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i have a Mazda 3i with the 2.0 litre engine. in my owners manual it says there is a special tool to remove the oil filter and i should have it done by a certified Mazda dealer. Does anyone know what this "special tool" is or where I can get one. I would like to get the K&N oil filter so I can just clean it with every oil change, but am afraid they would throw it away and replace with a cheapie. any help woule be appreciated. thanks.



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The 'special tool' is simply a cap style oil filter wrench. The cover for the cartridge filter is plastic resin and using a type of wrench that applies clamping pressure to grip the cover could cause it to break. Cap should be available at dealer but having a hard time locating a part number. Should be available from many parts stores if you ask for a cap wrench that is 74 mm in diameter and has 14 gripping flutes.
Be sure to be very careful when reinstalling that you do not get the large '0' ring seal pinched between the cover and housing. Jiffy Lube and many other fast lube places have bought more engines then they would care to admit due to pinching this 'O' ring and causing a oil leak that ran engine out of oil. Using a new one is recommended. Mazda part # is LF01-14-312-9U and retails for $1.65. The 'o' ring now comes in the box with the oil filter from Mazda part # L321-14-302-9U and retails for $7.60.
Have personnaly never been a big fan of reuseable oil filters but that is your preference.


One other quick note on doing your own oil changes. SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS. If you get 30,000 miles down the road and throw a rod bearing or other lubrication related failure, Mazda WILL ask for maintenance history. Having oil changes done at dealer automatically covers you as long as they were done at fairly close intervals to recommended. Records from quick lube also work but they must be available. If doing them yourself then save the receipts for the oil, filter, 'o' ring etc. and stick them in the glovebox just in case.

 

thanks for the information on that. The K&N oil filter is supposed to help the enging pump oil better thru the system to increase engine life, I dont know if it something that i will do, but if I do, I now have the info i need.

 

Yep that's the "special" tool alright, I have the same problem with my 03 Protege, but I just went ahead and did it myself,and I too bought a K&N oil filter, and it works great, just make sure that the oil filter is nice and snug on there, that's the only advice I got from my Mazda dealership. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. One question though, the 'O' ring that babyhuey mentioned, is that included with the K&N filter, or do you buy it separately each oil change. And where did you happen to get the tool? With that oil filter, do you notice the engine at a lower temp. or running any different, better or worse.

 

The 2.0 engine has a spin on filter. No plastic cover over it. The o ring is for the 2.3 engine filter. For the 2.3 it is a cartridge type paper filter that fits in a plactic cover. Just think of it as a spin on filter but with a seperate paper filter that goes in the plastic holder.

 

So since the 2.0 engine has a spin on filter, is the special tool required still. I checked with my dealer and they have never seen a car come in with a K&N Oil filter, so I would be a little afraid that they would just throw it out when i take it in for an oil change. I dont think that its something I will be doing myself at this time anyway.

 

I've take my 2.0L Mazda3i to the local drive-through oil change place with no issues at all.

 

sstlaure, you have the K&N oil filter on your car. Do they clean it out with the oil change or is that something that you do after having the oil change done. I just don't want to spend the $10 bucks on this and then have someone throw it out and not tell me, or not clean it out properly and get dirty oil back into the engine. That would suck. On my last car, I had the K&N air filter and my dad threw it out without telling me, that pissed me off!

 

I don't have the K&N Oil Filter. I let the oil change place use the filters they stock. (I believe they are Fram filters)

So long as you change your oil per the recommendations, I wouldn't worry too much about the filter. My buddy runs a cleanable filter on his 68 Bronco (1100 hp Monster), but he's protecting a $30K motor and changes the oil after every race weekend.