AKzoom

Hey guys,
This is my first post to the RX8club. Although, I've been using this site for 4 years I've finally decided to create an account. I have a dilemma with my RX8 right now and I've seemed to hit a wall with where I can go to solve this so I've come to the real experts.

Story time. (2004 rx8 with 57,000mi precertified used and originally bought in 2003) I was driving across the country this last summer. Minnesota to Alaska wohoo. I stopped in Mazda of LakeWood outside of Denver for a full fluids change and tire rotation. After the service the mechanic approached me and said that my motor was dying, making smoke and indicating a loss of power. Luckily I still had one month left on my 8yr warranty. This mechanic had done 80 RX8 engine swaps and said he could do mine in 9 hours. He was certain my engine was failing and assured me it would be replaced under warranty. What a great guy. Unfortunately I was on an extremely tight schedule and couldn't stay for the swap. I actually drove 34 hours straight my last day before work.

I brought the car into the Anchorage dealership 3 weeks before warranty expiration. They did a compression test and it tested about 88% compression. Did the decarb, spark plugs, you know the story. Still tested the same. 88% in the front and 90% in the back. Continental Mazda in Anchorage gave me such a hard time to begin with. I told them that the Denver dealership was ready and willing to do the engine swap and I wanted to know why this dealership wouldn't even try to push for it. They insisted there was nothing they could do and that this was normal. I paid the bill and had a friend pick it up from the dealership because I was out of town for a 6 week job.

After several days of convincing the dealership that this loss of power was abnormal they agreed to bring it back in for another free diagnostic check. When I got there they were sure it was a clogged CAT that was causing the problem. Really I say, take a look at the new BHR catless midpipe if you will. Techline told them to run another compression test with a more accurate digital compression reader. Same results. And I had to pay their crappy 90 dollar diagnostic fee since it didn't come up with any results the warranty would cover. I argued with everyone there that my engine is obviously dying and being just 3% above the warranty replacement I need a new motor. I don't get why one dealership was all for helping me out but I hit a wall with these guys in Anchorage.

What direction can I go now or is my motor just doomed? I have all the records of the bad compression before my warranty expired last month. I've talked to MNAO and the guy said because it's out of warranty now, MNAO can't do anything unless the service manager really pushes for it. He also said only being 3% over, service managers normally find a way to justify a replacement. Thanks for reading!

Bladecutter

Okay, so if I got this right, your engine is showing that the compression is currently in the normal range? Why do you want a replacement engine if your compression is in the normal accepted range? Granted that its only in by 3%, but you're in that range.

Now, as for your dealership experience in Denver.

Had that dealer actually performed a compression test on your motor?
Did you actually see smoke coming out of your exhaust?

I hate to tell you this, but Mazda of Lakewood probably lied to you about the state of your motor.

I think you're getting worked up about nothing.

If you have power loss, and you never actually said that you did feel a loss of power. If you felt a loss of power while here in Denver, then that's the normal power loss from high altitude.

BC.

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

I'm not sure why they are giving you readings with percentages but for me at least I had compression ratings with a number system. I was in the same boat was you. The first dealership I went too had the old mazda compression rater which rated the compression at a higher RPM but did not convert to the justified RPM which made it look like my ratings were a lot higher than it should have been. One of them, even with the higher RPM rating, were .3 under Mazda's spec and they told me my engine was fine. I went to another dealership, they gave me a free compression test, as they said if you look at the warranty papers it should have been covered by the extended warranty if you diagnose it as "power loss, rough idle." To end the story, my engine was toast. I'm getting the new engine put it on Monday, as well as a new cat, starter, coils, wires, plugs all without labor charges. (My old dealership clogged my cat will oil and did not want to replace it)
I would recommend going back to the dealership who agreed to replace the engine.
They're quite expensive to replace so the gas to get there is defiantly worth it. As well as when the engine is replaced you'll have a great break in period.
Another option would be trying to find a dealership would actually be willing to replace the engine, but that might be tough to find.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I think going to Denver would be a bit of a drive

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

you failed to post pic

AKzoom

Bladecutter- ~Because for the last few months I've noticed when I'm revved above 5,000rpms it doesn't have the same power it used to, feels sluggish.

~No compression test in denver. Yes, more smoke than usual.

~Curious why they would go the extra mile to help by warning me to do this before warranty expiration.

~I hope you're right. It's just a shame having a great sports car that has an engine that's not at 100%. And Idk how much life my engine has if it's only slightly above the replacement percentage.
Thanks for the suggestions.

AKzoom

LifeAfterRx8-
Glad your persistence worked in your case. The drive back down to Denver wouldn't be too bad and it would certainly be worth the ride. There's another dealership 6 hours away in Fairbanks that I'm getting in touch with. But I don't think there's many mechanics in AK who are familiar with rotors. My car is currently out of it's warranty period so I know that's gonna be an issue with taking it to a new dealership, but I do have the compression data showing it was done before warranty expiration. So who knows.

AKzoom

Compression tests. Apparently 7.0 stands for aprox 88% compression out of 100%
7.3- 90%.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

rofl, 90%? no such thing.

compression test varies and there is really just pass or fail.

7.0 @ 242 rpm is right at average, torwards the below average side. not "88%" that you think it is.

Bladecutter

Too bad you didn't get a compression test done while in Denver.
You could have at least used that to push harder on your argument with Mazda.

Maybe something else is the cause, like a partially clogged fuel injector, or a sticking SSV?

BC.

AKzoom

I was given the percentage amounts by the 'professionals' at the dealership. From what I've gotten from this site, 6.9 @ 250 rpm is considered failing under warranty. The info I was given from the dealership is that 85% is considered failing under warranty. But whatever, I won't use percentages anymore, 100% of the time..

AKzoom

In hind sight, I would've left the car in Denver and flew back if I knew I'd be going through this.
Would a stuck SSV bring up a code?
The low compression isn't terrible. I'd just hate to have an engine failure a year from now and be kicking myself for not doing something about this when I had the chance.

AKzoom

In hind sight, I would've left the car in Denver and flew back if I knew I'd be going through this.
Would a stuck SSV bring up a code?
The low compression isn't terrible. I'd just hate to have an engine failure a year from now and be kicking myself for not doing something about this when I had the chance.

pistonhater

A service manager recently confirmed with me that "failing" is considered only below 6. So at 6.9 yours is still within range.

Granted, it is on the far low side but still within range.