notoce Finishlineperformance [Rosenthal Mazda] now offers a wrench for the smaller filter.

Click on shorterlink to see it.

James '03 LS Santa Paula, CA Your shorter link is:

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Reply to
James Combs

It's easier than that, James. Just go to Pep Boys or Grand Auto and buy one. If you are not sure of the size, take a Pennzoil or Proline filter out of the box and try it.

Best,

Ken

Reply to
Ken Stoorza

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