Not triyng to be a smarty pants but id point out the obvious USA cars ARE LEFT HAND DRIVE .

Rigth hand drive cars were not affected hopefully.

Michael

 

Michael, your morbid fascination with failure amuses me. You seem to WANT every recall you hear about, and you have moaned about one aspect of the 8 after another since you first appeared in this forum. Try to ...er...enjoy life...be positive...and relax! Your sig has proven time and time again to represent a wish, not your reality!

Just to clarify for other owners (and to warn against taking Michael's moans as gospel), as long as your ownership details are registered and remain current with Mazda Australia (and, where you buy the car 2nd hand, you send this information to Mazda) Mazda is legally obliged to write to you with the details of any recall that it has made. This is part of its obligations under the Trade Practices Act, and relates to all vehicles affected, not just those under warranty. Moreover, it has to make its best endeavours to track down affected vehicles, so any affected vehicle coming into a Mazda dealer should also be checked.

There's lots of information at http://www.recalls.gov.au/index.php

It is mischievous to suggest that a manufacturer 'conspires' to avoid a recall. But, because of the expense involved, they will want to make absolutely sure that a problem exists before instigating a recall. This is done via a statistical process which examines failure rates in each environment against a standard distribution. Interestingly, manufacturers also use this approach to detect 'false' warranty claims!

 

What so stress about recall when there is a free check up on your car. I want a recall. Nice to know your rotary's compression ratio. Compress ratio is listed on all the RX-7 being so in a particular 2nd hand dealer in Japan. I think it is only a norm that we should have it as part of scheduled service.

 

It's been interesting to see how this thread has progressed. I think that one of Gomez' earliest posts has the key: US cars run a richer mixture because they have to extend the life of the catalytic converter. Think now how that might affect engine lubrication. Fuel vapour enters the engine, and if there is a bit too much to be burnt instantaneously, some of the fuel dissolves in the thin oil smear on the walls of the combustion chamber. Instead of being nice and thick and gooey, it becomes more like two stroke mixture. Result: poor lubrication and enhanced engine wear. Since we have a different fuel management program (leaner mixtures?), then that's why we could be unaffected. Gomez' comment about the seppos running lower viscosity oils might also have an impact too. Rotary motors run hot, and it could be that the oils are always running near the lower end of their viscosity range, in spite of what the temperature gauge says.

I think that the mineral oil versus synthetic is another story. Shame that in 2006 we can't benefit from the superior properties of synthetic oil (engineered molecules over natural substances with an increased tendency to oxidize), but just part of the reason could be that Mazda simply doesn't know what is going on, and is reverting to a place where they feel safer.

 

Welcome back Labster!

Great post - even I understood it!!

 

ASH8

posted this tread interesting and relevant

I have not heard about any decision yet by Mazda Australia...on any engine recall.

Although the cynics might suggest otherwise, Mazda and Mazda Australia will not sweep anything under the carpet...they just don't operate like that... IF and I say if there is an issue you will be contacted or hear about it from members at www.RX8club.com.au.

I have used Castrol GTX-3 here which is a mineral based only oil and has a 10w40w spec...which is fine for our climate......

Generally we have a similar climates to the US apart from their freezing cold winter temps, so a 0 or 5 factor oil range really is not necessary, GTX-3 give you a higher hot climate temp at 40 where the recommendations by Mazda for Australia is a 30 factor.

Like many have said the RX-8's Metering OIL Pump (MOP) was not injecting sufficient volumes of engine oil into the combustion chambers for Apex,Side seal, Corner Seal lubrication...this has been rectified by the ECU Flash updates.

The issue of using Fully Synthetic oils according to reports have been one of the causes for excess carbon deposits on rotors which cause the "Marbles in a can sound" at higher RPM.
While this has ALWAYS been an issue for rotaries, even in the 70's, IMO synthetic oil burn appears to deposit (Stick to) rotors etc more than mineral base oils do.

I know that RG and other will not agree but I have been against there use since becoming a member, However, Royal Purple (Like RG uses) is probably the best synthetic oil...if you chose to use it......

BTW, I have no objections using good Synthetics OIls in "normal" 4,6 and 8 bangers.

 

^^^^Nothing new in any of that....except the weird statement that members of the com.au site will contact me to tell me my RX-8 has been recalled!!

WTF??

ASH8 has 480 odd posts, lives in Adelaide apparently, but not once has he posted here in the Australian sub-forum.

C'mon ASH8, come in and explain your strange statement.....I won't bite (much ).

 

My recollection is that he had a service management position -- either with a dealer or MA -- sometime in the relatively recent past.

 

Long service dept history....out of it for a while, he says.

 

I guess when you put the bits and pieces together, it makes some sort of sense:

- Increase oil flow to the motor to compensate for oil thinning due to rich mixture
- This exposes more oil to hot combustion gases
- Synthetic oils are more resistant to oxidation (than mineral oils), thus incomplete burning and possible deposition of tarry or varnishy deposits, particularly if a rich mixture drops combustion temperatures

If the seppos are using richer mixtures to prolong catalytic converter life, does that mean we are burning hotter (and potentially burning oil more completely)?

I'll leave the issue of using higher viscosity oils (10W-40 versus 5W-30) to those with much more knowledge, but would running a higher vsicosity oil adversely affect the atomization of oil through the oil injectors?

 

OMG this is such an interesting thread.....for those waiting for their "RECALL" are you also considering increasing your life insurance? Come on get out revv the car live a little. Wait and don't worry or you'll end up having a MI with worry!!

I will go back to ground up rocks for oil...but seriously the car uses much less synth. oil...guess I have found out why....it's all stuck in the engine!!

 

That is a good one Julia

 

Call me uninspired or boring, but everything I put into my car is Mazda approved.

Michael's note about using a different temp rating mineral oil has me thinking that because he has stepped slightly outside the norms re: mazda's recommendations, that could cause some of the problems he has had with his 8?

My 8 has been running perfectly since purchase. nothing falling off engine or parts wise. no rattles, no odd thumps. gear changes are smooth ie no "notchieness"

My only gripe so far is trying to keep it clean, and the silver plastic on the centre console being easily scratched by dog claws - easily replaced down the track.

 

Thinking about how **** some enthusiasts inevitably are about their cars, that made me laugh.

Between Azza and Julia, we've had some good reminders here to just enjoy the car for what it is.