LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

Haven't posted in a while, hope everyone's doing well.

I had my engine replaced maybe 5-6 months ago, only drove like 2000-2500 miles on the reman, replaced the entire ignition system around 10,000 miles ago with all OEM parts, still have the original CAT and original fuel pump. I was driving and randomly the car would bog, and lose power at around 4-5k RPM, sounded like a misfire. Went to my local dealer as the dealership I normally get serviced is much farther and since it's a new building and new ownership I tried giving them a shot.

They checked if it was the CAT, cat was "within spec" so they thought it might be the engine, ran a compression test and the results were:

#2 6.9
6.9 @240rpm
7.1

#1 7.6
7.9 @235rpm
6.9

I'm pretty worried as this engine hardly has above 2,000 miles on it and those numbers look pretty low, the tech was saying that's due to the RPM, if it's a higher RPM, it has a higher compression number, which i know is true but I know they're usually tested at this RPM.

The issue with the bogging was a coil burned out, ($230 including the 2 coils, compression test and labor so props to Daytona Mazda) even though they haven't even hit 10,000 miles yet. I'm more concerned with these numbers and the amount of miles on the engine, am I looking an engine failing prematurely?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Most premature reman failures are due to a clogging cooling system from excess sealant used during reman assembly.

Odd results overall, rotor 2 is just barely passing, rotor 1 has a huge reduction on 1 face. Given your mileage, this might just be a very poorly assembled reman.

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

Anything under 6.9 @250 is considered failing or am I wrong?

I don't think they called Mazda, they simply said the numbers looked "fine."

So I'm debating on contacting Mazda or trying my usual dealership...

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Well, it's a passing engine, so i bet that is why they called it "fine". We won't consider it a good engine at all, but it does pass. I'd guess that you will have no success trying to complain about it, but the worse they can say it "no".

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

The single rotor face drop is likely a side seal issue..

I would complain...get it in writing

The reman does have a 1yr 12000 mile warranty or something like that

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

Well, at the rate it's going, those numbers would probably drop even more within a few hundred - thousand miles.

Is it better to call Mazda HQ or try another dealer?

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

On all Remans there is a tag, I forgot exactly what it said, but its something like the engine will have 5.x-7.x during the first xxxx miles is normal. Something like that.

Which is true actually, new housing/apex usually gives u crappy miles during their early life.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

If you have a decent reputation with the original dealer that installed the engine, your best shot at success might be back with them. MNAO reps will probably read 'by the book'.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

If everything is even, I wouldn't worry about it, but that big difference on the front rotor, and the big difference front to rear isn't "normal"

paimon.soror

iTrader: (15)

FYI I moved this over to the S1 section since based on your Sig you have a 07

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

How many miles on the car? If it's not high mileage then just let it ride out, you still have the 8 year 100k warranty. I got my last mazda reman at 96,000 miles.

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

74,160, engine was replaced at 71,1xx.

My car is an 07 but it was purchased on dec 06 so my warranty expires Dec 29th 2014.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Well I would drive the crap out of it for the next month,

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

When the warranty expires, is there a 12,000 mile/12month warranty remaining on the engine, or is that only if you purchase the engine, not from Mazda's warranty?
My engine was installed 05/2014 so I still have a few months after the warranty expires if so...

If I can't get mazda to replace it, maybe I can finally get a 13bre or a built renny

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

An engine replaced under a warranty is only covered for the duration of the warranty that covered it. So the 12m/12k doesn't apply to you, and the reman's coverage will be up in december as you noted. If you had purchased the reman outside of warranty, then it would be covered for 12m/12k.

I had to contact MNAO about this on my engine a few years ago :/ Yeah, it's pretty crappy. It really should be an overlapping coverage, but not much we can do about it. I'd definitely work on them about it. That clearly isn't a very well built engine, even if it currently passes.

LifeAfterRx8

iTrader: (17)

Just wanted to give an update, the engine did end up failing at around 3,500 miles.

Since I reported it while I was still under warranty the engine was replaced for free last week.

Daytona Mazda fought with Mazda for a few weeks, didn't charge me for 2 compression tests, the decarb, and for the loaner car.

If you live Ormond Beach, Daytona area, I'd definitely recommend going there, they're under new ownership, much better dealership than before.

Luckyboii69

I would have bought a reman engine from mazda and have Pettit Racing blueprint it but that will cost you a lot of $$..reman engines from mazda usually dont last long due to poor job

Shumster

iTrader: (2)

Hey sorry for the thread revival but I wanted to ask RIWWP about issues with silicone sealant in reman engines causing failure.

I was talking with my friend who owns a rotary shop and he told me that when my reman comes to check the oil pan for excessive sealant. He said that a few engines he has torn down had stringy sealant all over and that if looks like they did a bad job on my reman's oil pan it would be worth it to have the oil pan cleaned and resealed.

I saw that you recommend a coolant flush to help with the sealant issues.

Are these the same issues?

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yup.

The reman facility habitually uses too much sealant, and it gets all sorts of unpleasant places. I admit I haven't seen any reference to it causing problems with the oil system, but it sure does cause problems with the cooling system. It's my belief that the excess sealant clogging up radiators and thermostats is the reason why there is a sharply higher risk of overheating/coolant seal failure on remans within the first 10,000 miles.

It is something that can be solved/fixed however. Flushing alone might solve it, but it might not. Be vigilant on coolant temperature monitoring (not the cluster gauge, it won't start moving till it's too late, pull the actual numbers from OBD2 or an aftermarket gauge), and sometime between 3,000 miles and 5,000 miles, give a long solid flush, garden hose variety, then replace at least the radiator, since that will have trapped a bunch of it in the internal fins. Pull the thermostat, all coolant lines, and the coolant bottle and confirm whether or not they are free and clear. Clean or replace as needed (especially if they are old anyway).

Yeah, it's annoying, but cheaper than paying for a new engine out of pocket.