EVERY recall is preventative...by definition. If the product has already failed then it's a repair!

And i beg to differ a US recall will have global implications. Mazda have just launched two new "hot" cars , they can't be seen not to support their flagship. Again IMO as a marketeer.

Headline: "Wheels COTY recalled in the US". "Mazda Australia say's there is no need here...cept many of their own dealers have been using Synth Oil"....."Oh and there have already been problems with flooding and cold starts...."

Assume that it's $150 a car (vacuum test can't really take 4 hours?) and 4100 cars that's about $600k. Not that much. Average TVC costs about $1m to produce and flight for one period.

You could be right....but i hope not for Mazda's sake! Frankly it sounds like a severe setback for rotary engines, if the US gets gun shy, deserved or not, we may wait a very long time for the next one! AS Griz says we are a pimple on the sales radar as is Europe!

 

Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is a synthetic oil related recall. Plenty of US engines have failed without having ever seen a drop of synthetic. I agree it is a major PR disaster for the rotary. This is the recall everyone wanted to avoid.

Let's just hope it isn't the nail in the rotary coffin. The US is Mazda's biggest market....if they don't handle this recall well who know if we'll ever see another rotary engined Mazda...

 

actually most of the cars affected by this in the lat 2 summers are 04 and 05 4port cars with the 4speed AT. those cars came with only 1 oil cooler. in fact when they replace the engine on these cars they are installing a 2nd cooler.

 

Sorry to go down a tangent here, but I know some of you have fitted a second oil cooler.

What is the general consensus as to whether it is worth doing, what is the cost and is there any fitment problems with Aussie spec cars?

Gomez, I'd find your opinion on this valuable.

 

I'm interested in a second oil cooler as well. Revolver I've found them available on the Mazfix website, (www.mazfix.com.au) no price though. I've been meaning to call but havent gotten around to it.

I think Taka got one from Japan a while back too...

 

This tread i believe details the engine durability vacumm issues on some RX8"S

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...eal+loss+power

I read this a long time ago , but dismised it at the time , but it clearly represents the problems some of our cars are facing .


Michael

 

Holey Cow...Thats an very old, very long and VERY interesting thread. Worth a read if you hae the time to read 24 pages.

 

Read the first post but no time for the balance atm.

Any earth-shattering highlights after #1 Andrew?

 

Not really. Just that it is possible and the major cause was seen to be the very sharp edge on the aux port. Very small percentage of people seem to be having this problem but there definately are some with it. Solution being to burr and polish the edge.

 

Might be the thing to do instead of just getting a 'reman' engine.

 

I can feel a group buy and weekend workshop coming on!

 

I'd be in that! :D

 

I have a second oil cooler and oil temp is never over 130 degree.

 

Taka,
Japanparts???
Mike

 

OK.

(1) Do you regularly spend extended time (an hour or more) running in the city at ambient temps over say...38 deg?

(2) Conversely, do you regularly carry out very high speed runs in high ambient temps for an extended period?

(3) Do you carry out your oil changes on the dot...or earlier?

(4) Do you keep your oil level up?

If the answers to Q1 & Q2 are NO and the answers to Q3 & Q4 are YES....then put your money to better use and buy flowers for the missus.

Cheers.

 

hmmmmm...

Gomez for situation 1) 2nd cooler is useless in this situation. They are air cool not water cooled.

Mikey,

Yes Japanparts.com

 

What about if you attend track days occasionally?

 

i think anyone who tracks should have it... if the oil temp is over 130 degree - should change oil .... I think it is a way to look after your engine. Hence, 2nd oil cooler and gauges for me.

 

A bit off topic but any suggestions on which one(s) to look at Taka?

 

True. Though a second cooler will help reduce the heat soak even if the car just puts along.

The emphasis is on the word regularly. Regularly doing this type of driving will stress out the oil more. The odd hot day in summer won't have bugger all impact on oil breakdown.....esp if you use a good oil and change on time/early.

 

US specs, (but you need parts number for the hoses and to connect from right to left.

MazdaSpeed - comes in a package - must fit. To be honest it looks like the stock US one I must say...

HKS, and Fujita engineering all have those. I suggest MazdaSpeed as I don't find another 2 lines will have extra benefit over MazdaSpeed models.

 

no actually that has nothing to do with it. and what is talked about there is an issue not seen in many many other engines opened up. in fact the one we have other pics of was not from the side seal at all but a bit of something that got tossed around when a TC or SC broke

 

zoom, I thought in that thread, whoever it was that went to RB found damaged side seals that all agreed was caused by the sharp edges of the aux ports and could have been avoided by smoothing the edges off. That being said it was admitted by RB that the engine blew becuase of FI issues not the side seals.

Andrew

 

The answer to the first two questions is probably no because I do not commute and no longer track the car. The answer to the last two questions is yes, give or take a week or so (I'm always under the km requirement but do change the oil every 6 months regardless). Oil is checked reasonably regularly and only rarely gets down to the bottom indicator before it gets another top-up.

On that basis, it sounds unnecessary given my current use. Thanks for the concise opinion.

 

Mike,

Good idea but given 'Mez's comments, I doubt I'd gain any benefit from it (and simply add unnecessary weight).

Think I'll put my money towards something else (flowers! - pfft, she just got a bloody new car!! ).