I got back from the dealer to check on the engine rattle that I'm getting at 7500 rpm, and I had a technician ride with me to hear the sound, and they spent a day performing tests (they werent specific, but not compression tests). After all that they said it's normal for the engine. How is it normal if I'm one of the few getting the noise?

On the receipt:

"Test drove the vehicle and verify the noise. Ck the engine and verify the noise is coming from the engine. Test drive two other vehicles and verify this is a normal operation noise. Spoke with tech line and verify the noise is normal for operating at that RPM."


So...I guess I live with the metallic rattle?

Test drive two other vehicles and verify this is a normal operation noise. Spoke with tech line and verify the noise is normal for operating at that RPM."


So did you actually see them test drive two other 8's to verify they had the noise also? Or just read it on the receipt?

I smell a big ass grill full of bull$h!t. I used to work for a dealership when I was 19. That looks like the typical bs they always did to their customers.

if i heard a rattle at 7500 rpm i'd be bout ready to shit myself, and whenever it comes time to have shatted, that means something is very wrong.

NEVER, ignore that feeling.

So did you actually see them test drive two other 8's to verify they had the noise also? Or just read it on the receipt?

They also told me in person also. But obviously, it's not a rattle on most rx8s. I wonder if they found out the cause of missinmyseven's rattle.

^ SA didn't even *hear* it. Deaf as Beethoven, that man must be. Or he never made the big red needle sweep past the big 6 on the dial.

I have no rattle, therefore, I have deduced that it is not normal.

pinging, and yes, I use 93 and it's been there for a while

Take it easy on the dealers, we are not all bad. Ask to go for a road test in another RX8 with the technician or service manager. That way you will know if it is operating as designed.

you dont think its the VDI opening at 7250 as part of the normal S-DAIS function?

Interesting, I get some light, rattle-like noises when the car is not fully warmed up at low rpm, barely there type sound that goes away as engine warms up. I attribute it to various solenoids operating as it gets to operating temperature. No rattle sounds at high rpm.

you dont think its the VDI opening at 7250 as part of the normal S-DAIS function?

S-wha...?

Take it easy on the dealers, we are not all bad. Ask to go for a road test in another RX8 with the technician or service manager. That way you will know if it is operating as designed.

It's not on other rx8s. So it's obvious it's not normal, but they say it's normal. I shouldn't have to prove it's not normal by driving around in other rx8s.

Imagine a rod, say 1mm in diamater, hooked up to a metal piece, which in turn moves a valve, kinda like a throttle linkage, but much smaller.

Imagine the renesis at about 6500 or so rpm (somehwere around there) making a particular frequency which rattles this theoretical piece. That's what it sounds like to me. Like it is being buzzed at one very narrow range of frequency. It's light metal against light metal. Soon I'll go hunting for it myself.

It's not on other rx8s. So it's obvious it's not normal, but they say it's normal. I shouldn't have to prove it's not normal by driving around in other rx8s.

It sucks, but you have to perform due diligence to determine if the rattle is normal (you can't depend on the dealership to do it). If that means riding with a technician to verify the sound in other RX8's, then that is what you have to do. Get it fixed, and then file a complaint with Mazda.

i have the same issue.

when the first time i spun it to 9k it clciked so bad it was louder than the engine. over 7300 rpm the cars power would go flat and pull at a constantly slo rate, slower than normal! each time i take it over 7300 rpm it gets better and better, but im not happy anyway. pre production rx8s had this issue too and its still not resolved. the SDAIS system is quirky and complicated so they occasionally fail. whats weird is how its on only a few of them.

its at exactly 7300 rpm when the VDI opens up. fyi the apv opens at 6250. its an insanely fast clicking sound. no this sound isnt normal, they just dont kno how to fix it. WE replace the lower intake manifold plenum, that is where the vacuum solenoids and motors are positioned for the SDAIS system. it involves dropping down the engine and removing the intake manifold and replacing it. super labor intensive but its warranty so its free!

Who's we? How do I replace whatever you're talking about?

lol, it looks like they also replaced the spark plugs and battery, it starts up instantly

I also didn't have my engine cover on when I gave them the car, and when I came back home to add oil, they put on another engine cover, lol. It looks used, they must of misplaced it...

*ponders meaning of life*

S-wha...?

Sequential Dynamic Air Intake System

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=24649&highlight=S-dais

... pre production rx8s had this issue too and its still not resolved. the SDAIS system is quirky and complicated so they occasionally fail. whats weird is how its on only a few of them.


a couple pre-production cars had an issue with the APV and/or VDI not opening(at a media day no less :crying: )- this wont cuase a clicking or rattling sound. the sound you guys are describing sounds more like ping. why would it be weird for only a few cars to have an issue? that would be normal as a couple of parts in a couple of thousand are out of spec and fail


.

its at exactly 7300 rpm when the VDI opens up. fyi the apv opens at 6250. its an insanely fast clicking sound. no this sound isnt normal, they just dont kno how to fix it. WE replace the lower intake manifold plenum, that is where the vacuum solenoids and motors are positioned for the SDAIS system. it involves dropping down the engine and removing the intake manifold and replacing it. super labor intensive but its warranty so its free!


that is the only correct way to fix VDI issues on a customer's car- replace the lower manifold

Where is the lower manifold located? Should I try to ask my dealership to replace it?

try this- ask them "if its normal then can you explain to me what causes the noise?"

I have no rattle, therefore, I have deduced that it is not normal.

Likewise.

im gonna go ahead and agree with zoom44. its gotta be a ping. i switvched gas brands a few weeks ago and it hasnt returned. i USED to use sunoco 94, then 93, now i use shell 93. perhaps the computer didnt advance the timing enuff when i was wailing on it? perhaps that 94 wasnt REALLY 94? same goes for their 93????

sat morning im running a compression test, this sucker cranks long in the morning recently and im sweatin it bad. ps i have an 06 with 3800 miles

try this- ask them "if its normal then can you explain to me what causes the noise?"

The thing is - they have NO idea. If they found out why, they'd tell me by now, and probably have it fixed.

Again, in my case, there's no power loss, just that 'marbles in a blender' sound at ~7300 RPM all the way to ~7900. It's not horribly loud either, but it's a little annoying. I can live with it, assuming it doesn't affect my engine especially when my warranty is up. But I'd rather find a solution.


Another excuse by the guys at the dealership is that I shouldn't be revving that high. Well, no, I SHOULD be revving that high with the rotary. Of course, I usually shift at around ~3500 but when I'm having fun with the SPORTS car that I purchased, I don't need that rattle.


And I've tried 93 octane from a bunch of different gas stations, including Shell. I'm thinking about trying this octane booster stuff I saw at Autozone.

that is unnacceptable- if its normal then they should be able to tell you why its normal. get it in writing. calll MNAO and ask for the explanation to be provided. nobody should walk away from a "its normal" without a full explanation/education about what makes it normal-this issue or any other anytime.

Raptor2k are you anywhere near Austin?

Yes, about 3 hours away, Arlington is a sub-urb of Dallas. I'll try calling MNAO later.

I have the same rattling noise on my 8. It has 3400km on the odometer. This happens also when the car is not moving, and I press the gass pedal, on around 7000rpm's I hear this marbles in a can sound. When I open the passenger door,or the passenger window,I can't hear it. Maybe it's because of the outside noise,that I can't hear it. I am not sure.
When I went for my first oil change, they said it's normal. The told me:"Wait and on the next oil change see how it goes..." I didn't insist at that time, because I had no more time...
I think I will try to go to another authorised dealer to check it out.
I hope that my motor is not going to malfunction because of this...
Hopefully it's new and I have the warranty...

see im almost 100% sure that you are hearing the normal S-DAIS operation- i doubt you have an issue

yeah if its making that noise and it runs perfect, i guess its the sdais. but when ur car falls on its face over 7k, hence my issue. im thinking its kocking. 18 more hours till i compression test her....yay

I went to another authorized dealer just a few hours after my previous post.
This dealer is the biggest in Greece.
They heard it and told me that it's not coming from the engine,but from the passenger side dashboard. They told me to take it in on Monday to pinpoint the source of this sound.
Something on the dashboard is loose, from the assembly line in the factory, an it is vibrating at around 7000rpm. Whatever it is,it will be covered by warranty. I will update you on this issue. Hope it will be sorted out on Monday!!!

I went to another authorized dealer just a few hours after my previous post.
This dealer is the biggest in Greece.
They heard it and told me that it's not coming from the engine,but from the passenger side dashboard. They told me to take it in on Monday to pinpoint the source of this sound.
Something on the dashboard is loose, from the assembly line in the factory, an it is vibrating at around 7000rpm. Whatever it is,it will be covered by warranty. I will update you on this issue. Hope it will be sorted out on Monday!!!

great. nice hijack.

Keep me updated. It's around my dashboard (probably more near the hood) on the passenger side too

anyone else find it NOt a coincidence that that is where the complicated intake system is situated. hello

im gonna go ahead and agree with zoom44. its gotta be a ping. i switvched gas brands a few weeks ago and it hasnt returned. i USED to use sunoco 94, then 93, now i use shell 93. perhaps the computer didnt advance the timing enuff when i was wailing on it? perhaps that 94 wasnt REALLY 94? same goes for their 93????


My car started really hard this morning and ran really rough for several minutes and was running kinda sluggish for the first few miles, then seemed to be close to normal. I was thinking it was probably the gas. I had filled it up on Saturday and then hadn't driven it since then, except to get home. I got gas at a station different than normal since I was at a point where I really needed to get gas and not near my usual two Chevron station choices. I ended up getting Shell this time. I only put in premium gas, ever. My mileage doesn't appear to be doing so well this tank either. I called my dealership and they said it sounds like something with gas but if it is still doing it after I use up the tank on new gas then to bring it in. I didn't have any "sounds" though.

Hmm...still thinking whether I should try an 'octane booster' and seeing how that goes...

Don't do it Raptor. Those things are just plain bad. I brought mine in for the "marbles in a blender" noise above 6k, and they gave it back to me saying they couldn't find it, 2 days later. So I put the service guy in my passenger seat and revved in their parking lot to 6 or 7k. Clear as day. I wonder if these guys just skip certain cars at random, and not even turn them on? Anyway, the guy said it's most likely some part of the dashboard rattling. I was in a hurry at the time, and said I'd bring it back in next week... But I call BS on this one.

Sorry, it's above the intake system, and if I'm not mistaken the cat as well. It only happens at RPM's and unless there's about twenty loose pieces in the dash, it's not coming from there. I'm more than a little disappointed over all the little QA things that Mazda misses on our cars. This is the fourth non-scheduled dealer visit since getting my car 2 months ago new. You'd think for a 30k car they'd care how satisfied their customers were and make it right the first time. :mad:

sucks

zenmoused, where are you in NC? Im a tech at Flow Mazda in fayetteville. If your near the fay. area you should stop by. We wont b.s. you like most other dealers. If you can you should come by because I am very curious about the noise you all are hearing. If you are going to stop by PM me and I will give you the # to set up an appointment.

I finaly found the time and took it to the dealer today. They were checking it for 2 1/2 hours.
They discovered that it is coming from a little cooler that is located inside tha dashboard. (I saw it myself.)
The cooling fluid is circulating there realy fast and it's causing this rattling noise. They said that it is better to send an email to mazda - japan and describe the problem, so they can tell them what to do. Maybe if your dealers do the same, they will issue a TSB.
When they temporarily shut of the cooling fluid circulation the rattling noise stopped. Maybe there is something wrong with the tubing or the radiator making a turbulent flow of the cooling fluid.(My guess)
In 2 to 3 days they will inform me what Mazda-Japan has to say about this issue.
They informed me that there is no problem with the car and nothing is going to happen to the motor. I am covered now because the issue is documented.
I hope this problem will soon be resolved.

FuryCustoms- I'm located in Chapel Hill, so it's unfortunately a bit of a drive. If they can't do anything for me down here next week when I take it in, I'll definitely take you up on that. It would be really nice to have a dealer I can take it to that isn't full of it.

I finaly found the time and took it to the dealer today. They were checking it for 2 1/2 hours.
They discovered that it is coming from a little cooler that is located inside tha dashboard. (I saw it myself.)
The cooling fluid is circulating there realy fast and it's causing this rattling noise. They said that it is better to send an email to mazda - japan and describe the problem, so they can tell them what to do. Maybe if your dealers do the same, they will issue a TSB.
When they temporarily shut of the cooling fluid circulation the rattling noise stopped. Maybe there is something wrong with the tubing or the radiator making a turbulent flow of the cooling fluid.(My guess)
In 2 to 3 days they will inform me what Mazda-Japan has to say about this issue.
They informed me that there is no problem with the car and nothing is going to happen to the motor. I am covered now because the issue is documented.
I hope this problem will soon be resolved.

I guess it is the a/c evaporator you are talking about? I know that the a/c system cuts out at a certain rpm to free up more hp for the engine. So is the coolant bypassing to relieve pressure on the system?

hence how hard it is to accurately diagnose a sound you cant hear yourself. he's talking about air gurgling thu the heater core or AC evaporator

I have a rattling noise on my car as well.
Mine sounds different than the ones I've read in this thread though.
I only hear mine when driving on rough roads.
My subdivision has a cobblestone entry, and when i'm driving (30 mph? or more) i hear this metallic rattle. sounds like thin metal vibrating against thin metal.

I just bought the the car used.
I think I'll have it checked out.
Has anyone else heard this noise?

Dealerships have the tendency to say "it's normal" when they have no idea of what's going on.....

True

Still have to call the guys in Austin, zoom44, lol. But before that I'm gonna try another dealership that's about half hour away when I get the time. It's Freeman Mazda in Irving, I've heard their service is great.

owners have a tendancy to accept "its normal" without an explanation as to why and then come here and ask us to diagnose. why dont they just get an explanation from the service person?

subdivisions- does it have an aftermarket exhaust?

The thing is - they have NO idea. If they found out why, they'd tell me by now, and probably have it fixed.

Again, in my case, there's no power loss, just that 'marbles in a blender' sound at ~7300 RPM all the way to ~7900. It's not horribly loud either, but it's a little annoying. I can live with it, assuming it doesn't affect my engine especially when my warranty is up. But I'd rather find a solution.


Another excuse by the guys at the dealership is that I shouldn't be revving that high. Well, no, I SHOULD be revving that high with the rotary. Of course, I usually shift at around ~3500 but when I'm having fun with the SPORTS car that I purchased, I don't need that rattle.


And I've tried 93 octane from a bunch of different gas stations, including Shell. I'm thinking about trying this octane booster stuff I saw at Autozone.

Wow, i have the same issue...it sounds like clicking, or gravel in a metal pipe being shaken around...or like a strange high frequency rattle...hard to explain, but i think it's just what yyou are talking about!

Yea.

Subdivisions, check the front brake backing plates. They may be hitting on the rotor. Ive seen this issue at the dealership I work for and it was an issue with my car as well. We are not sure what causes the backing plate to shift, but all you need to do is reposition it away from the rotor. Hope this helps.

owners have a tendancy to accept "its normal" without an explanation as to why and then come here and ask us to diagnose. why dont they just get an explanation from the service person?

subdivisions- does it have an aftermarket exhaust?


No after market exhaust.
It sounds like its coming from the front drivers side wheel or from the front end, so the brake backing sound logical.

owners have a tendancy to accept "its normal" without an explanation as to why and then come here and ask us to diagnose. why dont they just get an explanation from the service person?

subdivisions- does it have an aftermarket exhaust?Back to the original post... "Normal"
Before I traded for my 06, my 04 AT was getting 9-12 MPG.
My 04 was in the shop a multitude of times... after flashes, part changes, fluid changes,
phone calls to Tech Support and who knows what else...?!?
I was told "my poor mpg was Normal for an AT"... and I must be driving the car
incorrectly or racing it... Yea. Right! Racing an AT!!!

Flash forward to the new owner. He called me saying,
"You were getting bad gas mileage weren't you." I answered "yes".
He told me that the MAF was filthy and that the 04 had the incorrect plugs with
an incorrect gap...
He cleaned the MAF, replaced and properly gapped the plugs.
Now he's getting 17 MPG with 100% stop and go driving...

So don't buy into the "It's Normal" BS. When something is wrong, it's wrong.
The problem is finding someone who is more then just a part changer to diagnose the problem(s).
Someone to take the initiative and go beyond whats in a repair manual.
Good luck!